emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced

I loved this in-depth, personal look into trans healthcare in Japan. Every country handles transitioning so differently and it's fascinating to see how family, society, work, and friends handle this change. Hirasawa's voice is very clear in this graphic novel and you really get a feel for what she went through and how she felt about the different stages of her transition.

A bravely honest and open telling of the author's experience travelling to Thailand for gender-affirming surgery, what came before, and their hope for the future.

I have to admit that it's a topic that I knew nothing of and didn't really think I'd ever know as much about as I do after reading this book. However, Hirasawa is so earnest and open about everything that you can't help but want to hear her story.

As someone who passes out when hearing about papercuts, I was worried about how deeply she went into the details, but the most serious aspects of the operation are discussed in such a funny manner that it doesn't really register. And that's where Hirasawa shines, in telling her story in such a way that you understand the emotions and empathize with everything she went through to find her authentic self.

In the end, I'm glad I read it, and I thank the author for opening their heart in such an honest, earnest, and funny way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the fascinating read!

While medical terminology and images set me on edge, Hirasawa navigates the journey through gender-affirming surgery through an educational and lighthearted lens. Using food to depict certain body parts, this manga is apt for any reader curious about the process of gender-affirming surgery or what it's like to transition in Japan.

First off, thank you to Kodansha for putting My Journey to Her up on NetGalley a year or so after release! I was unfamiliar with this title, and its appearance in ARC-land put me straight into the reading zone.

Now the actual review: My Journey to Her should be one of those autobiographical books/comics/etc that should be on every LGBTQIA+ list for "primers about the queer experience." Yuna Hirasawa is extremely detailed about her process as a Japanese person transitioning from male to female (in Japan, but receiving gender affirming surgery/bottom surgery in Thailand), not only from diagnosis but hormones, the big surgery itself, the complications of said surgery, the worries about how society looks at someone that people may think is cross-dressing or trans, and among all this a really accessible way to understand the two major bottom surgeries that can be done on transwomen.

Honestly I want to go buy a copy for my own reference/my own collection of queer non-fiction, this is great.

This was an informative and meaningful portrayal of the author/artist's lived experiences. It helps to pull back the curtain on common misinformation and depict how intensive and complex the process of gender-affirming care truly is. I found this to be very well-handled and informative. I would recommend this read to others, as well (especially considering it's currently Pride month!).

My Journey to Her is a manga memoir about the author's medical journey as a trans woman in Japan. Hirasawa is brutally honest at times about her experiences and what it was like for her going to Thailand for surgery. I learned a lot about the obstacles in place for trans people in Japan, and the process of changing one's gender marker. I enjoyed the glimpses we got into the author's personal life, but would have enjoyed seeing more of her day to day life. Thanks to Kodansha and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was NOT for me lol, it was awful.

We follow a japanese man's journey to becoming a woman through surgery in Thailand. I really don't like how the main character described things nor their behavior and other things.

This autobiographical manga follows the author’s experience with gender reassignment surgery in Thailand, and her experience with being trans in Japan.

This offers an interesting look into the logical procedures of gender reassignment, male to female, and the healing process afterwards, described in easy to understand terms. It gave me new information about that part of the life of a trans person I didn’t know before.

Hello NetGalley and Kodansha,
Thank you for this wonderful read. Here's my review:

Have you ever felt trapped in your current life, yearning for change?

That’s exactly what happens to the protagonist. She even visits a psychologist to seek a diagnosis. Once the results are in, she decides to transition, from "him" to "her."

Her journey is arduous. She faces not only the personal and emotional challenges of transitioning, but also practical difficulties, such as the language barrier between Thai and Japanese cultures. The story sheds light on both the process of creating the "V" and the ongoing maintenance that comes after. Personally, I found it educational and thought-provoking. It made me realize just how tough her path really is.

One small detail: the greeting is written as "sawasdee ka" instead of "sawaddee kha." It’s a minor difference, but I thought it was worth noting.

"I did it! I peed!!"

This was such a funny book. I caught myself cackling alone in my room multiple times. A great book to read that manage to find a good balance between the real harsh reality of gender dysphoria—and all it encompass, with a light layer of humour.

Honestly, this was also way more instructif than I was expecting! I’m nonbinary and looked into some of the type of surgery, but knew nothing about vaginoplasty, and damn! I know so much now!

I would say if you’re really squeamish about overly explanation of medical procedures (with some kind of visual help), there’s a few bits that you might be uncomfortable with? So stay aware of that. (That food representation felt weirdly realistic LMAO)

Oh and, of course, there’s a lot of time spent a the hospital, if you don’t enjoy hospital setting as a whole! I would say this is definitely a more medical-steps side of things than a kind of emotionally discovering yourself story (although there’s definitely some of that too!).

But all around, I thought this was great. The art style really gave me that old manga nostalgia, and although it is not a lot of pages, the story manage to tie itself very well, while also touching a lot of the subject.

Gender Dysphoria, deciding to go for it, the different options for someone living in Japan, the different procedures, the support system being important, the pain, the scary parts, etc.

It was also very interesting to see the process for the name and gender marquer change in the Japanese legal system! I really appreciated seeing this side of Japan, which is one that’s quite rarely explored in the content I consume usually.

AND IF YOU MUST KNOW. Yes I did cry. Multiple times.

P.S: Oh my god, I enjoyed the nurses characters so much, they were honestly so funny.

"My Journey to Her" details Yuna Hirasawa's medical and legal journey to being recognized as a woman. I would say this manga falls into the informative graphic novel/manga genre, as it is about 80% information and 20% personal, even though this is a retelling of her surgery/recovery/etc. This does not mean it is devoid of Hirasawa's personality, or a humanizing factor as she explains her anxiousness and pain through some pretty severe medical ordeals. But the tone of prioritizes how Hirasawa navigated such things, and less about the journey to self-actualization that other memoirs have demonstrated. There is even a very humorous digression using a hotdog and tofu block to visualize the surgical procedure, humorously joined with her friend's increasing discomfort about seeing it.

I will admit this manga does not shy away from the complications presented in bottom surgery. While none of the illustrations showed a graphic depiction of surgery or any genitals, the descriptions could be enough to make me cross my legs. Especially when Hirasawa explains the botched situation where the scar tissue closed her urethra and she couldn't pee until they reopened it. The subsequent trip to the toilet where she has a look of relief as cascades of water fall in the background is very funny, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is squeamish about medical procedures.

Overall, "My Journey to Her" is a well-told, humanizing discussion of one person's journey to being seen as a woman. The writing is very clear to point out that the situation Hirasawa went through could be radically different depending on country and contemporary events.

I received this book from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Wow, what a powerful book. We follow Yuuna Hirasawa as she goes through gender affirming surgery, see her before that with her visits to the doctors to the get the Gender Dysphoria diagnosis so she could start treatments and get that surgery, we see the after-effects of the surgery (not just the pain but also the aftercare, the relief when she could pee and fart, and sorry I laughed at how all the nurses were complimenting her new vagina), and what she has to do when she gets home. It was a wonderful book and I loved every bit of it. It was very informative with her explaining several things and even single pages with extra information (and not just on being trans but also Thailand or the hospital food). I knew several things (this is not my first book about the topic) but I also learned new things. I loved how supportive her sister-in-law, her brother, and sister were and how they constantly send messages to her while she was in Thailand.
I wish Yuuna Hirasawa the best life full of happiness. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

"My Journey to Her" by Yuna Hirasawa follows her journey to her true self.

As it is Pride Month, this manga felt like a good pick to request. Hirasawa is a transwoman and this manga details her journey including surgery and medication. This is a touching story and one that I think will be a hopeful read for many young transpeople. This manga is interesting too because it's formatted like a traditional manga but it's really wordy. I think the description here states that it blends graphic novel storytelling with prose. I think here is where the manga fails for me. Now, it did win an Eisner, but I don't think this story really works as a straight graphic novel. The art isn't really visually interesting to look at, it really reminded me of those how to draw manga books from Borders. And because of how text heavy it was, I found that I'd rather this be just a visual novel. I think the graphic novel format was chosen for ease of accessibility but with literacy rates, at least here in the US, I think this could be a barrier. And to come back to the visuals, I just found them unpleasant to look at. They looked almost amateurish like I was reading a webcomic from the early 2000s or something. For me, this took away from the emotional and impactful nature of Hirasawa's story.

Overall, I think this is a lovely story but for me to be reading a graphic novel/a manga, I need it to look visually stunning and this really REALLY missed the mark for me.

Thank you Kodansha Comics Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy!

The story starts when Yuna just landed in Thailand. Slowly, she let us readers catch up on what lead up to this event, her deciding to finally get gender-affirming surgery from the best in the world.

I am personally not into mangas. I have read a couple but rarely finished them. I tend to be mesmerized by the drawings and find myself too lazy to even read the long dialogues, unlike when I read novels. Surprisingly, even with the deeper and present issue the author experienced, I finished the book within two days.

I was genuinely impressed by Yuna's work. I can not imagine myself writing about an awful experience I had, trying to dig deeper in my memories and reliving it again and again. Much more trying to visualize how I was then using drawings. I applaud her bravery.

The manga was something I never read before. As I mentioned, manga is not generally something I would go to a bookstore and pick up. A memoir manga is definitely out of my comfort zone. Fortunately, this book was actually impressive, given with only 150 pages, Yuna effectively captured her experience and let us readers see a glimpse of what she had gone through.

Yes, some say that manga is simply a Japanese comic book. However, My Journey To Her is definitely something else. She added quirky bits or drawings here and there, yet I felt that I was there with her, trying to hold her hand while suffering through post operation struggles and pains. I found myself stopping midway, closing my eyes, and telepathically telling her that if I only had my ways to be there with her by her bed, I would have.

I learned a lot from the story, not just her own experience but rather how she explained her dysmorphia and even the surgery itself like I was 5. It was simple, yet knowledgeable. I did appreciate her mentioning once or twice to do our own research, acknowledging that she may have a first hand experience but still, her own does not speak to everyone else. The subtle humility from the protagonist herself is very uplifting.

I even found myself in a rabbit hole at 11 PM trying to learn more about gender dysmorphia. I have been living in this world for a few decades now, and I felt ashamed not knowing about it, realizing that a lot of people suffer while I live obliviously. It opened my eyes in a world I never knew existed because of this manga.

I do hope that Yuna writes more about herself, but I know this is quite a stretch. Seeing a glimpse of her life, I got curious about where she is now, how difficult it must have been to follow through medical things even after the procedure. Though I know that it is her choice if she opens another door and let us peek once more into her life. I genuinely hope she is in a better place compared to when she was suffering pre operation.

Rating: 8/10
Ease of reading: 7/10
Can't get enough of: 9.5/10

Overall: Highly Recommended

I always find it challenging to rate nonfiction and memoirs because they are the author's lived experiences. Genuinely, this is such an informative, almost cute read that's incredibly heartwarming. The author did an amazing job handling such heavy and potentially triggering topics, making it all seem much lighter and inspiring. The art style is so fun, and I learned a bit more about Japanese culture surrounding transness and transitioning, as well as so much of Thailand's medical world, and I feel so much more informed and educated without feeling like all the information given was too much. Reading this was like a positive light that made me smile today. I know this one will be a light of hope for others, too.

My Journey to Her recounts the author’s experience with gender identity, obtaining gender affirming care in Thailand, and the necessary proceedings to be legally recognized as a woman.

There’s a lot of bureaucracy and hell to navigate through before obtaining the proper care, and Hirasawa manages to showcase her experience with humor and ease.

Very informative in regard to surgical details of medically transitioning (specifically vaginoplasty), both in the physical and emotional level.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Kodansha for the ARC.

My Journey to Her is a story all about a young trans woman traveling to Thailand to receive her gender affirming surgery.

I think this story was just a bit too heavy with medical jargon and overwhelming amounts of words on a page for me. So I would say if that is something that interests you and you have an easier time wrapping your head around medical terminology I'd definitely give it a read. I did think it gave a great insight to what it is like to get gender affirming surgery and everything that goes into it with all the steps and feelings alongside recovery. In the end though, I just think it was a bit overwhelming for me.

This was really cute! I read "The Bride was a Boy" earlier this year, and I think these graphic memoirs pair well---Hirasawa focuses less on the social logistics of transition in Japan (at least at the time of the original writing) than Chii does, and more on the physical realities of surgery. This skips over many of the personal revelations that let to Hirasawa seeking surgery and got right into the nitty-gritty of her time in a Thai hospital, with some flashbacks to explain how she came to that moment.

I don't think that this is a great introduction for people who don't know much about the trans experience, but for folks who want to a) explore some uncomfortable physiological questions with someone who has undergone MTF bottom surgery, b) is considering pursuing this themselves, or c) is curious about how Japanese (and Thai) care differs from their own experience, this is quite enlightening. Hirasawa intentionally steers away from making broader statements about overall social norms or how to fix pitfalls in gender-affirming healthcare and confines her subject to her personal experiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. It came onto my radar earlier this year, and I was excited to learn that there was already an English translation in the works! I believe this came out originally in 2016, so some things have already changed in terms of Japan's approach to trans healthcare since the time of its first publication.

Best known for her manga Terrarium, Yuna Hirasawa has written a moving autobiographical essay in which she traces her gender transition with honesty and sensitivity. It's a perfect read for pride month!

I really like the title of the manga, ‘My journey to her’, which is very simple and represents the whole process of making this transition and finally being aligned with oneself.

The manga is also very educational, without ever being heavy-handed. You learn an enormous amount about the stages of the transition, the types of vaginoplasty that are possible... details that are rarely covered elsewhere, but explained here with clarity and respect. I didn't know that there were two types of vaginoplasty and that you could choose the depth of your vagina for sex reassignment surgery!

The culture clash between Japan and Thailand is interesting even if it's not the main focus of the book. I wasn't expecting the Thai hospital staff on rollerblades, I would have panicked too. I didn't know that Bangkok wasn't the official name of the city! It's so long!

We can't fail to recognise the strength of trans people. This story is a reminder of just how courageous trans people's journeys have been. Their resilience in the face of social and medical norms (and pain) commands admiration.

This manga is a must-read because it enlightens, moves and educates, all at the same time.

Thank you to netGalley and Kondansha for the eARC.

My Journey to Her is an autobiographical graphic novel about the author's experience going through a transitional surgery in Thailand.

I thought the whole novel was fun and informative, and the author's ability to shine a light on the societal, personal, and informative nature of this topic was both inspiring and enlightening. I think for people who aren't familiar with what transitioning entails, this is a good segway into the topic itself.