An Introduction to Trans Representation in Manga

Where trans representation in North American comics has struggled to find firm footing at times, trans representation in manga has been there since very nearly the beginning and encompasses a variety of iconic characters, creators, and titles. #manga #transgender 1/7

Interrogating and subverting gender roles has a longstanding presence in Japan through things like otokonoko “male child daughter” culture and the kabuki theatrical tradition. Manga can thus be seen as a natural extension of this presence. 2/7

At the same time, Anthony Kuhn of NPR notes that “Legal gender change in Japan requires a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, being at least 18 years of age, being unmarried and having no underage children” and that, up until 2023, required sterilization. 3/7

Thus, the prevalence of transgender representation in Japanese culture (and manga in particular) might be a bit of a surprise to some readers. Nonetheless, this tradition has been well-theorized by scholars on both sides of the Pacific. 4/7

Scholar Tara Etherington argues that “the inclusion of transgender characters in mainstream manga has experienced three key transitions: trans-identifiable characters in female-oriented manga; acceptance and empowerment of transgender characters in male-oriented manga;…” 5/7

“…and the growing awareness of manga written by transgender mangaka.” In consequence of these developments, Etherington sees manga as “an evolving space for trans scholars to analyze trans-identifiable and transgender characters through a non-Western-Eurocentric literary medium.” 6/7

In the weeks ahead, this is exactly the type of exploration that Sequential Scholars will conduct by analysing the evolution of trans representation in manga through a series of key works and figures on the subject. Stay tuned. 7/7