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My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 Hardcover – Illustrated, May 2, 2017

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 950 ratings

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The first volume of the acclaimed global sensation, from one of Japan's most notable manga artists: Yaichi is a work-at-home suburban dad in contemporary Tokyo; formerly married to Natsuki, and father to their young daughter, Kana. Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, affable Canadian named Mike Flanagan, who declares himself to be the widower of Yaichi's estranged gay twin, Ryoji.

Mike is on a quest to explore Ryoji's past, and the family reluctantly but dutifully takes him in. What follows is an unprecedented and heartbreaking look at the state of a largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture: how it's been affected by the West, and how the next generation can change the preconceptions about it and prejudices against it.

(Please note: This book is a traditional work of manga, and reads back to front and right to left.)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“When a cuddly Canadian comes to call, Yaichi—a single Japanese dad—is forced to confront his painful past. With his young daughter Kana leading the way, he gradually rethinks his assumptions about what makes a family. Renowned manga artist Gengoroh Tagame turns his stunning draftsmanship to a story very different from his customary fare, to delightful and heartwarming effect.”
—Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home

“Heartbreaking yet hopeful, Gengoroh Tagame’s beautifully rendered meditation on the struggle for gay acceptance in today’s Japan is quietly dazzling. I am already looking forward to part two!”
—Anderson Cooper, CNN

“Beautifully written and drawn—an eye-opening story about children and parents and how they affect each other. And I’m 11 years old, so I should know!”
—Clara Ware

“The art is crisp, and the characters’ faces expressive, allowing the reader to see their hurt, confusion, and relief . . . A sensitive exploration of the transition some families go through when a family member comes out and a possible entry point for those needing to start conversations of their own.”
Booklist [starred review]

“Not only is My Brother’s Husband very touching; it’s also, for the non-Japanese reader, unexpectedly fascinating. Gay life remains largely closeted in Japan, and Tagame’s complex but deftly told story seeks to examine the effect such secrecy has, not only on those who must live it, but also on their wider family relationships.”
The Guardian (London) 

“Gengoroh Tagame’s beautiful manga novel My Brother’s Husband disentangles family secrets and homophobia with endearing grace . . . Thoughtful and fetching, My Brother’s Husband is the first in a two-volume omnibus about grief, reconciliation and the strength to be who you are.”
Shelf Awareness [starred review]

My Brother’s Husband focuses more on the uneasy relationship between Yaichi, a single father raising his daughter, Kana, and Mike Flanagan, who was married to Yaichi’s recently deceased (and estranged) twin brother, Ryoji . . . There’s something beautiful in the careful way that My Brother’s Husband handles Yaichi’s coming to terms with his feelings about his brother that’s rarely seen in mainstream comics. Rather than treating the tension between Mike and Yaichi as a massively dramatic point on conflict, the book instead treats it like the complicated and messy holding pattern that it is . . . The message that Tagame’s trying to get across—that quiet, subtle bigotry can be just as harmful as loud, bombastic bigotry—isn’t always an easy one to process. Tagame understands that and hopefully, as the rest of the book unfolds, readers will too.”
—io9.com

My Brother’s Husband is focused on normalizing a gay relationship to those who are uncomfortable with the idea . . . there’s an audience and a need for works like this . . . The storytelling is straightforward, easy to read, particularly for those who might be new to the medium. There are plenty of panels that establish detail, so the reader gets a feel for this small family’s daily life . . . It’s charming and provides hope for the future.”
Comics Worth Reading

“The story provides a very interesting look at Japanese society through Yaichi’s struggle to come to terms with his brother’s sexuality, revealing some of the struggles the Japanese gay community faces at the same time . . . One of the most notable things about Tagame’s artwork is just how vastly different it is from nearly anything I’ve seen before. Not necessarily in terms of character designs, or settings, but in terms of the gaze itself. It’s fascinating to see the male body portrayed through the gaze of a gay male creator . . . There’s a softness and warmth to
My Brother’s Husband that makes it incredibly easy to get into . . . there’s a strong sense of heart, honesty and earnestness.”
Sequential Ink

“Refreshing. Transporting. Clever. Inspiring. If these are qualities that help books rise to the top of your summer reading list, your new number one is My Brother’s Husband . . . The story moves along quietly and gently, Tagame cleverly evoking parallels between mutual misperceptions of gays and straights, older and younger generations, Westerners and Japanese.”
Passport Magazine

“This winsome look at culture clash compares the largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture with the West, underscoring a theme of universal yearning for family.”
Library Journal

About the Author

GENGOROH TAGAME was born in 1964 and lives in Tokyo. After graduating from Tama University of Art, Tagame worked as an art director while writing manga and prose fiction, contributing illustrations for various magazines. In 1994 he cofounded the epochal G-Men Magazine and by 1996 he was working full-time as an openly gay artist. He is the author of dozens of graphic novels and stories which have been translated into English, French, Italian, and Korean. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries across Europe and America. My Brother’s Husband marks his first all-ages title, and earned him a 2018 Eisner Award as well as the Japan Media Arts Award for Outstanding Work of Manga from the Agency of Cultural Affairs.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pantheon; Illustrated edition (May 2, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1101871512
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1101871515
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.35 x 1.18 x 7.36 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 950 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
950 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging and heartwarming. They appreciate the artwork and animation. The book evokes strong emotions and thoughts about cultural differences. Readers enjoy the humor, love, grief, and uncertainty. It tackles complex subjects like homosexuality and acceptance with thought-provoking questions. The manga is well-written and easy to read, with well-rounded characters.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

65 customers mention "Story quality"65 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story about cultural differences. They find the plot detailed and interesting, with an interwoven family and cultural narrative. The artwork is described as beautiful and the book is considered a graphic novel for adults.

"...'s work for years, mostly his more adult stuff, but this story was so beautifully done if it's your first taste of his work its a great way to start...." Read more

"...It's an excellent story that tells us about cultural differences, what makes a family, getting over fears of the unknown/different, how children and..." Read more

"This is a wonderful story that deals with homophobia and cross-cultural discrimination in Japan...." Read more

"...a good story about understanding, tolerance, acceptance, and the meaning of family." Read more

38 customers mention "Art quality"38 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the artwork and dialog. They find the animation cute, adorable, and lovely. The story is described as lighthearted, endearing, and delightful.

"...The artwork is perfect yet playful, i love the humor expressions he makes throughout it, but mostly the writing and the story are what got me...." Read more

"...The art is excellent!..." Read more

"MY BROTHER'S HUSBAND is a gorgeous, important manga about homosexuality and the cultural differences of that between Japan and Canada...." Read more

"...in, though it certainly helps that Gengoroh Tagame has such a talent for bara art...." Read more

21 customers mention "Heartwarming story"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the story touching and inspiring. They say it tackles complicated subjects like love, homophobia, parenting, alternative lifestyles, and similarities between us all. Readers describe it as an insightful, wholesome read about understanding, tolerance, acceptance, and how relationships can alter feelings. The book has an important theme without being preachy.

"...It's an excellent story that tells us about cultural differences, what makes a family, getting over fears of the unknown/different, how children and..." Read more

"...she attempts to make sense of this complicated cultural issue are enlightening and heartwarming. Highly recommended." Read more

"...their cultural understandings or who are looking for a good story about understanding, tolerance, acceptance, and the meaning of family." Read more

"...The history lessons between segments are also appreciated, as they shed light on some of the topics mentioned in the story...." Read more

18 customers mention "Humor"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book has a beautiful emotional blend of humor, love, grief, and uncertainty. It makes them laugh as well as want to cry. They describe it as a heartwarming story about loss and learning to accept.

"...The artwork is perfect yet playful, i love the humor expressions he makes throughout it, but mostly the writing and the story are what got me...." Read more

"...depth without being bland, the characters interesting, it is interspersed with humor, the illustration is top notch...." Read more

"...and did not know what to expect but this was amazing, the story had me in tears at times and laughing at others, very beautifully written and told,..." Read more

"...The story a little less risque than others, but just as entertaining and delightful." Read more

17 customers mention "Sexuality"17 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the manga's portrayal of homosexuality and acceptance. They find it thought-provoking, dealing with homophobia and cross-cultural issues. The story is described as a treasure among LGBT literature and one of the most realistic portrayals of homosexuality.

"...and adults don't see things the same way, and how adults instill prejudice into children's minds. The art is excellent!..." Read more

"This is a wonderful story that deals with homophobia and cross-cultural discrimination in Japan...." Read more

"MY BROTHER'S HUSBAND is a gorgeous, important manga about homosexuality and the cultural differences of that between Japan and Canada...." Read more

"...what homosexuality is, why it's not a bad thing, and how homosexuality is perceived by society...." Read more

12 customers mention "Reading ability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the story well-told with words and pictures. They appreciate the presentation, dialog, and easy reading. The book is understandable and shows someone tackling prejudices without being too sweet. It's recommended to parents as a real and sweet read.

"...the story had me in tears at times and laughing at others, very beautifully written and told, and the illustrations were excellent...." Read more

"...struggle with acceptance is the heart of the story, and it's important to read, but also beautiful to look at artistically." Read more

"A heartwarming tale, recommend it to every parent Artwork and story all work perfectly. Have just reread for the third time!" Read more

"...I really enjoyed the artwork and the dialog, and the presentation. THe characters are easy to relate to. Excellent read!" Read more

9 customers mention "Character depth"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-rounded characters and the heartwarming story.

"...; the characters are well-rounded; and the art is phenomenal...." Read more

"...The characters are likeable, and I'm interested to see where their stories go." Read more

"...I enjoy reading it. The characters feels quite plain and simple but I think that’s the idea...." Read more

"...The plot was in depth without being bland, the characters interesting, it is interspersed with humor, the illustration is top notch...." Read more

8 customers mention "Acceptance"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's acceptance of culture, sexuality, and homosexuality. They find it a cute read that will start good conversations about acceptance, reactions, and regret. The story is about learning to accept loss and understanding, tolerance, and acceptance.

"...or who are looking for a good story about understanding, tolerance, acceptance, and the meaning of family." Read more

"...'s Husband is such a wholesome and poignant story about love, loss, acceptance, relationships, and life...." Read more

"This manga has a thought provoking look at homosexuality and acceptance...." Read more

"A heartwarming, entertaining, sad and cute read about acceptance and how homosexuality is perceived in Japan...." Read more

the story's great, but book was misprinted?
4 out of 5 stars
the story's great, but book was misprinted?
i'm a big fan of the manga, but the copy i got appears to be misprinted every other chapter or so? occasionally the pages will be shifted a half an inch or so upwards, cutting off the top panels. kind of a bummer considering how good the story and art are.i don't know if this is an issue with just my copy or across the board, but it's present nonetheless
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2017
    There's literally nothing bad I can say about this book. If you're into manga and stories with great humor that tackle serious issues in tandem, then this is for you. I've been a fan of Tagame's work for years, mostly his more adult stuff, but this story was so beautifully done if it's your first taste of his work its a great way to start. The artwork is perfect yet playful, i love the humor expressions he makes throughout it, but mostly the writing and the story are what got me. He has an uncanny ability to portray soooooo much depth of emotion in just one page, or even one frame, that i found myself crying before i knew i was crying. the story about these brothers, a foreign husband, and the brutal yet delicate honesty of a young girl make for material that everyone can relate to one some level. being a gay man, but having come out young, the struggles and challenges visualized in this story brought up memories and feelings i hadn't thought about in years. there's nothing bad i can say about this first chapter only that it's worth a buy and read and i'm even more excited now that this is being made into a live-action drama! hopefully they don't screw that up. ^_^
    13 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2019
    (This is a review for both volumes of the story.) I read about this series somewhere online, and immediately came to Amazon to find it. I bought both books at the same time. And when they arrived, I devoured them in short order, to the point of letting my dinner get cold while I read. It's an excellent story that tells us about cultural differences, what makes a family, getting over fears of the unknown/different, how children and adults don't see things the same way, and how adults instill prejudice into children's minds. The art is excellent! Being from the western world, it's still a little strange when I get Asian books that start at the "back" and I have to remind myself to read the righthand pages before the lefthand ones, but that's just an observation, not a problem. Highly recommended.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2018
    This is a wonderful story that deals with homophobia and cross-cultural discrimination in Japan. The story is told from the point of view of a straight Japanese man who is dealing with the death of his gay brother. During this process, he thinks back over how he reacted to his brother's sexuality and how their Japanese heritage affected his brother's possible feeling of exclusion during his time in Japan. The main character's grieving process is further complicated by the presence of his brother's widow who has come to Japan to learn more about his deceased husband's childhood.

    The main character also has a spirited young daughter who lights up every scene that she's in. She's still learning about what homosexuality is and why some people act differently towards people who are gay. The innocent questions she asks as she attempts to make sense of this complicated cultural issue are enlightening and heartwarming.

    Highly recommended.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2017
    i'm a big fan of the manga, but the copy i got appears to be misprinted every other chapter or so? occasionally the pages will be shifted a half an inch or so upwards, cutting off the top panels. kind of a bummer considering how good the story and art are.

    i don't know if this is an issue with just my copy or across the board, but it's present nonetheless
    Customer image
    4.0 out of 5 stars the story's great, but book was misprinted?
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2017
    i'm a big fan of the manga, but the copy i got appears to be misprinted every other chapter or so? occasionally the pages will be shifted a half an inch or so upwards, cutting off the top panels. kind of a bummer considering how good the story and art are.

    i don't know if this is an issue with just my copy or across the board, but it's present nonetheless
    Images in this review
    Customer image Customer image Customer image
    Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
    16 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2019
    Many people think Japan is sort of a safe haven for homosexuality and while it isn't outwardly hostile for those of the LGBTQ+ community it does have its pitfalls. From the lack of discriminatory protections for their workers to the recent law that requires Trans people to get sterilized many people have become jaded, thanks in part to manga and anime, with this idea of Japan being a gay utopia when I have just listed reasons why it isn't.

    While this series is made to be more family friendly, "My brother's husband" does a decent job of showing people's discomfort and lack of understanding towards, at least in this series, gay men.

    Yaichi being a single father and having no real understanding of homosexuality is at first wary of meeting his twin brother's husband Mike after hearing about his brother's death. While willing to share his home with the man, Yaichi is at first reluctant to understand Mike and even calls him a "homo" when the man embraces him upon reflex as Yaichi is the spitting image of recently deceased husband Ryuji.

    Not only that, but Yaichi is even more defensive about letting Mike anywhere near his daughter thinking that Mike will affect her in some way, thinking that by knowing him, she will turn out gay and in the second volume even has a nightmare about his young daughter one day wanting to marry a woman.

    However, the two of them slowly over time bond, and gain a better understanding of one another and their cultures and while it's not perfect they begin to slowly become a family in a sense over the theme of a shared loss.

    Discussions upon how in Japan it's sometimes easier for people to not come out, fears of having a gay child, and Yaichi's revelation that he didn't ever truly try to understand his brother, on top of the themes of divorce and how you can't always fix a marriage are all brought up and dealt with, though at times a little hurriedly, doesn't detract from the story.

    I highly recommend this to anyone looking to broaden their cultural understandings or who are looking for a good story about understanding, tolerance, acceptance, and the meaning of family.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Paulo Henrique Pereira da Silva
    5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELENTE LIVRO/MANGÁ
    Reviewed in Brazil on April 4, 2021
    Esse livro é uma das coisas mais lindas que já consumi. Uma história linda, que mostra como as pessoas hetero podem abrir suas mentes e aceitar as pessoas como elas são, sejam seus parentes, amigos ou desconhecidos. A história é cativante, explica muita coisa que os heteros podem não entender no começo ao acompanhar uma pessoa que está aprendendo a entender o seu preconceito nato e racionalizar que muita coisa que nos foi ensinada pela geração anterior deve ser revista. Um bela narrativa capaz de formador pessoas mais sensatas e reduzir preconceitos. Leitura ótima para qualquer orientação sexual, principalmente para os homens cis.
  • Ignacio Mascaró Zomosa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Me encanta!!
    Reviewed in Spain on May 4, 2021
    Me encanta!!
  • Mark
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great approach at discussing LGBTQ+ issues
    Reviewed in Canada on July 1, 2018
    Having knowledge of Tagame's past works, I went into this with hesitation. However after reading, it is definitely one of his best works. The story covers many issues that are considered taboo or that most people avoid. Issues like coming out and gay marriage are things that many like to avoid and the way this manga covers these topics makes it easy to approach. I would easily recommend this to others.
  • SpectralAngel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente y tierna Historia
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 16, 2017
    El manga es simplemente una preciosidad, muestra lo ridículo que son los prejuicios desde los ojos de una pequeña niña, a la vez que retrata muchos de los temas del mundo adulto en una sociedad tradicionalista como lo es la japonesa, mostrando de manera sutil la discriminación que muchas de las tradiciones y creencias imponen sobre la gente a través del prejuicio. Sin duda alguna es un manga recomendable para enseñárselo a personas hetero que es en realidad su público.
  • Itira
    5.0 out of 5 stars Herausragender erster Band der zweiteiligen Reihe
    Reviewed in Germany on September 20, 2018
    Einzigartiger Manga, der einen Einblick in die japanische Gesellschaft und ihren Umgang mit Schwulen darstellt. Die zusammengewürfelte Familie um den Hauptcharakter Yoichi ist für japanische Verhältnisse ungewöhnlich und bringt lustige, aber auch nachdenkliche Momente mit sich. Die Darstellung eines alleinerziehenden Vaters ist (leider) aus japanischer Sicht eine Besonderheit, was die europäischen Leser vielleicht etwas überrascht. Die verschiedenen Ebenen (alleierziehender Vater, Verlust eines Bruders, ein Ausländer in der eigenen Familie, Homosexualität) der Geschichte werden elegant miteinander über die Hauptfigur (mit sehr glubwürdigem Innenleben) verknüpft. Ganz Manga-typisch werden die beliebtesten Speisen Japans sehr prominent dargestellt.