Pantheon Graphic Library: Eisner Award

Gengoroh Tagame

May 2017 · Pantheon Graphic Library Vol 1 · Sold by Pantheon

About this ebook

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.)

Ratings and reviews

A very sweet tale about accepting others, coming to terms with loss, realizing ones own intolerance, from the perspective of the characters who need to learn these while trying to raise a child who in some ways ends up as the teacher. A longtime fan of Tagames works, I planned to read the chapters over a few days but couldn't put the book down all night.

It's so different from other books in this genre. It's refreshingly sweet, and a refreshingly realistic view of this type situation. I love it, and I'm so glad I found it.

Usually I'm not a fan of Tagame's works (a little too... harsh for me) but this was amazing. This is easily a favourite of mine.

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.