The concluding volume in the story of Yaichi, his daughter Kana, and how their meeting Mike Flanagan—Yaichi’s brother-in-law—changes their lives and their perceptions of acceptance of homosexuality in their contemporary Japanese culture.
As Mike continues his journey of discovery concerning Ryoji’s past, Yaichi gradually comes to understand that being gay is just another way of being human. And that, in many ways, remains a radical concept in Japan even today. In the meantime, the bond between Mike and young Kana grows ever stronger, and yet he is going to have to return to Canada soon—a fact that fills them both with impending heartbreak. But not before more than a few revelations come to light.
Praise for Volume 2 of My Brother's Husband:
“Achingly true. . . . At its heart, My Brother’s Husband is the story of a man coming to terms with the unquestioned cultural assumptions he’s harbored all his life. But the genius of Tagame’s art lies in its ability to slyly suggest—but by no means insist—that Yaichi's real journey of discovery may have just begun.” —NPR
“This manga is powerful, and Tagame’s prowess within the genre shines through every page. . . . [My Brother’s Husband] sneaks up on you, steals your heart away and refuses to return it. . . . It will absolutely not disappoint.” —Looking Glass Reads
“My Brother’s Husband is not a subtle manga, but it is a legitimately moving one. By realistically portraying how prejudice and discrimination directly impact the characters’ lives and deeply inform their relationships, Tagame’s message of love is made abundantly clear.” —Manga Bookshelf
“Poignant emotional depth . . . [a] gentle story. . . . This well-paced, empathy-building story has lots of appeal and would be a good choice for readers making their first forays into manga.” —Booklist
“[This] proves a heart-filling resolution. Readers will want tissues in hand for the final, bittersweet pages of this remarkable series” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Tagame’s mastery of the human form allows him to simplify his approach . . . lending the book an inviting, open cartooning style, and further positioning My Brother’s Husband as an accessible look at what it means to be gay in a different culture.” —Paste Magazine
Praise for Volume 1 of My Brother's Husband:
“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)
“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 is the best all-ages LGBT graphic novel I’ve read since I discovered gay Manga. . . . This is a wise, gentle, funny and pyrotechnical piece of Japanese story-telling. . . . It has a lot to do with my own life, and I’m willing to bet that it has a lot to do with yours, whoever you are, the way the best story-telling often does.” —Samuel Delaney
“Inviting black-and-white illustrations deftly capture the characters’ wide range of emotions, from joy to grief and beyond. . . . Endearing and enlightening.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Here is a beautiful, well-crafted tale of family and love. At its core, it really is about nothing more than love in all its forms. It is unrelentingly cute, sweet, and joyous; a celebration of love both familial and romantic, and a true pleasure to read.” —Books and Bao
