Our New Intern Aaron Will Explore LGBTQ Teen Manga!

Aaron raises one eyebrow in true Manga style to say, "hello."

Hello, everybody! My name is Aaron and I am thrilled to be reviewing manga as a guest intern. Good manga is like poetry - every word and image is heavy with meaning and beauty, and each story has the power to save your life. I spent all of my adolescence and young adulthood trying to deny and hide the truth that I was gay. But over time, simple love stories between people of the same or non-conforming genders kept finding me in the pages of Japanese comics and young adult novels. These stories opened my eyes to the truth that love is always deep and meaningful and sacred, and it can happen to anyone, even someone as goofy and weird as me. In case you’re curious, when I’m not reading manga or teen lit, I can be found teaching little ones (so cute… and so funny!), social working (I still can’t really explain what a social worker does, even though I am one), playing drums (poorly), or walking in the forest (while searching for werewolves).

Here’s a list of the titles we’ll be exploring together:

Tokyo Babylon by CLAMP

First Love Sisters by Mizuo Shinonome, Mako Komao, and Reine Hibiki

Ranma ½ by Rumiko Takahashi

Voiceful by Nawako

Silver Diamond by Shiho Sugiura

Cardcaptor Sakura by CLAMP

Cain Saga by Kaori Yuki

Hero Heel by Makoto Tateno

Maiden Rose by Fusanosuke Inariya

Rin! by Satoru Kannagi

X/1999 by CLAMP

Off beat by Jen Lee Quick

Same Cell Organism by Sumomo Yumeka

Meeting You by Tennouji Mio

Girl Friends by Morinaga

I Give to You by Maki Ebishi

The Caged Miko and the Whimsical Witch by Fujieda Miyabi

Stop Bullying Me! by Natsuho Shino

The Day I Became a Butterfly by Sumomo Yumeka

Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi

I’m super excited! See you soon!

Aaron Walsh's posts will run most Wednesdays, so keep an eye out for his wonderful reviews of LGBTQ teen Manga stories!