Contributing further to the continuing public discourse in Japan about gay rights and same-sex marriage, the first volume of Otouto no Otto (My Brother’s Husband) was published as a paperback on May 25th.
Published by Futabasha, Otouto no Otto is written by Gengoroh Tagame, whose website says he creates “gay erotic art”. Clearly that also includes manga too and this new bara manga seems relatively mainstream compared to his more risque other titles. It is currently being serialized in Gekkan Action.
Otouto no Otto not only raises the timely issues of gay parenting and same-sex partnerships, it also examines interracial couples too. The story revolves around Yaichi and his daughter Kana, who are visited by Mike, the Canadian husband of Yaichi’s twin brother.
Tagame, who is openly gay, has a growing reputation overseas and his work has been translated into French and English. He is arguably the most influential gay manga-ka today.
Shibuya ward recently gave tacit legal recognition to same-sex couples and the “marriage” of lesbian celebrity couple Ayaka Ichinose and Akane Sugimori also attracted a lot of media attention.
