Onnanokogare!

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A very cute and genuine story about two girls growing closer together as friends, despite their age difference. That might sound like a turn off for a lot of people, but let me say that the adult approaches it maturely, which gives the entire manga a lovely genuine vibe of this sort of "crush on a teacher" we all had in school. It never feels like it goes too far, even all the while the leads begin to open up to each other more.

One of the main aspects of Onnanokogare is finding ways to express one's self through femininity and managing to find joy in ... prettying yourself up. What I find quite unique is its relationship to gender and assumptions about others. Because well, one of the main two leads, Shinobu is in fact transgender. That makes the main dynamic very interesting, as it is the transgender character is the guide through the world of femininity for Rui, the cisgender lead.

I think the manga tackled its subject matter quite gracefully, as Shinobu's struggles are believable and portrayed quite genuinely. So is Rui's approach to them. For the bundle of energy that she is, she's always looking out for her friend in the face of adversity, but never feeling like the manga is painting her like too much of a knight in shining armor. Even when it comes to Rui's own personal circle looking down on Shinobu, because of her gender. The story finds a way to balance them perfectly, so they can both elevate each other, as well as learn from one another.

The approach feels entirely earnest, which makes me help overlook of the tiny bumps along the way. I find it a very enjoyable read worth recommending, especially to these looking for a transgender lead that isn't treated as a gimmick. The characters are very sweet and their relationship is a joy to watch unfold in all the way the find to support each other. They seemingly come from very different worlds, but the way they manage to find a common language so easily, feels believable and quite heartwarming.

I'll also at to this review that Onnanokogare is a manga that's not fully translated and probably there isn't much hope for it ever getting a proper full translation (unless someone surprises me). You can however find the second volume in its original Japanese and try working your way through it the same way I did. I'd say it's worth checking out tho!