Paros no Ken
The Sword of Paros

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Mangas in which one or more of the main characters are trans.

For all my bitches and bros and non-binary hoes. 🏳️‍⚧️

Focus here is on manga where either a main character is trans or a significant story arc focuses on trans characters and issues of trans identity. Otoko no ko and crossdressing series will be ignored unless there are explicit trans messaging in there. Likewise, gender-bending series that approach sex change on supernatural terms (Boku Girl) or through sci-fi mechanics (11-nin iru!) will likely be ignored unless there's some sort of grounding element that makes queer identity explicit. Finally, any series that's just like, blatantly transphobic (F. Compo) will be ignored. Some wording will be vague to avoid spoilers.

In order:
- Claudine! (1978) - Transman protagonist
- Stop! Hibari-kun (1981) - Transwoman love interest/deuteragonist
- Paros no Ken (1986) - Transman protagonist
- Double House (1998) - Transwoman protagonist
- Hourou Musuko (2002) - Everyone's trans
- Boku wa, Onnanoko (2003) - Transwoman protagonist in titular story
- Homunculus (2003) - Important transwoman character
- IS - Otoko Demo Onna Demo Nai Sei (2004) - Trans and intersex protagonists
- J no Subete (2004) - Transwoman protagonist
- Ai no Shintairiku (2004) - Transwoman protagonist
- Densen Complex (2006) - Transwoman love interest/deuteragonist in Love Horizon
- Mascara Blues (2007) - Transwoman protagonist in "So I Can Be Myself - A Long Dream"
- Yuureitou (2010) - Transman protagonist
- Smells Like Green Spirit (2011) - Transwomen protagonists
- Bokura no Hentai (2012) - Transwoman protagonist
- Kodomo wa Wakatte Agenai (2014) - Important transwoman character
- Shimanami Tasogare (2015) - Multiple trans characters
- Umareru Seibetsu wo Machigaeta! (2016) - Transwoman autobiography
- Kono Koi ni Mirai wa nai (2016) - Transwoman protagonist
- Hanayome wa Motodanshi. (2016) - Transwoman autobiography
- Boku ga Watashi ni Naru Tame ni (2016) - Transwoman autobiography
- Fukakai na Boku no Subete o (2018) - Non-binary protagonist, everyone's trans
- Kanojo ni Naritai Kimi to Boku (2018) - Transwoman protagonist
- Boys Run the Riot (2020) - Transman protagonist

All the manga that have a trans character I've read!

List that will always be updated

Some may be considered spoilers

Order from best to worst, from favorite to least favorite (in MY OPINION, a transmasc person)

Derived from the Starter Guides to BL and Yuri manga and links to recommendation twitter threads.

Lost in the Snow by Japanese artist Velvet Toucher was also among the BL recommendations, but isn't listed on MyAnimeList.

See the website for their pros and cons per title:
https://www.animefeminist.com/feature-the-queer-fudanshis-starter-guide-to-bl-manga/
https://www.animefeminist.com/feature-the-beginners-guide-to-yuri-manga/
https://twitter.com/devoid_lynch/status/1377342798123331586
https://twitter.com/ShoujoseiWorld/status/1641874211223351296

See also:
Anime Recs
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/17514
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/17515
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/18757
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/18755
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/18995
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/18999
Other Manga Recs
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/17520
Chatty AF
Anime
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/22027
Manga
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/25862
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/25883
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/26994
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/27949

Manga that feature transgender boys/men. Some are headcanons- those are indicated by question marks.

Part 2: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/37834


Not on MAL yet:

Akarui
Maki Sanada (trans boy) (protagonist)

Oppai wo Totta Kareshi
Haruka Naruse (trans boy) (main)

Sakura-chan to Amane-kun
Amane (trans boy) (main)

Uchi no Danna ga Kawai sugiru ~tsu! Moto ♀ no Ikemen Nyuuseki Shimashita!!
Husband (trans man) (main)

Chiguhagu
Tooru/Tohru (trans man) (protagonist)

Seishun Minority
Sera (trans boy) (main)

Bokura no VR
Miharu Akina (trans boy) (main)

Ore no Karada wa Nande Onna Nanda?
Ryuutarou "Ryuu" Suzumiya (trans man) (protagonist)

A variety of manga I've enjoyed and would recommend, that are each three volumes long. Give them a try!

Other titles not on here (yet)

- Ki onna wo gin no sara e (1967) by Miyuki Saga

- Glass no Shiro (1969) by Masako Watanabe

- Secret Love (1970) by Masako Yashiro

- Mariko (1971) by Riyoko Ikeda

- Mou, Kirai! (1972) by Keiko Takemiya

- Konchuu no Ie (1973) by Ryouko Takashina

- Kyuuketsu Shoujo Carmilla (1973) by Miyuki Saga

- Hana no Youna Lilibeth (1973) by Masako Watanabe

- My Dear Romeo is a Girl (1973) by Miuchi Suzue

- Hadashi no Mei (1973) by Hiroko Fukuhara

- Aoi Tori Tobaso! (1974) by Hiroko Fukuhara

- Itoko Valeria (1975) by Hiroko Fukuhara

- Season When l'm Touched (1975) by Tomoko Naka

- Sei Alice Teikoku (1976) by Miuchi Suzue

- Lemon no Kisetsu (1976) by Machiko Satonaka

- Watashi no Aishita Otomodachi (1978) by Masako Watanabe

- Kurenai ni Moyu (1979) by Hiroko Fukuhara

- Sukyandarumun wa yoru no yume (1979) by Kumi Morikawa

- Alto no Koe no Shoujo (1979) by Yukiko Shino

- Fresh Green no Kisetsu (1979) by Yukiko Shino

- Diamond Godzillan (1979) by Toshie Kihara

- Baroness Ramu (1979) by Mineko Yamada

- Akujo Series (1980) by Masako Watanabe

- Lilac Time (1981) by Amie Hayasaka

- Shuushifu no Hibiki (1982) by Marimura Naka

- Kurara Hakusho (1982) by Saeko Himuro

- Kanojotachi (1982) by Kashi Michiyo

- Yajikita Gakuen Douchuuki (1982) by Ryouko Shitou

- Evetachi no Heya (1983) by Sachiko Nagahama

- Hahaoya no Musume-tachi (1984) by Minori Kimura

- Naisho de Wavy Night (1986) by Tomoko Kuramochi

- Dream Message (1988) by Ariyoshi Kyouko

- Aki no Chou (1989) by Hisato Chiba

- Purachina Junguru (1994) by Shino Suzuhara


side note but I found some websites, which feature a lot more vintage yuri so I'm adding the links since they're good resources for more obscure titles! ^_^

https://fullesdansaires-blogspot-com.translate.goog/2019/04/vintage-yuri.html?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=ca&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

https://www.douban.com/doulist/146923368/

At least one main female character is physically strong, preferably the protagonist.

Physical strength applies both to hand-to-hand combat and proficiency in wielding weaponry (marksmanship, swordsmanship, archery etc.) as well as ability and talent in a physical sport.

No magical/supernatural power allowed unless it enhances physical strength.


Part 2: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/39376

Compilation of manga that i find interesting, some aren't labelled yuri but I included them for the tension and vibes. I tried to make it as varied as possible :>

A shoujo manga means a comic published in a magazine targeted towards the young female demographic (under 18) in Japan.

Josei means a comic published in a magazine targeted towards the adult female demographic in Japan.

Yuri/Shoujo-Ai/Girl's Love/GL Manga with binary transgender, non-binary, and intersex characters. Some are headcanons- those are indicated by question marks.
Also, some of them feature a cis female/trans male relationship and shouldn't be labelled as GL.


Not on MAL (yet):

Josei ga Suki na Josei to Otoko datta Josei no Hanashi
Makoto (trans woman) (main)

Osananajimi Yuri (?)
College Girl (trans woman) (main)

Otto wa Jitsu wa Josei Deshita
Wafuko (trans woman) (main)

Sayonara Chinchin Welcome Manman ~OL ni naritakute Seibetsu Tekigou Shujutsu shita~
Yoriko Kamikawa (trans woman) (protagonist)

Girlfriend
Kaoru Shirasaki (trans woman) (main)


Not considered GL, but GL-adjacent:

Umareru Seibetsu wo Machigaeta!
Mafuyu Konishi (trans woman)

Seibetsu X
Asuka Miyazaki (x-gender)

Hourou Musuko
Shuuichi Nitori (trans girl)

Kyou kara Yonshimai
Kashiwa Manabe (trans woman)

Densen Complex (Love Horizon)
Yuko Matsuno (trans woman)

Kaoru-san no Kikyou (Senpai)
Shirafuji (trans woman)

Devilman Lady
Asuka Lan (intersex girl)

Kanojo ni Naru Hi: Another
Aya Kurokawa (male to female)

Kanojo ni Naritai Kimi to Boku
Akira Yonezawa (trans girl)

Shoujo Kakumei Utena
Utena Tenjou (genderqueer?)

Same as in the "Yuris published in France" stack, except that this one lists yuris but also more ambiguous titles where the romance is not always obvious.

I made this list because I'm tired of people generalizing shoujo and saying it's all romance, so here are some shoujo manga from varius genres (horror, psychological, action, drama, etc.) that are violent and dark! Check the trigger warnings for some of these.

Transgender manga without official translations but have (at least partial) fan translations in English. Some of my trans labels are headcanons- those are indicated by question marks.
Organized roughly by release order in Japan.

(My definition of a trans manga is one that has a main trans character. Them being transgender may or may not be a big impact on the story.)

Part 2: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/55113


Not on MAL (yet):

Natsu no Ane/Summer Sister (2015)
Orie (trans woman) (main)

Chiguhagu/Mismatched (2016)
Tooru/Tohru (trans man) (protagonist)
Yuki (trans woman) (main)

Sakura-chan to Amane-kun/Sakura-chan and Amane-kun (2017)
Sakura (trans girl) (main)
Amane (trane boy) (main)

Hana Ningyou to Danna Sama/The Flower Doll Husband (2019)
Hiromi (trans woman) (protagonist)

Sayonara Chinchin Welcome Manman ~OL ni Naritakute Seibetsu Tekigo Shujutsu shimashita~/Goodbye Chinchin Welcome Manman (I Wanted to Be an Office Lady So I Had SRS) (2019)
Yoriko Kamikawa (trans woman) (protagonist)
*not fully translated

Danshi Jidai no mtf no Manga/Koukousei Hen/MTF Cartoons from the Boys' Era (2019)
Natsuki (trans girl) (protagonist)
*not fully translated

Josei ga Suki na Josei to Otoko datta Josei no Hanashi/The Story of a Girl Who Likes Girls, and a Girl Who Used to be a Guy (2019)
Makoto (trans woman) (main)

Mirai kara kita Jibun ni Onna ni naru you Settaku Sarersu Hanashi/My Future Self Is Persuading Me to Become a Woman (2020)
Yuuka (trans woman) (protagonist)

Otto wa Jitsu wa Josei Deshita/My Husband Who Actually Turned Out to Be My Wife (2020)
Wafuko (trans woman) (main)
*not fully translated

Doumo, Newhalf desu./Hi, I'm Trans (2020)
Tsukasa Andou (trans woman) (protagonist)
Maria (trans woman) (main)
Reiko (trans woman) (main)

Itsuka Shinu Shoujo/A Girl Who Will Die One Day (2020)
Yuuki Akai (trans girl) (main)

Onnanoko ni Naritai Otokonoko no Hanashi/The Story of a Boy Who Wants to Be a Girl (2020)
Girl (trans girl) (protagonist)

Ore no Karada wa Nande Onna Nanda?/Why is my Body Female? (2020)
Ryuutarou Suzumiya (trans man) (protagonist)
*not fully translated

Online Game de Dekita Kareshi ni Real de Aitai to Iwareta Nekama no Otoko no Ko/A G.I.R.L. Whose Boyfriend From an Online Game Wants to Meet Him Offline (2021)
Miyoto (trans girl) (protagonist)

Girlfriend (2021)
Kaoru Shirasaki (trans woman) (main)

Majo ni Naritai Otoko no Ko/The Boy Who Wants to be a Witch (2022)
Koto (trans girl) (protagonist)

Onna no Karada ga Iya nano de Mune o Torimashita/I Hated My Female Body, so I Cut Off My Breasts (2024)
Kazuki (non-binary) (protagonist)

First part of the 100 shoujo manga recommendations mentioned in their video Shoujo Manga INSPIRED Dandadan?!

Part 2: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/58176