Love Me for Who I Am (Vol. 1)

Nonbinary high school first-year Mogumo Ryuunosuke wants nothing more than “friends who truly understand.” Classmates misgender them and treat them as a spectacle, except for Iwaoka Tetsu, whose trans older sister encourages empathy. Offering Mogumo a job at Question, his family’s cross-dressing maid café, Tetsu has noble intentions, but adding Mogumo to the staff of three other high schoolers proves challenging when Mogumo recoils at introducing themselves to guests as otokonoko (“a guy dressed as a girl”). Fellow first-year Suzumi “Suzu” Sou and cosplayer Ten-chan enjoy donning the maid uniform but identify as male; second-year Tatebayashi “Mei” Akira struggles with relinquishing the label otokonoko to better include Mogumo. As Mogumo gains the confidence to assert their wants, Mei realizes hers too, and, in a cathartic scene, asserts her womanhood. Clear, endearing art enhances the narrative’s accessibility. In this first volume’s six chapters, Mogumo makes strides in exploring their identity as rival love interests emerge in Tetsu and Kotone, Mogumo’s childhood friend. Manga creator Konayama, while not nonbinary, embraces difficult conversations leading to meaningful moments (“Are you a homo?” Mogumo frankly asks Suzu before learning those words can be hurtful), making this an appealing queer series opener for rom-com fans. Ages 13–up. (June)