Guillotine

Kashimashi is Yuri.  If you are unfamiliar with the term yuri, it is Japanese jargon for girl on girl romance or love in manga, anime, or Japanese media.  The 5 volume series tells the story of a young boy, Hazumu, who is inadvertently transformed into a girl by aliens and then continues to live and carry on teenage drama at school and with friends in her new body.  There is a love triangle throughout the series between Hazumu, her childhood best friend, Tomari, and the girl she liked before her transformation, Yasuna.  The idea of gender transformation is certainly not new to manga as it has been put to good use in many titles.  But, if you are looking for serious or deep reflection regarding gender issues this is not the series for you.  It touches on gender issues but maintains a light-hearted feel and humor throughout most of the series.    

The story starts off with Hazumu, a boy that has always had more feminine features and interests, running off to sulk about being rejected by a Yasuna.  He is soft-spoken, loves botany, and I generally a “cry-baby” of sorts.  Whilst sulking in the mountains, the sci-fi-you-have-to-make-a-leap-with-your-mind-because-otherwise-it-doesn’t-make-sense element takes place.  An alien spaceship crashes into Hazumu destroying him and the aliens evidently mistakenly repair him as a female. 

Hazumu returns to his family as a female and the most unrealistic thing happens, they are excited to have the daughter they never had.  I supposed if you can follow the aliens rebuilding him as a girl, you could also see his parents being happy about their son’s sex reassignment.   It’s not like it’s uncommon to have to suspend reality to enjoy a manga series as many seem to make no logical sense. 

Back to the story, so Hazumu is welcomed with open arms from his parents but now he has to play out the role of a girl in school and with his friends.   He finds the role as a female somewhat confusing but it is of course a perfect fit with his feminine features and interests.  There are all sorts of humorous moments that involve bra shopping and gallivanting with the girls of the love triangle, Tomari and Yasuna. 

Tomari is Hazumu’s childhood best friend.  She is a tough girl that sticks up for Hazumu when he was being the said cry baby.  The triangle spins out of control as Hazumu’s new body and the idea of being with another girl is both confusing and a no-no.

Yasuna is the girl Hazumu liked and was rejected by before being rebuilt into a girl.  Afterwards, she begins to show interest in Hazumu and we discover another suspend-reality-and-just-go-with-it moment.  It seems that Yasuna can only see women’s faces clearly (in my opinion making her the true Lezzy in the book) and that is why she wasn’t interested in Hazumu before. 

In volume 4 there is a twist that turns the series from an airy love story to a more intense dramatic story-line surrounding mortality.  The triangle is forced to deal with more important issue than who gets the girl (although that issue stays around until the end).  I thoroughly enjoy this manga series for what it is.  Let’s just say that if you can suspend reality and you enjoy gender issues and love stories you will love Kashimashi.

This Manga Review was written by Mandi Titus, author of @Vermont.