Review of Our Colors by author Gengoroh Tagame
I previously read author Tagame’s brilliant My Brother’s Husband, a book about a Japanese man coming to terms with his brother’s sexuality after he passed away. Our Colors is similar in themes but focuses on a coming out story. Essentially, an ideal coming out story and how we all wish ours could have been.
Sora Itoda is a gay young adult but he is not out to anyone. He has a crush on a male friend but his entire friend group is very homophobic and he dare not say anything.
He meets an older man who runs a cute little cafe. When he finds out that this man is gay he blurts out that he’s gay too. He feels a rush of relief but also pretty much every emotion possible as he tells the first person he’s ever told his biggest secret.
This kicks off him coming out to other people. He confides in his best friend, a female who had a bit of a crush on him. She is awkward about it but agrees to be open minded and to keep his secret. However, now she feels burdened by his secret as well. She understands that this horrible weight is how he has felt for years and becomes extremely empathetic to his struggle.
He’s slowly able to come out to others as he becomes more comfortable with himself. Some coming outs are easier than others and there are always more people to come out too. There isn’t just one event, it happens everytime a new person is met.
Every closet he comes out of he begins to feel more free and more confident. Our Colors is ultimately about self acceptance and surrounding yourself with supportive people. It does also touch on a subject that many LGBTQ books don’t, what it’s like for the other people in the gay person’s life. Allies have a different kind of pressure and it’s nice to see this represented. Don’t isolate or ostracize allies! They’re here for us!
Our Colors is an adorable LGBTQ manga that shows a happy and comforting version of what most queer people go through at some point. It’s nice to see that sometimes things go well and sometimes people are kind and understanding.
This manga doesn’t quite tug at the heart strings as much as Tagame’s other literature but it is still a must read. On a side note, the author’s other other books are hard core erotica that don’t really look like my type of read. If you’re into male/male BDSM though he’s a great writer and that likely transfers to any subject he tackles. Just know that although Our Colors is appropriate for all audiences most of his other books look extremely adults only.
5/5 colors 🔴🔵🔴🔵🔴
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