Volume 10 of “Wandering Son” was arguably the most Shuichi-centric volume thus far. While earlier volumes balanced Shuichi’s experience with those of other characters like Yoshino, Yuki, or Saori, chapters 74 to 82 shone the spotlight on Shuichi and how they navigate friendships that shift as everyone gets older. Of particular interest are the ways in which Shuichi’s relationships with Fumiya, Makoto, and most notably Doi change as the core friend group goes through their second year of middle school. Growing kinship, romantic feelings, and unexpected redemption are all evident in this volume, and help to shape Shuichi as they grow ever more confident in their identity.
The first chapter of this volume shows us Shuichi and Fumiya’s blossoming friendship, and how Shuichi is having a greater influence on Fumiya. The pair have an afternoon out where they both dress in girls’ clothing. They relish the time that they can spend as girls. Fumiya had previously claimed to enjoy the practice, but he had done so mostly to try and impress Saori. His delight in being a girl is evident here, and indicative of how Shuichi is helping him to explore his own views on gender. Fumiya even suggests that they have a contest to see who would be the first to get hit on, which is an endearing. Fumiya believes Shuichi to be more naturally cute than himself, echoing the thought that is most prominently shared by Makoto. Shuichi humbly dismisses this, as they have done throughout “Wandering Son”. This joyful experience for both of them signposts that this volume won’t be too filled with pain for Shuichi. It also affects Fumiya, who decides to attend the cultural festival as a girl, by himself. His coming together with Shuichi has helped both of them be more open with self-expression.
The self-expression of Makoto significantly shifted his relationship with Shuichi in this volume. Makoto discovered that he has developed a romantic attraction to Shuichi. He finds himself blushing when Shuichi paints his fingernails, walks home with him, or does almost anything. Makoto tells Shuichi of his feelings, and the two do not navigate this new development very well. Makoto is embarrassed at his feelings, despite being confident in his attraction to men in the past. Shuichi doesn’t return Makoto’s affections, and distances themself from Makoto. Makoto expresses his disappointment to Yoshino, fearing that he has permanently harmed their friendship by telling Shuichi how he feels. Takako Shimura deftly demonstrates the subtle ways in which the interactions between our characters change as they age. They aren’t fifth-graders anymore. They are beginning to dip their toes in more adult relationships, and such relationships are often messy and complicated.
The messiest and most complicated relationship explored in this volume was that between Shuichi and Doi. Doi is an enigmatic boy – he has relished bullying Shuichi, but also provided them with support. In this volume, Doi again reaches out to Shuichi. Doi walks home with Shuichi, and hounds Shuichi to wear girls’ clothes again. Shuichi is distressed by Doi’s request, because it was a driving factor in Shuichi’s decision to wear the girls’ uniform to school, an event that caused them devastating emotional pain. Shuichi does not bow to Doi’s relentless hounding, and expresses his hatred for Doi. Doi is visibly shaken by this, reminding the reader that Doi is, after all, still a young man with feelings. When Doi shows writing prowess and interest in bettering their class play which Shuichi is directing, the two of them begin to work together. Shuichi may not like Doi, but they recognize that Doi is a talented writer who can help bring Shuichi’s vision to life. Shimura again brings characters together in an unexpected yet entirely believable way. Doi and Shuichi’s shared interest in the play becomes common ground that allows them to slowly learn how to be friends despite the hurt that Doi has caused Shuichi in the past. Doi’s redemption is most present in his convincing Shuichi to return to class more regularly. Doi is concerned for Shuichi’s well-being, and helps to re-intergrate Shuichi into the class after being a major factor in his ostracization. Whether Doi remains on this redemptive path is uncertain, but his complexity makes him an interesting character to read, simply because the reader doesn’t quite know what he will do next.
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Shuichi is still working their way back into a state of relative normality after wearing the girls’ uniform to school in Volume 8, and this is shown through some of the more nuanced relationships that are demonstrated in this volume. His strengthening bond with Fumiya, his handling of Makoto’s romantic feelings for him, or working through his troubled interactions with Doi all work to hone Shuichi and mature him from the innocent child we first met in Volume 1 into a young adult capable of fully grappling with his identity.
Next week, we will discuss Volumes 11 and 12, covering Chapters 83 to 99. Will Doi help Shuichi more, or embarrass him in front of the whole school? Is Makoto and Shuichi’s friendship truly broken? We’ll find out this week, and come together again next Sunday to see what captured my interest the most. Thank you for continuing on this journey with me, and see you next Sunday!
