In Volume One of “Wandering Son”, we were introduced to the core cast of characters, namely Shuichi, Yoshino, Saori, and the friends and family that surround them. Volume Two expands this, notably adding the delightful Yuki and finally naming . This volume focuses on exploring the ever-shifting relationships between characters, how the new additions affect these relationships, and Shuichi’s growing confidence in their new identity. Friends stand by friends, young children are touched inappropriately, and there are hints at the harsh reality of life as a transgender person. Welcome to “Wandering Son” Volume Two.
Following the events in Volume One, the first major happening in Volume Two is Saori’s separation from Shuichi and Yoshino at school. She is placed in a different class from the other two, hinting that she is likely going to be less of a focus during this volume. We are then re-introduced to Yuki, the young lady who flirted with a cross-dressed Yoshino in the first volume. A caption declares her to be transgender, making Yuki the first fully transgender character in the story, although she is unlikely to be the last. At first, Yuki believes that Shuichi and Yoshino are a girl and boy respectively. This illusion is vigorously shattered by the arrival of Yuki’s partner Shiina. After believing that Yuki is cheating on him with a child (which is quickly quelled by Shuichi’s presence as Yoshino’s ‘girlfriend’), Shiina then grabs at Yoshino’s crotch, outing her as a woman. This was an incredibly uncomfortable page to read, particularly in a week where multiple comics professionals have been revealed to be grooming young girls. Shiina’s actions didn’t read as predatory to me – I believe that he was simply testing Yoshino’s manhood by checking the size of their genitals. He must have been surprised at what he found.
After telling the truth of their genders, Shuichi and Yoshino become fast friends with Yuki and Shiina. Yuki becomes a sort of transgender mentor to the youngsters, an example of what they could do with their own bodies. Yuki’s genuine affection and concern for Shuichi and Yoshino is evident throughout the volume, most notably when she travels across Japan to seek the pair out on their school trip. Yuki is a fascinating character. Her past is explored in brief yet impactful flashbacks. We are given a glimpse at what she looked like as a young man in high school, before later sharing as she details how she and Shiina initially became friends. That they first bonded over Yuki’s bedtime misfortune on a school trip must have been touching for Shuichi and Yoshino to share. Yuki also gives the pair a valuable piece of advice: ‘Don’t you get depressed or timid!’ Yuki knows what lies ahead for Shuichi and Yoshino should they continue on their current path, and wants to give them the support that they will need.
Yuki and Shiina’s new presence in Shuichi and Yoshino’s lives was bound to affect their friendships with Saori and the newly-named Kanako, the fourth member of their friend group. The middle issues of the volume feature a plot revolving around exchange diaries that delves into the changing dynamics between the four young adults. Shuichi and Yoshino begin exchanging a diary, but soon realize that they should include Saori and Kanako as well. By the time that they realize this, Kanako and Saori have already started a diary of their own. It may seem like a sub-plot aimed at simply passing time, but I found that it helped ground the students as sixth-graders, dealing with sixth-grade problems on top of their gender exploration.
These sixth-grade problems all came to a head on the field trip that encompassed the final two issues of this volume. Shuichi has to sit next to a boy that begins their interactions by asking if Shuichi is the ‘girly boy’ that his classmates had previously told him about. This phrase is laced with all of the ignorance that you would expect from a boy raised in the conservative gender norms of Japan, and prefaces the bullying that he would torment Shuichi with for the rest of the trip. He fills Shuichi’s dinner plate with onions after Shuichi expresses that he does not like onions. Later, in the showers, the bully and his friends declare that they will check to see if Shuichi is a girl, which is met by a high-pitched shriek from Shuichi. This leads them to utter ‘You’re so gay.’ and walk away, leaving Shuichi shattered and crying.
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The climax of this bullying comes the next morning, when the bully mutters ‘gay boy’ under his breath as Shuichi passes him in the dining hall. While Shuichi is too meek to confront the bully, Saori stands up to him, defending Shuichi. The bully tries to spin Saori’s words against her. Saori responds by cathartically dumping her food onto the bully, before saying “I’ll apologize to those who made the meal, but I’ll never apologize to one such as you.’ She declares that Shuichi is her ‘kindred spirit’. Her heroism shows that no matter what small squabbles or tension they might have, she will always be a friend and ally to Shuichi. This gives Shuichi the confidence to confront the bully himself in the final pages of the volume, saying ‘I hate people like you.’
The central theme that I found in this volume of “Wandering Son” was the importance of friendship. Whether it was new friends like Yuki and Shiina, or the established bonds like the one between Saori and Shuichi, support was a major driving force behind character growth during this volume, particularly that of Shuichi. Yuki’s friendship helped show what is possible if you strongly believe in yourself and follow through. Saori’s friendship helped give Shuichi the strength to stand up for himself. And Yoshino and Shuichi having similar experiences together will likely help them get through what would otherwise would be insurmountably tough times.
Next week, we’ll discuss the third and fourth volumes of “Wandering Son”, covering issues 18-33. With the first glimpse at the hardships awaiting Shuichi and Yoshino, I’m sure that there will be no shortage of drama, pathos, and both heart-warming and heart-breaking moments. I hope that you’ll join me again, and I welcome discussion in the comments. See you next Sunday!
