Earn Your Happy Ending: Despite the possible hardships associated with it, Chiaki gets sex reassignment surgery and comes out clearly to his father, who takes it well and accepts him as his son. Two years later, a more masculine-presenting Chiaki, Takatou, and Chiaki's father, noticeably gaunt but still alive, go out to hunt, with Chiaki hosting his stream once again and announcing to his viewers, rifle pointed at them, "I'm Chiaki Oogaki, currently looking for a girlfriend." So I took a few days to let the manga sinks in and try to articulate my words to give a review that this manga deserves. So this manga is a collection of 6 stories that explore what must be stripped away to find the truth. A charming collection of unique short stories. The real meat of the manga is with the first story, "To Strip the Flesh," which follows a transgender man who has to weigh his own happiness against meeting his father's expectations. It's a refreshing portrayal of the relationship between a transgender child and their parent, and how they feel the need to repress their own identity to make their otherwise supportive parent happy. It's a story about breaking away from your parents' expectations, and recognising that you deserve to take control of your life and be happy, even if you risk hurting them. It's also a story

In 2020, the story was collected with several other short one-shot manga by Tooda and released in an anthology volume, also under the title To Strip The Flesh: Oto Tooda Short Story Collection. It was licensed in English by Viz Media and released in June 2022. Besides the eponymous first story, the collection also contains: about a father coming to realise that he doesn't know what's best for his child, and having to come to terms with his child taking a path to happiness that he doesn't really understand and that makes him uncomfortable. This is easily the most engaging and emotionally complex story in the manga, and this one is definitely worth the read, especially if you feel that your resonate with it's themes. The art and dialogue is nothing really special, and the characters don't stand out too much, but it's a well written story overall. Nov 25 i☆Ris the Movie - Full Energy!! - Anime Film Teaser Visual Revealed at i☆Ris Live Stage in Anime NYC & i☆Ris First Performance in New York Successfully Completed Scars are Forever: Chiaki's father has a scar from when an animal tore up his stomach. Chiaki has a scar on his arm from when, as a child, he interfered during one of his father's hunts when it went wrong, something Chiaki's father is still torn up about years later. TW: Dysphoria (especially around large breasts), Misgendering, Internalised transphobia, transphobia, mentions of suicide, outdated terminology commonly used in Japan, sexist and objectifying online comments, blood, animal hunting, death and slaughtering. Inanimate object in love with a young girl.

To me the father’s perspective really hit home at the end. He says to his dead wife’s photo that Chiaki is so lively when they go out hunting. He had thought that Chiaki wasn’t outgoing or emotional, but then reminisces on how lively he was as a child. This scene reminded me of my own experiences after I became trans. My mother was so surprised that I was so confident, upbeat, and outgoing! To Strip The Flesh is a collection of short stories from Oto Toda. The title story is about a transman coming to terms with the unrealistic expectations his father has put on him to “grow up and be a beautiful bride,” his mother’s dying wish, and how that suffocates him. Manly Men Can Hunt: This manga is a very straight take on this trope: there's a very straight line drawn between masculinity and hunting, and Chiaki isn't allowed to go hunting with his father because he still sees him as a girl. There is a token mention of female hunters, though.

I was glad that his father and friend came to understand him when he returned. His dad apologizing for hurting him by pushing his own beliefs on what *he* thought would make Chiaki happy all those years was one of my favorite scenes. My other favorites would have to be Chiaki's dream of his chest and uterus being stripped away (with all of the emotional metaphors behind it), then the short story set years later where he meets his friend's new girlfriend with a big, confident smile on his face. Digital goods, open DVDs and Blu-rays, smart art prints, mystery bundles, and final sale items are excluded from the return policy. I applaud VIZ media and their translator for aligning the story with the original Japanese version; the translation was pretty good. I always want more people to read stories like this. I’m not trans, but it’s easy to see how hard it is for Chiaki to live his life the way he’s been living it. It’s also easy to see why Chiaki is struggling to take that last step—even if he wants to AND has a doctor telling him that he should. Wanting to keep your parents happy is something that’s relatable, and a lot of kids (especially queer kids) decide that it’d be best to prolong their own happiness if it’ll keep their parents happy. Motigi points this out in the interview. “The scene that hit me the hardest was the one where Chiaki gets hit by that stray shot and his dad is crying, ‘I put a wound on a little girl’s body,’ and Chiaki is thinking, I quit saying I was a boy,” says Motigi. “His dad’s apology is heartfelt, but it’s because it’s heartfelt that it’s so weighty – it’s the kind of comment that can shake you to your core. Only someone who has been hurt by heartfelt love could write this scene.”Food Porn: The manga has a big focus on hunting, so there are a few scenes of the characters enjoying meat. The scenes of Chiaki preparing meat are very detailed as well.