Manga A Day: Yubisaki Milk Tea Vol 04

Amazon.com: Yubisaki Milk Tea Volume 4 (Yubisaki Milk Tea): Books: Tomochika Miyano ISBN: 1598162934 ISBN-13: 9781598162936

In the last volume of Yubisaki Milk Tea, main character Ikeda Yoshinori decided that he was going to break up with high school classmate Minamo to "protect" his childhood friend and middle school senior Hidari. Plus, he decided that he still liked dressing up in women's clothes and even if his voice was now changing he was going to keep at it. It's honestly the only book I can think of where cross-dressing isn't used as a comedic foil or contrivance to complicate love, but for drama instead.

lj-cut text= "I wonder who the intended audience is of Yubisaki Milk Tea is supposed to be."

This is such an odd book. Yoshinori is a young man battling puberty and what it means to be a male with male desires. Hidari is a young girl who desperately wants to grow up and be "adult." Minamo is a shy girl just starting to make connections with other people. "Yuki," Yoshinori's alter-ego, is the only person who seems to have it "figured out" and Yoshinori is just playing a role.

Some of the storylines in YMT disturb me. Pretty much anything with Hidari as a character I find squicky. She's in middle school, only about 14 years old, and she is thrusting herself into adulthood as quickly as possible. In the first chapter she hyper-sexualizes herself by first consciously flashing Yoshinori while they play ping-pong and then later going to his room and stripping. However, as much as it makes me uncomfortable to watch this child try to act like an adult, her actions ring very true. Everyone knew someone in middle school who was just trying too hard. The fact that she freaks out as soon as any of her advances work is also very realistic. Girls that age are curious, and they can be forward. And no, they aren't ready for it, but just try to get them to admit that!

I'm more disturbed by Yoshinori's reaction to Hidari. I don't expect a guy to have no reaction when a girl, one he's admitted to having feelings for already, strips down in front of him and offers herself up. When she starts crying and saying "No!" (and she's 14!!!!!!!) I'd expect him to stop. At least he feels bad for it later. Of course he uses it as an excuse to spend most of the volume dressed up as "Yuki." As Yuki, Yoshinori completely sublimates his male desires, often thinking how disgusting boys are for having lustful thoughts. For all the characters in the book Yoshinori is the most immature. He's completely unwilling to grow up and uses his alter ego as a way to escape.

Both Minamo and Hidari know about Yoshinori's secret. Minamo, who was scared of boys, used it as a way to be comfortable with Yoshinori. Hidari treats Yuki and Yoshinori as two different people. People who don't know about his secret are his best friend Wataru, who has a crush on Yuki. Yuki seems to have feelings for him too, but if it's exactly romantic I don't know what it is. I think it's easier for Yoshinori to have tough conversations as Yuki, like girls aren't expected to be as tough as boys are.

The whole book seems to be about Yoshinori taking it easy. Everyone else is growing up around him. He seems to be chafing at it a bit by the end of the volume. Everyone seems to be giving him a free pass too. I hope in future volumes that he toughens up a bit, and people stop making excuses for him.

Technorati Tags: manga, manga reviews, yubisaki milk tea