My Review of MY BROTHER’S HUSBAND VOL 1
The concluding volume in the story of Yaichi, his daughter Kana, and how their meeting Mike Flanagan–Yaichi’s brother-in-law–changes their lives and their perceptions of acceptance of homosexuality in their contemporary Japanese culture.
As Mike continues his journey of discovery concerning Ryoji’s past, Yaichi gradually comes to understand that being gay is just another way of being human. And that, in many ways, remains a radical concept in Japan even today. In the meantime, the bond between Mike and young Kana grows ever stronger, and yet he is going to have to return to Canada soon–a fact that fills them both with impending heartbreak. But not before more than a few revelations come to light.
storygraph.com
Content Warnings: Homophobia, grief, loss of a loved one, and discrimination.
At the end of volume one, we saw Yaichi wake in fear after dreaming that Kana, who was all grown up in the dream, was gay. At the beginning of volume two, we see Yaichi work through accepting that he loves Kana unconditionally and doesn’t understand how some parents could abandon their children just because they’re not straight.
We also see Yaichi continue to work through his own homophobia and start seeing the homophobia and discrimination people, who know nothing about Mike other than his sexuality, have shown and just how rude and unnecessary it is.
I love that this series is set during the three weeks Mike visits Japan and how much, from that short trip, Yaichi is able to re-evaluate the way his reaction to his brother coming out when they were younger. Ryoji is no longer alive but that doesn’t mean Yaichi shouldn’t try to understand his brother and the life, and person, that made him happy.
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