LGBTQ Double Feature: "The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms" and "Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare Vol. 1"

“The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms,” by Nagabe

Here’s the publisher’s blurb: “Deep in the forest lies a mysterious school of magic: Wizdoms, an institution attended by beastmen of all kinds. These studious fantasy creatures have come to live, learn, and perhaps even fall in love in this enchanting space. In this collection of BL stories by master mangaka Nagabe, follow the beauty and surprising humor of magical beasts with human hearts.“

For the uninitiated, “BL” is an abbreviation for “Boy’s Love” (and is exactly what it sounds like on the tin). It is also sometimes called “yaoi.” With that sprinkle of context, what are my thoughts on the work?

Pros:

I enjoyed the art style. If you like the art on the cover, you will likely enjoy the art throughout.
Each chapter ends with a factoid about the real-world equivalent of the animal covered, which I appreciated.
Some of the relationships were really wholesome and cute (especially that between the bear and the human).
The book ends with a few “bonus beasts,” aka 4 panel snapshots of some of the characters covered previously in the book.

Cons:

Some of the relationships get serious side-eye from me (the teacher and student, and to a lesser extent, the manipulative relationship).
The book is definitely much more cute than sexy, so temper your expectations accordingly.
(Nit-Pick) I found the text describing the real world animals to be on the small size. I am listing this as a nit-pick because I could’ve zoomed in, but I never had to.
(Nit-Pick) The title doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it?

Conclusion:

Other than a troubling relationship or two, the book was wholesome fun. I enjoyed the story-telling and art for the most part, so the book receives high marks from me. With that said, there isn’t really an overarching narrative and because the story never really tugged at my heart-strings. Ultimately, if you like the art on the cover, this probably isn’t a bad pick-up.

Check it out here.

“Our Dreams at Dusk (Shimanami Tasogare), Vol. 1,” by Yuhki Kamatani & Jocelyne Allen (Translator)

First, let’s start with the publisher’s blurb: “Not only is high schooler Tasuku Kaname the new kid in town, he is also terrified that he has been outed as gay. Just as he’s contemplating doing the unthinkable, Tasuku meets a mysterious woman who leads him to a group of people dealing with problems not so different from his own. In this realistic, heartfelt depiction of LGBT+ characters from different backgrounds finding their place in the world, a search for inner peace proves to be the most universal experience of all.“

With that said, what are my thoughts on this work?

Pros:

The art style has an interesting, surreal quality to it, and deftly transitions between the grounded and the “out there.”
The story features LGBT characters of a few stripes, and said characters both struggle and have agency (i.e. the work isn’t just “exploitation porn”). The story is grounded in the experience of a realistic character, so the work never feels preachy or heavy-handed.
I enjoyed the work enough to finish it, and I’m curious enough about the characters to try the next volume.

Cons:

The visual metaphors are fine, but a bit obvious / tired (e.g. a character “tearing down a wall” literally as they figuratively come to terms with some aspect of their character)
(nit-pick) Maybe it made more sense in the author’s native language, but “Someone-san” is such a weird name it distracted me from the narrative
Speaking of Someone-san, they are, at times, a more interesting character than the POV character(s). They border on being a magical force of change.

Conclusion:

Nothing about the work blew me away. The art came the closest, but I never had a “wow!” moment. Still, I enjoyed the story and appreciate that LGBT characters are both represented and able to struggle without the story feeling exploitative. Ultimately, while it won’t make my list of “all time favorites,” I think it has lots of potential to help people who are struggling with their own sexuality and/or who want to know more about what it’s like to be a member of the LGBT community.

Check it out here.