I Think Our Son is Gay Vol 1 Review

Okura’s I Think Our Son is Gay is an LGBTQ+ manga that I’ve been greatly looking forward to reading. I’d enjoyed That Blue Sky Feeling, another manga written by Okura, quite a lot and was excited to see their take on a more comedic series, especially since this one looked really cute.

I’m happy to report that I Think Our Son is Gay more then lived up to my expectations!

Synopsis:

Tomoko is pretty sure that her eldest son, Hiroki, is gay. There have been many signs, like that time when she found search results for nude men on the computer he’d been using, and the multiple instances where he slipped up in conversation and referred to having a future boyfriend, instead of a girlfriend.

Whether he’s gay or straight makes no difference to Tomoko. No matter what, he’s her precious and adorable son. So, until he’s comfortable talking to her about it, Tomoko decides to keep her suspicions to herself and find ways to quietly show Hiroki her love and support.

Review:

Hiroki is a very cute and awkward teen boy. He’s constantly getting flustered when he talks about his friend – who he most definitely has a crush on – and frequently freaks out when he unconsciously says or does anything that might out him as being gay. As a teen boy who still isn’t entirely comfortable with himself, he isn’t ready to come out to his family, and it’s sweet to see how understanding Tomoko is of his circumstances and how much she loves her boy.

Since this was originally posted on Twitter before being published in print, the chapters are short and humorous, with the gags usually revolving around how terrible Hiroki is at lying.

Like, really bad.

While it’s a pretty light-hearted story, I Think Our Son is Gay also discusses some more serious LGBTQ issues, though it always approaches them in a gentle and accepting manner. Tomoko frequently worries over potential problems Hiroki might have to deal with and, even though he can’t talk about his troubles with his mom, we see how anxious Hiroki is about being discovered. He also makes comments that reveal some of the other things he’s fretting about, like how he wouldn’t be able to hold hands with his future boyfriend in public without attracting negative attention. Through all of this, Tomoko silently roots for her son to be happy and notes how much he’s just like other teen boys.

While watching Tomoko cheer her son on from the sidelines is very cute, there were times where I felt like she could have been a bit more proactive in showing Hiroki that she supports him. I understand her decision to wait for Hiroki to come to her when he’s ready, but I still feel that there were times where she should have been more direct. In particular, there was a scene where Hiroki’s father mentions a popular new show his coworkers are talking about that revolves around queer romance, and then makes a homophobic comment about how seeing two guys kiss would be gross. Hiroki loudly agrees with his father, but is clearly upset. Tomoko does speak up in this moment, suggesting that her husband should give the show a chance and see if he changes his mind. This is nice, and Hiroki clearly appreciates it, but I felt like she could have more strongly called the father out for the casual cruelty of his words. She could have easily pointed out how hurtful those kinds of comments can be, without outing Hiroki to his father, and it was frustrating to see her offer such a paltry reprimand when she could see how her son was affected.

Thankfully, Hiroki’s younger brother, Yuri, seems more comfortable with challenging their dad more directly whenever he says or does things that inadvertently hurt Hiroki or put him on the spot. It’s great to see that Hiroki has so many people in his corner!

I love Yuri’s completely deadpan face!

I Think Our Son is Gay is an amusing and heart-warming manga about the unconditional love of a mother for her sons. While I sometimes question Tomoko’s hands off approach, there’s no denying her devotion to her boys and I found this to be a touching read. Definitely check this one out!

Final Score: 8.5 out of 10

For more information on this manga, visit Square Enix Manga’s website.

What did you think of this manga? Let me know in the comments!

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Be sure to check out my review of another manga written series by Okura:

• That Blue Sky Feeling Series Review

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