Manga - F Compo

A smart, sensitive boy, all Masahiko really wants in life is a family to belong to. He's been independent since a very early age and has been taking care of himself for a long time. His life grows incredibly complicated when he finds that he is not alone but does indeed still have some living relatives on his mother's side.

Shion is Masahiko's cousin, younger than him by one year. At first thinking that his relationship with her could be one like those Masahiko had seen in many family dramas on TV (his only source of information on the subject), he quickly comes to find out that she is a very down to earth person, not easily impressed by anyone. Running across an old family album, Masahiko discovers that Shion has switched genders every few years. Which gender is actually the one she was born in, she won't say.

As originally introduced to Masahiko, Sora Sensei is his "uncle". In actuality, Sora is Masahiko's aunt. Behaving like a man in every way except for the most basic physical attributes, Sora believes himself to be a male, despite what anyone else might believe including his own father. He is a manga artist and writer of boy's comics. He has been "male" since before high school, and has done so for so long and so well, that he cannot pass for his actual gender. When seen in women's clothes, he's accused of being a cross dresser!

When she first visits Masahiko at his home, Masahiko mistakes Yukari for his mother come back from the dead. Sadly, Yukari informs him that she is not his mother, but his aunt. His mother's brother's wife. As Masahiko eventually discovers, the reason Yukari looks like his mother is because in actuality she is his mother's brother! Effeminate to the core, Yukari is a perfect woman in all respects except basic physical attributes. She is a wonderful mother and wife, even if her strength is a little unusual. Demure and beautiful, when seen in men's clothes, she too is accused of cross dressing! Masahiko's father had banished Yukari from seeing his family due to the life she chose. It was only after his death, that Yukari went against his wishes and once more enters Masahiko's life.

Brought up by his father after losing his mother at an early age, Masahiko finds himself alone after his workaholic father himself has died. In a few months he will be starting college, but his monetary future seems grim. He has no living relatives, so he knows he'll have to figure out someway to support himself while he goes to school. The fact that he's not had much of a family life grates on him, and is one of his fondest wishes.

Not long after his father's funeral, however, Masahiko has a visitor. When he first sees her, Masahiko is totally startled as the woman looks just like his dead mother. After an embarrassing moment, the lady quickly explains that she is not his mother, but is in fact her brother's wife. This leaves Masahiko somewhat flabbergasted as he had no idea he had any other relatives or that his mother even had a brother. Yet as time passes, Masahiko believes he might vaguely recall something about an uncle.

His aunt explains that they'd just recently heard about Masahiko's father's passing and that they wanted to send their condolences. Also, if he was willing, they'd like him to come visit them. That very evening if he wanted -- for it happened to be their daughter's birthday and the party for her was going to be very small, so his company would help swell the ranks.

After hesitating, Masahiko came up with a vague excuse and bowed out of the invitation. His aunt, however, goes ahead and leaves him the address in case he changes his mind. Later, looking forward to only a cup of instant ramen, Masahiko decides to go.

Trying to find the address as darkness approaches, Masahiko finds a very nice looking young lady and asks her if she can help with directions to the Watanabe house. The girl says she knows them and would be glad to help -- but did he really want to go see those kinds of people?

Baffled by the strange whisperings from the girl, Masahiko imagines the worst, and decides that somehow the Watanabe's are Yakuza. After almost being scared to death once he makes it to their door, he finds to his chagrin that his helper is non other than Shion, his cousin, and that she's played a nice little trick on him.

Masahiko drinks on an empty stomach and Shion sneaks some of her own though her mother says different. A little tipsy, Masahiko gets overly emotional remembering his own birthdays of the past and how he spent them alone, a gift left for him by his father, with happy birthday sang for him on the answering machine. Shion calls him a Mama's Boy as Sora, his uncle, takes a family picture. Masahiko is actually driven to tears as he is given the first family portrait he has ever had.

Yet during all this, Shion has made some rather strange comments, which her parents keep ignoring. She finally is carried off by her mother to her room, when she spills a drink on her mother. Masahiko is amazed by Yukari's strength as she easily picks up Shion and carries her off. Left alone with Sora, Masahiko turns to speak to his uncle only to find him asleep.

Feeling a little overwhelmed as well as drunk, Masahiko is considering going home, when Shion appears out above on the balcony, tells him to watch closely, and then dumps a bucket of water on her father. Shocked, Masahiko tries to help his uncle out of the wet clothes, after Shion throws down a dry shirt for him. With his uncle sleeping through all this, Masahiko finds the task difficult. When he finally gets the shirt and t-shirt untucked to lift them up, he gets a shock as he finds that his uncle has breasts.

Sickened at the sight, Masahiko runs inside and throws up in the bathroom. Telling himself he'd just drunk too much, he tries to stagger out to go home and accidentally falls against the bathing room door and falls in. Looking up, he finds he's landed there while his aunt is taking a shower and sees that she has a ... thing... And promptly passes out.

Though the next day Masahiko recalls nothing of what he saw, Shion makes sure on his return that he finds out the truth, whether her parents like it or not. Especially since the two of them have invited Masahiko to come live with them. So on the day he's moving in not only does Masahiko discover that his "uncle" is a manga artist/writer and has his manga "shop" on the second story of the house, but when dragged to the karaoke party after the group meets their latest publishing deadline, Shion maneuvers things so he is forced to see that his "uncle" is a woman and his three "female" assistants are men!

All sorts of hilarious situations now present themselves in Masahiko's life having to do with gender. Not only is he having to deal with his new composite family, but later he gets drafted to play a woman in his college film club, and he's gorgeous! Things get more difficult when men start falling in love with his female persona, men like Yakuza bosses! And will Masahiko ever find out what gender Shion truly is?

A very funny and complicated manga. A definite must read! Hojo fans will not be disappointed!

This Family Compo site owned by Gloria Oliver.