When people ask me, a PhD candidate in Literature who has spent a lifetime reading Shakespeare, Melville, Woolf, Wilde, Austen, and many other "great" authors, why I watch anime, a show like Wandering Son is usually the answer. I am not saying that this is some how on par with literary greatness; in order to be that, it takes time and staying power (401 years after his last new play, they are still making movies out of Shakespeare) to be eternally great, but Wandering Son has what so few shows, movies, and media have these days: the guts to go where people don't want you to go because they would prefer to not know.

In the last half century, there has been an increasing interest in LGBTQ media. Books, movies, and TV have all been slowly but steadily finding ways to introduce LGBTQ issues into our world. Most of the time, people are fine with it so long as it stays in the realm of adults. The reality is that many LGBTQ people don't suddenly become "queer" when they reach adulthood. Instead, they struggle with it early in life, into adolescence, and often times, well into adulthood. What LGBTQ media often lacks is addressing those early years and the struggle that it is to be different when young, especially in societies that frown upon it. It is a struggle that for some becomes too much and this struggle is why there is why suicide is such a risk for LGBTQ youth. Part of the problem is that there is nothing out there, in almost any media, telling them that there are other people like them, who also struggle, but can still find friends, acceptance, and even happiness. There is nothing out there to give these young people hope.

Enter Wandering Son, which may be the first thing on television anywhere dealing with pre-adolescent transgender issues as the focus of a television series drama, be it animated or live-action. This is why I watch anime; to see shows that are willing to go places that other mediums are afraid of and to find there stories of heart and courage. The characters you find here will pinch your heart, which is the only way I can describe the feeling I had while watching episode 1. Each of them is real in that they seem not like characters, but actual people, complex and confused. This is the strength of Takako Shimura's writing: she knows that she doesn't have the answers to life and that the struggle to form the question is what most of us deal with. Her characters always seem authentic (see Aoi Hana) because she remains aware of this and her characters demonstrate this awareness. You don't have to be an LGBTQ person to understand these characters or to like the story; you only have to know that you have a heart and that you can feel for people who suffer and hope for the end of their suffering. I bet that there is not a single person reading this review who doesn't know what that is like and how overwhelmed and amazed one feels when great suffering is eased, even if it's just a little bit.

This is a character driven story, so the plot is a standard slice-of-life that will be revealed through the day-to-day lives of the characters in the series. If slice-of-life is not your cup of tea, give this a chance anyway. Wandering Son may be a genre defying show in bringing serious story to slice-of-life in a way that does not become trite or cliche. As opposed to comedy slice-of-life, don't expect this to be light, and expect to cry. The music and art, much like Aoi Hana, sets the mood beautifully and pulls you out of the world you live in and brings you right into the world of the characters. You will lose yourself in the art of this show.

At only 11 episodes, you really don't have an excuse for not watching this show. Wandering Son will restore hope in the heart of the most jaded anime fan and it will leave you wishing there was more of this story, or at least more stories as well done as this. While the subject matter is mostly what I focus on, that aside, Wandering Son is an amazingly beautiful show that demonstrates the power that animation can have. Disney and Pixar should take notes from this series.

Being embarrassed by a cracking voice, getting your first bra, having your heart broken for the first time... growing up can be tough. Looking in the mirror and not being comfortable with what you see is an experience that we all are familiar with, but what if you looked in the mirror and saw yourself as the opposite gender? What if you woke up and felt that you had been born in the wrong body? These are questions that Shuichi Nitori and Yoshino Takatsuki wake up with every morning before rushing off to middle school.

Not your typical gender-bender, Hourou Musuko - Wandering Son, asks us to look into the private thoughts of these pre-teens who are struggling to find out who they are. When Shuichi Nitori dresses in his sister's clothes, Maho makes it clear that she does not accept him. But rather than vilify her as the evil older sister who shuns her brother and his differences, we feel that this transitional time is also hard for Maho and we know that deep down she loves her brother. Mirroring the challenges that we all face, the characters of this series ask us to open our hearts and ask ourselves "who do I want to be?"

I see, Nitori is more like girl and Takatsuki and Sarashina are more like boy. It can happen when wall of genders are still vague but not clear like this anime. Since I'm and I was straight when I was that age, it is difficult to understand what they feel but I want to see what will happen next. This anime looks like Evangelion, His and Her circumstances. I think this is interesting theme.

I understod why this title was "Wandering Son" when Nitori said "You are a special girl to me" to Anna. I expected different result, though.

Hourou Musuko (Wandering Son) is in no way your typical anime. There's no mecha, not much fanservice (if at all), and no pop-cultural references. However, that fact is one of the series' strongest points. Simply put, it's brilliant. It's one that dares to be different. It's one that shows you can have a beautifully animated series that touches on a moderately important topic and it can be pulled off. The series does have a few flaws as a result of its experimenting, but if you give it time, it evolves into perhaps one the best, most original animes of all time. Wandering Son is a definite must watch.

Storyline
The decision of where to start this series is part of what hurts some of its grade. For anyone who isn't clear, this begins several volumes into the original manga series and quite some time after all the characters have met. But if you quit this series after the first episode because you were confused about who was who, please give it a second look. You'll learn who everyone is and how they are connected very quickly through flashbacks.

I had not read far enough in the manga to reach the point that the series begins with, so I can't tell you how faithful it is to the source material. As its own work, it's an excellent drama whose main story arc is not one of plot but of character growth (see below). It should also be noted, however, that the broadcast version condensed two episodes into one to create episode "10+11." This gives the finale a somewhat disjointed feeling, since some plot points don't get as much development as they truly need. Hopefully CR will get the rights to release the DVD version of the full two episodes, and if so, bump this grade up half a star.

Music
The soundtrack music was nice and added mood to scenes, but was otherwise unremarkable. I strongly dislike the opening theme, but the ending theme quickly grew on me.

Characters
Faced with adapting an ongoing manga, it seems as if the creators of the anime decided to choose two points in it not for their plot but for their character progression. We begin with the main characters at odds with each other, fighting or avoiding one another, and we end with the circle of friends reuniting and learning to be more accepting of each other.

The series deal with (obviously) transgender issues, but if you're expecting politics or theory or detailed discussion of how people construct gender identity, look elsewhere. "Wandering Son" is more interested in addressing the issue by having a range characters who relate to their gender and their sexuality (not the same thing) in different ways. Given its very open ending, it also presents one with a feeling that identity is something of a work in progress, especially when a person is only 13/14. What matters more are the networks of support and friendship and acceptance than you build up to help you work through the process of figuring out who you want to be. Maybe this is why it settles the theme of theater, with the assumption of roles and playing out of parts.

Animation
Okay, I don't like the saran-wrap affect of the coloring in this series, which is why I knocked half a star off. That said, it only is really bad in a few of the episodes, and if you consider animation in terms of smooth motion, consistency of character design, and lack of obvious shortcuts, it is essentially perfect. This is a very high-budget show and it's a shame that the buzz for it in Japan has not been stronger than it is.

I'm not sure whether I would ever buy this anime, but it has definitely convinced me to buy the manga, which will be coming out in America in June 2011.

I am a big fan of this series and the big step forward this series is in tackling series social issues which plague the world and Japan in particular.

Storyline: I have read the manga up to its most current chapter, and the anime downplays the transgenderism of the manga in a serious way. For example, there is no sense of "growing out" of the gender dysphoria for Nitori Shuichi in the manga. Puberty only becomes a larger problem as Nitori discovers that he can no longer pass as a female. In my opinion, this choice to downplay trangendrism in the anime probably has to do with the strict gender roles in Japan and the satisfaction for the audience that would arise if the 'problem' just goes away.

While I have misgivings about how the anime subverts the main conflict in the end, I must commend the anime makers for some very exceptional scenes. For instance, the bridge scene from the first episode is one of the most beautiful and heart-rendering moments of all anime in my opinion.

Music: I did not enjoy the opening song, but the ending song by Rie Fu is deserving of much praise. The background music during the bridge scene of the first episode greatly underscores some the masterpieces of sensitivity in this anime.

Characters: This is an exceptional character-driven anime. While there are flaws in the storyline, the characters are a breath of fresh air because of their complexity and emotionality. Critics have oft pointed out the almost superhuman maturity most of these middle schoolers have, but I think of that as one of many necessary idealizations in this series which asks the audience to go deeper within themselves and arrive at a higher sensitivity.

Animation: My only misgiving about the animation is that I prefer how the manga does the character's hair. In the manga, one can see individual strains of hair on Takatsuki Yooshino's head, and Shimura Takako, the mangaka, often uses her characters hair in order to express emotions.

I suggest that anyone who likes the anime to read the manga, for which the first volume will be coming to the U.S. in June (2011).

Wandering Son is an unusual anime. It’s everything you would expect from a slice of life, but it does break a couple molds.

To talk of anything before Wandering Son’s artwork is kinda foolish however. So lets begin by discussing the art. The shape of the characters is normal, however, it seems like someone has lowered the saturation on the films color. That, or the entire anime takes place in a cloud.

The character’s are drawn following the usual fashion of anime, but there is a higher emphasis on glare than I am used too.

The first episode begins with the question: “What are little girls made of.” This is followed by a middle school boy complaining about the uniform he’s been forced into. Claiming that as baggy as it is, it still feels like it’s suffocating him.

From here we get a brief introduction of our characters. But it’s done in a way that these could all be extra’s for all we know. I do like the reaction of the sister. She is waiting to go to school while her father takes a picture of her and her brother. She is very annoyed by her father’s antics, but still forces on a typical smile that seems genuine. The brother on the other hand, only barely smiles, he definitely seems depressed.

Wow, I’m 3 paragraphs in and I haven’t even gotten to the opening credits. Anyways, the opening of this anime is easily one of the worst I’ve seen. It’s slow, it’s mostly hallway pan shots. It just plain feels low budget. Like it’s only really their because it needs to be. And yet, by the third episode I can't imagine any other kind of opening for this show. It works perfectly. The song in the background is genuinely good and the animation matches it perfectly. I still feel that the show doesn't really need an opening.

I’ve never really understood openings. I get them budget wise, but if your just going to phone it in, don’t include an opening at all. I mean, for every Lupin the 3rd or Bleach’s Asterisk, there are probably 20-30 of these mostly shit openings. I say we lose them all. I’m willing to lose the one’s I love to not have to put up with these ones anymore.

After the credits end, an opening ceremony for the school year is shown, and we get more of a feel for our main character. And after that my favorite scene so far happens. We get a more in depth at the class via a introductions. The class goes around and introduces themselves to one another in the way we all had to at that time in our lives. They stand up, say their name, their former school, and something about themselves. It’s all going normal, till our main character stands up and, stumbling over his words, begins to introduce himself. Halfway through however he is interrupted by another boy asking about a rumor. We then see two arms holding a book aloft, followed by those arms coming down and hitting the other boy on the head. Saorin (The girl holding the book) then says “Rumormonger” and walks out of the room.

I don’t want to spoil too much more of the show, since despite my original apprehension, this appears like it could be a good series. The characters are stereotypes, but they are blended well, and there is just enough crazy to keep it original. And there’s a pretty fun plot twist that happens about halfway through the episode.

For more reviews from the lakewatcher crew head to Lakewatch.webs.com

ok at first I was a little skeptical i confess

but I am glad I gave it a shot

an excellent anime for sure!!!

at first it starts off a little slow for the first few eps

but around the middle it starts to set off!!!

it was a really sweet and enjoyable anime ^u^

what first drew me in was the unique animation style that was dreamy~

LOVED THE ANIMATION!!!

it gave it another dimension,

like I was dreaming/ fantasizing with the characters

the complicated, yet real life, relationships and interactions were splendid!

I could really understand & fall into the character's emotions & feelings...

The idea is really short but nothing really develops. The same idea is used towards the end.

There's a cliff hanger ending which I'm not bothered to find out about.
None of the characters stand out to me, they're all very quiet. However I do like their personalities.
This kid had more support than I expected him to have, and more lovers. It was kind of a turn off, 2 is fine. But the third was just. "gtfo"

The music reflects the characters, its fairly quiet, not in the sense that it's laid back, but just quiet. The voice of the guy who sings them is annoying aswell. The themes are bad, but the bgm is alright. Nothing that I'd notice though.