Available Formats
I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1
By (Author) Umi Takase
Random House USA Inc
Random House Graphic
23rd September 2025
United States
Young Adult
Fiction
741.5952
Paperback
224
Width 127mm, Height 181mm
Being in love with your childhood bestfriend can be complicated, especially when, right before high school, she transitions to living as a girl. Printed for the first time in English, this manga series thoughtfully explores a story about the complications of first loves, friendship, and what it truly means to be an ally. Being in love with your childhood best friend can be complicated, especially when, right before high school, she transitions to living as a girl. Printed for the first time in English, this manga series thoughtfully explores a story about the complications of first loves, friendship, and what it truly means to be an ally. Hime has secretly been in love with her childhood best friend Akira for as long as she can remember. She was the first person who knew that Akira identified as a girl, and she made it her mission to be her Akira's protector against the world. Hime is thrilled that Akira has finally decided to live as her true self now that they are starting high school. However, as Akira starts to attract all types of attention, Hime takes it upon herself to aggressively stick up for Akira whenever necessary. Not wanting her to be singled out or bullied, Hime decides that her only option is to put herself in Akira's shoes.Hime dresses like a boy in support of the friend she loves...too bad her plan only backfires on them both.
Umi Takase was born and is still living in the Toyama Prefecture. In 2016, she won an honorable mention at the 78th Shogakukan Newcomer Comic Awards where she debuted with her stand-alone short story "Ethnic Mirror" in the special issue of Flowers.