To Strip the Flesh

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I was glad that his father and friend came to understand him when he returned. His dad apologizing for hurting him by pushing his own beliefs on what *he* thought would make Chiaki happy all those years was one of my favorite scenes. My other favorites would have to be Chiaki's dream of his chest and uterus being stripped away (with all of the emotional metaphors behind it), then the short story set years later where he meets his friend's new girlfriend with a big, confident smile on his face.

Manly Men Can Hunt: This manga is a very straight take on this trope: there's a very straight line drawn between masculinity and hunting, and Chiaki isn't allowed to go hunting with his father because he still sees him as a girl. There is a token mention of female hunters, though.Chiaki's best friend, Takato had good and bad moments. He was Chiaki's best support during high-school, but then when Chiaki's wanting to pursue surgery as an adult, he uses phrases such as "It won't make you a real man!" and "I hear people try to commit suicide after surgery" which he's not exactly called out on. He comes around, but I'm still not so happy with him. The first short story in this volume, followed by several of the shorts that contained the same characters, were my absolute favorite. I just wanted to keep following Chiaki's story more and more. The follow-up short where his dad recounts how Chiaki has changed to become more excitable and outgoing ever since he's started living how he's always wanted (while also fully accepted/encouraged by his father and best friend) made me emotional. I loved seeing Chiaki so happy and doing what he had dreamed of since he was a child: hunting side-by-side as father and son. Earn Your Happy Ending: Despite the possible hardships associated with it, Chiaki gets sex reassignment surgery and comes out clearly to his father, who takes it well and accepts him as his son. Two years later, a more masculine-presenting Chiaki, Takatou, and Chiaki's father, noticeably gaunt but still alive, go out to hunt, with Chiaki hosting his stream once again and announcing to his viewers, rifle pointed at them, "I'm Chiaki Oogaki, currently looking for a girlfriend." In 2020, the story was collected with several other short one-shot manga by Tooda and released in an anthology volume, also under the title To Strip The Flesh: Oto Tooda Short Story Collection. It was licensed in English by Viz Media and released in June 2022. Besides the eponymous first story, the collection also contains:

Toda succinctly conveys the complicated feelings around coming out and gender dysphoria in this manga. Often using horror elements, especial body horror, to pinpoint the depth of the emotional toll and the complicated internal struggle Chiaki is having. On top of a beautifully illustrated and narrated piece, the interview between Oto Toda and Motigi only further explores the depth of To Strip The Flesh’s narrative. The fictional Chiaki’s experiences directly come from Toda’s feelings and experiences around his transition. To Strip The Flesh is the standout piece of all the works included in this volume. Food Porn: The manga has a big focus on hunting, so there are a few scenes of the characters enjoying meat. The scenes of Chiaki preparing meat are very detailed as well. The other stories follow this same theme but are so different that it’s easy to read them all in one sitting because they shake up the formula repeatedly. And Toda adds some more flavor of body horror that’s just the right amount of unsettling without becoming too gruesome. Again, the art is fantastic and effortlessly flutters between weird, cute, unsettling, and funny without feeling like a case of whiplash.The other stories in this volume are also very enjoyable even if i dont Think any of them are as good the first story and i would be lying if i Said They were all just as interesting, still They do a very good job of showcasing oto toda’s writing style and what to expect from any of her work in the future This was my least favourite story out of the collection. And while I think it is supposed to be a metaphor for how we interact with our possessions, the premise is just a little too weird for me to get into. And I suggest you just skip this one. To Strip The Flesh is a collection of short stories from Oto Toda. The title story is about a transman coming to terms with the unrealistic expectations his father has put on him to “grow up and be a beautiful bride,” his mother’s dying wish, and how that suffocates him. A charming collection of unique short stories. The real meat of the manga is with the first story, "To Strip the Flesh," which follows a transgender man who has to weigh his own happiness against meeting his father's expectations. It's a refreshing portrayal of the relationship between a transgender child and their parent, and how they feel the need to repress their own identity to make their otherwise supportive parent happy. It's a story about breaking away from your parents' expectations, and recognising that you deserve to take control of your life and be happy, even if you risk hurting them. It's also a story