Hourou Musuko certainly hasn't gone unnoticed. The first chapter debuted in the long ago year of 2002, and continues to run today; in Enterbrain's Seinen magazine, Comic Beam.
For the sake of those who are not aware, and to make thing's more simple; Seinen is the name given to works intended for an older male audience. Seinen Manga tend to be Mature works comparable to the modern novel; usually not involving strange fantasy or science fiction tales, but realistic story lines that follow relationships, growing up, and so forth.
Hourou Musuko is not a series that can be summed up to couple of sentences. Even if you read the first volume you won't be able describe what is so great about it, you won’t be able to easily digest or divulge the plot, you wouldn’t even be able to tell anyone exactly why you were reading it.
The story begins rather simply, portraying a common japanese family getting ready for school, having breakfast, and that sort of thing. The dialogue is natural, it flows alongside the plot like a calm stream of fact. The children bicker, the parent's look on lovingly, everything seems perfect; and it is, it’s the perfect family.
Over the next couple of volumes, the characters and setting are laid out quite matter-of-factly, and it doesn’t feel the least bit forced when you begin to notice that the protagonist is a bit different from all the other boys in his class.
With a shy and pretty demeanor and a tendency to cook, bake, and socialize with the fairer sex, Nitori Shuuichi is presented as a character that is completely human. A character that can be identified with. A character that even the most cold hearted Christian could love. This tenderhearted identifiable and innocent boy likes to dress up as a girl.
Not only that, he want's to be a girl; he identifies as a girl.
The series exposes one of it's prevalent themes nonchalantly and naturally, without passing judgement or playing to stereotypes and without sensationalizing, the series begins to demonstrate the most accurate account of Transgenderism in any form of media.
Nitorin, the quickly adapted nick name for the protagonist, demonstrates a calm demeanor and seems to easily befriend others, many with similar issues. For instance Takatsuki; the second main character and what could be called the cannon coupling for the young Nitorin, is a tomboy who wishes she was herself a boy, and whose influence leads Nitorin to join in cross-dressing 'dates' they share through much of the first four volumes. Visiting their grown up friend; a Male-to-Female Transexual, much like Nitorin; albeit clearly shown to be of a different sexual orientation as she lives with her boyfriend.
Hourou Musuko manages to approach the very tender issue of sex and gender roles, without being sexual in any form. When dealing with puberty that truly is a great accomplishment.
Hourou Musuko is still being published in Japan, just ending it’s ninth volume. The series is possibly the most realistic, and most honest depiction of people growing up with gender dysphoria and other role issues. It’s not in the least bit trashy, and is considered by some, including myself; to be a masterpiece of the Manga art-form.
It’s something that is definitely worth checking out. I have this belief that if everyone were required to read this series, there would be no more homophobia in the world, especially when it comes to Transexuals and the transgendered.
Hourou Musuko has not and will not most likely be released in the USA. Translations of the material have come solely from volunteer scanlators, who dropped the series nearly a year ago. But thankfully recently, a kind anonymous individual has taken up the property, translating it for the English audience once more. Finding copies of the series online is easy enough, but if you'd like a recommendation I'd suggest you visit mangafox who plays home to a large community of appreciators of the series.