Review of Hourou Musuko

There was a time when anime were highly praised for being directed to the young audience. Although, the growth that anime industry had been introduced to is quite important to the general entertainment world and to increase the presence of this art internationally; it's also overshadowing this anime genre which is deeply missed. In Wondering Son, instead of the traditional boy meets girl, we have a boy who wants to be a girl meets a girl who wants to be a boy but don't rush into conclusions. Transgender and cross-dressing issues could be controversial and might offend a few but the anime tries genuinely not to be offensive in any form. If you put your state-of-mind into a sitting where transgender is not that special of an issue the series would look an easy-going story of friendship, a heartwarming one which is 100% acceptable for a 5-year-old to watch, actually, this would be your general feeling after the first 10 minutes into the series. The series would open for you a window about the mix of emotions the protagonists experience with strangers and close ones. Funnily enough, the boy and the girl in the story are getting it quite easy from the outside world comparing to, let's say, if the story follows a boy and a girl with the same issues in united states, but you can still sense that the response from the most makes them wander: "how many people truly understand what we are going through?". Although, what the protagonists going through is special; any teenager in the edge of puberty would related to the story in a way or another. The sense of alienation as well as romantic development with peers in this age is another motif in the series. You'll sense also in the series that gender-identity and sexual-orientation might develop each on its own. The drawing and coloring techniques of the anime are simple and lovable; bringing warm atmosphere as if it tries to smoothen the controversial aspects of the story which is, in my opinion, succeeded to do so. The music used in the series is quite soothing and fits well in general but, in few notes, it could turn a bit dull. Wandering son characters don't try to be flashy or flamboyant like several of transgender or cross- dressing characters in the media. You might view the series events as boring if you don't identify yourself with the genre (Drama, Slice of life SOL) but I highly recommend it for its artistic value since the story nature is a new intro to the anime world which I view it as the best medium for such a story.