Home › Young Adult Fiction › I Wanna Be Your Girl, Volume 1
  • I Wanna Be Your Girl, Volume 1 by Umi Takase book cover
  • I Wanna Be Your Girl, Volume 1 by Umi Takase book cover
1 2

I Wanna Be Your Girl, Volume 1

by Umi Takase

Friendship, first love, and allyship in manga

$13.36 USD
$22.27 USD $13.36 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.
Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

Friendship, first love, and allyship in manga

As Hime and Akira begin high school, their long friendship shifts under the pressure of new attention and changing expectations. Akira is ready to live openly as a girl; Hime, who has long known this part of her friend, tries to protect her and show support by dressing as a boy. That choice complicates matters for both of them. Volume 1 brings gender identity and presentation into a coming-of-age story about the limits of speaking for someone else, alongside the tangled feelings of first love. The manga’s central conflict connects personal loyalty with the question of what it means to stand beside a friend without taking over.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in manga about friendship and first love.
  • Readers seeking graphic fiction that explores gender identity, presentation, and acceptance.
  • Readers interested in stories about allyship and the complications of supporting someone close to you.

Themes

Gender identity and presentationFriendship and first loveAllyship and acceptanceProtection and personal agency

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

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 tells a thoughtful story about the complications of first loves, friendship, and what it truly means to be an ally.

"Takase explores gender identity, presentation, and acceptance in this gentle manga that feels comfortably grounded. . . . Sweet and engaging." --Kirkus Reviews

A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

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.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews

You may also like

View all
Peek-A-Baby by Karen Katz book cover

Peek-A-Baby

by Katz, Karen

Board Books

$10.88 USD $18.14 USD