Oh this cruel world we live in! These are dangerous times, and in the year 2020 in Tokyo, Tsukasa Kozuki’s parents are doing all they can to shield and protect their baby girl from harm. In their assessment, the wisest course of action is to raise her as a male, hoping that she can defend and keep herself safe from harm or injury. Aspiring to be a law enforcement officer just like her parents, their unfortunate and untimely deaths motivate Tsukasa even more, eager to fight crime and preserve peace in the city. However, as Tsukasa and her siblings are left to fend for themselves, she takes on the task as a bodyguard, employed by one of the most powerful yakuza leaders in the city. In order to fully pay off the family’s debts, she must swallow her pride, standing with the wrong side of the law.

Even though Tokyo Crazy Paradise and Hana Kimi occur during different time periods and environments, the basis of identity concealment is highlighted in both. Each manga offers a unique story, capturing in-depth character progression; especially concerning relationships between Tsukasa and Ryuuji, and Mizuki and Izumi. All in all, TCP and Hana Kimi share with readers two completely independent vibes, but are similarly contained in the gender switch genre.

Tenshi Ja Nai!! centers on the story of Hikaru Takabayashi, a girl who was teased and bullied when she was younger because she appeared in a famous commercial. From all this hate, Hikaru thought it best to have a fresh start at Seika All-Girls Academy, a reform school, in an attempt to wipe her slate clean. Unfortunately, luck is not on her side, as her roommate is the super-popular TV idol, Izumi Kido! Izumi appears ever so perfect, but Hikaru discovers that there is more to “her” than meets the eye. These secrets could ruin Izumi’s career forever!

Taking place in same-sex institutions, Izumi from Tenshi Ja Nai!! disguises himself in an all girl’s school while Mizuki from Hana Kimi dresses as a boy attending Osaka Gakuen. When their counterparts, Hakaru and Izumi, discover their secret, they are the first ones to know because they are their roommates in their respective dorms. Both immersed in comedy and romance, Tenshi Ja Nai!! and Hana Kimi are amusing and entertaining manga to read.

When a tragedy occurs in Ren Taki’s life, she remains in high spirits, determined to fulfill a heartfelt covenant. With a passion for music, Ren travels to Vienna to attend the Melite Conservatory of Music, an elite institution for the most talented. On her travels, Ren meets the flirtatious Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who is surprised to hear that she is enrolling at the Conservatory. Pondering the reason why he was surprised, Ren later finds out that Melite is an all-boys school! But fret not! Ren is able to enroll after discussing her situation with the Headmaster, attending under the pseudonym “Rentarou.” Sworn to secrecy, Mozart is assigned as her roommate. With Mozart’s aid, Ren must hide who she really is in order to make great strides towards becoming a fantastic musician.

“Teamwork makes the dream work”…. so they say! In comparing these manga, both Classi9 and Hana Kimi detail the story of two young women who attend an all-boys school to achieve a certain goal; Ren with music and Mizuki in sports. In their academic environments, they bump into an assorted group of interesting characters that enliven various situations, thus granting readers an excitable literary experience.

“The ball is in your court.” Kyo Aizawa is super excited to attend Seisyu Academy, a school with many recognizable qualities. However, what Kyo’s really stoked for is the school’s kawaii uniform. It’s the final countdown and the day arrives when Kyo finally receives her uniform in the mail. Shockingly, as she opens her package, she is confused to find a boy's uniform instead of the one she’s been looking forward to. Noticing his daughter in distress, Kyo’s dad explains that Seisyu Academy’s boys basketball program is also a notable feature about the school. He further explains that he’s enrolled Kyo as a boy in order to fulfill his own dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. How bad can it be? Pretty bad. Kyo also has to live among the boys in the dorms with her nemesis as her roommate.

In comparison, Power!! and Hana Kimi share an incredibly similar dynamic that includes a young high school female pretending to be a boy in order to participate in a school’s athletics program -high jump and basketball respectively. As Kyo and Mizuki share a similar optimism, we can’t help but feel tremendously content and relieved when the secret is no longer a secret! Although Kyo was forced to attend her school and Mizuki was there of her own accord, we can state that they must be glad to endure the entire experience with the end result of finding romance.

Samurai High School is a story about fraternal twins, Kou and Tsukiko Sakakido. Kou, the brother, is very feminine, while Tsukiko, the sister, is masculine. Living in a society where the samurai is highly respected, the twins learn about Samurai High School, which is recognized as a place of learning, as males test their strength and young females evaluate their womanliness. Kou and Tsukiko believe they can demonstrate these qualities, but only by switching places. However, if cheating is discovered, their family will be exiled to the moon. Will they be able to maintain their secret? Check it out!

In comparing Samurai High School with Hana Kimi, we find the characters in each manga to be relatable and enjoyable, adding diversity and appeal to the stories as they progress. Interesting and unique, we are attentive to the critical nature of Kou, Tsukiko, and Mizuki’s hush-hush secret that if anyone found out about who they really were, it would mean big trouble for all parties involved. Teeth-clenching and nerve-racking, readers are at the edge of their chairs hoping that their secrets remain undiscovered!

Momoko Takanashi just wants to live her life the way she wants; is that too much to ask?! Go to school, hang out with her girlfriends and come home at a respectable time; isn’t that what the average teenage girl does nowadays? Well, leave it to her mom to ruin her life when she is unexpectedly thrown out of the house into an all-boys boarding school. Donning an atrocious haircut and drab uniform, what would happen if anyone realizes that she’s a girl? With her luck, something’s gonna give! Oh, normal is overrated anyway!

There are many similarities between Boku ni Natta Watashi and Hana Kimi. Besides the fact that Momoko and Mizuki end up attending an all-boys school and fall in love with their roommates, who are the first to find out about their secret, their animated appearance is uncannily indistinguishable. Their counterparts, Kunio and Izumi, also share a close illustrative resemblance. With elements dabbling in romance and comedy, if you enjoyed reading Hana Kimi, Boku ni Natta Watashi is one more gender switch manga that will not fail you.