Waai!

Waai! (Japanese: わぁい！, stylized "WAaI!") is a Japanese manga magazine which was published by Ichijinsha from April 24, 2010 to February 25, 2014, for 16 issues. The manga in Waai! focus on male characters who engage in cross-dressing, willingly or due to circumstance; the magazine also includes articles, interviews, and reviews. Its sister magazine Waai! Mahalo (わぁい！Mahalo) was published for 6 issues from April 25, 2012 to December 25, 2013, and only contains manga.

Waai!
Volume 4 cover, with art by Akira Kasukabe
Editor-in-chiefToshinaga Hijikata
CategoriesManga
FrequencyQuarterly
FormatJB5
First issue
  • April 24, 2010 (2010-04-24) (special)
  • February 25, 2011 (2011-02-25) (stand-alone)
Final issue
Number		February 25, 2014 (2014-02-25)
16
CompanyIchijinsha
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageJapanese
Websitewww.ichijinsha.co.jp/waai/

The main magazine started as a special issue of the publisher's Monthly Comic Rex, before getting spun out as a separate publication. The creation of the magazine was pushed for by its editor-in-chief, Toshinaga Hijikata, a cross-dresser and writer of books about cross-dressing, who aimed to create a magazine with wider appeal than the more sexual cross-dressing magazines that came before it.

Manga featured in the magazines include one-shots and series, which often combine the cross-dressing conceit with themes of gay male romance and societal rules of femininity; among the serializations are Dicca Suemitsu's Reversible! (2010–2013), and Norio Tsukudani's Himegoto (2011–2014), the latter of which saw an anime adaptation in 2014. The magazine was popular, at first largely with male audiences, but gradually also built a female following which by late 2011 represented about a third of its readership.

History

Waai! began on April 24, 2010 as a special issue of publisher Ichijinsha's manga magazine Monthly Comic Rex with a focus on otokonoko,[1][2] after being teased at Comiket in December 2009.[3] The special drew a lot of attention, leading to it being continued as a Monthly Comic Rex special for two more volumes, before being spun out into a stand-alone magazine with the launch of volume 4 on February 25, 2011.[4] The magazine's editor-in-chief was Toshinaga Hijikata, who was a driving force behind its creation, being a cross-dresser, a reader of otokonoko fiction, and a writer of books about cross-dressing. According to Hijikata, the proposal to create the magazine went smoothly without much trouble as Ichijinsha had noticed the popularity of cross-dressing fiction. The rest of the magazine's editorial staff were also otokonoko enthusiasts.[1] The artist Akira Kasukabe worked on the magazine, providing many illustrations for the magazine's covers and for its short stories;[5] other interior artists included Maki Makita, Usagi Yuki, Penta Aogiri, Yuki Ameto, and Yuu Ueda.[1]

The magazine was printed in a JB5 182 mm × 257 mm (7.2 in × 10.1 in) paper format,[6] and was published on a quarterly basis.[7] Starting with Reversible! and Sazanami Cherry in 2011, some of the manga featured in the magazine have also been published in collected tankōbon volumes; the two were chosen for being the Waai! manga standing out the most and representing the magazine. Because of the cross-dressing themes in the manga published in Waai!, the magazine staff took special care when designing the covers for the collected volumes, to avoid readers feeling too embarrassed to bring a copy to the checkout in the bookstore.[8] A sister magazine focusing solely on manga, Waai! Mahalo, launched on April 25, 2012,[9] and ran for six volumes until December 25, 2013.[10][11] Like with the main magazine, Kasukabe provided the cover art.[9]

The main Waai! magazine continued until the release of volume 16 on February 25, 2014, after which it was put on an indefinite hiatus,[7] with the editorial staff advising readers to follow the magazine's social media for any potential future updates.[12] Hijikata apologized for the lack of prior warning, saying that it was a sudden development, but that the collected editions of the manga run in the magazine would continue as planned, as would the production of the anime adaptation of the Waai! manga Himegoto.[7] On June 23, 2014, Ichijinsha published the artbook Paramitta (ぱらみった), collecting Kasukabe's art pieces from the magazine.[5]

Content

Waai! and Waai! Mahalo published manga series and one-shots about otokonoko and about male characters engaging in cross-dressing.[13][9] The main magazine also contained other features about cross-dressing, including coverage and reviews of anime and video games with otokonoko or cross-dressing themes, how-to articles about cross-dressing, short stories,[1][14] interviews,[4] and letters from readers.[8] In contrast to other more sexual cross-dressing magazines, Hijikata intended for the magazine to be accessible for a broader audience,[1] while still at times featuring elements of eroticism.[8]

To appeal to a broad range of cross-dressing fiction enthusiasts, the magazine tried to vary the type of stories it ran, with some featuring characters who actively enjoy cross-dressing, and some with characters who are forced to cross-dress through the situation they find themselves in.[1] The stories are frequently also themed around gay male romance and initiations into societal rules around femininity.[14]

Waai!
Manga published in Waai!
Release Vol. Title Creator Format Notes Ref.
2010 1 Nonono Reku Fuyunagi One-shot Follows Nono, a cross-dresser whose lesbian friend Sei helps him become more feminine. [13][lower-alpha 1]
2010–2011 1–7 Onnanoko Tokidoki Otokonoko Notari Hinemotsu Series Follows Yuusuke, who meets his childhood friend Akira after ten years, who now wears women's clothes. [13][lower-alpha 1]
2010–2013 1–15 Reversible! Dicca Suemitsu Series Follows Shuu Kaidou, who transfers to an all-male school where the students have to take turns, one half of the student body at a time, wearing women's clothes. [8][lower-alpha 1]
2010–2011 1–6 Sazanami Cherry Kamiyoshi Series Follows Kazuhiro Migiwa, who confesses his love to the cross-dresser Ren, thinking he is a woman. [8][13][lower-alpha 1]
2010–2014 1–16 The Secret Devil-chan Emu Series Follows Sou Kurusaki, who summons the demon Kogure, who despite his feminine looks is male. Published in English by Digital Manga. [15][lower-alpha 1]
2010–2012 1–8 Suzunone: Wakaokami? Funtouki Hako Hitsuji Series Follows Ryoto, who must cross-dress and work as a hostess at his family's inn after his sister refuses the position. [1][lower-alpha 1]
2010 2 Onna no Buki ga Tsukaete Koso Otokonoko desu. Yuu Ueda One-shot Follows a cross-dresser who uses his femininity to convince his brother that he should get a haircut. [16][lower-alpha 1]
2010–2013 2–12 Past Future Tsukasa Takatsuki Series Follows Kako Akari, who to his sister Mirai's displeasure realizes he enjoys cross-dressing and borrows her clothes. [14][16][lower-alpha 1]
2010 3 Fuwa Kyun Hyuura Konata One-shot Follows Kae, who wants to be surrounded by women, and therefore makes her butler Haraguchi cross-dress. [17][lower-alpha 1]
2010 3 Mayo Elle Otokonoko Pop One-shot Follows cross-dressing students at a school. Prologue to the original video animation of the same name. [17][18][lower-alpha 1]
2011–2014 4, 7–16 Otasuke Miko Miko-chan Hiroichi Series Follows Ayumu Mikoshiba, who as an only child must continue his family's tradition and become a magical girl. [lower-alpha 1]
2011 5 Kindan no Mama ni Muranako One-shot Follows a cross-dressing male student at an all-female school. [lower-alpha 1]
2011 5 Yomi ♂ Zenzai Yoshihira One-shot Follows Usagi Mitsuki, who has accidentally promised to marry a male deity thinking he was a woman. [lower-alpha 1]
2011 6 Tintin Cheer Hideyu Tougarashi One-shot Follows a student who must cross-dress to be a cheerleader at an all-male school. [lower-alpha 1]
2011 6 ♂ Yorishiro ♀ Muranako One-shot Follows cross-dressing ghost hunters. [14][lower-alpha 1]
2011 7 Boku no Otouto no Kawaisa wa Ijou Gorou Yoshida One-shot Follows the cross-dresser Yuuki's older brother, who tries cross-dressing to understand why Yuuki likes it. [lower-alpha 1]
2011 7 Hikaru to Hikari Getsu Takebayashi Series Follows Hikaru, whose neighbor Aya gets him to cross-dress and participate in a singing contest for women. Bonus chapter of the series run in Waai! Mahalo. [lower-alpha 1]
2011–2014 7–16 Himegoto Norio Tsukudani Series Yonkoma following Hime Arikawa, who is indebted to the student council, and must wear women's clothes until graduating. Adapted into anime in 2014. [19][20][lower-alpha 1]
2011 7 Tomodachi Nanka Iranai Reku Fuyunagi One-shot Follows Nono, a cross-dresser whose lesbian friend Sei helps him become more feminine. Follow-up to Nonono. [lower-alpha 1]
2011 7 Tutor Maid Yuki Ameto One-shot Follows Yuuki Narusawa, who looks for a job as a tutor, and is hired by Ryou Misaki on the condition that he must wear lingerie and a maid outfit for work. [lower-alpha 1]
2012–2014 8–16 Boku to Boku Futago Minazuki Series Follows Junichirou Izumi, a cross-dresser who is saved from a molester on the train by Yuuki Kimino. [lower-alpha 1]
2012–2013 8–13 Otokonoko Days Asuka Kanan Series Follows Shuusei, whose cross-dressing friend Hinata gets him to begin wearing women's clothes. [lower-alpha 1]
2012–2014 8–16 Taboo Quartette Muranako Series Follows Tomoe, a male heir to a family tradition of shrine maidens. [lower-alpha 1]
2012 9 Oshiire kara Ai o Komete Ayame Nagi One-shot Follows Haruka, whose closet is home to a cross-dressing male zashiki-warashi. [lower-alpha 1]
2012 10 Omaera Minna Damasareteiru! Airi Mori One-shot Follows Soutarou Yamazaki, whose friend Kirika Tachibana must attend school in women's clothes without anyone realizing he is not a woman, or be forced to quit his education and join a theater group. [lower-alpha 1]
2012–2013 10–15 Oneechan ga Mamotte Ageru! Sora Yoshino Series Follows Kairi Shinonome, whose brother Anri has been dressed like a girl since childhood, and who goes to an idol audition. Follow-up to Change Idol. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 11 Dousei Chuu‼ Benny's One-shot Follows Shinya, whose cousins are cross-dressers. Continued from Josou Shounen Anthology Comic. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 11 Mise Moi! Red Kamaboko One-shot Follows Hiro, who dislikes the shamelessness of his cross-dressing neighbors Akira and Suguru. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 12 Ore to Fuuki Iin no. Airi Mori One-shot Follows Riku Kurata, who, due to issues relating to succession after his father marries a woman who has a son, must cross-dress and pretend to be a woman. [lower-alpha 1]
2013–2014 12–13, 15–16 Super Family Complete Red Kamaboko Series Follows Mirin Asami, who is the only one of him and his three brothers who does not want to cross-dress. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 13 Damatte Watashi no Iu Koto Kikinasai! Airi Mori One-shot Follows Kanata Tsukishiro, who frequently gets possessed by the spirit of his dead sister, who dresses him up in women's clothes and makes him romantically pursue a male classmate. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 14 Hanazawa-kun wa, Hanikanda. Naoya Kaneko One-shot Follows Hanazawa, who acts drastically different when wearing women's clothes. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 14 Nise Shōjo Sentai Q Red Kamaboko One-shot Follows Hiyoko, who joins the all-male "hero club", which fights evil while dressed like tokusatsu superheroines. [lower-alpha 1]
2013–2014 14–16 Zettai Fukujuu Game Peke Series Follows Kotarou Hayasaka, whose all-male school's student council has decided that all students must wear women's clothes. [lower-alpha 1]
2013 15 Immoral Josochology Naoya Kaneko One-shot Follows a student, focusing on his self-identification as a cross-dresser. [lower-alpha 1]
2014 16 Boku no Geboku ni Nare! Assa Series Follows Yukinari Takase, whom Rion Tachibana suspects knows that Rion secretly is a cross-dressing man rather than a woman. Continued from Waai! Mahalo. [lower-alpha 1]
2014 16 Hanazawa-kun wa, Kakenuketa. Naoya Kaneko One-shot Follows Hanazawa, who acts drastically different when wearing women's clothes. Follow-up to Hanazawa-kun wa, Hanikanda. [lower-alpha 1]

Waai! Mahalo
Manga published in Waai! Mahalo
Release Vol. Title Creator Format Notes Ref.
2012–2013 1–6 Boku wa Senpai ni Josou o Shiirareteimasu. Kotaro Shono Series Follows Wataru, whose senpai Ayane Takamura forces him to put on women's clothes. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 1 Change Idol Sora Yoshino One-shot Follows Nanami Kousaka, who wants to be an idol but gets turned down due to his cuteness, and whose producer Kouichi Kitami therefore makes him take on a female alter ego and debut in women's clothes. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012 1–2 Chuu x2 Trap Kurena Minakami Series Follows Minori Takasaki, a lesbian woman who becomes the target of a cross-dressing vampire. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012 1 Kasukabe Koukou Josou-bu Sakuya Yuuki Series Follows Akira Komukai, who is part of his school's cross-dressing club. Continued from Josou Shounen Anthology Comic. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 1–5 Motto! Himitsu no Akuma-chan Emu Series Spin-off from The Secret Devil-chan. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012 1 Onnanoko Kenkyuukai Beru Okabayashi One-shot Follows Yuuma Yamabuki, who must wear women's clothes to help Laira at the all-female school. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 1–3, 5–6 Porte Tricolore Seri Minase Series Follows brothers Rio, Noa, and Rei, who were raised as girls, and live in a world where only otokonoko can use magic. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012 1 Re:Volutions Ryouko Amami One-shot Follows a cross-dressing swordsman. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012 1–2 Suzunone: Wakaokami? Funtouki: After Hako Hitsuji Series Follows Ryoto, who must cross-dress and work as a hostess at his family's inn after his sister refuses the position. Follow-up to Suzunone: Wakaokami? Funtouki. [9][lower-alpha 2]
2012 2 Hatsukoi Lovers Ayune Araragi One-shot Follows Mamori Kusunoki, whose cross-dressing friend Wakaba Kisaki is attracted to him. [lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 2–6 Hikaru to Hikari Getsu Takebayashi Series Follows Hikaru, whose neighbor Aya gets him to cross-dress and participate in a singing contest for women. [lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 2–6 Himegoto+ Norio Tsukudani Series Spin-off from Himegoto. Follows Hime's cross-dressing brother Kaguya. [lower-alpha 2]
2012 2 Narcissus Tomo-chan Yoshino One-shot Follows Tomo Fukuya, who loves taking pictures of himself while cross-dressing. [lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 2, 4–6 Onnanoko Play Notari Hinemosu Series Follows Junichi Sasaki, who joins his school's drama club and must cross-dress for female roles. [lower-alpha 2]
2012 2–3 Twins Game Ryou Kurashina (writer), Miyabi Hasaki (artist) Series Follows a brother and sister who both cross-dress. [lower-alpha 2]
2012 3 Kiratto! Yell Airi Mori One-shot Follows Yuuto, who joins his all-male school's cheer squad expecting it to be manly, but which requires its members to dress like female cheerleaders. [lower-alpha 2]
2012 3 Onii-chan Complex Ayune Araragi One-shot Follows Haruki, whose brother Natsuki keeps visiting him in school while cross-dressing. [lower-alpha 2]
2012 3 Ruru Chouchou Nami Nishiuri One-shot Follows Sorano, a cross-dresser in feudal Japan. [lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 3–5 Family Complete Red Kamaboko Series Follows cross-dressing families. [lower-alpha 2]
2012–2013 3–4 Tadashii Ace no Kouryakuhou Mitohi Matsumoto Series Follows the baseball player Hiroto Fujiki, who learns that one of his groupies is a cross-dresser; and the team manager Ayumu Tsumori, who follows a book's advice to cross-dress to motivate his team. Continued in Monthly Comic Rex. [21][lower-alpha 2]
2013 4–6 Boku no Geboku ni Nare! Assa Series Follows Yukinari Takase, whom Rion Tachibana suspects knows that Rion secretly is a cross-dressing man rather than a woman. Continued in Waai!. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 4 Boku to Boku Futago Minazuki Series Follows Junichirou Izumi, a cross-dresser who is saved from a molester on the train by Yuuki Kimino. Bonus chapter of the series run in Waai!. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 4 Houkago, 2-C no Kyoushitsu de. Ayune Araragi One-shot Follows Yuuto Sasaki, a cross-dressing student who is attracted to his teacher Sasaki Tsukimori. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 5 Ore ga XX de Model Debut!? Shiki Kazutoki One-shot Follows Koutarou Asama, an aspiring male model who is unwittingly hired to model women's fashion. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 5 Present Koukan wa Kiken na Kaori...!? Ayune Araragi One-shot Follows the cross-dressing characters from Hatsukoi Lovers, Onii-chan Complex, and Houkago, 2-C no Kyoushitsu de., who exchange Christmas presents. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 6 Boku ga Otouto to Nakayoku Naru Houhou Shiki Kazutoki One-shot Follows Haruki, who cross-dresses to reconnect with his brother. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 6 Hataraite Kudasai, Haruko-sensei! Hyaku Fujishiro One-shot Follows the teacher Haruko Sakurai, who has her students try cross-dressing. [lower-alpha 2]
2013 6 Majo-san to Issho Red Kamaboko One-shot Follows a monster-slaying witch who hires a cross-dressing male witch as a bodyguard. [lower-alpha 2]

Reception
Waai! was leading in its niche, and led to the launch of the later magazine Oto Nyan.

The first issue of Waai! drew a lot of attention through its focus on male-to-female cross-dressing, and was a commercial success, selling well enough to prompt a second printing.[8] Although its main target demographic was men, Hijikata noted that they also wanted to attract female readers;[1] for the first issue, the vast majority of Waai!'s readers were men, but the amount of female readers grew with each new issue, and by October 2011, about a third of its readers were women. At that time, the average Waai! reader was in their 20s.[8] It was the leading magazine within the cross-dressing manga niche, and described as what led the way for the later cross-dressing magazine Oto Nyan,[22][23] although the publisher did not divulge the circulation figures.[14]

Japanese entertainment news site Natalie thought that the cross-dressing characters in the Waai! manga were cute,[1] and specifically found Reversible! and Sazanami Cherry to be the foundation that the magazine rested on, standing out among the rest of the manga and diversifying the magazine's content.[8] Jonathan Clements, writing for Neo, found Waai!'s conceptualization of femininity too overtly consumerist and materialistic, describing it as that of a beautician's, and considered the manga stories aside from the cross-dressing themes to often be all-male-cast retreads of old manga conceits, but found it difficult to bring criticism against the magazine's motives without inadvertently also criticizing cross-dressers' lifestyles.[14] Yuricon founder Erica Friedman posted a eulogy to the magazine after its discontinuation, speaking to the frustration of a magazine or serialized manga shutting down as publishers fail to draw new readers in.[24]

References
  1. Sakamoto, Megumi (2010-04-05). "わぁい！ - コミックナタリー 特集・インタビュー". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. pp. 1–3. Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  2. "オトコの娘マガジン「わぁい！」創刊を目前に編集長が語る". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2010-04-05. Archived from the original on 2019-08-10. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  3. Loo, Egan (2009-12-29). "WAaI! boys in skirts Magazine to Launch in Japan". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  4. "オトコの娘マガジン・わぁい！Vol.4でめでたく独立創刊". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2011-02-25. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  5. "カスカベアキラの画集、わぁい！表紙群や小説挿絵も網羅". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2014-05-31. Archived from the original on 2019-05-16. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  6. "わぁい!2011年4". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  7. "男の娘マガジン『わぁい！』突然の休刊――今後の情報はWebサイトとTwitterから発信". IT Media (in Japanese). 2014-02-28. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  8. Sakamoto, Megumi (2011-10-20). "わぁい！ - コミックナタリー 特集・インタビュー". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. pp. 1–3. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  9. "オトコの娘マガジン・わぁい！にマンガ重視の増刊誕生". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2012-04-25. Archived from the original on 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  10. "明日12月25日(水)発売のマンガ雑誌リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2013-12-24. Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  11. "わぁい！Mahalo" (in Japanese). Ichijinsha. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  12. Loo, Egan (2014-02-25). "WAaI! boys in skirts Magazine Suspends Publication 'For Now'". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  13. "かわいいオトコの娘集結の新雑誌「わぁい！」、本日発売". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2010-04-24. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  14. Clements, Jonathan (January 2012). "Waai!". Neo. Uncooked Media. pp. 32–35.
  15. Antonio Pineda, Rafael (2016-05-25). "Digital Manga Launches PeCChi Imprint for Mature-Themed Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  16. "わぁい！Vol.2発売、アニメ「迷elleオトコの娘」製作始動". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2010-07-24. Archived from the original on 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  17. "オトコの娘マガジン・わぁい！Vol.3発売、虎向ひゅうら登場". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2010-10-25. Archived from the original on 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  18. "Introduction" (in Japanese). Shake-Up. Archived from the original on 2011-11-10. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  19. Hodgkins, Crystalin (2015-05-25). "Himegoto 4-Panel Cross-Dressing Manga to End in June". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  20. Loo, Egan (2014-06-09). "Cross-Dressing TV Anime Himegoto's 1st Promo Video Posted". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  21. "野球×女装男子！松本ミトヒ。の短編集記念読み切りがREXに". Mynavi News. 2013-05-27. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  22. "「オトコの娘」専門雑誌「おと☆娘 (にゃん)」、「快感催眠"娘"化プログラムCD」約5分バージョンを公開". Gigazine (in Japanese). 2010-10-19. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
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