Rei Taki’s “Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru” (After School I’ll Be You) manga officially concluded its serialization on Tuesday, with its final chapter published on Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket service. The romantic slice-of-life series, which centers on a high school student secretly indulging in cosplay, began its run in June 2024.
The Story of Akiba and Shibuya
The manga’s narrative follows Akiba, a second-year high school student who secretly enjoys cosplay in his school’s English club room. His private passion takes an unexpected turn when his beautiful classmate, Shibuya, discovers him while he is cosplaying as his favorite idol. This encounter sparks a secret relationship between the two seemingly opposite individuals, as they navigate their youthful enthusiasm and shared interest in “oshi promotion” (promoting their favorite idol/character).
Serialization and Published Volumes
“Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru” launched on Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket service in June 2024. Kodansha published the first compiled book volume in September 2024, followed by the third volume on April 9. The manga is categorized under comedy, romance, school life, shonen, and slice of life genres.
Rei Taki’s Other Works
Rei Taki is known for several other manga titles that explore diverse themes and genres. Their previous works include:
“Last Gender: Nanimono demo nai Watashi-tachi”
This manga, also known as “Last Gender: When We Are Nameless,” was serialized on Kodansha’s Comic Days website from February 2021 to April 2022. It delves into themes of gender identity and sexuality, focusing on a bar where individuals with different gender identities and sexual orientations gather. Kodansha USA Publishing licensed the series and released its three volumes digitally.
“Love-kyo: Kateikyōshi ga xx Sugite Benkyō Dokoro janai”
Translated as “Love Teaching ~My Private Tutor is So Sexy I Can’t Study~,” this manga ran in Kodansha’s Shonen Magazine Edge from December 2020 to February 2023. The series concluded with its fourth compiled book volume published in May 2023.
“Tada Ōki na Neko ni Naritai”
Taki also collaborated with Tetsu Tsutsui on “Tada Ōki na Neko ni Naritai” (I Just Want to Turn Into a Big Cat), which debuted on Kodansha’s Morning two online magazine in September 2023 and concluded in December 2024. The third and final volume was published on February 21.
The End of a Secret High School Romance
The conclusion of “Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru” marks the end of a relatively short but impactful run for the series. Fans who enjoyed Akiba and Shibuya’s unique high school romance can now look forward to reading the complete story in its compiled volumes. While there has been no announcement regarding an anime adaptation, Rei Taki’s continued output suggests new projects may be on the horizon for their readers.
