Our Dreams at Dusk understands deeply the subtle, precise and terrible ways queerphobia is ingrained into society, and how even these asides that seem so small and benign to those saying them can drive us even deeper into the closet. Creator Yuhki Kamatani’s artwork toes the line between reality and surrealism, conveying the conflicting feelings about self-realization and self-actualization through an incredible use of themed imagery.' - The Beat, Best Comics of 2019 'This is an incredibly thoughtful series, one which drives home the idea that gender identity and sexuality ― and how they are expressed ― are different for everyone. “While manga frequently portrays the characters in yaoi/ yuri (“boys’ love”/“girls’ love” genres) in a fetishized light, this series takes a refreshing turn, and the high-quality art makes it a potential breakout for broader audiences.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review) Correction: An earlier version of this review used an incorrect pronoun in reference to Yuhki Kamatani.Nominated for Best Manga in the 2019 Harvey Awards. While manga frequently portrays the characters in yaoi/yuri ('boys' love'/'girls' love' genres) in a fetishized light, this series takes a refreshing turn, and the high-quality art makes it a potential breakout for broader audiences. The script by Kamatani (the Nabari No Ou series) works harmonically with the intricate illustrations and their symbolism (such as a frame that portrays Tasuku breaking into pieces of fragmented glass, with reflections of a classmate and Someone).

When he discovers they are also an LGBTQ community, Tasuku is encouraged to return and spend his summer helping them renovate abandoned houses. Tasuku rushes down to the base of it, where he meets a small demolition and construction crew, made up of volunteers, called Cat Clutter, along with the woman he saw who is fine and alive who goes by the name Someone. Terrified of the consequences, Tasuku contemplates suicide but before he leaps from the stairs climbing the cliffs of his hilltop town, he leans over the railing to see a woman jumping out of a window from a nearby building. High schooler Tasuku Kaname is outed by classmates as gay (one spots porn on his phone) just two days before summer break. This impressive first volume portrays a raw slice-of-life story (with some fantastical elements) centered around the queer experience in Japanese society.

Our Dreams at Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani