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Double House
The story of a connection between two women, Maho, a male-to-female transsexual, and Fujiko, a girl from a rich family who's left home and is living on her own. Maho rescues Fujiko from some unwanted attention one night, and the two become fast friends.
Unknown Binding
First published September 5, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 21, 2016
This is my second shoujo ai for the year, and it's a rather promising story that was disappointingly only three chapters long! This was published in 2008 so there is no way this can have any more chapters which is really frustrating, considering how intriguing and layered the characters and themes are for this manga.
To be honest, I believe this may have been discontinued because it wasn't providing enough sexy fanservice about ladies going at it and that's just sad! This has so much potential to be a very riveting, emotionally stirring story about women and their gender roles and sexuality but I suppose the author wasn't commissioned for any more chapters. I don't want to think she has lost interest, let alone stopped writing but I can't find any more of her works online.
And this is the dilemma I am facing right now as I write this review: I'm not even sure if I can recommend it. The reason for my hesitation to recommend this has nothing to do with the writing itself. In fact, if I will purely based my reasoning on that, then Double House will get a stellar rating and rec from me! However, since this manga has only three measly chapters that are just building up to what would have been an immensely intricate storyline, then I can't encourage more readers to give it a try because it will only lead to the disappointment that this was such a short-lived piece. Still, let me talk about it.
Double House centered around two characters: Maho, a male-to-female transsexual who works as a club hostess, who rescued a young girl named Fujiko from an attempted assault one late night on her way home. They turned out to be living in the same apartment complex so Fujiko began hanging around Maho who didn't mind her company. Pretty soon, Maho finds out certain truths about Fujiko who turned out to be a runaway heiress. She left home to get away from the pressures of her wealthy family who used to control every decision she makes. Meanwhile, we also get scenes about Maho's life as a hostess with other transgendered men. The atmosphere of this manga is light and leisure with a few comedic moments, but the writing mostly contemplates certain important issues like women's roles in Japanese society, discussions on the binary exclusion of gender, and the pursuit of individual happiness free of judgment.
Here are some interesting dialogues that Fujiko and Maho have in the first chapter of the manga. Fujiko sagely imparts her belief about the wrongness of pigeonholing people for their gender, race or social status (don't forget to read the panels from left to right):
[CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGES]
I enjoyed the depth of insights that deceptively youthful Fujiko has discussed here, and in the presence of Maho whose sympathies lie on a less conservative route as well. Both women--one who is biologically female and one who identifies as one--form a bond because they both dislike being labeled as a fixed thing. Fujiko left her stifling old-fashioned family upbringing because she wanted to discover more about herself without having to depend on other people to tell her who she is. As the second chapter rolls around, we see Fujiko cutting her hair shorter than what was expected from a young girl her age who also happens to be very attractive. Maho points out that it's as if Fujiko is purposefully downplaying whatever sexual appeal she may have. Meanwhile, Maho as a transgender person tends to dress up since it's also a part of her night job ritual, but we see her shedding her glamorous clothing for something more casual whenever she's doing chores with Fujiko. This is when we see her in a more masculine appearance but Maho is quietly displeased if people would point it out since he identifies as a 'she'. Luckily, Fujiko believes that Maho is already a 'complete picture' and admires her for choosing not to trapped in a 'frame'.
Fujiko casually also confesses that she is in love with Maho which the latter disbelieves, dismissing Fujiko's attraction nd infatuation to her to be nothing but sisterly. Maho never really discloses if she is attracted to men or women, or perhaps neither. As a transgendered male-to-female, Maho is more concerned making a livelihood and being left alone to live her life peacefully. She accepts Fujiko into her life because she is intrigued by the young girl, and perhaps she is also a little lonely and having an open-minded youngster like Fujiko engages her into becoming more aware of her own choices. The relationship between them that was established in these three installments of the manga is already nuanced enough and I'm sorely disappointed that this is how their story ends.
There are a lot of possible plots that could be explored here. We were only allowed to get snippets of Fujiko's family life when her fiancée, a man she was arranged to be married with, made an appearance and immediately judges the friendship between Maho and Fujiko. What I liked about Fujiko's reasons for dumping him is because of his arrogance and complete disregard of her personhood when they're together. She pointed out that he wouldn't listen to her when she shares her opinions and that's why their conversations are limited and oppressive. The fact that Fujiko would stand up for herself because she wants to be heard and respected for having her own mind is very brave, and I'm so very interested to see how she even became so wise at such a young age.
In the last installment of this manga, we were introduced to another male-to-female transgender character (named Koko) who happens to be more on the obese side physically, has problems with her self-worth that she is unable to hold onto relationships because the men tend to leave her or not reciprocate the intensity of her feelings. One day she discovered an abandoned baby in the park and decided to adopt it. Maho was against this, and so were the other colleagues, and so they asked Maho to advice Koko otherwise. Eventually, Koko saw the error of her ways after also resolving her issues about herself and how she often gives too much to people that she is left with nothing for herself. It's an uplifting story of self-love and Fujiko gets to share another grain of precious insight:
Overall, Double House was such a wasted opportunity to tackle gender and sexuality in a Japanese yuri/shoujo ai manga. It's so disheartening that writer Haruno Nanae was able to write such interesting and multi-faceted characters in such a short span of chapters, but never got to further develop and explore their problems and issues. I wanted to give this a higher rating but I have to be objective because the story is just really lacking a more definitive pay-off and conclusion. I can still recommend this but I would warn you of its disappointing brevity.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT
To be honest, I believe this may have been discontinued because it wasn't providing enough sexy fanservice about ladies going at it and that's just sad! This has so much potential to be a very riveting, emotionally stirring story about women and their gender roles and sexuality but I suppose the author wasn't commissioned for any more chapters. I don't want to think she has lost interest, let alone stopped writing but I can't find any more of her works online.
And this is the dilemma I am facing right now as I write this review: I'm not even sure if I can recommend it. The reason for my hesitation to recommend this has nothing to do with the writing itself. In fact, if I will purely based my reasoning on that, then Double House will get a stellar rating and rec from me! However, since this manga has only three measly chapters that are just building up to what would have been an immensely intricate storyline, then I can't encourage more readers to give it a try because it will only lead to the disappointment that this was such a short-lived piece. Still, let me talk about it.
Double House centered around two characters: Maho, a male-to-female transsexual who works as a club hostess, who rescued a young girl named Fujiko from an attempted assault one late night on her way home. They turned out to be living in the same apartment complex so Fujiko began hanging around Maho who didn't mind her company. Pretty soon, Maho finds out certain truths about Fujiko who turned out to be a runaway heiress. She left home to get away from the pressures of her wealthy family who used to control every decision she makes. Meanwhile, we also get scenes about Maho's life as a hostess with other transgendered men. The atmosphere of this manga is light and leisure with a few comedic moments, but the writing mostly contemplates certain important issues like women's roles in Japanese society, discussions on the binary exclusion of gender, and the pursuit of individual happiness free of judgment.
Here are some interesting dialogues that Fujiko and Maho have in the first chapter of the manga. Fujiko sagely imparts her belief about the wrongness of pigeonholing people for their gender, race or social status (don't forget to read the panels from left to right):
[CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGES]
I enjoyed the depth of insights that deceptively youthful Fujiko has discussed here, and in the presence of Maho whose sympathies lie on a less conservative route as well. Both women--one who is biologically female and one who identifies as one--form a bond because they both dislike being labeled as a fixed thing. Fujiko left her stifling old-fashioned family upbringing because she wanted to discover more about herself without having to depend on other people to tell her who she is. As the second chapter rolls around, we see Fujiko cutting her hair shorter than what was expected from a young girl her age who also happens to be very attractive. Maho points out that it's as if Fujiko is purposefully downplaying whatever sexual appeal she may have. Meanwhile, Maho as a transgender person tends to dress up since it's also a part of her night job ritual, but we see her shedding her glamorous clothing for something more casual whenever she's doing chores with Fujiko. This is when we see her in a more masculine appearance but Maho is quietly displeased if people would point it out since he identifies as a 'she'. Luckily, Fujiko believes that Maho is already a 'complete picture' and admires her for choosing not to trapped in a 'frame'.
Fujiko casually also confesses that she is in love with Maho which the latter disbelieves, dismissing Fujiko's attraction nd infatuation to her to be nothing but sisterly. Maho never really discloses if she is attracted to men or women, or perhaps neither. As a transgendered male-to-female, Maho is more concerned making a livelihood and being left alone to live her life peacefully. She accepts Fujiko into her life because she is intrigued by the young girl, and perhaps she is also a little lonely and having an open-minded youngster like Fujiko engages her into becoming more aware of her own choices. The relationship between them that was established in these three installments of the manga is already nuanced enough and I'm sorely disappointed that this is how their story ends.
There are a lot of possible plots that could be explored here. We were only allowed to get snippets of Fujiko's family life when her fiancée, a man she was arranged to be married with, made an appearance and immediately judges the friendship between Maho and Fujiko. What I liked about Fujiko's reasons for dumping him is because of his arrogance and complete disregard of her personhood when they're together. She pointed out that he wouldn't listen to her when she shares her opinions and that's why their conversations are limited and oppressive. The fact that Fujiko would stand up for herself because she wants to be heard and respected for having her own mind is very brave, and I'm so very interested to see how she even became so wise at such a young age.
In the last installment of this manga, we were introduced to another male-to-female transgender character (named Koko) who happens to be more on the obese side physically, has problems with her self-worth that she is unable to hold onto relationships because the men tend to leave her or not reciprocate the intensity of her feelings. One day she discovered an abandoned baby in the park and decided to adopt it. Maho was against this, and so were the other colleagues, and so they asked Maho to advice Koko otherwise. Eventually, Koko saw the error of her ways after also resolving her issues about herself and how she often gives too much to people that she is left with nothing for herself. It's an uplifting story of self-love and Fujiko gets to share another grain of precious insight:
Overall, Double House was such a wasted opportunity to tackle gender and sexuality in a Japanese yuri/shoujo ai manga. It's so disheartening that writer Haruno Nanae was able to write such interesting and multi-faceted characters in such a short span of chapters, but never got to further develop and explore their problems and issues. I wanted to give this a higher rating but I have to be objective because the story is just really lacking a more definitive pay-off and conclusion. I can still recommend this but I would warn you of its disappointing brevity.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT
July 16, 2019
Uh... how dare this only have 3 chapters???
I feel like I could read at least 100... And I think the author meant for it to be a much longer slow burn as well and yet for some reason this got discontinued*cough*lack of flashy booby fanservice*cough*.
The characters feel so so deep and their dynamics is amazing! The story was pretty simple and cut much too short but it still managed to hit me and make me fall in love with both of them and especially in them together. They complement each other. They make sure the other does not think badly about herself. They bring each other joy. Just go buy a cute small farm and live there together forever p l e a s e . . . Make small jars of jam and dress up just to dance in the garden...
I need much more chapters so I can watch them get even closer, slowly fall in love more and more, grow stronger, share shy kisses, share tender kisses, share desperate kisses... You know what I'm getting at...Sadly I'll never get that because this manga is from 2006 but let me dream... shh...
TW: transphobia
I feel like I could read at least 100... And I think the author meant for it to be a much longer slow burn as well and yet for some reason this got discontinued
The characters feel so so deep and their dynamics is amazing! The story was pretty simple and cut much too short but it still managed to hit me and make me fall in love with both of them and especially in them together. They complement each other. They make sure the other does not think badly about herself. They bring each other joy. Just go buy a cute small farm and live there together forever p l e a s e . . . Make small jars of jam and dress up just to dance in the garden...
I need much more chapters so I can watch them get even closer, slowly fall in love more and more, grow stronger, share shy kisses, share tender kisses, share desperate kisses... You know what I'm getting at...
TW: transphobia
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June 16, 2021
4.5 stars
CWs: Transphobia, transphobic slurs, stalking, minor fatshaming, unsupportive parents
Genuinely one of the best LGBTQIA+ manga I've read so far. It talks about gender in a way that doesn't feel as surface level as most other manga. Maho is a trans woman and yet she's uninterested in conforming to the standards of hyper femininity she sees around her. Fujiko cuts her hair short because she likes it, but Maho reminds her that while Fujiko, as a cis woman, can get away with that and still be read as a woman, Maho doesn't have that freedom.
There are a lot of interesting ideas in this, and it's a shame that there was never more than one volume published. It was ahead of its time (1996-1997) with the nuance it gives its characters. I would have loved to see more of Fujiko and Maho's relationship in particular. Fujiko has romantic feelings for Maho, but they seem to be unrequited for now. Relationships between trans women and cis women are really under-explored in manga. The only other manga I can think of that did that is "Ayumi and Aika" in the Mermaid Line one-shot collection and I really didn't like that one.
CWs: Transphobia, transphobic slurs, stalking, minor fatshaming, unsupportive parents
Genuinely one of the best LGBTQIA+ manga I've read so far. It talks about gender in a way that doesn't feel as surface level as most other manga. Maho is a trans woman and yet she's uninterested in conforming to the standards of hyper femininity she sees around her. Fujiko cuts her hair short because she likes it, but Maho reminds her that while Fujiko, as a cis woman, can get away with that and still be read as a woman, Maho doesn't have that freedom.
There are a lot of interesting ideas in this, and it's a shame that there was never more than one volume published. It was ahead of its time (1996-1997) with the nuance it gives its characters. I would have loved to see more of Fujiko and Maho's relationship in particular. Fujiko has romantic feelings for Maho, but they seem to be unrequited for now. Relationships between trans women and cis women are really under-explored in manga. The only other manga I can think of that did that is "Ayumi and Aika" in the Mermaid Line one-shot collection and I really didn't like that one.
Read
February 23, 2023it's really a shame that this wasn't longer BUT the three chapters here are wonderful. Maho and Fujiko have a great friendship and the fact that they can disagree on subjects and have a stronger bond as a result??? incredible! of course, i would've wanted a longer series from this, but i think what we have here is still full of great moments, even if the third chapter dips a bit in quality
May 9, 2021
Finished in a lovely morning. This is such a cozy manga; the art is beautiful, the characters are so well drawn. The story is very good.
December 22, 2024
Je lu un chapitre dans le métro et j'ai chialé.
February 27, 2018
this is the first time I've reread Double House in years and I still get so angry over how short it is!!! it's so good but so hatefully short it kills me!!!
October 11, 2023
like 'kanojo ni naritai kimi to boku' but infinitely better (and that manga isn't even that bad! it's good!)
maybe (as an adult, as a person who isn't going through those First Stages Of Realising Things but is still in a state of discomfort, as a person in a relationship) I'm just less inclined towards trans coming of age stories set in school/about teenagers 😀 also, the "romance" in this felt way more empathetic to BOTH the trans character and the "cis" one, idk what I mean by that, and I'll end the comparison there
more importantly this miiiight be the closest any manga has ever come to representing how I feel about gender, how couples who are t4t talk about gender to each other (well. at least one couple. lol), and also like The Character Design Is So Good, that "real" but weirdly angular and straw-haired josei thing that isn't a real thing but it is to me. please read double house 🙏
maybe (as an adult, as a person who isn't going through those First Stages Of Realising Things but is still in a state of discomfort, as a person in a relationship) I'm just less inclined towards trans coming of age stories set in school/about teenagers 😀 also, the "romance" in this felt way more empathetic to BOTH the trans character and the "cis" one, idk what I mean by that, and I'll end the comparison there
more importantly this miiiight be the closest any manga has ever come to representing how I feel about gender, how couples who are t4t talk about gender to each other (well. at least one couple. lol), and also like The Character Design Is So Good, that "real" but weirdly angular and straw-haired josei thing that isn't a real thing but it is to me. please read double house 🙏
January 10, 2022
Double House is an unfinished manga, a love story between a trans woman and a cis woman cut short. Because of the unfinished story, it doesn't really read as the opening of a budding romance (like it seems it was written as), but as an exploration of the quirks in relationships between cis women and trans women. It's not a funny or happy story, but it will make you laugh and smile at times. The fact that it was discontinued has transformed it from the beginning of a romance to a snapshot of trans life. It's a story to recognize oneself in more than anything. It's beautiful and painful and definitely worth a read.
April 26, 2021
Incredibly heartfelt and thought provoking. I feel that the characters and themes will stick with me for a long time. Beautiful art that evokes a very dreamy and nostalgic feeling. Some plot lines and character issues are never resolved, but it kinda of makes sense this manga is more of an exploration than a defined story. The only problem I have with it was that there wasn’t more. Still, definitely worth reading the precious 3 chapters that were made.
November 17, 2020
koko chaaaaannnnn 🥺
im in love
im in love
January 26, 2023
Double House is a Yuri story about a lesbian and a trans woman living next door to one another, how they meet, their sort of domestic life together, and the lives they live. It sadly doesn't conclude in any big way, it doesn't really explore a romance between them and it doesn't feel finished.
That said despite that, Double House is some of the best writing about adult trans women I've seen, even if it's mostly fairly straight trans women outside of our main girl Maho. Maho as a POV character is really good, she feels very real and extremally thought out as a person. She can be catty and cold but she has lived the kind of life that it's the kind of person you have to be. Fujiko falls in love with her the second they meet and admits that to her not long after but doesn't expect her feelings to be requited. She is a really sweet character who we see coming more and more into herself as she feels happier and happier with her little life with Maho.
The art is great, Maho's wigs sometimes had me a little confused on if it was Maho talking until I took it in but everyone feels very Longley depicted and the outfits look gorgeous. There is a keen eye for fashion, person, body diversity, and character voice you simply don't see in a ton of comics. This is a really special manga, I wouldn't say it's my favorite or anything but I am glad it does exist and I wish Haruno Nanae would revisit these women's lives. It's a really captivating little world in the three chapters contained inside.
That said despite that, Double House is some of the best writing about adult trans women I've seen, even if it's mostly fairly straight trans women outside of our main girl Maho. Maho as a POV character is really good, she feels very real and extremally thought out as a person. She can be catty and cold but she has lived the kind of life that it's the kind of person you have to be. Fujiko falls in love with her the second they meet and admits that to her not long after but doesn't expect her feelings to be requited. She is a really sweet character who we see coming more and more into herself as she feels happier and happier with her little life with Maho.
The art is great, Maho's wigs sometimes had me a little confused on if it was Maho talking until I took it in but everyone feels very Longley depicted and the outfits look gorgeous. There is a keen eye for fashion, person, body diversity, and character voice you simply don't see in a ton of comics. This is a really special manga, I wouldn't say it's my favorite or anything but I am glad it does exist and I wish Haruno Nanae would revisit these women's lives. It's a really captivating little world in the three chapters contained inside.
March 30, 2022
wow, this manga! i found it because i had already read “pieta” from the same mangaka and i loved it.
this one may be one of my favorite LGBTQ+ manga i’ve ever read. it was so ahead of its time. it’s about a (love) story between a trans woman, maho, and a cis girl, fujiko (we could discuss about her being “cis” though, because she did seem agender to me with her view of gender and expression). while fujiko is obviously in love with her, the other one doesn’t quite reciprocate her feelings. i guess it’s because she’s afraid she sees her as a man (in fact she does tell her to find a man to marry, even though fujiko is more likely not be interested in men at all). their dialogues about gender and what society expects us to be are obviously my favorites. it’s clear that maho suffers from how people sees her, she needs to do things that make her more “like a woman”, like keeping her hair long. and when things don’t conform to the stereotypical view of a woman our society has (like not wanting children), she feels like she loses a bit of her identity. but that’s where fujiko helps her:
«gender isn’t important.»
«in the end, aren’t man and woman just symbols? are they really that important?»
i’m sorry that this manga was never continued because i would’ve gladly liked to see how the story could continue. i’ll still come back to this from time to time though <3
this one may be one of my favorite LGBTQ+ manga i’ve ever read. it was so ahead of its time. it’s about a (love) story between a trans woman, maho, and a cis girl, fujiko (we could discuss about her being “cis” though, because she did seem agender to me with her view of gender and expression). while fujiko is obviously in love with her, the other one doesn’t quite reciprocate her feelings. i guess it’s because she’s afraid she sees her as a man (in fact she does tell her to find a man to marry, even though fujiko is more likely not be interested in men at all). their dialogues about gender and what society expects us to be are obviously my favorites. it’s clear that maho suffers from how people sees her, she needs to do things that make her more “like a woman”, like keeping her hair long. and when things don’t conform to the stereotypical view of a woman our society has (like not wanting children), she feels like she loses a bit of her identity. but that’s where fujiko helps her:
«gender isn’t important.»
«in the end, aren’t man and woman just symbols? are they really that important?»
i’m sorry that this manga was never continued because i would’ve gladly liked to see how the story could continue. i’ll still come back to this from time to time though <3
February 19, 2024
Published in Young You magazine, 1998
I liked it.
I moreso found it interesting rather than enjoying it for enjoyment's sake, and that makes sense. It's quite progressive for the time it was published (though it's still weird about fat people).
Couldn't find a translation that wasn't by Lililicious scanlations, so I'm holding off on making any big judgements on the quality of writing. The first chapter definitely read the clunkiest, which is a shame, because it had a lot of short, simple poetic lines meant to pack a punch. I could see that shine through the translation though.
(Not to say it didn't have its moments - frame talk with stalker was so Good)
Loved Koko.
Wish I could appreciate the Emily Dickinson references more, but haven't gotten to her yet.
Had blue curtains and violets.
I liked it.
I moreso found it interesting rather than enjoying it for enjoyment's sake, and that makes sense. It's quite progressive for the time it was published (though it's still weird about fat people).
Couldn't find a translation that wasn't by Lililicious scanlations, so I'm holding off on making any big judgements on the quality of writing. The first chapter definitely read the clunkiest, which is a shame, because it had a lot of short, simple poetic lines meant to pack a punch. I could see that shine through the translation though.
(Not to say it didn't have its moments - frame talk with stalker was so Good)
Loved Koko.
Wish I could appreciate the Emily Dickinson references more, but haven't gotten to her yet.
Had blue curtains and violets.
July 16, 2025
aurait dû être beaucoup + long et j'ai l'impression l'auteure voulait que ça évolue en romance slow burn mais malheureusement seulement 3 chapitres sont sortis. Les 3 chapitres sont cependant assez long donc on a le temps de rentrer dans l'histoire et les personnages, c'est vraiment trop dommage que ça soit coupé court comme ça, surtout que ça traitait de sujets intéressants et pour une fois on avait droit à un (début de) romance avec un personnage trans.
April 6, 2025
It has its flaws but it gets five stars because i think about it all the time. fairly heavy discussion of the struggles of a clockable trans woman in japanese society but with a tone of like. having support from someone in a way that is slowly making her feel more optimistic about life. i wish so so bad that there was more of it. and i love the art.
October 8, 2023
Urgh why did it have to be so abrupt when it was getting good and that they didn't really explain much of women's backstories clearly?!
I did appreciate the fact this was so ahead of the times we are living in now but my god, this story was way too short and rushed!
I did appreciate the fact this was so ahead of the times we are living in now but my god, this story was way too short and rushed!
November 19, 2023
Nobody could possibly understand the deep and emotional bond that me and Koko-chan have. I love her so desperately.
I love manga with trans rep so much and this one was so beautifully done. I almost sobbed on a number of occasions and it's only 3 chapters long.
I love manga with trans rep so much and this one was so beautifully done. I almost sobbed on a number of occasions and it's only 3 chapters long.
March 20, 2025
A very beautiful story about identity, particularly the struggles of trans women in the 90s. Offers a totally new perspective. There isn't much romance, but Maho and Fujiko definitely care for each other quite a bit. Overall, incredibly insightful and enjoyable!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2025
CW: Transphobia, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Stalking, Alcohol(ism?)
4 / 5 Stars
If only this had sold better😭💔 This is the beginning of a great story, and I loved it for what it was but, it ends before it has a chance to truly begin.
4 / 5 Stars
If only this had sold better😭💔 This is the beginning of a great story, and I loved it for what it was but, it ends before it has a chance to truly begin.
May 30, 2019
Oh this one is just too short. Some very interesting characters and relationships, great dialogues, amazing concept of narrative, great art. And then it just ends :/
March 25, 2024
Demasiado corto no se entiende nada
July 29, 2024
3.5 - love the leads but what in the world was that final chapter?
April 22, 2025
Truly woderful read. Go read it nowww.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews