Shirono, Volume 2 Cover Art, I Want to Be a Wall, Yen Press.
I Want to Be a Wall – Information
Author of Story: Honami Shirono
Chapter Count: 3 volumes, around 20 chapters
Status: Completed
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- Some depictions of bullying
- Depictions of sexualism (discrimination based on orientation)
- Misogyny
- Mature topics
Spoiler Disclaimer
This recommendation post may contain small plot spoilers for review purposes. Any major spoilers are hidden by default and are able to be revealed via click or tap.
I Want to Be a Wall – Plot Summary
This lovely manga is not necessarily of the romance genre, but instead is a very beautiful story about different kinds of love and identities. Our main characters include Yuriko, an ace fujoshi (person who enjoys BL or “boy love” manga) and Gakurouta, a gay man with unrequited feelings for his childhood best friend.
These two, somehow or another, become married and bond over their romance-related struggles in life. Through their time together and bonding, they discover a different type of fulfillment in their lives: love between friends. Of course, it isn’t a relationship that forms immediately, but these two develop a unique companionship together over time.
These two will never experience a romantic love together, but perhaps will create a different kind of relationship built on respect, empathy, and friendship!
Even though this manga is not a romance, I thought it still would be a fun series to review here. Representation matters, and I Want to Be a Wall is a very heartfelt representation of both the struggles and bias that many LGBTQIA+ people experience.
It shows how Yuriko grew up with the expectations from those around her, especially her parents and friends, and how those expectations became a heavy weight on her shoulders as she felt increasingly isolated and ostracized. She struggled with not being able to just be herself; while also not being able to understand or accept who she was.
Gakurouta also had negative experiences similarly to Yuriko, having realized that his childhood friend would never come to feel the same about him; in addition to his family’s marriage expectations for him.
Therefore, these characters married mutually with the benefit of putting up a front to their families and satisfying their constant nagging. With this, however, they must decide how to live together as a pair who aren’t actually in love.
This lovely story is completed with three volumes, making it a rather short story that is easy to enjoy quickly. I feel like this type of representation (platonic love or friendships, as well as ace/aromantic identities) isn’t common in manga, and so I Want to Be a Wall is a great win for the reader community.
This manga is also very calm, without much drama or conflict, so it is suitable for readers wanting a rather easy-going but still meaningful plot to enjoy.
Shirono, Volume 1 Cover Art, I Want to Be a Wall, Yen Press.
Why I Enjoyed I Want to Be a Wall
I Want to Be a Wall is beautifully written. Not only does it have a great representation for those who do not necessarily meet society’s strict expectations, but also shows how people are still able to have fulfillment in their lives by creating different kinds of relationships and experiencing other types of love or care.
It shows the difficulties of understanding each other, even while being in a sort of similar situation or circumstance.
Even without the presence of romantic tension in this manga, you still get to root for a closer friendship between these two, so that they can enjoy each other’s company more and experience happiness together. They are clearly very supportive of each other and determined to fulfill their “roles” in their unique relationship.
They both want to share household tasks, engage in each other’s interests, and support each other in the ways they are capable of. This shows such a wholesome form of respect and how their relationship could still be healthy, beneficial, and fulfilling without a need for romance.
Because Yuriko and Gakurouta are accepting of each other’s identities, they are able to become each other’s pillars of emotional support and understanding; while both accepting that they will never be attracted to each other.
It’s clear that these two will have a relationship filled with love that is more familial and caring in nature, and the author does a nice job of creating a heartfelt and wholesome story about this platonic love in I Want to Be a Wall. It also becomes a bit silly and comedic at times!
Even though they each have had their own unique situations in life, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they completely understand each other perfectly, and I like how the author writes this aspect into the story.
They give a few different perspectives for each character’s past experiences; even giving a peek into how different cultures affect or even accept different views on relationships. Seeing these two open up to each other and express their feelings about their unique experiences is very touching and wholesome.
The author has done a wonderful job of creating a lovely, beautiful story where romance isn’t present, but love still is. It is heartwarming to see Yuriko and Gakurouta grow in their friendship and support each other as (fake) husband and wife.
Shirono, Volume 2 Cover Art, I Want to Be a Wall, Yen Press.
Any Cons?
One complaint I have for I Want to Be a Wall is that although the story focuses a lot on Yuriko and her experiences, we haven’t gotten as much character depth for Gakurouta other than his backstory at the beginning. I would like to see more from his side of things and his experiences as well!
He is a very likable character, putting forth a good effort to bond with Yuriko. Although there is much more representation available in media that is similar to Gakurouta than with Yuriko’s case, I still think that his character is important and showing more of his experiences would have been enjoyable or relatable for readers, too.
I also feel like the art style could have been a bit more polished (it just looks a bit sketchbook-ish), but obviously appearances don’t have much to do with the story’s overall plot or message, anyway!
The character designs honestly feel pretty appropriate, since you cannot determine a person’s identity or orientation simply by appearance. I like that they look like two average people; I feel like that makes I Want to Be a Wall even more relatable, in a way.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I Want to Be a Wall is a fantastic read. This caring partnership will touch your heart, and the story portrays real life situations and experiences very naturally.
It has a silly, awkward sort of occasional humor and a nice slice-of-life flow in terms of the plot. It is a lovely manga with a great representation of the different walks of life that people may have. Even though this recommendation isn’t necessarily a romance, I hope you still will enjoy this nice and meaningful read!
Disclaimer: Any images used for this blog are for illustrative purposes only, are not owned by me, and are under ownership of the artist or publisher.
Images Credit: Shirono, Honami. I Want to Be a Wall, Yen Press, 2022, Watashi wa Kabe ni Naritai, Kadokawa, 2020.
