Our Colors is a manga created by Gengoroh Tagame and is the first second manga that he has written that wasn't for a mature audience. My Brother's Husband was his first gay themed manga that was geared toward all ages. That manga's success caused him to create another story that could uplift the gay community.
A closeted teenage boy comes out to an old man that owns a rundown coffee shop and his childhood friend overhears after she followed him from school one day......
Our colors is a simple heartwarming story that anyone can relate to. It doesn't matter if you're gay or not. Everyone struggles with being their authentic selves out of fear that people won't approve. A big chunk of the book tells the point of view of a teenage boy who fights with the idea of being gay. This includes the idea of being attracted to other men as well as the idea of starting a family in the future. He looks for answers in a coffee shop own who's twice his age but the other charm of this manga is that there's also a certain mystery in who this older character is. What is his background? Why is he a gay man that seems to be alone? I think wanting to see all this questions answered as well as how will the main character change, is what keeps the pages of Our Colors turning. Since this manga is by an actual gay man, the plot unfolds in a more realistic fashion than many other Yaoi/BL counterparts.
The art reminds me of those old Japanese ads that use to be hand drawn years ago. There's a charm in the way the character models look, with a hint of nostalgia as well. A weird mask appears over the main character's face every time something negative happens pertaining to him being gay. I felt those moments wholeheartedly.
Our Colors is a simple quick read that will touch the deep part of your heart. It's about three volumes that were all released in one hardcover book. I highly recommend to people who want inspiration to just be themselves.
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