Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist announced by Viz
On Friday, Viz Media announced that Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist will release during the summer of 2023. The book follows the autobiographical tale of manga artist and writer Poppy Pesuyama.
Pesuyama is best known for drawing and writing the manga books Jibun no Karada wo Yurusu made (which is the non-translated version of Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist) and Jitsuroku: Naku made Bokorate Hajimete Koi ni Ochimashita.
Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist follows Pesuyama as they get their start in the industry as a manga assistant. They are excited to be getting a foot in the door in their dream career field, but things become difficult when their employer, Manga Artist X, starts harassing them because of their “feminine” body. This harassment leads Pesuyama to start hating their body, and they develop a creative block when they try to draw manga. The graphic novel depicts Pesuyama’s process of “loosening” their body up and trying to love themselves again by confronting their past, their friends, and their parents.
The art style of Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist is somewhat reminiscent of another autobiographical LGBTQ+ manga, My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness, which we featured in our recent list of incredible LGBTQ+ manga and anime you shouldn’t sleep on. That book follows its creator as she gives context to how she ultimately came to the decision to lose her virginity to a female sex worker.