Weeaboo

High school seniors Maya, Dan (short for Danielle), and James have bonded over their love of Japanese pop culture. Maya, who regularly dresses in Lolita fashion, and cool kid Dan are excited that they've finally convinced James to cosplay with them at this summer's anime convention. But summer is many months from now, and all three students have some rough days ahead. James is floundering in school and receiving zero support at home. Dan, who auditioned for lead actor, instead gets the part of lead actress, forcing her to come to terms with and express her true identity. Maya, who's Black and has always been comfortable with herself, must reexamine who she is when the people she is closest to are dismissive, treating her with disrespect. In what could have been a very crowded book, each of the three characters is distinct, and their individual story lines come together to make a satisfying coming-of-age tale. The colorful artwork cleverly incorporates homages to classic and contemporary manga, welcoming in both new and seasoned manga readers. An impressive start from a debut creator.

At a crossroads in their lives, three friends are bound together by their love of Japanese anime and manga. Although their interest varies by degrees, all three use their fandom for escapism. Danielle Mitchell, who goes by Dan, is a young White person who balks at traditional gender roles and enjoys playing the prince. James Shibata is a biracial (Japanese and White) teen who is socially awkward, struggling in school, and looking for direction. Maya Thompson, who most closely lives up to the obsessive connotations of the term weeaboo, is a Black teen maintaining an online persona that is at odds with her reality. She is also a source of some unintentional microaggressions about Asians which James struggles with, while also facing anti-Blackness in her fandom community. As they finish out their senior year of high school and prepare for an anime convention, their relationships and futures are tested. The art style is reminiscent of 1970s manga, and though at times the character designs may be inconsistent, the penciling and watercolors deftly embody the fantasy scenes and intensity of characters' facial expressions. An interwoven fictional storyline perhaps meant to mirror the real-world plot is just as dramatic as the reality. Japanese pop culture buoys young people striving to fulfill their dreams. (book creation process, cover and character designs) (Graphic fiction. 13-17) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.