Father’s Day has rolled around once again, and as we shared last year, we at RentaBLog love some daddies around here 
I figured Father’s Day (which also falls during Pride month! 
) would be the perfect occasion to introduce this series that recently hit the English market, centered around a pair of loving fathers and their adorable son.
Read on Renta!:
All About My Two Dads by Roji
Japanese Title:
ぼくのパパとパパの話
Boku no Papa to Papa no Hanashi
Links:
(Author) Roji’s Twitter
(Eng publisher) Animate International’s Twitter
(JP publisher) Libre’s Twitter
As you can probably guess from the title and cover alone, this is an extremely wholesome story about a perfectly normal family which just happens to consist of two dads and their son. It’s still a BL, though, so expect plenty of romantic scenes between two pretty boys in love to make your heart flutter — with a healthy serving of baby antics and “kids say the darnedest things” moments to brighten your day!
Right off the bat, we’re introduced to the main couple, Nao and Ai, who have just adopted a baby boy named Hiro. “Married with a baby” might be the “happily ever after” ending for some love stories, but here it’s just the beginning of a brand new journey for the two young men.
Put simply, All About My Two Dads is a slice-of-life manga showing us glimpses into the daily struggles and joys of raising a child: from the first sleepless nights with a newborn, to the tantrums of the Terrible Twos, the excitement of Hiro’s first sports festival, and all the little moments in between. It’s funny to see Ai and Nao stumble their way through parenthood (any parents out there will surely relate to their seemingly neverending challenges) and, of course, throughout it all, Hiro is an adorable kiddo who can do no wrong — no matter how much stresses out his dads.
I should probably point out that the story takes place in a somewhat “alternate” universe — where the only difference to our current reality is that same-sex couples in Japan have been given the right to marry and adopt just as straight couples can. As “idealistic” a society as that may seem, though, that doesn’t mean Roji’s manga world is completely free of prejudice and discrimination; as LGBTQ people around the real world have experienced, even gaining some form of legal protection doesn’t mean instant societal acceptance and smooth sailing for the rest of your lives. Roji-sensei seems to be well aware of this, as all-too-real attitudes toward LGBTQ folk are expressed by various characters throughout the story. It paints a convincing picture of how Japanese society might look like if gay marriage became legal here sometime in the near future.
Some scenes will surely resonate with readers who have felt “othered” due to something they can’t control. What I particularly like about the manga’s social commentary is that it doesn’t sort people into the straightforward categories of either “bigoted” or “accepting,” but acknowledges that they exist on a spectrum; perhaps they’re ignorant, but not out of any malice; or they’re SO eager to show their support that they go a little overboard and make things… weird, to say the least. It also addresses that even members of a marginalized group can harbor some deeply-ingrained prejudices themselves. It’s hard not to be influenced by the environment you grew up in, and everyone has room to grow.
Now, in case you’re wondering how much focus the romance between the two daddies receives throughout the story, I can vouch that Nao and Ai’s relationship with each other is just as vital to the family unit as their bond with their son. The flashbacks to their initial meeting help flesh them out as individuals, and make it easy to see why they make such a good team as parents. It’s nice to see their bond only grow stronger as they use their respective strengths to teach Hiro all about the world around him, and the moments of tenderness they manage to share in the midst of their hectic everyday life are quite touching.
Aside from the everyday struggles of parenting and societal judgement, there’s also a bit of angst pertaining to Nao’s own childhood trauma. This bit of conflict really drives home the fact that at the end of the day, parents are their own people too, and sometimes they need help as well. But, through it all, it’s clear that both Ai and Nao just want to give their son a happy life, and to support each other so they can be the best parents possible to him.
This manga has a lot to say about parenthood, family, and the power of love. It’s exciting to watch Hiro grow up, and to see his fathers gradually come into their own as parents. I think both BL connoisseurs and newcomers to the genre will find plenty to appreciate here.
The bonus manga featuring the three of them at the end of the book is also very cute 
. One thing I love about Animate International’s releases is that they often include the Animate Exclusive bonus content — in Japan, this usually comes in the form of extra manga or illustrations for the series made by the creator especially for readers who buy the book at Animate stores or the Animate online shop. Whether in digital or paperback (often in the form of cute little booklets, with a limited print run!), they’re always a nice little addition to the main story, and their exclusiveness makes them the envy of collectors everywhere.
By the end of this book — if you’re anything like me — you might feel so invested in Nao, Ai, and Hiro after following their early years together that you’re sad to see them go 
. But, don’t fret just yet — the release of a second volume for the series has been announced, so you can rest assured knowing there will be more fluffy family goodness to enjoy!
Also, if you fall in love with Roji’s beautiful art and sensitive storytelling, I highly recommend their latest work now available in English, Countdown to Yes — a slow burn romance between two best friends that’s sure to tug at your heartstrings.
And if you’d love to read more BL centered around family life in all its forms, be sure to check out our designated tag on Renta!
rentaBLog 