I Want to Be a Wall

I Want to Be a Wall by Honami Shirono is the story of an arranged marriage between two people who settle for each other.

Yuriko is a BL fangirl who is supposed to have given up her manga fandom by now and also happens to be asexual. Her husband, Gakurouta, is a closeted gay man in love with his straight best friend. They make a supportive pair of friends (even if Yuriko shipping Gakurouta and his friend gets a little cringey at times). Her embarrassment extends to waving him off when he tries to express interest in reading her manga collection. (Although later on, when he asks her “what’s omegaverse?”, one might understand why she’d be reticent.)

They don’t know how to be a couple. This allows for humor, as they try to cook for each other and fail miserably. Then they try to figure out what to tell people about their relationship, pretending they sleep in the same room when they don’t, for example.

The characters are cute, both behaviorally and visually, and it’s intriguing reading about a different kind of couple. They try to be honest with each other when they can’t be with anyone else, as they lie to their parents to cope with societal expectations.

A lengthy flashback shows Gakurouta meeting his crush when they’re schoolboys together, and another for Yuriko has her watching her friend discover boys and dating when she’s not interested in it. I’m not sure where the artist can or will go with this couple, but this sweet, quiet introduction was a comfortable read. Judging from reviews, people looking for asexual representation will appreciate seeing the portrayal.