- Yes, it is LGBT content: The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All is a yuri (girls' love) manga centered on a romance between two girls.
- Core pairing: Aya Oosawa falls for Mitsuki Koga, a female classmate she initially mistakes for a boy.
- Genre labels: Officially classified as yuri, school romance, and slice-of-life with a strong music theme.
- Award recognition: Winner of the 2023 Next Manga Awards Web Manga category, with over 2.25 million copies sold.
- Adaptation: An anime adaptation is scheduled to premiere on Crunchyroll in 2027.
The Short Answer: Yes, This Is an LGBT (Yuri) Manga
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All is unambiguously an LGBT story. It is a yuri manga — the Japanese genre dedicated to romantic relationships between women, also known internationally as girls' love (GL). Written and illustrated by Sumiko Arai and published in Japan by KADOKAWA, with an official English release from Yen Press, the series follows the growing romantic attraction between two high-school girls.
Video Highlights:
- Official teaser from Crunchyroll announcing the anime adaptation
- Confirms the 2027 streaming premiere
- Introduces Aya and Mitsuki's core relationship
The premise itself answers the question posed by the title. Aya becomes fascinated by a cool, stylish employee at a record store and assumes that person is a boy — only for readers (and eventually Aya) to discover that the "guy" is actually her female classmate Mitsuki Koga. Crucially, Aya's feelings do not disappear after the reveal. The story continues to develop her attraction toward Mitsuki as a girl, which is what places the series firmly within yuri rather than a simple case of mistaken-identity comedy.
Yuri and GL (girls' love) both refer to media depicting romance between women. Yuri is the preferred term in Japanese fandom and among most English-speaking readers, and it is the label used by official sources for this series. It is one subset of the broader LGBT manga landscape, alongside BL (boys' love) and explicit LGBTQ+ literary genres.
How the Story Handles Its LGBT Romance
The series treats its romance with sincerity rather than playing the identity reveal as a punchline. Three structural choices define its LGBT storytelling:
Identity as Tension
- Mitsuki's androgynous style creates the initial misunderstanding
- The reveal shifts the story from curiosity to genuine attraction
- Aya's feelings persist and deepen after learning the truth
Music as Connection
- Rock records and the record store become a shared emotional language
- Mitsuki expresses herself through music more than words
- Physical media culture grounds the romance in a real subculture
Everyday Slice-of-Life
- School corridors, part-time work, and small behavioral changes drive the pacing
- The romance builds through quiet emotional steps, not dramatic events
- Both characters are treated as full people, not stereotypes
| Story Element | How It Supports the LGBT Reading |
|---|---|
| The title premise | Aya likes someone she thinks is a boy; he is a girl, and she stays interested |
| Aya's arc | Moving from infatuation with an image to love for a real person |
| Mitsuki's arc | Revealing her private, music-loving self beyond her shop persona |
| School life | The two leads are classmates, normalizing the same-sex relationship |
| Music culture | Rock and record-store subculture frame self-expression and identity |
The series won the 2023 Next Manga Awards in the Web Manga category and has sold more than 2.25 million copies worldwide, with over 2 million social followers — strong evidence that its yuri romance has connected with a broad LGBT and general manga audience alike.
Themes: Identity, Self-Expression, and Presentation
Beyond the romance label, the manga explores themes that align closely with LGBT storytelling traditions:
- Self-presentation versus identity: Mitsuki's contrasting school and record-store personas explore how appearance shapes assumptions, a recurring theme in queer narratives.
- Androgyny as characterization: Mitsuki's androgynous look is treated with respect — it is part of who she is, not a running joke.
- Emotional discovery: Aya's journey is about recognizing and accepting her own feelings, a classic coming-to-terms arc.
- Youth and first love: The school setting keeps the tone gentle, fashion-forward, and accessible.
| Theme | Expression in the Series | LGBT Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Identity misunderstanding | Aya mistakes Mitsuki for a boy | Questions assumptions based on appearance |
| Self-expression | Music taste, fashion, record-store persona | Presentation as part of identity |
| Slow-burn romance | Gradual emotional steps between classmates | Authentic same-sex relationship development |
| Music subculture | Rock, vinyl, headphones, album art | Subculture as safe space for self-discovery |
In an official interview with Sumiko Arai, the author discusses how deeply music and the record-store environment are woven into the story's emotional world — reinforcing that the romance and the characters' identities are inseparable from its rock-culture setting.
An official anime adaptation is scheduled to premiere on Crunchyroll in 2027, per the official anime site. The adaptation will bring the yuri romance to a much wider LGBT and anime audience.
Reader's Guide: How to Approach the Series
If you are deciding whether this yuri manga fits your reading tastes, follow these steps:
Confirm the Genre Fit
Check that you enjoy yuri or GL romance, school-life settings, and character-driven storytelling. This is a gentle slow-burn, not an action-heavy series.
Start with Volume 1
The official English edition from Yen Press introduces Aya, Mitsuki, the record store, and the central identity misunderstanding. Read volumes in numbered order.
Pay Attention to Music Details
Album covers, headphones, and Mitsuki's listening habits carry emotional meaning. The music guide on this wiki tracks these references chapter by chapter.
Follow Relationship Development
Track how Aya and Mitsuki move from strangers to something more through small moments — conversations, shared songs, and changing behavior.
Stay Updated on the Anime
With the 2027 Crunchyroll premiere ahead, follow the official anime site for trailers, staff, and cast announcements.
Before You Start Reading:
- Confirm you enjoy yuri / girls' love romance
- Pick up the official Yen Press English edition
- Note the record-store and rock-music setting
- Expect a gentle, slice-of-life pacing
- Bookmark the anime updates for 2027 news
FAQ
Q: Is The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All an LGBT manga?
Yes. It is a yuri (girls' love) manga — a subset of LGBT media — centered on the romantic relationship between two high-school girls, Aya Oosawa and Mitsuki Koga. Official publisher Yen Press and the anime adaptation both present it as a yuri romance.
Q: Does Aya stop liking Mitsuki after learning she is a girl?
No. The identity reveal is the story's starting tension, not its ending. Aya's feelings continue and deepen after she learns the truth, which is what makes the series a genuine yuri romance rather than a one-off misunderstanding gag.
Q: Is the title misleading about the romance?
The title is intentionally playful — it refers to Aya's initial mistake about Mitsuki's gender. The story that follows is a sincere same-sex romance, so the misleading title is part of the premise, not a bait-and-switch.
Q: Where can I read the official English version?
The official English edition is published by Yen Press, available through the Yen Press website and authorized digital storefronts such as BOOK☆WALKER. Avoid unofficial sources, as the series is actively licensed in English.