Who Is Yuka in Blue Period?

Illustrated and written by Tsubasa Yamaguchi, Blue Period is a Japanese manga that was serialized in Kodansha’s seinan manga magazine called Monthly Afternoon. As of September 2021, it can be collected in 11 tankobon volumes. Kodansha USA acquired a license over the manga to release an English version. In October 2021, the manga was adapted into an anime by Seven Arcs.

The series follows Yatora Yaguchi who is a popular student who excels in school. He, however, experiences frustrations and inner emptiness. He surprisingly saw a painting at his high school’s art club that inspired him to try it too. Yuka or Ryuji Ayukawa invited him to join the club. Aside from being Yatora’s friend, who is Yuka?

Who Is Yuka in Blue Period?

Ryuki Ayukawa is Yatora’s classmate and friend who invited him to join the art club. Yuka has long blonde hair that reaches the waist with thin bangs disheveled to the side. What makes Yuka interesting is that they can be seen wearing a mixture of female and male uniforms. This intrigued viewers about Yuka’s real gender identity.

It would appear, based on their choice of clothes and portrayal of themselves, that Yuka is genderfluid. The character showcases both female and male traits, which is an interesting take as one of the members of LGBTQ+ community. Viewers might notice that Yuka’s close friends call them Yuka-chan, which is an honorific used to call young girls but they do not seem to complain when some people refer to them as male.

In episode three of Blue Period, Yuka asked a boy out but once the boy discovered that Yuka identifies as a male, he decided to leave the date. Yuka shared with Yatora what happened and the latter complimented him by saying that Yuka’s face would make them more popular as a guy. Yuka responded with, “But if I have to be what the world tells me to be, I'd rather die."

Yuka’s issues continued as they struggled to fit in the society as people misunderstood them. They have a hard time understanding the world that cannot accept them for who they are. Yuka’s role and representation will help viewers understand what members of the LGBTQ+ community go through. The character can also lead to normalization and acceptance.

Get the latest update on the series here.

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