Title: My Supervisor’s Secretary is Me?!
Subtitle: A Tokyo Gender Bender Light Novel
Series: Japanesque
Author: Yulia Yu. Sakurazawa
Welcome to the Complex World of “My Supervisor’s Secretary is Me?!”
Now, the “gender bender” or “ts-shosetsu” genre, popular in Japan, occupies a unique and sometimes complex space adjacent to mainstream LGBTQ+ fiction. Often originating from premises involving magic, technology, or, as in this case, extreme coercion, these stories frequently explore themes of gender identity, bodily transformation, and shifting societal roles, though not always originating from an innate sense of gender dysphoria in the protagonist. “My Supervisor’s Secretary is Me?!” firmly plants itself in this genre, but the journey it undertakes resonates deeply with broader questions of identity, agency, and attraction that are central to many LGBTQ+ narratives.
The story follows Hoshikawa Koichi, an ordinary young man plunged into an extraordinary situation during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo. When his female colleague resigns, his powerful supervisor, Maikawa Aika, forces him to assume her identity – not just in emails, but eventually in voice (thanks to voice-changer tech) and appearance for crucial video conferences. This initial act of workplace coercion sets off a chain reaction, pulling Hoshikawa into a vortex of manipulation, shifting power dynamics, and unexpected intimacy.
What makes this story relevant to our discussions here is its unflinching look at the experience of living as a different gender, albeit unwillingly at first. Hoshikawa grapples with the practicalities (makeup, clothing, voice modulation) but more profoundly, with the psychological impact. How does being perceived and treated as female change him? How does it affect his relationships, particularly with the two dominant women in his life: the manipulative Maikawa, who initiated the change and fosters a confusingly intimate bond, and the enigmatic “Jimichi” (who holds secrets of their own), a virtual suitor representing a different kind of connection?
The novel does not shy away from difficult themes. There are significant elements of manipulation, coercion, and questionable consent, particularly surrounding Hoshikawa’s bodily autonomy as the story progresses towards irreversible physical changes. These aspects are presented not for titillation, but as core parts of the dramatic conflict and Hoshikawa’s harrowing journey. It explores how external pressures and the desires of others can profoundly impact one’s sense of self and physical being.
While the romantic outcomes might be unconventional by traditional standards, the story’s heart lies in the exploration of identity itself. Is gender solely defined by biology? By presentation? By how others perceive us? By who we love? Hoshikawa’s journey, forced upon him initially, becomes a crucible where these questions are tested under extreme pressure.
“My Supervisor’s Secretary is Me?!” offers a unique perspective, blending workplace absurdity with intense psychological drama and romance, all filtered through the specific lens of the ts-shosetsu genre. It’s a story intended for mature readers, one that invites contemplation on the fluidity and fragility of identity in a world increasingly mediated by technology and shaped by power. I hope you’ll find Hoshikawa’s complex, challenging, and ultimately transformative journey a compelling addition to the narratives we explore here.