Gōkon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi #1

Gōkon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi, or How I Attended an All-Guy's Mixer, debuted in 2021 as a web manga serialized on the Pixiv platform. Created by mangaka Nana Aokawa, the series emerged during a period of growing popularity for lighthearted, gender-bending romantic comedies. The premise centers on a group of male college students who attend a mixer only to discover that the participants they assumed were women are actually men dressed in drag, leading to a narrative focused on unexpected social dynamics and evolving perceptions.

Aokawa’s design approach balances expressive character art with comedic timing, relying on the contrast between the characters' refined appearances and their underlying personalities. The first volume was compiled and published by Square Enix in 2021, serving as a formal entry into the seinen manga market. It was well-received for its comedic execution and the subversion of traditional mixer tropes, eventually leading to a television anime adaptation which further broadened the series' reach among international fans.