Family Compo

Family Compo, known in Japan as Family Compo, was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine from 1996 to 2000. Created by Tsukasa Hojo, the renowned mangaka behind the global hit City Hunter, this series marked a significant departure from his previous work, moving away from high-stakes action and into the realm of domestic dramedy and gender identity exploration.

The narrative follows Masahiko Yanagiba, a young man who moves in with his aunt and uncle following his mother's death, only to discover that his relatives' relationship is unconventional: his uncle is a cross-dresser and his aunt is an aggressive breadwinner, with the pair living as a husband and wife duo with fluid gender roles. Hojo’s design approach focused on grounded, expressive character art, aiming to use comedy as a vehicle to discuss shifting societal norms in Japan. The series was well-regarded for its gentle tone and its forward-thinking approach to themes that were largely sidelined in mainstream media at the time.