Rei Taki’s romantic comedy manga, Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru (After School I’ll Be You), officially concluded its serialization on Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket service with its final chapter published on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. The series, which began in June 2024, followed the secret relationship between a high school student who secretly cosplays and a popular classmate who discovers his hobby.
The Manga’s Journey and Plot
Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru captivated readers with its unique premise centered on Akiba, a second-year high school student with a hidden passion for cosplay. Akiba secretly indulged in his hobby, dressing up as his favorite idol, within the confines of the school’s English club room. His clandestine activities took an unexpected turn when his beautiful classmate, Shibuya, stumbled upon him during one such cosplay session. This discovery sparked a secret relationship between the two seemingly opposite individuals, forming the core of the manga’s narrative.
The series initially launched on Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket in June 2024. Kodansha released the manga’s first compiled book volume in September 2024, with the third volume having been published on April 9, ahead of its conclusion.
Rei Taki’s Diverse Portfolio
Rei Taki is known for a diverse range of manga titles that explore various themes and genres. Before Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru, Taki garnered attention for other notable works, showcasing a versatility in storytelling.
One such work is Last Gender: Nanimono demo Nai Watashi-tachi (Last Gender: When We Are Nameless), which focused on themes of gender identity and expression, sexuality, and self-acceptance. This manga ran on Kodansha’s Comic Days website from February 2021 to April 2022 and was completed in three volumes. Kodansha USA Publishing licensed and released the series digitally, concluding with the third and final volume in June 2023.
Taki also penned Love-kyo: Kateikyōshi ga xx Sugite Benkyō Dokoro janai (Love Teaching ~My Private Tutor is So Sexy I Can’t Study~), which was serialized in Kodansha’s Shonen Magazine Edge from December 2020 to February 2023. This series concluded with its fourth and final compiled book volume in May 2023.
More recently, Taki collaborated with Tetsu Tsutsui on Tada Ōki na Neko ni Naritai (I Just Want to Turn Into a Big Cat), which began its run in Kodansha’s Morning two online magazine in September 2023 and concluded in December 2024. The third and final volume for this manga was published on February 21. The conclusion of Hōkago, Boku wa Kimi ni Naru adds another completed series to Taki’s expanding bibliography, marking the end of a charming romantic comedy for readers.
