Claudine (manga)

Claudine
The cover for the tankōbon of Claudine...!
クローディーヌ...!
(Kurōdīnu...!)
Manga
Written by Riyoko Ikeda
Published by Shueisha
English publisher
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Margaret
Original run ? – ? 1978
Volumes 1

Claudine (クローディーヌ...!, Kurōdīnu...!) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Riyoko Ikeda. Serialized in Margaret and published as a single tankōbon on May 20, 1978, it is one of the earliest manga to feature a transgender protagonist.[2]

Plot

The story is narrated by an unnamed psychiatrist as he reflects on the life and loves of Claudine, the child of an aristocratic French family in the early 20th century. Assigned female at birth, Claudine has identified as a boy since the age of eight; Claudine's parents take him to the psychiatrist, who befriends Claudine after confirming that he is in good health.

As a teenager, Claudine falls in love with Maura, a servant in his family's house. Though Maura loves him in turn, she returns to her home after the death of her father. As a university student, Claudine falls in love with Cecilia, a librarian at his school. Cecilia does not reciprocate his feelings, and is in fact secretly having an affair with Claudine's father, Auguste; Louis, Cecilia's brother who himself had an affair with Auguste in his youth, kills Cecilia and Auguste out of jealousy.

Later, as he works towards his master's degree, Claudine falls in love with a woman name Sirene. The two begin a relationship, though Sirene eventually falls in love with and becomes engaged to Claudine's brother. Believing that his female body makes him an "imperfect man," and with a final appeal to Sirene having been ignored, Claudine commits suicide. In a closing narration, the psychiatrist confides to the audience that he has "no hesitation" in his belief that Claudine is transsexual.

Characters

Claudine
The youngest child of a French aristocratic family. Beautiful, captivating and exceptionally intelligent, Claudine was assigned female at birth, but has lived and identified as a man since his childhood. Though his gender identity is accepted by his family, he faces hardship and tragedy in his romantic life.
The Doctor
The unnamed narrator of the story. A psychiatrist, he befriends Claudine after his parents seek treatment for his gender dysphoria.
Auguste De Montesse
Claudine's father. The patriarch of a wealthy land-owning family, he raises Claudine as his son, spending hours hunting and horseback riding with him.
Andrew, Edward, and Thomas
Claudine's older brothers. They deeply love their younger sibling, and support his gender identity.
Rosemarie
A childhood friend of Claudine's. Though she has been in love with Claudine since they were children, he does not reciprocate her feelings. After suffering burns to her face in the fire caused by Louis, she moves to Paris to open a shop. Of all of Claudine's paramours, Rosemarie is the only woman who fully understands and accepts Claudine's gender identity.
Louis Laques
Rosemarie's tutor, the brother of Cecilia, and the former lover of Auguste. After Claudine falls in love with Cecilia, a jealous Louis sets a fire that kills Auguste and Cecilia, and badly burns Rosemarie.
Maura
Claudine's first love interest. A girl who works as a servant on the De Montesse estate, she returns home after the death of her father.
Cecilia Laques
Claudine's second love interest, and the sister of Louis. A librarian working at Claudine's school, he pursues her romantically, though she does not return his feelings. Dies in the fire caused by Louis.
Sirene
Claudine's third and final love interest. After crossing paths as children, they meet again as adults at a party, and fall deeply in love with each other. Ultimately, Sirene ends up falling in love with Claudine's brother, Andrew.

References

  1. ↑ "Seven Seas Expands to Classic Shoujo With Release of Riyoko Ikeda's CLAUDINE Manga". Seven Seas Entertainment. November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  2. ↑ "The Spring 2018 Manga Guide: Claudine". Anime News Network. June 1, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
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