The main subject covered in the third and final volume of Kikiki Tataki’s Sex Ed 120% manga is LGBT. A topic that has Naoko seriously considering the feelings she has towards her colleague.
This volume contains chapters thirteen through to eighteen, plus a special chapter.
SEX ED NEVER TRULY ENDS
Neither sex nor education are simple binaries, and Naoko Tsuji realises she still has a lot to learn! Even for a sex ed specialist, it’s difficult to translate her own advice to real life – how should she handle jer sexuality and her feelings for her coworker? As the school culture festival unfolds, Moriya, Kashiwa, and Matsuda conceive a plan to give their lovestruck instructor some extracurricular help. In this last lesson, the students become the teachers!
This volume starts with a lesson on pregnancy and abortion, before delving into LGBT – with a particular focus on the T to begin with. Naoko has plenty of wisdom to impart to her students on those subjects. All the points that Naoko bring up are valid ones, and the world would be a much better place if people were as accepting as she is. Fortunately, she has plenty of good students who are willing to listen, and learn about these things.
And it is those accepting students that she is able to come out as bisexual to. They all take it in stride, and even encourage her to pursue the romantic interest she has in Nakazawa. The last part of this story focuses in on Naoko, with her seriously considering how to approach that situation – in particular, telling Nakezawa.
That’s where the students come in, and though some may initially offer some silly ideas, they are able to do something heart-warming for their teacher. The cultural festival proves to be a perfect time for that to happen. It’s a sweet gesture for sure. Whether Naoko achieves what she wants… well, you’ll have to read the manga yourself to find out that one.
Sex Ed 120% is a pretty great manga series. It takes a topic that might seem taboo to some, and offers up genuine information on it whilst providing an entertaining read at the same time. Obviously it is particularly focused towards sex education in Japan, but it sure is fascinating to see what the norms are over there and how Naoko defies them to ensure her students get a proper education.
It has a diverse cast of characters, explores all sorts of subjects and genuinely keeps its audience engaged. This is a manga series that I am more than happy to recommend people should pick up.
Rory Muses 