Nitori Shuichi

Japanese name:	二鳥 修一
Nickname:	Shu, Nitorin

Shūichi, one of the two protagonists, is a young, effeminate boy who at the beginning of Hōrō Musuko is in the fifth grade of elementary school. Otherwise known by his nicknames Shū and Nitorin, he is a boy who wants to become a girl and often cross-dresses to assume the role of the opposite sex. Shūichi is described as cute by many of the other characters, and is able to appear as a girl when cross-dressing due to his feminine-looking face and physical build. Shūichi enjoys wearing clothes which make him look cute, and while initially not in the habit of cross-dressing, his friends Yoshino Takatsuki and Saori Chiba encourage him to dress and act femininely. As Shūichi grows up, he becomes increasingly concerned about the changes his body is undergoing due to puberty such as the growing of body hair, his voice becoming deeper, and the onset of pimples. Shūichi exhibits signs of gender identity disorder and he displays an outward attraction to two girls in the series—Yoshino and Anna Suehiro, whom he dates for a time in junior high.

Shūichi does not show any outward interest in other activities akin to a boy his age, such as playing any sports, and is usually seen doing indoor activities. Shūichi enjoys and is skillful in baking sweet foods, though he is never shown cooking other more conventional foods. After starting an exchange diary with Yoshino, Shūichi becomes interested in writing stories, and even joins the drama club as a writer with Saori in junior high school after they co-write a rendition of Romeo and Juliet performed by members of their class. Shūichi has a very honest personality, which generally makes it easy for him to get along well with others. He tends to have an obedient, dutiful attitude, though as he grows up and enters puberty, he sometimes experiences outbursts of emotion which contrast his usual quiet nature. Shūichi can be overly sensitive at times, and is often shown crying in front of others. Due to his personality, it is easier for him to associate with girls his age, and as such he has very few male friends.

MAL