I’m here to beat my drum again for Sex Ed 120%. Published and localized in English by Yen Press, this 18+ rated manga is actually a resource that every young adult should have access to. Sex Ed 120% Volume 3 Written by Kikiki Takaki, with art by Hotomura, the English edition is translated by Amanda Haley, and features lettering by Sara Linsley.
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As a series, Sex Ed 120% has explored sexual education in such an extremely open, vulnerable, and science forward way that also takes into account the nuances of experience and life. This volume continues to push beyond heteronormative binaries with Naoko Tsuji teaching her girls more about life, sex, and their rights along the way.
That said, in Sex Ed 120% Volume 3, Naoko realized that she may not be able to take her own advice as she begins to explore her sexuality and her feelings for her co-worker. 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. Keeping eyes on a wholesome romance story, Sex Ed 120% manages to entertain as much as it educates.
That said, the beauty of the series is its ability to talk about sex, sexuality, and identity without any qualms. It combats stereotypes, assumptions, and makes sure to detail information that some may have no idea about. Sex Ed 120% Volume 3 dives into two large topics. The first is about pregnancy and abortion, and the second is queer identity which covers LGBT history, and the importance of not erasing trans or bi folks from it all.
This isn’t the first time Sex Ed 120% has explored same-sex romance and intimacy but with the bulk of the volume dedicated to it, Volume 3 marks the strongest moment of it. Additionally, by including history along with talks of sexuality and identity, the series does the work of showcasing the importance of queer identity and making sure it’s talked about in sexual education. As for the chapters on trans identity, the dialogue is done to answer questions that the students have without othering trans folks in the process.
On the pregnancy and abortion front though, Takaki makes it clear that abortion rights are just that, rights. It’s also clear that being coerced into having sex without a condom is a form of interpersonal violence, and that pregnancy is a topic that should be talked about while also making sure that the pregnant person is in control of their body with all choices at their disposal.
Sex Ed 120% Volume 3 continues to add context to sexual health questions while also inserting a page at the end of every chapter to answer questions and dispel myths about pleasure and health. All in all, Sex Ed 120% is one of Yen Press’s standout series, it’s necessary reading, and one of the most important manga I’ve ever read.
Sex Ed 120% Volume 3 is available now wherever books are sold both digitally and physically.
Sex Ed 120% Volume 3
TL;DR
Sex Ed 120% Volume 3 continues to add context to sexual health questions while also inserting a page at the end of every chapter to answer questions and dispel myths about pleasure and health. All in all, Sex Ed 120% is one of Yen Press’s standout series, it’s necessary reading, and one of the most important manga I’ve ever read.
