Torikai's work is a frank and nuanced examination of the emotional and practical effects of sexual violence, rendering the messy realities in gorgeously refined linework and dialogue far more naturalistic than most manga. The author veers away from blunt indictment to paint one of the most complex and fascinating psychological portraits of both rapist and victim in any medium. Very much not just for manga fans, Sensei's Pious Lie will appeal to readers of graphic novels and literary fiction in general. 24-year-old Misuzu Hara is a shy, introverted high school teacher, content to play the passive role of observer...until her quiet life is shaken to its foundations by two men: one her friend’s fiancé, the other her own student. In Sensei’s Pious Lie, Akane Torikai weaves a complex web of sex, ambivalence, desire, and violence that combines to produce one of the most nuanced and affecting explorations of the intersection between power and gender available in any medium. 18+

Misuzu Hara is a quiet, reserved 24-year-old high school teacher whose world is turned upside down after her friend’s fiancé rapes her. Her attempt to connect with one of her students, himself a victim of sexual trauma, results in an unlikely romance, and the repercussions of these events affect everyone around them in often unpredicatable ways. 18+. Warning: Includes graphic depictions of sexual violence.

Blinded by our own pain, we end up hurting the very people we want to protect. Under the sway of her abuser, 24-year-old teacher Misuzu Hara must lie to herself to survive—but she’s not the only one. And when she and Niizuma find themselves caught up in Kanamisa’s power games, they’ll all learn hard lessons about self-deception, violence, control…and maybe even love.

Seeking to free herself and transform sex into something more than a curse, Misuzu Hara has finally stood up to her abuser, with devastating results. But what lesson will she take from that explosion of violence? And how will it affect the people around her? Akane Torikai brings her deftly woven masterpiece of power dynamics and gender relations to its conclusion with a series of startling turns and a seemingly limitless reserve of compassion for the human condition. 18+. Warning: Includes graphic depictions of sexual violence.

Torikai's work is a frank and nuanced examination of the emotional and practical effects of sexual violence, rendering the messy realities in gorgeously refined linework and dialogue far more naturalistic than most manga. The author veers away from blunt indictment to paint one of the most complex and fascinating psychological portraits of both rapist and victim in any medium. Very much not just for manga fans, Sensei's Pious Lie will appeal to readers of graphic novels and literary fiction in general. Seeking to free herself and transform sex into something more than a curse, Misuzu Hara has finally stood up to her abuser, with devastating results. But what lesson will she take from that explosion of violence? And how will it affect the people around her? Akane Torikai brings her deftly woven masterpiece of power dynamics and gender relations to its conclusion with a series of startling turns and a seemingly limitless reserve of compassion for the human condition. 18+

Desperate in the face of Minako’s pregnancy, Hayafuji’s simmering hatred reaches the boiling point—and his grotesque imagination leaves Misuzu with an impossible choice to make. Unflinching and sometimes brutal, Akane Torikai’s examination of sex, gender, and power is nonetheless warm and humane at heart, boasting a rich cast of characters whose all-too-human need for love takes them to dark and unexpected places. 18+. Warning: Includes graphic depictions of sexual violence.