Hitorijime My Hero is a yaoi manga by Memeco Arii, serialized in Ichijinsha's Gateau since February 2012. It is set in the same universe as Arii's previous one-volume manga Hitorijime Boyfriend, and is a tangent sequel to it (the protagonists of Boyfriend are prominent side characters here, and have already coupled by the time this manga starts). It received a 12-Episode Anime adaptation in 2017.
Ever since he was little, Masahiro never felt like he had a place to belong, until he meets Kensuke and his older brother Kousuke. Masahiro's life changes when Kousuke, who regularly beats up delinquents and is feared by them as the "Bear Killer", takes down the local gang Masahiro hangs around with. The three become friends and Masahiro finally has a place where he feels he belongs.
A year later, Masahiro and Kensuke are classmates again in high school. Both their lives take a turn when Kousuke becomes their math teacher and Hasekura, a childhood friend Kensuke severed ties with, transfers to his school and becomes his classmate. Masahiro realizes his feelings for Kousuke run deeper than admiration, while Hasekura makes it clear he sees Kensuke as more than a friend.
This work provides examples of:
- Age-Gap Romance: Kousuke is 28, and Masahiro is 16.
- Anger Born of Worry: Kousuke's reaction when Masahiro confirms that he is being harassed by his old gang, and trying to keep it to himself.
- Big Brother Instinct: Kousuke looks out for his brother's well-being.
- Child Hood Friends: Kensuke and Hasekura.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Kensuke and Hasekura.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Hasekura puts on a show of this that is specifically aimed at Masahiro, despite the fact that he knows about the latter's relationship with Kousuke.
- The Dreaded: Kousuke, also known as the "Bear Killer" is this to the local delinquents.
- Hot Teacher: Kousuke.
- Love Epiphany: Masahiro after Kousuke rejects him
- Official Couple: Masahiro and Kousuke, Kensuke and Hasekura.
- Parental Neglect: Masahiro's mother treats him as little more than an afterthought.
- Relationship Sabotage: Kousuke's friend Natsuo discreetely attempts to convince Masahiro to break up with Kousuke; he claims that he is only looking out for his friend, which considering the risky nature of their relationship wouldn't be that hard to understand, but his true motive seems ambiguously jealousy-related.
- Slasher Smile: Kousuke sports this when confronting the gangsters harassing Masahiro.
- Taking the Bullet: During the gang brawl, Masahiro launches himself inbetween Kousuke and a nailed bat aimed right at Kousuke's head. In the anime, this is changed to an attempted stabbing, of which Masahiro also takes the hit.
- Teacher/Student Romance: Kousuke and Masahiro.
- Unrequited Love: Initially. Masahiro gets rejected by Kousuke early on, but this was, in Kousuke's own words, "shock therapy" meant to make Masahiro realize his own feelings, but "it was a stupid plan" that didn't work out the way Kousuke had expected.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: Kousuke and Masahiro at first.
- Womanchild: Masahiro's mother is pretty self-centered and takes Masahiro utterly for granted, to the point where she thinks nothing of going through her son's wallet without his permission, or attempting to steal his belongings. Worse, she seems confused when he understandably doesn't take it well.
- Yandere: Yabase is this towards Masahiro in the anime, as he tries to stab Kousuke during the gang brawl.
- You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry!:
- Masahiro mentions Kousuke is scary when he's angry.
- The gang leader, Toru, and emo gang member, Yabase both learn this the hard way, the former in the manga, the latter in the anime when they try to attack a distracted Kousuke. Masahiro is injured in both versions when he steps in to protect Kousuke. Seeing him hurt sends Kousuke into a rage that almost results in him either severely injuring or killing Toru and Yabase, and he might have if Masahiro hadn't stopped him in time.
