Who's the boy here?note
Kyoumen no Silhouette (Silhouette in the Mirror's Surface) is an ongoing manga by Tamase Nagayama in collaboration with Yuna Kagesaki in the drawing department, published in Kodansha and serialized by good!Afternoon.
Elna is given the great responsibility of taking the throne of a small country when her father fell very ill. Since such a burden is too much for a 15-year old girl, her father give her the advice of "look for her shadow", a double who posses the same face as her to protect her aside of give her the courage to live.
Teshio is a farmer boy who has the disgrace of having a female-looking face and being thin as a straw and not just being unable to have a girlfriend but attracting perverted men instead. His life changes when commander Naoe takes him with her (aka kidnapped him) to be Elna's shadow since both are like two drops of rain.
But Fate likes to play jokes: Elna is scared to death of men and Teshio hates the idea of being in girls clothes (aside of putting his life in risk). Now both have to overcome their weaknesses and try to make this work.
Tropes in the series:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Kagura is an exaggeration of a Fiery Redhead: extremely loud, her idea of a prank is getting a sword at people's throats and she's close to being kinda nuts.Teshio: I want to date a normal girl!
- Affectionate Nickname: Elna's real name is Elnavista but her father calls her Elna.
- Ahoge: Teshio has one that helps to difference him from Elna.
- Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Commander Naoe subverts it since she's also The Gadfly.
- Animal Motifs: Elna and Kagura are compared to a rabbit and a deer, respectively.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: Teshio dressed as a girl. Played for Laughs when his heart does "ba-dump" for Elna and he
immediately recalls Elna has his same face. - Berserk Button: Don't insult peasants and their hard work in front of Teshio.
- Body Double: How the "shadow" program works. In Teshio's case is being Elna in front of men.
- Book Dumb: Teshio. Mostly due to being too lazy to learn.
- Can't Stand Them, Can't Live Without Them: Despite all their bickering, Elna is learning to be a better person thanks to Teshio's presence in her life.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Elna is one for Teshio. She tries to hide it with the whole "Teshio is my shadow" thing. Rio takes her jealousy over Teshio to Yandere extremes, thinking in poisoning Elna and killing Kagura for no other reason than being possesively jealous over him.
- Clueless Chick-Magnet: Teshio got the attention of both Kagura and Rio, just by being himself. Elna is also very Tsundere about him. Naoe lampshades it, saying that Teshio is a natural born gigolo.
- Distinguishing Mark: Elna has a facial mole that helps to difference her from Teshio.
- Does Not Like Men: Elna. She gets hives when she touches men and enters in a "helpless state".
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: Teshio to much of his chagrin.
- Famed In-Story: Elna's father was known as "The Supreme Master", and was feared by neighboring countries and allies.
- Forceful Kiss/"Shut Up" Kiss: Kagura gives one to Teshio.
- Funbag Airbag: In Chapter 5, Elna runs into Rio's chest while escaping the men's gym.
- Gag Penis: Naoe changed an unconscious Teshio into a dress. When he asked about it, Naoe comments Teshio has a "splendid thing" that doesn't match with his female-looking face.
- Gonk: Count Omayra, age 33.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Elna. Also Teshio but he's more a dirt blond.
- Honey Trap: Naoe got Teshio's "permission" to take him to the castle by seducing him. Teshio misunderstood her mixed message for a confession so he blindly agreed. Cue knock on his neck.
- Identical Stranger: The "shadows".
- Inferiority Superiority Complex:
- Mei has issues since she was a peasant before becoming Elna's bodyguard. She seems to be in the mend at the end of Chapter 3.
- Elna has self-confidence issues because she's conscious that she has really big shoes to fill as daughter of "The Supreme Master" and "The Iron Lady". She feels that Teshio's constant watching in order to behave like her is at first an excuse to see her flaws and mock her.
- Innocently Insensitive: Teshio normally calls out Elna's lack of chest, how different she's from her mom and how weird she looks with glasses. Elna then orders for Teshio to be executed.
- Love Confession: Kagura gives a very clear and very loud one towards Teshio.
- Made a Slave: Teshio supposed Naoe was a slave trafficker when he awake in a fancy bed, wearing a fancy dress and makeup.
- Marshmallow Hell: Naoe give one of this to Teshio while hugging him to make believe a nobleman that Teshio was the princess.
- Mistaken for Badass: Rio is suspicious of Teshio being more than he appears and actually being a threat for her mission, for seeing that Teshio is changing Elna for the best and his being able to predict the weather. The true is that Elna is trying her best to be a good ruler and Teshio, being a farmer, knows how to read the sky.
- The Mole: Rio works as a maid but is actually a spy sent by the Empire to watch the growth of Elna.
- Never Learned to Read: Being a poor farmer, Teshio had little to no education; knowing this made Elna feel bad and motivated her to be a good ruler to the working/lower class. Then turns out a tutor used to go to Teshio's town and tried to teach him, but he never cared about learning anything. Chapter 5 ends with Teshio being taught by Mei.
- Post-Kiss Catatonia: Teshio fell unconscious after Kagura kissed him.
- Princess Classic: Elna is this with a mix of Tomboy Princess.
- Princesses Prefer Pink: Elna's introducing dress.
- Rags to Riches: Teshio went from peasant, farmer boy to be Elna's shadow. To be able to be her living image, he must get used to a noble's life. He still has some troubles with it and only when doing field work, he feels at peace.
- So Beautiful, It's a Curse: Teshio is a Dude Looks Like a Lady bishie in a world where manly men appeal better to the girls and perverted men is the only thing Teshio can attract.
- Tomboyish Ponytail: Mei.
- True Companions: Elna's father also had a "shadow" who aside being his Body Double, he was also his friend and hopes Elna and her shadow can be the same.
- Verbal Tic: Mei's "Mugu" when ashamed and frustrated.
- Wholesome Crossdresser: Teshio must dress up as Elna to do his shadow job. He reluctantly complies.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Aside men, Elna is also scared of heights.
- You Didn't See That: Elna recovers from her "helpless state" after touching Teshio and soon tells him to forget about what he saw.
