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Ryuji Ayukawa (
Appearance
Yuka has a tall and slender build with pale skin. Yuka has long, naturally blonde hair that extends to the waist, and long, thin, bangs which are often disheveled to the side. Yuka's eyes are a dark, vibrant purple.
Yuka can be seen wearing a mix of the male and female school uniforms, sometimes wearing a skirt with a boys' uniform blazer, other times wearing boys' uniform slacks and a girls' uniform blouse. This is a deliberate style choice and highlights Yuka's opposition to conformity. When painting, wearing a French maid-style apron which fits their cutesy, feminine aesthetic is Yuka's preference.
Personality
Yuka is boisterous and seemingly confident, despite a lot of underlying anxieties. Acting in a generally cutesy and flamboyant manner, Yuka tends to attract a lot of people.
The pursuit of studying Nihonga was a choice influenced by Yuka's grandmother, who is the person they are closest to. Yuka will often put on a bright demeanor in front of her, and when placed in stressful situations they are often brash and impulsive.
Background
Yuka's mother and father both disapprove of Yuka's identity and lifestyle. It's shown that their home life is unsafe and sometimes violent. Yuka can only find solace in the company of the grandmother, who is accepting of Yuka as a person and Yuka's aspirations. It is implied that Yuka often goes out at night to get away from home, and that Yuka's parents suspect of Yuka trading dates with men for money.[1]
Plot
Awakening to the Joy of Painting Arc
Yuka was first introduced in Chapter 1, when a teacher and Maru Mori calls them as they run across the hallway. Yuka was shown jumping up high while carrying an easel. Utashima comments on them, calling Yuka a "cross-dresser". When Yatora Yaguchi was looking at Mori's painting, Yuka appears, telling him to not touch Mori's painting. Yuka then asks him the reason Yatora was in the art room before guessing the reason on their own, that he was looking for his ciggarette pack. When Yatora was getting his ciggarette pack back from Yuka, they commented that Yatora "smokes when he's with his friends", noting in the crumpled up pack and the lack of use of it. They then advice Yatora to not harm his health for the sake of socializing. Yatora, being pissed off at Yuka's words, picks an agrument with Yuka. This ends off with Masako Saeki interrupting them. With the final art submissions of 'my favourite scenery' being put up, Yuka looks at Yatora's painting, commenting that it looked nice, before retracting their statement - after looking at the artist's name. The chapter ends off with Yuka holding up their phone as their message to Yatora shows: "Yatora, are you free after school? There's something I need your help with?"
Prep School Arc
Geidai Exam Arc
First Year University Arc
Relationships
Yatora Yaguchi
Though they were originally on bad terms, Yatora and Yuka slowly bonded as Yatora began to realize Yuka is more than meets the eye. They're currently really close friends, evidenced by Yatora appearing on Yuka's instagram page frequently and the way they both confide within one another.
Maru Mori
They're seen to be close friends during high school. Yuka will often help Mori with different parts of her work, and when Mori is admitted into Musahino Art University, Yuka hugs her out of happiness.
Grandmother
Yuka states that they picked up Nihonga (Japanese Painting) despite preferring to draw Western-style clothing designs because their grandmother liked the art. Their grandmother was always by Yuka's side and teached them the fun of drawing, which formed a sense of closeless between them. However, Yuka thinks that their grandmother still thinks of them as Yuka's seven year old self, as she has a habit of 'babying' Yuka and says things that seem like she is talking to a child.[2] When Yuka's parents threw out all of Yuka's items, Yuka's grandmother rummaged through a dumpster to find a bag of Yuka's art supplies.
Parents
Yuka's parents are unsupportive of Yuka's identity and the expression of it, even throwing out all Yuka's items out at one point. When confronted by Yuka, the father punches Yuka and said to "use this opportunity to go back to normal".
Trivia
- Prefers to go by 'Yuka', which is derived from the surname 'Ayukawa'. When asked "why don't just go by 'Ayu'", the reply is that Yuka " doesn't want to have the same name as their idol, Ayumi Hamasaki"
- In Chapter 20, Yuka mentions that there have been an ocasion where romantic feelings were held towards a female middle school friend. Yuka is also attracted to men.
- Yuka is mostly popular among female students, but is noted to have a fair amount of male admirers as well.
- In a side chapter (at Volume 4), it states that Yuka gets bad grades in school.
- Yuka has an official instagram (@ryuji_ayukawa)