Kanako is a girl who is a fifth grader in Shūichi's class at the beginning of Hōrō Musuko. Her nickname is Sasa-chan, but she is also called Kanabun by her younger brother and Chizuru. While she makes her first appearance in chapter two of the manga, she is not given a name until volume two. She is a short, energetic girl who likes to think of herself as everyone's friend, and easily becomes distressed when her friends fight amongst themselves. In such times, Kanako acts as a mediator between her friends, and tries not to leave anyone alone. She has been friends with Yoshino since pre-school, and later becomes close friends with Chizuru upon entering junior high school. Kanako comes off as an innocent, childish girl who does not have many worries aside from her friends' quarrels. She tends to be a handful for her mother who picks out her clothes for her, and even helps her get ready for school in the morning. She mentions that if she thinks too hard about something, her brain becomes itchy.

Fifth grader Shuuichi Nitori is considered by most to be one of the prettiest girls in school, but much to her dismay, she is actually biologically male. Fortunately, Shuuichi has a childhood friend who shares similar feelings of gender dysphoria: the lanky tomboy Yoshino Takatsuki, who, though biologically female, does not identify as a girl. These two friends share a similar secret and find solace in one another; however, their lives become even more complicated when they must tread the unfamiliar waters of a new school, attempt to make new friends, and struggle to maintain old ones. Faced with nearly insurmountable odds, they must learn to deal with the harsh realities of growing up, gender identity, relationships, and acceptance. 
 
Lauded as a decidedly serious take on gender identity and LGBT struggles, Takako Shimura's Hourou Musuko is about Shuuichi and Yoshino's journey to discover their true selves as they enter puberty, make friends, fall in love, and face real and difficult choices. 
 
Note: The full version of Hourou Musuko was originally intended to be 12 episodes, but the programming block it aired on only had space for 11 episodes. Therefore, episodes 10 and 11 were edited together and aired on TV as episode 10. Episode 12 was aired on TV as episode 11. The full versions of episodes 10 and 11 were included on the BD & DVD releases and are included in the Hourou Musuko Specials entry.

__Height:__ 150 cm

[Fanclub](https://www.gokinjolno.jp/) | [Blog](http://nanjolno.jugem.jp/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nanjolno) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nanjolno/) | [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFJORT2GGeNsKKLCf3BqSEQ)

She was the vocalist of the band fripSide and graduated in April 2022 with the fripSide Phase 2 Final Arena Tour. Likes cats, Final Fantasy XIV (even dubbed and sung the battle theme of Suzaku), and ramen.

**Non anime roles:**
- Soltina - Memento Mori (VG)
- Noise - Goddess of Victory: Nikke (VG)
- Topaz - Honkai: Star Rail (VG)
- Shu - Arknights (VG)
- Junah - Metaphor: ReFantazio (VG)
- Trigger - Zenless Zone Zero (VG)

Fifth grade friends Shuichi Nitori and Yoshino Takatsuki have happy homes, loving families, and are well-liked by their classmates. But they share a secret that further complicates a time of life that is awkward for anyone: Shuichi is a transgender girl, and Yoshino is transgender boy. 
 
(Source: Fantagraphics)

The full versions of episodes 10 and 11 that were previously edited together into episode 10 of the TV series.

Kanako Sasa