Rule 63

Rule 63 by shukyou (主教), with art by Tamago (卵) first appeared in issue Issue 90 in 2021.

Creator's Notes

According to the font of all knowledge (read: Wikipedia), “Rule 63 is an Internet meme that states that, as a rule, ‘for every given female character, there is a male version of that character’ and vice versa.” If you knew that already, you knew where this story was going from the get-go. If you didn’t, well, perhaps the title is less of a mystery now.

This was originally supposed to be an outright comedy, but the comedy fought me, and man, when comedy fights you, don’t fight back. Instead, it became a more serious meditation on both gender and finding someone who understands you (even in ways you wish they wouldn’t).

This is the third story I’ve done with Tamago, and I continue to be blown away every time by how much the animations can add. That small sense of movement is just breathtaking.