How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 10

How Do We Relationship? #10

by Tamifull, JN Productions (Translator), Abby Lehrke (Translator)

Shy Miwa has always dreamed of finding love, but living in small-town Japan made finding the right match difficult—especially since she likes girls! Even going away to college didn’t seem to help, until one day her outgoing classmate Saeko suggests they might as well start dating each other since it’s not like either of them has other options.

Miwa and Saeko broke up in part because they couldn’t meet halfway on their differing needs, so when their new relationships begin to show signs of turning rocky, they’re both determined to find a way to compromise. But discovering a happy medium is harder than they thought, especially when no one seems to be happy at all with how things are turning out.

Genres: Manga, Romance, LGBT, Yuri, Queer, Comics, Lesbian

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2023

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tamaki winds up at Miwa’s place after Sae stays the night, which is about as awkward as they can possibly make it. But as relationships continue to strain and evolve, there’s lots of awkward for everybody to have a bit.

If Even Though We’re Adults didn’t exist, this would be the best yuri title on the market. Even still, it’s really damn close. Both titles eschew the traditional school and class-s trappings for something more adult and, indeed, more nuanced.

The way this story has approached attraction, love, and sex as separate components of a relationship is incredibly mature, even as its characters aren’t always mature themselves, cusping on adulthood as they are.

That opening scenario would almost be a farce, Miwa can’t help but apologize to Tamaki in the most awkward ways possible, if it wasn’t so blatantly hurtful, even if nothing happened. Although, you can’t help but notice how incredibly comfortable Sae and Miwa are together.

Partly my looking for holes in everything is from the little omake commentaries at the end of each volume, which strongly imply that our leads will get together again at some point and I think the volume seeds that being a good idea really well. Also, it’s real scandalous with a mere sound effect.

On the current relationship side of things, we spend a lot of time with our leads and their current partners in the throes of dilemmas. Everybody remains very in love, but also fraught with problems.

Tamaki simply cannot keep up with Miwa’s sex drive and it’s causing them endless amounts of problems. We’ve seen from her worst moments that Miwa can be incredibly needy and she tends to assume way more than she communicates. There are definite hints that Tamaki might be somewhere on the asexual spectrum.

Yuria is having a really hard time with her job, but Sae’s plan to just take care of the house to help out actually backfires hard because it makes Yuria feel like she can’t do anything anywhere. I like the way Sae figures out a way forward for both of them.

There’s also a very amusing trip to Yuria’s home, which brings in her very funny twin sister and suggests that we’re about to get Yuria’s own tragic backstory in subsequent volumes. It gets the pleasures and pains that going home can create.

It says something that there are now two big relationships in this story and they’re both different from one another and interesting at the same time. Everything is balanced well and even the little side stories get some welcome page time.

This story is just nailing it. It keeps all its stories moving, keeps our leads in one another’s lives in a variety of ways - poor Tamaki only has Sae to ask for advice, and considers the various levels of desire and affection people may have.

It’s even incredibly sensual, there is a fair amount of sex in this story, but not tawdry in the least. There is zero fanservice anywhere here and it’s almost certainly part of what makes the story seem as mature as it is.

5 stars - this volume gets it all right and makes it look easy doing so. It is a masterclass on how to write a bunch of strong, interesting characters dating and formerly dating. Highly recommended.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A volume dedicated to sex drives. One relationship is struggling through mismatched partners who want different amounts and types of intimacy and another relationship has fallen into bed death. Exes Miwa and Saeko commiserate, seeking advise and support from each other.

After many chapters of anxiety and communication failures, the story moves onto a summer trip to Yuria Washio's rural hometown with her and girlfriend Saeko. Next volume promises to fill in Yuria's backstory.

This series remains a decent college soap opera.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In another strong installment of the series, the two leads navigate their relationships with increasing maturity, if still possessing a good deal of hesitation in approaching communicative challenges. Sufficient drama can be found in subtleties, not only in major plot upheavals.

There is also an interesting dynamic going on with the supporting characters. In the heady excitement of freshman times, the bandmates formed a tight social group. Now as third-year students, this friend circle still exists, but characters are branching off more into their own worlds. This is epitomized in the more low-key band camp event, with Saeko absent and Miwa caught in some moments of nostalgia. While romance is still the main focus of this manga, the background milieu really captures the feel of college days.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good, I loved how the author dealt with asexuality, consent, sexual compatibility, and depression. There’s romance in this but it’s not a romance story, it’s just like the title says it’s all about relationships. It’s very realistic in how people navigate relationships. Only drawback is how some characters look like each other. The girlfriend looks more like her girlfriends identical twin sister than she does.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gotta admit I always forget what happened in the previous volume with this manga, despite it being one of the solidly good ones. This volume is also a good one, with interesting explorations of things like sex drive and showing affection in couples. I appreciate the growth of both of the "main" characters.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

so much honest communication!! love it
also tamaki is asexual or at least at the spectrum? nice

[Megaprout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tome 10 toujours aussi excellent, qui creuse le sujet de la sexualité dans les couples lesbiens qu'on suit, j'aime toujours autant les protagonistes, j'adore les liens entre les personnages qui se rapprochent, s'éloignent, se lient et se délient. On ressent vraiment que les personnages ont pris en maturité, et on a presque un pincement au cœur en les revoyant au premier tome.
J'aimerais juste m'attarder sur un détail qui m'a fais énormément de bien. La façon dont deux personnages décrivent leur vie sexuelle, en abordant qu'elles ont une vie domestique et paisible, sans forcément ressentir le besoin d'avoir des relations sexuelles, mais sans être contre l'idée d'en avoir parfois. Ce passage à beaucoup résonné en moi, m'a fais me sentir moins seul, m'a fais me sentir vu. Je l'ai montré à mon copain, et il a ressenti la même. Là où beaucoup d'œuvres vont en "surface" pour leur représentation, How do we Relationship réussi avec brillance à aller en profondeur, à explorer des problématiques de couples, sans jamais tomber dans le voyeurisme ou le vulgaire.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally getting back to this series. Another great volume! Things are getting serious in both Miwa and Saeko’s relationships, but in different ways.

Miwa and Tamaki’s struggles continue because of their mismatched desires for sexual intimacy. Tamaki’s attitude towards sex is very ace-coded in a was that’s similar to my own asexuality. It was hard for me to watch her and Miwa struggle with it because it’s an insecurity of mine, but I’m so glad Tamiful is giving space for this kind of representation and having open conversations about the diversity on the spectrum of sexual desire.

I also love that we’re getting to learn more about Yuria and her dreams and struggles. It’s sad to see her lacking confidence in herself, but great to watch Saeko step up as a partner and support her. And we love a home town visit!

This volume ended really abruptly, but it seems like we’ll continue to learn more about Yuria’s past in the next volume, so I’m excited for that.

[Charles Hennessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok so ive run into a predicament with this manga because it might be my new favourite thing ever but thing is, since i was so inconsistent with reading the first few volumes and only got super into it in the second half, i feel like ive fucking forgotten a lot of important details. Also kinda sad to see a lot of side stories pushed away because i always like to see minor character shenanigans. oh well, aint that just the way.

[Galatea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't say much without giving spoilers, but it's a great, slow look at lesbian romance.

This volume made me cry

The relationships here are so well written and full of depth that honestly I hope that more straight people read the series too. It's not just a good lesbian romance manga, it's a good manga, hands down.

[Willa Rowe]

This manga continues to be one of the best pieces of queer storytelling in the medium. This volume especially shines in how it delves into the now almost mundanity of the protagonists’ new relationships but also their friendship with each other.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relatable, as always.

[Leaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keeps being interesting and has a depth I like, great stuff!

[Bentgaidin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love to continue this; love a complicated and hopeful look at sex, relationships, friendship, and everything else. Very good.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up

[Reuben Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series so much ok?

[Colton Stroud · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow compared to the previous issues!!

[peep · Rating 3 out of 5]

i am getting a bit bored now but its whatever

[Devonn Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how their traits persist through these relationships. The relationships allow them to grow past many of their insecurities while allowing them to fully understand their needs and requirements.

[sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice. interesting. cried a little.

[axi ♡]

i'm ngl i've been praying on miwa saeko reunion but saeko yuria have charmed me so bad...

[t · Rating 3 out of 5]

miwa irritating as hell bro

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

my darlings

[ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this manga is so interesting!! its so nice to find some wlw manga that isn’t fanservice-y and has very cute art style<3