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おとなになっても [Otona ni Natte mo] #3
おとなになっても 3 [Otona ni Natte mo 3]
小学校教師の綾乃と、ダイニングバー店員の朱里は初対面ながら意気投合し、惹かれあう。綾乃は、「人妻」の身で朱里への恋に踏み出すこともできず、朱里を忘れることもできず、後ろめたさを抱えたまま夫の家族と同居を始める。そして、少女時代に同性の友人に抱いた初恋をこれまで封印していたことに気づく。一方、朱里は未来のない綾乃との恋はあきらめたほうがいいと自分に言い聞かせる。美容師に復職し心機一転、引っ越しをしたところ、新居のアパートが綾乃の家の向かいで……。運命のいたずらで“ご近所さん”になってしまった二人。踏みとどまったはずの恋が動き始め、周囲に波紋を広げていく――。胸騒ぎが高まる、大人百合!
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2020
9 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Takako Shimura
161 books210 followersTakako Shimura (native name: 志村貴子) is a manga artist primarily known for her manga works published in Japan which feature LGBT (especially about lesbian and transgender) topics. Originally from Kanagawa, she now resides in Tokyo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 20, 2021
It turns out that a change is as good as a mess when Akari leaves her current job to return to the salon. Besides her ex working there, her new apartment is conveniently located across the street from the one family she’s trying to forget. And then it starts to get weirder…
If you want to see the definition of dangerous undercurrents without hitting the beach, well, here we are. I mean, dangerous is perhaps a tad dramatic, but so is this manga at times. And this slow simmer feels like it’ll be coming to a boil any time now, to mix water metaphors.
Besides being excellent, I really like this series because it dares to do what many books do not - it lets real life (well, a facsimile where two women engaged in a tryst end up living near one another, anyway) get in the way of a good romance.
There is little question that Akari has tried to dodge her feelings for Ayano rather than deal with them, but their newly shared proximity might just be stirring up things inside Ayano as well. And it’s kind of hard for the entire family to not be suspicious when the crush moves in next door. This is a pure manga trope that twists very, very differently when adults are involved rather than teenagers and the author wrings it for all it’s worth.
There’s a lot of regular life in this one, which doesn’t give it quite the verve of the previous volumes, but allows for things to get truly, deeply odd. Everybody seems to be quite keen to make the world seem fine when, really, it is decidedly not.
Ayano’s husband, Wataru, remains such a hard to pin down character. Refusing to give Ayano a divorce, he seems to be trying to figure out what Akari’s about and, well, once they start commuting together it gets strange and while Akari suspects he’s about to try something with her, he instead proposes an even crazier idea. Maybe poorly considered decisions are what brought them together.
My working theory is that Wataru is just incredibly confused and trying to figure out what Akari has that he doesn’t, though he seems to be ignoring the most obvious (and accurate) answer. Which doesn’t help when combined with his overbearing mother to make Akari feel less awkward (boy, that one conversation…).
Nobody is exactly villainous here, but I do feel like Akari is really getting pummelled this whole book and not necessarily for anything that’s her fault. She’s being forced to deal with what she was escaping, but not intentionally, and she keeps being scrutinized by an entire family.
Meanwhile, Ayano is dealing with an ongoing subplot involving two very young girls in her class that I admit took me a second read to get the gist of. Even now, I assume that what I think is right, but they seem young. Not that I’m full of experience on the subject.
Anyway, Wataru’s proposal immediately backfires, not that he’s aware of it, and is causing Ayano to realize some truth about herself that she’s been keeping tamped down for a while now. There are some great moments of dialogue throughout this volume - Akari’s discourse on baggage is similarly wonderful - and Ayano sells this moment really beautifully.
There’s also an ongoing joke, sort of, about a neighbourhood festival and their mini-marathon, which turns out to be a lot more relevant then you’d initially expect. Gotta have those festivals!
I do like Akari’s scenes here with her ex - it’s an interesting examination of Akari and it also shows that, well, despite her misgivings about her old job, her ex isn’t the one she cares about any more.
We also get a lot of Wataru’s shut-in sister, Emi-chan, this volume and I continue to love this series’ portrayal of depression as something that doesn’t simply exist as a binary (ahem) on/off switch.
We’ve yet to see her importance, if any, to the overall plot, but it is interesting to see her figuring things out as she figures herself out and the book’s helpful detailing of how NOT to be a supportive family member.
4 stars - I did find this one a bit slower, so I have graded it down slightly, but I still think this series is kind of a masterpiece and one of the best things I’m reading right now. It’s complex and messy and rewarding to read, which, hey, what more do you want?
If you want to see the definition of dangerous undercurrents without hitting the beach, well, here we are. I mean, dangerous is perhaps a tad dramatic, but so is this manga at times. And this slow simmer feels like it’ll be coming to a boil any time now, to mix water metaphors.
Besides being excellent, I really like this series because it dares to do what many books do not - it lets real life (well, a facsimile where two women engaged in a tryst end up living near one another, anyway) get in the way of a good romance.
There is little question that Akari has tried to dodge her feelings for Ayano rather than deal with them, but their newly shared proximity might just be stirring up things inside Ayano as well. And it’s kind of hard for the entire family to not be suspicious when the crush moves in next door. This is a pure manga trope that twists very, very differently when adults are involved rather than teenagers and the author wrings it for all it’s worth.
There’s a lot of regular life in this one, which doesn’t give it quite the verve of the previous volumes, but allows for things to get truly, deeply odd. Everybody seems to be quite keen to make the world seem fine when, really, it is decidedly not.
Ayano’s husband, Wataru, remains such a hard to pin down character. Refusing to give Ayano a divorce, he seems to be trying to figure out what Akari’s about and, well, once they start commuting together it gets strange and while Akari suspects he’s about to try something with her, he instead proposes an even crazier idea. Maybe poorly considered decisions are what brought them together.
My working theory is that Wataru is just incredibly confused and trying to figure out what Akari has that he doesn’t, though he seems to be ignoring the most obvious (and accurate) answer. Which doesn’t help when combined with his overbearing mother to make Akari feel less awkward (boy, that one conversation…).
Nobody is exactly villainous here, but I do feel like Akari is really getting pummelled this whole book and not necessarily for anything that’s her fault. She’s being forced to deal with what she was escaping, but not intentionally, and she keeps being scrutinized by an entire family.
Meanwhile, Ayano is dealing with an ongoing subplot involving two very young girls in her class that I admit took me a second read to get the gist of. Even now, I assume that what I think is right, but they seem young. Not that I’m full of experience on the subject.
Anyway, Wataru’s proposal immediately backfires, not that he’s aware of it, and is causing Ayano to realize some truth about herself that she’s been keeping tamped down for a while now. There are some great moments of dialogue throughout this volume - Akari’s discourse on baggage is similarly wonderful - and Ayano sells this moment really beautifully.
There’s also an ongoing joke, sort of, about a neighbourhood festival and their mini-marathon, which turns out to be a lot more relevant then you’d initially expect. Gotta have those festivals!
I do like Akari’s scenes here with her ex - it’s an interesting examination of Akari and it also shows that, well, despite her misgivings about her old job, her ex isn’t the one she cares about any more.
We also get a lot of Wataru’s shut-in sister, Emi-chan, this volume and I continue to love this series’ portrayal of depression as something that doesn’t simply exist as a binary (ahem) on/off switch.
We’ve yet to see her importance, if any, to the overall plot, but it is interesting to see her figuring things out as she figures herself out and the book’s helpful detailing of how NOT to be a supportive family member.
4 stars - I did find this one a bit slower, so I have graded it down slightly, but I still think this series is kind of a masterpiece and one of the best things I’m reading right now. It’s complex and messy and rewarding to read, which, hey, what more do you want?
January 6, 2022
( 5 stars )
this is still a mess and i still love it. wataru and akari being, like, friends? genius. the dynamics between the three of them are so interesting. i also like learning more about eri and other characters, i hope that continues in the next volumes!
this is still a mess and i still love it. wataru and akari being, like, friends? genius. the dynamics between the three of them are so interesting. i also like learning more about eri and other characters, i hope that continues in the next volumes!
June 12, 2022
Alrighty, so my previous review for volume 2 was a complaint that it was rushed and the characters were being rash. I continued on because I’m not going to let one volume ruin a series for me, I’m glad I did. This volume things fell back into “human responses”. I’m also happy that it touched on depression as well, there’s just so many relatable things with this manga and I love it! Humans are complex and we’re rash even when we don’t mean to be or realize it. I feel like that’s what’s going on with our love triangle in right now. Also get the feeling that everyone will be hurt someway or another by the end of things too.
November 6, 2021
Eri is so real that it hurts.
June 15, 2025
The creator shoves a pretty big, dumb coincidence down my throat to start the book off, but darn if it doesn't gives the series an energy boost after growing so listless in the last volume.
Here's hoping the next volume builds on the momentum.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Chapter 11. Bonjour Tristesse -- Chapter 12. Knuckleball of Love -- Chapter 13. I Want. To Know You. Better. -- Chapter 14. A Pocketful of Secrets -- Chapter 15. Dial 6700 for Love
Here's hoping the next volume builds on the momentum.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Chapter 11. Bonjour Tristesse -- Chapter 12. Knuckleball of Love -- Chapter 13. I Want. To Know You. Better. -- Chapter 14. A Pocketful of Secrets -- Chapter 15. Dial 6700 for Love
July 11, 2024
veryyyyyy slow build, but also I haven’t read much manga so I don’t know if that is part of the style? still probably going to read the next one tho!
September 21, 2024
J'aime trop le fait qu'il n'y ait pas d'homophobie présente dans l'histoire. C'est pas un sujet abordé pour le moment et tant mieux, ça change !
February 18, 2025
rating: 2.5
why would you invite over for dinner the person your wife cheated on you with??? also they're neighbors now cause why not
why would you invite over for dinner the person your wife cheated on you with??? also they're neighbors now cause why not
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2022
This slow burn, sweet but bitter family and queer love drama is truly an interesting read. Love the art, love the complexity of adult romances and relationships.
December 21, 2022
Aughh I’m getting attached to these characters! I love when characters who don’t normally interact in these types of romance dramas (or any story) get thrown together deliberately by the author. Akari and the husband chatting on their walks to and from home! (The two of them becoming neighbors made me groan and roll my eyes hard, but I kinda love it now.)
I appreciate how much attention is being given to Eri as a character, too.
I want to know what happens neeeext… ;o;
I appreciate how much attention is being given to Eri as a character, too.
I want to know what happens neeeext… ;o;
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2021
A little slower than previous volumes. I still enjoyed it, but I would like to see a bit more progression in the relationship.
May 7, 2025
I have giant crushes on both the ladies
Reread 2024
Reread 2024
March 4, 2025
*this review is for the series - not just vol 1.*
So a lot of people seemed to have some really negative things to say about the first volume... so let's address it.
Yes - There is cheating. It comes up a lot through out the entire series.
Yes - There is what could be considered biphobia.
There is also gossip, minor bullying, dysfunctional family dynamics and talks of abusive relationships ( nothing shown ).
There were also people complaining about the troupe of a woman who marries and then finds out later she is into women.
If the above listed things are hard 'no's for you then I recommend simply not picking this read up. But if those things are grey areas for you and you are open to experiencing a story that is culturally different and addresses many things from parental relationships and expectations, personal acceptance and ownership, a variant of agoraphobia and dips it's toes into a number of other things... then maybe give it a try.
That said - this was an interesting read. The way the initial cheating situation is handled is different than most stories I've come across. I'm not sure if it's due to culture differences and expectations or if everyone was just real chill cause there's only ever like... one big freak out in the series and it's not from one of the people you would expect it from. There are some very sweet moments sprinkled in and around this series.
I give it a 8/10 simply because there is a bit of lull in the story at times as the pace of it has been rather slow for me. But I think that overall this story achieves what it set out to do which is that life is messy and no one ever really knows what their future holds. So be true to you and make your choices to live a happy life even if it's not the easy path.
So a lot of people seemed to have some really negative things to say about the first volume... so let's address it.
Yes - There is cheating. It comes up a lot through out the entire series.
Yes - There is what could be considered biphobia.
There is also gossip, minor bullying, dysfunctional family dynamics and talks of abusive relationships ( nothing shown ).
There were also people complaining about the troupe of a woman who marries and then finds out later she is into women.
If the above listed things are hard 'no's for you then I recommend simply not picking this read up. But if those things are grey areas for you and you are open to experiencing a story that is culturally different and addresses many things from parental relationships and expectations, personal acceptance and ownership, a variant of agoraphobia and dips it's toes into a number of other things... then maybe give it a try.
That said - this was an interesting read. The way the initial cheating situation is handled is different than most stories I've come across. I'm not sure if it's due to culture differences and expectations or if everyone was just real chill cause there's only ever like... one big freak out in the series and it's not from one of the people you would expect it from. There are some very sweet moments sprinkled in and around this series.
I give it a 8/10 simply because there is a bit of lull in the story at times as the pace of it has been rather slow for me. But I think that overall this story achieves what it set out to do which is that life is messy and no one ever really knows what their future holds. So be true to you and make your choices to live a happy life even if it's not the easy path.
November 2, 2021
'Even Though We're Adults' continues this tangled relationship, as Akari discovers that she's just moved next door to the woman she was having a (short-lived) affair with, keeps having awkward meetings with the husband on the street, and gets drawn into other unrelated drama. This is a _very_ slow burn of a romance, but I'm really invested in these characters, and I continue to be even less convinced that this isn't all going to end up in a messy blow-up that collapses into an oddly comfortable polycule. :) If you like adult romance, awkward putting-off of too-nosy family, and people trying to live their lives around increasingly intrusive crushes, this is a great series to get in to.
June 21, 2022
I still like the art and the gentle pace. I appreciate getting to know the dynamics between the characters, not just the main two. But all the coincidences are just too much lol. Also I am so tired of manga pretending that men/boyfriends/husbands are good men and that's why it's hard for the wlw to leave them. The entire system is made to ensure that the partners of even the most mediocre/abusive of men cannot leave them. I thought this series was trying to show this in the last volume, and I still hope it's trying but the husband is being depicted as much more unambiguously "good" in this volume. We'll see.
June 28, 2022
Things go from messy to beyond complicated as Akari finds out her new start has not meant a clean break from the past. She's returned to the salon where her ex works and she's ended up moving to an apartment opposite to the one person she is trying to avoid. But for Ayano, things are equally complicated: living with her in-laws and her husband who refuses to countenance a divorce. This leads to some long-awaited realisations for Ayano while the continued awkwardness of her family's interactions with Akari mean she bears the brunt of this messed-up situation.
The pace has slowed down somewhat and real life continues to ensure true love's course, or even the realisation of the self, is never going to run smooth. I do appreciate this more-nuanced examination of finding oneself in a new relationship and coming out in adulthood yet the continued frustrations the two main women face ensures this veers closer to real life then fiction.
A complex and realistic portrayal of relationships along with strong dialogue continue to mean this is one of the better yuri series out now. But oh, how I want a happy resolution for these two. How hard are they going to have to work for it though?
The pace has slowed down somewhat and real life continues to ensure true love's course, or even the realisation of the self, is never going to run smooth. I do appreciate this more-nuanced examination of finding oneself in a new relationship and coming out in adulthood yet the continued frustrations the two main women face ensures this veers closer to real life then fiction.
A complex and realistic portrayal of relationships along with strong dialogue continue to mean this is one of the better yuri series out now. But oh, how I want a happy resolution for these two. How hard are they going to have to work for it though?
November 24, 2021
I’m really intrigued by the dynamic between Akari, Ayano and Wataru. The way that Akari has fit herself into both of their lives (spending the mornings with the wife and the evenings with the husband, as Akari puts it) is really interesting and I’m curious to see how this story is going to play out in future volumes.
August 13, 2022
I continue to find this series likeable because it is well balanced: the story is a fairly low-key one about the daily lives of the various characters, but the situations are not not merely mundane, but slightly quirky or unusual. And their is a decent amount of drama and interest, without veering into manufactured conflict or melodrama.
June 10, 2024
As a person suffering from depression and anxiety, it felt really good to get to know Eri's character better. I relate to her a lot, especially about not wanting to be a burden to her family. Her new friendship with Akari is very cute and I hope we'll get to see more of them. Ayano is also very kind to her (but she's literally kind to everyone, she must be exhausted idk how she does it)
December 11, 2024
Une histoire chill et détente, pas faite pour ceux qui ont de grosses attentes... Des scènes d'une banalité! Les émotions sont bien retranscrites cependant. Ce qui est bien aussi, c'est le côté "Queer"...
Bien sûr tout ceci est uniquement mon avis personnel. Allez-vous faire le vôtre ;).
Je te fais une grosse ;
PhoenixBiz;
++
Bien sûr tout ceci est uniquement mon avis personnel. Allez-vous faire le vôtre ;).
Je te fais une grosse ;
PhoenixBiz;
++
March 11, 2024
Ahhhhhh
Ahhhhhh. I want things to smooth between everyone but like a slow burn, they haven't yet! Very excited to dig into volume 4!!!
Makes me miss the days of reading LGBT slow burn romance stories on Tumblr :')
Ahhhhhh. I want things to smooth between everyone but like a slow burn, they haven't yet! Very excited to dig into volume 4!!!
Makes me miss the days of reading LGBT slow burn romance stories on Tumblr :')
October 28, 2021
This was an improvement from the second volume, but this one had pacing issues. It still feels like we're walking on eggshells from almost every single character.
October 31, 2021
3.5 stars
November 1, 2021
Becoming an eventful soap romance...in a good way.
November 5, 2021
Messy, but I love it. Adults trying to navigate the aftermath of an affair, when folks still love each other. Realistic and soft.
November 12, 2021
a soft 3 stars. this volume just felt so short and uneventful, but I do like how the characters are starting to come together more often.
January 22, 2022
This slow burn, sweet but bitter family and queer love drama is truly an interesting read. Love the art, love the complexity of adult romances and relationships.
February 18, 2022
Alluring and emotionally thrumming. I want to know how it continues.
June 13, 2023
i actually love this series lol
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews