How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 6

How Do We Relationship? #6

by Tamifull

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’s trip to Okinawa didn’t go as hoped, and now she’s back home, alone and heartbroken in her small, messy apartment. When Saeko stops by to check in on her, Miwa looks to her ex for far more than just emotional comfort. But will a friends with benefits situation really benefit either of them?

Genres: Manga, Romance, LGBT, Yuri, Graphic Novels, Queer, Contemporary

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 2021

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miwa and Saeko might not be dating, but that sure hasn’t stopped them from cultivating a much unhealthier set of circumstances. When Saeko realizes that there’s somebody else out there for her, just how will Miwa take this last blow to their relationship?

Pleasure and pain are not exactly distant cousins, but the type on display this time out is far less, say, bondage and whip play than it is emotional turmoil and the knowledge that something is a Very Bad Idea and your physical desires not being especially good at helping you fight it off.

With her utter and total rejection at the hands of Shiho, Miwa spiralled out of control and, in her despair, she reached out to Saeko who really came through for her, but Miwa’s need to be loved and Saeko’s straight up horniness wind up being a bad combination.

Miwa learns a very harsh lesson about not tying your self-worth to the approval of another person. There is never a guarantee that this situation will last, for one, and, well, you really kind of cheapen yourself, as we see. It’s rare to see Saeko being the mature one.

I think the story leaves Miwa in the darkest depths just long enough and I like that Saeko is worried, but is also smart enough to recognize that her friend isn’t as suicidal as she might seem. It’s really the sign of a good book that it’s willing to make one of the leads look this awful and I respect that a lot.

Then we get two exes trying to be friends, which is a whole other juggle, and I admit that something I thought was foreshadowing was actually being used to set-up a somewhat heartbreaking sequence. Whatever happened between these two, there was definitely love and it makes for a bittersweet change in the story.

Of course, that just means more girls in the mix and Saeko falls for her coworker and vice-versa, in a very cute storyline where Saeko reveals herself in a way that she never did with Miwa. I don’t love the chemistry here quite as much, it doesn’t feel as cozy as before, but it’s not bad at all.

Miwa, however, winds up on a collision course with a girl that looks like Shiho, her crush who rejected her utterly. This looks like it’s going to take a real wild swerve into some collar-tugging ‘is this a good idea?’ territory, but it shows that Miwa has changed a little bit and she wants to pay forward the way Shiho treated her that meant so much.

Toss in the usual antics from the other characters and the always welcome frank acknowledging of what being a gay couple precisely means in Japan and you’ve got a strong volume here. Miwa ends up having a full on ‘maybe I should just fake it with a guy’ storyline and it’s fun and fraught in the same breath. It adds up to a very full, very rewarding story that continues to pay out on its narrative choices in unique ways that aren’t being done anywhere else in manga that I’m seeing.

Would I like Miwa and Saeko to get back together? Yeah, I kinda would. I really like them together and, as we see from the always fun commentary track and other in-canon appearances, they have a distinct vibe that’s really enjoyable.

Now, do I need them to get back together? Definitely not. There’s enough here in seeing them as friends and exploring new paths for themselves and it’s really good. Maybe it’ll lead them back to one another, maybe it won’t. There’s a lot in the way that Saeko can’t ever seem to show herself completely to Miwa that needs to be reckoned with.

4.5 stars - what can I say, this is great stuff. In fact, it’s much more lesbian-forward than many, many yuri titles and that’s a pretty strong recommendation all on its own, even without the very solid storytelling it’s adding to the mix.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miwa and Saeko continue to struggle with heartbreak, but there may be paths beyond it for them. Bumpy paths with tree roots sure to catch an ankle and thorns everywhere.

I had to look back and remind myself that this series used to be funny and romantic. Here's hoping that comes around again at some point. I think I see some light coming through the bramble.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not certain where this series is going, but I am really glad that our characters are recognizing problematic parts of their relationships, and taking steps to fix it.

[india :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

officially a Saeko and Yuria stan. but its nice because I dont hate Miwa, which is usually what happens. She's very complainy and whiny but it comes from an understandable place. So glad Saeko is with someone who she can be vulnerable with and who is more open with her sexuality and who can really admit that she likes her. It seems like this time broken up is really needed for both of them and I hope having separate dating experiences brings them back together. Its so lesbian to be dating and then friends with benefits and then just best friends and probably go back to dating again at some point. I am def tired of Saeko being a fake stone top, like open up girl. Weird that Yuria wouldn't let her in her house but like if you have sex, you better not bring that same shit, and if you do, I hope Yuria doesn't put up with it. Saeko bisexual arc is kinda funny, girl shut up.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're out of the Miwa's depressive spiral (for now?) and back to things feeling somewhat hopeful for everyone. Which is great because I was scared things were just gonna go Blue Valentine with a complete downer ending.

Side note: maybe the first time I've seen the term 'post-nut clarity' used in an official translation.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the previous volume, the plot had taken a turn into even tenser complications, and this now gets ratcheted up in a way that organically emerges from the well-defined characters. There is then a quick time jump that sorts of paves the way for new story arcs. This series has used shorter time jumps here and there, but this bigger one seems appropriate to finish exploring one theme without belaboring it too much. The new storylines start off at a gentler pace as new relationships and ideas of relationships begin to form. These new storylines show potential in highlighting new angles to the carefully crafted central characters.

[lux · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

randomly dropping that my stone butch saeko could be with a man ? and now she’s encouraging miwa to have comphet ? this shit’s just dumb this is why you can’t trust yuri
I thought about sticking with it to see more of sae and her new gf but i looked at spoilers and apparently there is going to have ANOTHER arc about her being a touch-me-not like it’s a problem

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm happy they're moving on and happier but I wish it was less "meeting the right person/people erases the interpersonal/mental issues you have".

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shit be a little too close to home for me, I'll tell you what.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

screaming crying punching the air crying again

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the scene with Saeko and Yuria lost in the mountains, and seeing the resolution to the weird, dark vibes that had developed between Saeko and Miwa at the end of book 5.

[julian tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think i get it now xx

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh we are so back

[nelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love Saeko, and seeing her happy and doing stuff for her herself made me happy too. Mina's a mess and I hope she finds her way but I really hope we get to see more of Saeko because there are a lot of things about her that I fee like have not been addressed yet and I'm curious.
On the other hand there's the whole not actually a lesbian thing that irks me a bit because I feel like it comes from nowhere and has no purpose but at the same time I feel like it does reflect a insecurity/thought that heteronormativity has inflicted on lesbians. So I don't know quite well how I feel about but I felt it unnecessary.

[AB · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga is getting quite boring and a bit too real in some ways too. Manga and anime usually have their own interpretation of the world. Some of them are very realistic and some are a mix. This one leans more toward a blend of the realistic and anime-ic world but fails. Right now I don't care or like any of the characters.

Also, lately, I have been preferring light-hearted innocent and faithful romance stories, so this is just annoying to read in my current mood.

[§ïå ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like how Saeko told Miwa she should try dating men, that just rubbed me the wrong way. Especially because Miwa made it so clear in previous volumes that she's only interested in women. I'm glad this concept didn't go much further than it did. I thought we were going to have to deal with Miwa forcing herself to date men after getting heartbroken because it's "easier" despite her already being established as a lesbian. To be honest I don't really buy that Saeko even genuinely likes men either since she basically said the only benefit of her dating guys in the past was the social acceptance, not really that she's ever loved men--and earlier it was insinuated that she was forcing herself to sleep with guys, but we still haven't gotten the full backstory yet.

Also it's clear that Saeko still has some lingering feelings for Miwa; like they said, they initially rushed into the relationship because they both wanted a girlfriend, not necessarily that they were in love. In the end Saeko was the one that ended up getting emotionally invested while Miwa was still subconsciously hung up over her first love. Ultimately their relationship ended because it was unenven--Saeko ended up caring more than she expected and while Miwa was happy to be in the relationship, she wasn't in love like Saeko was. And Saeko wasn't making things easy by not letting Miwa in and keeping so much of herself from her bc she was scared and embarrassed about her feelings and didn't feel them being reciprocated, but also...she didn't give Miwa much of a chance. There's also some past trauma going on there, it seems...

I honestly don't know how to feel about Saeko's new relationship, it seems fine and she's genuinely happy but it feels like she moved on too quickly from Miwa considering the feelings she still had and the fwb thing they had going on for a little bit. It does feel like this is going to be who she's with for the majority of the series, so there's room for them to develop more and feel like an actual couple...which is a little hard for me because I do still want Miwa and Saeko to work out. But ultimately I think these two need to work things out on their own and grow a little before they get back together, and that might just mean getting into new relationships (the commentary track suggests they get back together eventually, at least).

For now it seems like they're just gonna be good friends who can talk to each other about everything, so that's nice that they're still in each other's lives in that way...

Uggghh I'm stressed T-T

[seasalted.citrus (Topaz, Oliver)]

More toxic yuri, but it’s dialed back a little with Saeko finally regretting her choices! I still don’t think it’s a great way of acknowledging the fuckery at the end of the last volume, though🫠

Miwa’s depression continues to be relatable. Disturbingly so. However, I think there’s just too much back and forth between if her and Saeko’s relationship is worth rooting for, or if they’re better off without the other person. Maybe I’m just projecting my own thoughts as a reader, or perhaps that’s how you’re meant to read into the moments of tenderness interspersed throughout?

I think Yuria and Saeko’s romance is shaping up to be something kinda cute! The scene on the mountainside of them trying to find comfort in each other and then going to find help was a perfect mix of “yeah, I’ve definitely done this shit before” and enhancing the chemistry of their flirtatious friendship! Except for Saeko’s people-pleasing tendencies shining through again (although, she seems to be trying to address them more this time around)…

aaa I also miss the band dynamic from the first few volumes :(

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai enlevé une étoile parce que je suis pas fan du fait que Miwa pourrait considérer être en couple avec un homme, rien contre les bi mais eskon pourrait pas avoir au moins une LESBIENNE dans ce manga de LESBIENNES, genre j'ai l'impression qu'à un moment elle a eu le mm raisonnement que son crush du lycée, en mode de tte façon ce serait plus facile d'être un couple hétéro dans cette société.
Et j'avoue que j'espère qu'elle ne va pas essayer de sortir avec la p'tite jeune, on dirait que la seule motivation de Miwa pour sortir avec elle est qu'elle ressemble à sa crush du lycée justement.

Saeko j'ai finis par la détester mais sa relation avec sa nvelle petite amie a l'air plutôt saine pour l'instant, elle s'ouvre beaucoup plus à elle que lorsqu'elle était en couple avec Miwa.

J'espère réellement que Sae et Miwa vont rester amies, elles fonctionnent mieux comme ça.

[malts · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first half of this volume, Saeko and Miwa fall into a purely physical relationship, but eventually manage—somehow—to rebuild their connection as “just friends.” The story then shifts in the latter half toward new romantic possibilities, as each of them either finds a new girlfriend or seems on the verge of doing so.

The volume is still engaging, and the developments themselves aren’t bad. However, I couldn’t help feeling uneasy about how quickly Miwa appears to recover, especially considering how deeply unwell she was in the previous volume. The trigger for her emotional turnaround feels rather thin.

At times, the story also gives the impression that romantic interests are changing one after another too easily, which made me pause and question the direction the series is taking. An interesting volume, but one that left me slightly conflicted.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not too much to say about this volume—I’m just glad Miwa was able to come out of her depression and have a more normal relationship with Saeko again. Her manipulative behavior was really kissing me off. Unfortunately, before things reconcile, there was an uncomfortable, slightly non-consensual sex scene… (Pages 85-89 if you’re reading and want to skip it.)

I’m also very happy that Saeko and Yuria have started dating. It’s great that Saeko feels she can open up to Yuria in a way she couldn’t with Miwa. And the trip to the fair with Saeko, Yuria, and Kamedo was super cute.

And… new character alert! Shiho’s sister Tamaki is here, and Miwa is really taking a liking to her. (Although Miwa doesn’t know she’s Shiho’s sister.) We’ll see where that goes.

[Ayxan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow. The first volume that I actually like.

*Spoilers:*
Miwa and Saeko have finally broken up for good. Even though I don’t think they should be friends, but well, at least they’re not sexually involved anymore.
And Miwa got her act back together. I do wanna know why she was that depressed tho, I hope that’ll be revealed someday.

Saeko dating the girl and immediately craving sex reminded me a lot of the first volume and I wanna barf. Her lust for sex is disgusting me, lowkey.
If she’s gonna cry again that nobody loves her, I’m gonna lose it. Gurl can’t love herself, what’s she even wondering about.

Ooh, but I do love the new freshman girl! And the potential romance that could happen with Miwa~
Although I hope they’re gonna take it slow.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saeko versucht das zwischen ihr und Miwa zu beenden, doch Miwa lässt es nicht zu. Miwa will es nochmal mit Saeko probieren, doch das klappt nicht. Saeko schafft es hartnäckig zu bleiben und es zu beenden. Es gab einen kleinen Zeitsprung und Yuria und Saeko sind jetzt zusammen. In der Schule treffen Miwa und Saeko auf Tamaki, eine neue, junge, Schülerin die Shiho sehr ähnlich sieht. Miwa „freundet“ sich mit ihr an und berät sie über die Schule. Miwa erzählt anderen, dass sie gerade mit jemandem im Kontakt steht und das eventuell ihre neue Freundin sein könnte, wer ist nicht bekannt. Gegen Ende sieht Miwa Tamaki weinend an der Bushaltestelle und lädt sie zu sich ein.

[Joe Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an interesting story.

I gotta say, I really dig Miwa. She's my kinda gal. Short dark hair, curves in all the right places, a cute face, a friendly persona, and oh yeah, she has a big chest. Mmm mmm, my my my. It's such a strange turn of events - Saeko dumped Miwa, and after some emotional scenes, they agreed to be friends, then Saeko went on to date her hairdresser friend, and Miwa, well, she's made a new friend. And a cute one at that. I eagerly await the next volume.

[Kaylee Korol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 6 is in an interesting position. We've had two books or major upheavals and strife. Volume 6 then is trying to bring the story back to a new baseline. While it achieves this it also means that this volume can feel a bit more meandering than the others. There's still drama of course, but it can feel small after coming off the last two volumes. Still a great read, and integral to the pacing of the story.
All that being said the volume does well in what it has always done! Realistic, messy and unromanticised romance!

[Sucre · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

i still really like this story even if the main couple has broken up. this explores other relationships, introduces some new characters, and even touches on the idea of compulsory heterosexuality (though it's not framed in exactly that way). the characters continue to be messy which I understand could be a turn off for some, but they feel like realistic young college students to me. it's nice getting to see saeko be happy and feel comfortable for once, and I hope thing continue to go well for her!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if it's because of the source material or the translation, but I couldn't get into the arcs in this volume. I think the dialogue comes off a bit weird. Miwa's angst and reliance on Saeko is difficult to get through, even if I do understand it. Miwa's burgeoning interest in Tamaki and Saeko's connection with Yuria both feel awkward to me. And I didn't like the way Kamedo tries to psychoanalyze Saeko, just listing out character traits and saying it's because he likes observing people.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this is progressing. The characters continue to be engaging and their relationships entertainingly messy, especially as new characters are introduced. And I just like finally having some progress; because of how I first encountered and read this series, for too long I was stuck at the point of them breaking up, but maybe having some messy hook-up afterwards. It is nice to see them move on from there.

[Bentgaidin · Rating 5 out of 5]

'How Do We Relationship' volume 6 continues to be a good messy romance drama - we're (apparently) through some of the most depressing parts of their breakup now, and we get to see them trying to reconnect as friends, and how awkward that can be, and also them branching out with other people. It's really good.

[Snail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book! I feel like this is a more accurate depiction of breakups and multiple relationships than a lot of manga portray and it’s refreshing. I’m really glad to see the spectrum of shojo-ai / gl / yuri manga being published in English widening and widening. It seems to really be outpacing the variety of bl manga (though maybe I’m out of the loop, there…)