A review by apileofcranes
How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 2 by Tamifull

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I went into the second volume hoping to see some character development, but it only became clearer how much of a toxic relationship Miwa and Saeko have at this point. Miwa wants to do everything she can to not be a burden and be able to stand up for herself after Saeko gets mad at her for not being able to fend off a group of creepy men… instead of being understanding and compassionate, Saeko is annoyed. I got the impression from this volume that Saeko doesn’t really care about Miwa’s boundaries or what she wants at all, which leads to a lot of trouble for Miwa. 
Every time this manga tries to tell a good message of communication and working things out, it’s always negated by the coercion, miscommunication, victim blaming, gross comments from side characters, and sexual harassment in the story. And it doesn’t seem like these are issues that will be solved later in the manga, because there has been little to no character development in that area. Most of the character development has been on Miwa to become more able to stand up for herself, which is not inherently a bad thing, but is very sour in the context that she’s doing it because she feels like a burden to herself and others. It really takes away from any chemistry Miwa and Saeko might have, and leaves me not feeling like I’ve read a messy but satisfying romance, but like I’ve read a toxic romance with a healthy sprinkle of misogyny and toxic social norms.
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