Even Though We're Adults

A thought that came to my mind as I was reading the final volumes of ”Even Though We’re Adults” was that this manga treats its characters with dignity. Even though those characters make mistakes and have to navigate through morally gray areas, the manga allows them space to exist and portrays their thoughts and experiences with nuance and respect. It does not try to excuse the behavior of the characters but instead takes time to show the complexities of interpersonal relationships. One small thing that kind of bothered me at the beginning was how quickly Ayano and Akari develop strong feelings for one another despite notreally knowing much about each other. This aspect of the story and characterization stands out from the rest, slightly breaking the immersion of the reading experience, because it does not really fit the grounded and realistic tone of the rest of the story. However, on a bigger scale this is not really an issue since the details of how and why Ayano and Akari fall for each other are not really the focus of the story but more of a starting point that allows the story to focus on the effects and consequences of those feelings. Overall, this manga is a great look into the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, especially in the context of family and loved ones, and the webs they create; how what people do affects those around them, who in turn act on those effects and so the cycle continues. It is also simply always a joy to read a well-written adult GL!