How to Love a Loser--A Relationship That Shouldn't Work (But Does)

Volume 1 Verdict: How to Love a Loser

At first glance, How to Love a Loser sounds like a joke premise, but it plays it completely straight. In Japanese, the title more literally translates to “How to Love a Useless Person,” which honestly sets the tone a lot more clearly.

Shinba is, by all accounts, a complete loser: no job, no money, no real direction in life. And yet, he has a girlfriend, Hizumi, who is competent, successful, and… very aware of exactly how much of a mess he is.

The question the story keeps circling back to is simple: why is she with him?

First Impressions

This isn’t a fluffy romance, and it doesn’t try to be.

Hizumi is blunt, harsh, and often genuinely mean to Shinba. She calls him out constantly, shuts down his attempts to improve, and keeps him in this strange emotional loop where he never really gets the chance to move forward. On the surface, it can feel cruel but at the same time, it doesn’t read as empty.

There’s something underneath it... some kind of connection that makes it feel like they are a couple, even if the way they express it is uncomfortable. That tension is what carries the story. It’s not about watching a healthy relationship grow, but about trying to understand one that doesn’t fit neatly into that category.

The art also helps a lot here. It’s clean and expressive, which adds a layer of intentionality to the tone instead of letting it come across as purely abrasive.

Who This Is For

• Readers who like messy, unconventional relationship dynamics

• Fans of character-driven stories over plot-heavy ones

• People interested in “why are these two together?” relationships

• Anyone comfortable with harsh or uncomfortable emotional interactions

Who Should Skip This

• Readers looking for soft or wholesome romance

• Anyone uncomfortable with mean-spirited or degrading dynamics

• Those who prefer clearly healthy or aspirational relationships

Final Verdict

Not Soft, Not Clean, But Still a Kind of Love

This is definitely not a fluffy romance, and it leans into a darker, more uncomfortable dynamic than most. There’s a level of meanness to it that might be off-putting, especially if you’re expecting something softer. But at the same time, the two leads do read as a couple. Underneath everything, there’s still a sense that they care about each other; it’s just expressed in a way that’s rough, uneven, and hard to pin down.

If you can get past that, there’s something interesting here.

Available at Senpai & Co.

You can find it in-store with our romance and more experimental picks, or browse it online if you’re looking for something a little outside the usual comfort zone.

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You May Also Like...

Nana

Follows two women navigating love, ambition, and relationships that don’t always bring out the best in them. Like How to Love a Loser, it explores emotional dependency and the ways people stay in relationships even when they know they’re complicated.

Oshi no Ko

Unravels hidden motivations and manipulation behind its characters, showing how relationships can be shaped by personal goals as much as genuine emotion. Like How to Love a Loser, it keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s being performed.

The Flowers of Evil

Leans into psychological tension, focusing on a relationship built on control, shame, and uncomfortable honesty. Like How to Love a Loser, it explores how people can become entangled in dynamics that are difficult to define as healthy.

--Curated by The Senpai & Co. Team

Have a series you want us to check out? Let us know in the comments, we're always looking for new reads!

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