On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance Deals With Identity Anxiety

On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance is a series that deals with being true to who you are, as well as the various masks people wear when they need to be professional and “on the clock,” and volume 2 of the manga really gets into the anxieties and pressures that can plague people. While the first entry in the series felt like it focused on the fashion and budding relationship between Aki and Kanade, this second one feels like it gets more into the tension and serious issues that come from trying to meet expectations or please others and worrying about what happens if people do find out who you are.

Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers for volume 2 of the On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance manga below.

This dissonance and stress that can come from acceptance, as well as potentially not being accepted, is shown through two situations in this second volume of On and Off: Work-Life. One involves Tamotsu Roku, Aki’s friend who teaches fourth grade. The other involves Aki (Hanku) and Kanade (Amata). While the former is a more reassuring situation that looks at what it was like to come to terms with personal style and identity while young, the latter is executed in a way that it’s designed to build tension throughout the volume and build suspense as we wait for volume 3. It’s a really helpful choice, as it gives us insight into Tamotsu’s personality and offers a window into Aki, who is the more stoic of the two main characters.

In high school, Tamotsu was something of an honor student. He also had a strict upbringing, with his mother very concerned about image. So much so that she was actually abusive when he attempted to even get one item that represented his own wants and style. Aki was a friend to him, someone who even repaired a shirt that was important to him. We see how she was willing to reach out to people and help back then. Then, in turn, how because one person accepted him, Tamotsu grew into someone who could feel free to be himself off the clock and help offer that same sort of acceptance and outreach to his own students.

Meanwhile, the evolving relationship between Aki and Kanade during their downtime and Hanku and Amata at work highlight a different type of tension and concern about acceptance. We see that both of them seem to be different at work because of the new friendship. So that happiness and new relationship is bleeding over into their professional lives in a positive way. It’s really a highlight, as we see how finding a new connection is making them each feel more confident. 

At the same time, we also get this additional dynamic to their relationship. Aki and Kanade are friends. But because of some circumstances later in this volume, Hanku and Amata are becoming more friendly too! It’s an interesting parallel to see the same two people interacting and growing closer, albeit in different ways. However, this does eventually build into the tension and situation that will cause a potential conflict going into volume 3. Or, at the very least, it’s resulting in a hell of a cliffhanger.

I really love the execution of On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance volume 2, as the manga is presenting us with valuable backstory, lore, tension about relationship directions, and perhaps even foreshadowing as to how things could go in the future. We see how Aki and her friend Tamotsu met, which leads into how he found his sense of style and the strength to be who he wants to be. With Hanku and Amata, we’re seeing how their relationship as Aki and Kanade is growing and affecting them outside of those casual moments. It also leads to hints of what might come as their relationships both at work and off will grow. It’s just such a fascinating series.

On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance volume 2 is available now, and Square Enix will release volume 3 on March 17, 2026.

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