My Happy Marriage OVA

With the second season of My Happy Marriage recently confirmed for January 6th, now seems like a good time to examine the release of the 13th episode that was released as an OAV to both bookend the previous season and lay the groundwork for what's to come.

The episode revolves around Miyo's first social engagement with her husband Kiyoka, an occasion which has her nervous. Not wanting to show up her husband, she places a lot of pressure on herself to perform flawlessly, a task made much harder by a young child who seems to take against her.

During the evening's events, she's taken to meet the son of the Emperor's son Takaihito, who explains how the events of her life were all the result of meddling by his father due to his fear of the Dream-Sight ability possessed by Miyo's mother. This exposition serves as a useful book-end to the first season, with the cause of events that brought Miyo and Kiyoka together explained in full.

As events with the child are explained and laid to rest, the episode then shifts to the morning after, during which characters look to reposition their roles around the couple and set things up for season 2.

As with the series proper, this OVA has bags of charm and gentle human interaction, some of which is genuinely moving at times. At first flush My Happy Marriage might seem like a lukewarm series, just a gentle romance in the style of Cinderella, but the execution really excels. Miyo is a thoughtful and shy young woman who is yer to become worldly-wise thanks to her upbringing, and that lends her an innocence and earnestness that's instantly appealing. Kiyoka makes for a dashing lead, guiding her through unfamiliar social circles with his no-nonsense but soft manner. As a beast of a warrior, it's amusing to watch his troops gripe that he's a changed man around Miyo, yet they still take the brunt of his fierce outbursts if they don't perform. As a gentle guardian to his wife, his own appeal is easy to see and the chemistry on screen between the two is hugely enjoyable.

The OVA has no action to speak of, it relies entirely on the relationships between the cast and with the viewer, the subtle changes, hardships and progress of each character clear to see so that those of us watching can appreciate the growth since that almost hard-to-watch first episode.

The direction and animation are both gripping. I still love that you see a universe of colour in Miyo's dark eyes, it's a subtle effect but one that marks her out as special and something "other". The devotion to her husband is evident in every touch and gesture, as are those he makes to her. It's romance in its purest form and even as a 46 year old man, I love to see it. Probably because I'm a soppy old git.

In the end, this is a show that has you rooting for the characters - you want to see them happy, and this is a 25 minute slice of calm before whatever season 2 may bring. Enjoy it while it lasts.