Content Warning: gender-based violence
What’s it about? After Japan lost World War Two, ayakashi came out from the shadows to help Japan re-build itself into a prosperous nation. Yuzu grew up being ignored in favor of her younger sister since her parents believed she had the potential of becoming an ayakashi’s bride. However, Yuzu’s unbearable home life changes when she meets the ogre named Kiryuin Reiya who decides that she’s his fated bride and sweeps her off her feet.
While the premise of this premiere isn’t the most original story, what carries the show is that it captures the quiet sense of sadness that surrounds Yuzu’s daily life. The emotional abuse and neglect she endures is felt in every scene, which makes it all the more satisfying whenever something nice happens to her. It’s great that she at least has friends and her grandparents as her support system because otherwise, the poor girl would’ve had a mental breakdown. Initially, I wasn’t a fan of her narration explaining that becoming a “chosen wife” to an ayakashi is a “woman’s highest honor” because I believe women should WANT more for themselves and have more options available to them. But rather than viewing Yuzu’s fantasies from a purely romantic stance, it feels more like an escapist fantasy for her to indulge in since her mind is the only safe place she can imagine where anyone can truly love her.
That alone is incredibly sad. That’s why I really can’t be mad at anyone that enjoys romance stories where the male lead magically saves the day and takes care of everything, especially women, because of how often they have to deal with misogyny and domestic violence in the real world. The fact that Yuzu was burned by her sister’s boyfriend and her parents did nothing to defend her is a grim reminder as to why women indulge in stories where these kinds of problems don’t exist. Yuzu might not be the most exciting protagonist, but much like Miyo from My Happy Marriage, she’s incredibly sweet and endearing, which makes me want to cheer her on.
While it would’ve been nice to learn more about the male lead, I did appreciate the heavy emphasis on really understanding Yuzu’s character and psychological trauma before officially starting her romantic journey. It wouldn’t surprise me if in the beginning she views it more as an escape strategy rather than completely being head over heels in love with her man. How will she find autonomy in a marriage where her fiancé is going to want her to depend on him for everything? I suppose I can only hope he takes a page out of Miyo’s fiancé’s book and supports Yuzu’s efforts to improve herself.
The animation is decent, but some scenes have a certain stiffness to them that’s hard to miss. As for the character designs, a majority of the male characters look like they belong in a reverse harem anime, but otherwise they ain’t bad to look at. Overall, I think if our readers are fans of Cinderella stories then this is a show that will be deeply enjoyed by its target audience. Check it out and let us know in the comment section if it’s worth watching until the end.
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