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animehouse-moe · 10 months

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My Happy Marriage Episode 1: The Meeting

Once more, a series that I've been meaning to read for the better part of a year has beat me to the punch by delivering an anime for me to indulge in. Kinema Citrus wasn't who I thought would be behind this adaptation, nor did I think Netflix would land it. However, it seems it somehow is the perfect storm for a shoujo series that arguably has the potential to be the best adapted in recent memory. Seriously, there's a world of praise to give this first episode, so I'd love to shed some light on why everybody should be tuning in for this story.

So, to begin we'll start with both the beginning and the end. A bit confusing maybe, but the episode opens and ends with the same format, our main character Miyo telling her story through a poem. I think it's really beautiful, and very powerful. I love how she uses the various seasons to depict the story of her life, the warmth and happiness, the sorrow and loss, the cold and bitterness, and then the buds and blooms of happiness. I think a lot of people may look past the words of Miyo for what's in the moment, but both are equally as important in telling her story, especially in such a succinct yet roundabout fashion.

There's just so much to talk about through this pair of scenes alone. My favorite piece though has to be how Miyo equates the existence of the Sakura tree to the ability for herself to be happy. That the child that she once was is whisked away by the blossoms that will fall and be forgotten, and that those memories and experiences will always be taken away from her, like her mother's Sakura tree was. But then at the end of the episode, the first thing we notice is that behind Kiyoka exists a Sakura tree. One that's in blossom and bestows Miyo with a single petal. Just such a beautiful moment that shows viewers that Miyo's life can, and will, contain happiness in this new home she's been forced into.

Anyways, back to the beginning we go. There's definitely piece that play a little close to stereotypes and cliches that viewers may be used to, particularly in regards to how Miyo is treated by her younger sister that was born from a different mother (the current wife of Miyo's father). I wouldn't say it's terrible or rough, but I think it's something you may chuckle at here and there because you may be used to it. The mother on the other hand? I feel like they do a really solid job of depicting her as Miyo's adoptive mother while also being explicitly hostile towards a daughter that isn't hers. A bit of a Cinderella story you might say, but with a traditional Japanese twist to it.

Just as quickly as this episode is to show us what Miyo's life is like, it's equally as eager to show off the impressive work with composition and lighting. Just a simple scene of Miyo in front of glass in a hallway, but the detail, colors, and subtle effects in regards to it create a very striking still image.

To continue my eager praise for the visual work in this episode, I really like how effectively they use the indoor and outdoor settings. All of the cuts and scenes from outdoors are far more spacious and usually focus on wider layouts than the cramped and limited indoor ones. A really nice touch that adds quite the feel to the content of the episode.

Regardless of praise, the story still does move on though as we get introduced to a friend/crush of Miyo's, Kouji. A somewhat meek but very heartfelt boy that visits her family often. I really like his position throughout the story, but in this initial stretch I really enjoy how it is that he interacts with Miyo, being her sole attachment to the world outside the home she lives in. Also once more, that sense of space is being used quite well.

Also just a little aside with the above scene. The soundtrack really is great at matching emotions and tensions, but I think what may end up one of the more underrated pieces is the reserved inclusion of traditional Japanese music. It's used very sparingly, and in all the right moments to pair with the correct scenes.

Of course, this is a sort of Cinderella story, so that warm and bright relationship that this pair share does not last long. That bright and warm sunshine is later replaced with a dull and gray tone that weighs upon the world. And the space that they once shared naturally becomes awkward distance. I really, really do love how they approach the fracturing of Kouji and Miyo's relationship through this episode. Starting off with both warm colors and proximity, we soon begin to lose that vibrance before the space between the two widens.

It's a pretty harsh scene, really. Kouji knowing he's coming to be married off to Miyo's sister Kaya, and Miyo getting her hopes up thinking she'd be getting married to Kouji. Thankfully they do a great job with Kouji's character through it all. His frustration and regret are very palpable, and the included scene of Kouji talking things over with his father to try and save Miyo from that household was a really thoughtful addition. Of course, it still means that Miyo's isolated. From the one person that treated her normally, to the family home that she's lived in all this time, to the remnants of the Sakura tree left behind by her mother. It's very well drawn out emotionally, and makes use of quite a few parallels and other moments from earlier on in the episode.

In particular, I really love how the gap and distance between Kouji and Miyo is shown post-engagement. Using things like windows or stance to show avoidance and separation is really well done. Especially when the only time Miyo faces Kouji head on during their final conversation is to thank him and bid him farewell.

This stretch of the episode does very well with Miyo's emotions and mental state, through quite a few pieces. I think the moment that best matches up with how to describe or show how Miyo feels is the engagements. Believing she had a chance to be married to Kouji, she checks her reflection in the mirror before entering the room. However, on departure to travel to her actual fiancé's home she briskly walks past that same mirror. It's a really solid show of the duality that exists for Miyo, the young and plain girl who wishes to be pretty and be together with the young man that she loves, and the so-called beautiful woman that's been sent off to marry someone she's never met.

Moving forward, we get a handful of scenes of Miyo travelling to meet her new fiancé with flashes of her past mixed in. Arguably, it's the best time for them to have chosen to insert those pieces of her past. An empty and silent section that allows Miyo to reflect upon her previous life, it just fits quite well. Though I'd be lying if I said that was my favorite part of her travelling. My favorite was certainly all the wonderful visuals and scenes throughout. The composition work on this series is just something else. How the different forms of lighting interact with one another and produce layers upon the various characters and pieces of the environment is just stellar. It's just so impressive how much range there is in the colors and approaches of all these scenes.

This second one in particular really impresses me, because usually with such bright scenes like this you'll just have blown out highlights, but what's actually going on is a different story. In that washed out white light, there's actually details of the buildings that pass Miyo by. A very small and easy to neglect detail, but for me, it shows the dedication, quality, and ability placed in all facets of these scenes.

And from here we meet up with where I spoke of the ending first, Miyo meeting her new fiancé and that feeling of happiness sneaking back into her life.

I think the story at a surface level is rather straightforward, but provides a great deal of depth (which makes it challenging to discuss without spending ages on a single moment). Take, for example, the one servant we see in Kiyoka's household. It's an older woman that uses "bocchan" to refer to Kiyoka, showing that she's been an attendant for a very long time with Kiyoka while also speaking to the more casual relationship that she has with him. Similarly, it also shows that Kiyoka either has no interest in younger servants, or that newer ones aren't willing to work in his household.

Regardless, the point has been made. The story has a lot to it that makes it incredibly easy for viewers to sink into and spend ages atomizing into little details and important aspects of all the characters, but isn't required to understand and appreciate the story at large. I knew what I was getting into with the story however, given the reviews and praise I've heard for it, so the part that surprised me most is the visual through this first episode. There's not any incredible animation, but it isn't required either for a more down to earth drama. Because of that, the focus on quality has shifted elsewhere to areas like lighting and composition, and you can tell they've done some incredible work alongside the subdued but well fitted direction.

All in all, I'm very excited to see how Kinema Citrus fares with this adaptation, and am very much looking forward to indulging in this outstanding story.

#my happy marriage #watashitachi no shiawase na jikan #watakekkon #わたしの幸せな結婚 #my blissful marriage #kinema citrus #anime recommendation #anime review #anime and manga #anime #romance anime

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awakenedpassion · 1 year

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Draft vs Final Episode 3

トップスタァ/Top Star

Revue of Pride: 誇りと驕り

EP1 | EP2 | EP4 | EP5

#tendo maya #aijou karen #revue starlight #kinema citrus #genga #原画 #these were hard to find rip #少女☆歌劇レヴュースタァライト #gif #revstar #groundwork

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drilanime · 10 months

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#Barakamon #Seishu Handa #Naru Kotoishi #Kinema Citrus #Diomedia #Dril #DrilAnime

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iloveanimegirlssomuch · 7 months

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#maya tendou #revue starlight #kinema citrus #anime summer 2018 #beautiful #cute #adorable #smiles

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deny-the-issue · 8 months

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Production IG: post apocalyptic worlds with cool tech

Kinema Citrus: landscapes for DAYS

Studio Ghibli: everything is alive except when it’s not 🔥🪰

Studio trigger: clothes are a tool of oppression

#studio ghibli #studio trigger #kinema citrus #production ig #anime studios #shitpost #funny #i love all of these #and their different styles are impeccable

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dbarenzu626 · 1 year

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More old art! A pair of pieces I did as poster sets for the release of “Star Wars: Visions” on Disney+ last year, geared towards the two shorts “The Twins” by Hiroyuki Imaishi and “The Village Bride” by Hitoshi Haga. If you haven’t yet, go check out the anthology sometime, some wicked animation in the mix~

#art #artwork #star wars visions #star wars #jedi #sith #the twins #the village bride #kinema citrus #studio trigger #lucasfilm #karre #am #f #hiroyuki imaishi #hitoshi haga

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screenshothaven · 5 months

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Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon (2023)

#Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon #2023 #anime #My Happy Marriage #わたしの幸せな結婚 #Kinema Citrus

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2centsoframblings · 5 months

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Two cents of ramblings on: “Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon” (Anime)...

...and why I think people might enjoy it (if they don't expect too much).

GENERAL DATA

Title: Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon (わたしの幸せな結婚 ‘My Happy Marriage’)

Media: Anime television series

Adaptation of: Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon (わたしの幸せな結婚 ‘My Happy Marriage’) Shōjo light novel by Agitogi Akumi

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Directed by: Kubota Takehiro

Written by: Satō Ami, Ōnishi Takahito, Toyoda Momoka

Studio: Kinema Citrus Co., Ltd.

Original run: July 5, 2023 – September 20, 2023

Episodes: 12

WARNINGS: There’s bullying and abuse in quite large amount.

The plot in short: In an alternative version of the Taishō era in which magic and spirits called Grotesqueries (異形, Igyō), are real Saimori Miyo, who was born without supernatural talent, is abused and forced into an existence of servitude by her family and, especially, by her stepmother and stepsister. The family then decides to have her marry Kudō Kiyoka, rumored to be a cruel and abusive man. Her husband to be, however, proves to be a good person and they slowly start to fall in love.

HOW DID I STUMBLE INTO IT

Commercials mostly. They showed the anime had a really pretty graphic and the plot seemed mysterious and dramatic enough to interest me.

THINGS YOU MIGHT WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE TACKLING THIS

The anime series covers only the first 2 volumes of the light novel series. Things are cut or simplified so to fit them into the new media but, what’s more, while the series gives a sense of conclusion to the romance, the plot regarding the mystery concerning the Grotesqueries and other things are left completely unfinished. So if you were here for that, prepare yourself to feel disappointed.

MY TWO CENTS ON IT

THE SHORT VERSION… or what I can tell you about this while trying to keep spoilers at the very bare minimum.

Opening & ending: The anime uses as opening “Anata no Soba ni.” (貴方の側に。 ‘By Your Side.’) by Riria and as ending “Vita Philosophica” (ヰタ・フィロソフィカ) by Itō Kashitarō. The opening is very pretty, from the sweet music to the beautiful images which match well enough with the music. I liked how young Miyo went to old Miyo but found particularly cute to see the two cherry petal overlapping as to symbolize Miyo and Kiyoka’s love. The ending is equally pretty, although it has a rougher edge and the images are deliberately moving in a stilled way. Neither is so impressive you’ll be amazed but both are really pleasant to watch and cute.

The plot: The plot of the romance overlap with mysteries regarding the Grotesqueries, Miyo’s mother’s family and Miyo’s lack of power and the plotting of people seeking power. While the ideas are all interesting… in the end the anime focuses mostly on the romance, maybe because since it wasn’t going to cover all the volumes, it just couldn’t focus on the rest. The romance plot is very cute and sweet so if you’re into love stories you might totally enjoy it.

The characters: They’re cute, pretty and you might like them but they felt very one-dimensional to me. They’re either very, very nice or they’re very, very bad.

The visual: Oh, I love it. Everything is so pretty and detailed. And those beautiful kimono the characters use… oh, that’s the best part, really.

The musical background: The music is very nice and sweet. Evan Call made lovely compositions for this anime. They can be relaxing and giving a good atmosphere.

Overall: The fact that the characters are so one dimensional and the mystery plots are a bit neglected due to the story stopping earlier on are two important downsides… but the love story is so lovely and cute it’s still a very sweet series to watch.

THE LONG VERSION… or what I loved and hated about this with, of course, TONS OF SPOILERS.

Miyo and Kiyoka are a couple overwhelmingly cute, with Miyo not properly appreciating herself (she goes so far as to think she has no right to be happy because she has no supernatural abilities) and Kiyoka trying to act cold but then slowly warming up and becoming protective and Miyo also slowly gaining confidence.

I also love Tatsuishi Kōji, who is forced to become the fiancé of Saimori Kaya, Miyo’s abusive stepsister despite clearly loving Miyo. He’s such a good, kind person and he’s always striving to improve himself, you can’t help but love him.

And other characters came out as cute and lovable.

The problem comes with the characters who aren’t meant to be lovable. They’re just represented as so evil and disgusting it’s like watching “Cinderella” and having to deal with the stepmother and stepsisters but without the fun parts of the Disney movie (well, the story has quite a lot in common with Cinderella, to be honest). The bad people is just bad, overwhelmingly so (I mean, not only her family abused her but they even threatened to kill her if she weren’t to turn down Kiyoka’s proposition!), and this generates such a sharp contrast with how instead the nice people is just SO VERY NICE the story really feel split into good characters and evil characters, which ends up making characters look too fictional. In truth the good characters are a bit more than just good as they’re more developed than the evil ones, so it’s possible that the evil ones came out as just evil because there was no time to develop them but it still feels like the story is presenting an overly simple good vs bad view of people, fitting for a child story more than this genre of story.

Long story short, I think developing more the antagonists would have benefitted the story.

The whole supernatural abilities with the Grotesqueries and the bad guy in the shadow part of the plot is also way too neglected, which is a pity because it’s actually interesting but… it feels really sidelined to the love story. It still exists and you can still enjoy it but… it’s just too little.

So to sum it up this is a cute, cute, cute love story one can definitely enjoy, but it would have benefitted from having the other parts of the story developed more. Still, I think it’s pretty and enjoyable enough so it’s nice to watch it.

And now let’s end this with an AMV about this series I recommend watching: Eyes off you

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#Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon #My Happy Marriage #Kinema Citrus #Fantasy #Romance #Recommended #Shoujo #2023

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fancypantsrecords · 1 year

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Kevin Penkin - Made In Abyss Original Soundtrack 2 -Dawn Of The Deep Soul- | Irma La Douce | 2022 | Clear with Red Splatter + Clear with Blue Splatter | /2393

#kevin penkin #made in abyss #dawn of the deep soul #irma la douce #vinyl #colored vinyl #lp #music #records #record collection #soundtrack #anime soundtrack #anime music #kinema citrus #kadokawa corporation #toshiki nishi #wataru osakabe #anime

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universo-nintendo · 1 year

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La tercera temporada del anime de Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari, conocida también como el The Rising of the Shield Hero o El ascenso del Héroe del Escudo, tiene mes de estreno, avance y póster. También hay detalles acerca de su equipo de producción :3.

#tate no yuusha no nariagari #tate no yusha #the rising of the shield hero #anime news #anime #kinema citrus

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animehouse-moe · 9 months

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My Happy Marriage Episode 8: Nightmares and Ominous Shadows

I'll keep this one brief: today's episode does a few things well, but neglects the bigger picture. Direction is solid albeit limited by the capabilities of the staff on the episode as they continue to struggle with character models. In a vacuum, it's a good episode, but in the grand scheme of things it continues to slip into nasty habits that lessen the quality of the story. So let's get right into it.

I'll start with the direction. There's lots of good pieces, and plenty of very narrow scenes that place a focus on character acting. Considering the limitations on the staff, it's a good decision and is used to the benefit of the episode as they use it to relay important details or aspects during the moments. Take, for example, this one of the prince coming down from his... pedestal? Landing? I'm not sure of the exact correct term, but regardless they descend to be on the same level as Kiyoka so that they can talk to him personally.

Alongside that closeup focus, the use of camera angles is very apparent throughout the episode. It really makes viewers aware of space, and can add some well needed flair to various cuts.

Of course, I'm trying to show the best parts of the direction through the episode, there's still plenty of panning shots to fill the spaces. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but when in high concentration it can come off as lazy or plain.

Now, for the content. We get more clear information about the opening of the Grave as Kudo gets pulled into it. We explore that which is interesting, especially as Kouji's older brother gets pulled into the squad as well (which is a solid substitution alongside Hazuki taking up the sibling role).

We also get to see that underling from the previous episode, whose name is Arata, as they appear as a liaison for Kudo. Solid interaction there that does well at showing how suspicious of Arata Kudo really is. His brief and curt nature takes the stage as he brushes off Arata's attempts at antagonization, and instead tries to dig deeper into the reason behind Arata's appearance here.

Overall, the story content in regards to most characters is rather solid. We even get a piece, which I showed in that last image above, showing why Arata's doing what he's doing. The Sakura tree is clearly synonymous with the Usuba family, so Arata most certainly has connections or some sense of desire or longing towards them.

The one piece that I heavily dislike is Miyo's character. Her time with Hazuki is solid, she finds it in herself to be confident and assert herself in her own life, she struggles with the concept of family and where to draw lines and whatnot. Most of that is good, if not perhaps a little sluggish.

The bad part comes right at the end of the episode, which is the worst timing. Miyo faints and is scooped up by Arata. It's a whole scheme, the moment she left her home/the barrier, he was ready to take advantage of that. It's a solid idea, and well executed on, but it's to the detriment of Miyo's character. That she has no strength in the greater world outside of those that provide her with it, that her agency is always in the hands of another. It feels like it continues to degrade Miyo's role as the main character, and relegates her to circumstance and drama.

I really, really hope that this series finds a way to rectify that before the season's end, as I've gone from being heavily interested in reading the light novel after this season, to sitting on the fence in regards to it. So, here's hoping we see a turnaround with the next episode.

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