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inbetweenhours · 1 year

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How It Started VS How Its Going

Back on that @pinchhitsfromthevoid hype! This pinch prompt was for @dayables who I know got spoiled in the brainstorming chat (rip) but I still hope you enjoy how it turned out! You gave me the option of flower husbands which was absolutely not going to be passed up, as well as the prompt of Arranged Marriage AU. Since I just so happen to already have an arranged marriage au for them, I figured I may as well put some effort into actually showing it off since, despite my very long google doc of plot chicanery, I haven't actually drawn much for it or otherwise got much of anything to show for it.

The real trick here was balancing the angst and fluff. There was no way I wasn't getting out of this without, any angst. The problem was actually finding a suitable amount of fluff to balance this out lol. I knew I wanted to draw their wedding, since that's the whole base of the au and it directly emphasizes your request. The problem is that within the au, these two don’t really get to anywhere that's especially fluffy till weeks if not months after their wedding lol. That’s how I eventually settled on a kind of “before and after” of their relationship.

Mirroring their less than favourable wedding day and first meeting with the renewal of vows they do near the end of their journey within my plot. Where they choose, despite already being stuck together, to have meaning behind their marriage.

Below the cut I’m gonna ramble about the lore important to this piece from the au. Enjoy :]

Okay so first off- their “vows”! Instead of exchanging rings my idea is that the Ocean Empire and Rivendell each have a different giving for their wedding ceremonies.

Merlings have a selkie inspired pelt. Its technically their old skin. Young merlings are much more creature esq, and as they grow they grow out of that skin into a more humanoid form. However they tend to keep their pelts since they are pretty durable and are good for young merlings to protect themselves with and camouflage in the depths. As merlings continue to grow out of even that stage, their pelts become sentimental. kept close to their hearts. The lose of the plt is like a severing of oneself from their soul or heart. Its important for their mental health that they know where their pelt is and that is is safe. They’re not typically handled by people you don’t trust.

Which is why it is traditional that merling will trade pelts with their lover at their wedding. Its imbuing this trust that their partner will give the pelt back. As well it is a symbol of love and soul, metaphorically giving that devotion and adoration to their partner.

Elves meanwhile are a type of fae. The rules I use for elves names are adjacent but not directly the same as other fae, such as the faeries of the overgrown. Elven names hold power over the individual still, but its far less than what a faerie might hold. It more a social power than anything else. Elves keep public and personal names. These “true” personal names can only be chosen by the elf themself. They are only given to people who you trust absolutely. May that be family, longtime friends, or lovers. Its not uncommon in Rivendell for lovers to not share their true names until their wedding day, though even if they have the vows are much the same. Giving their spouse the gift of their name, to use as they please. This is done both out of trust (much like the merlings pelts), trusting their lovers not to hurt them with their name. And more importantly it offers devotion to your spouse, which would be returned of course.

Now when it comes to Flower Husbands... this all falls apart. These two have not had a real conversation till their vows. They have no trust or love for one another, and are in fact quite afraid of each other. Neither want to give over something so terrifyingly precious to the other.

Jimmy feels pressured to do so, despite Lizzie insisting he doesn’t have to, because he knows how a wedding should go. He knows the citizens of the Ocean Empire do not trust that his mother, The Empress, has made the right choice in allowing this marriage to go through. He knows if he doesn’t do his best to make this look and feel legit for them, then they’ll only have more problems in the future. And he really is trying to be responsible, trying to prove himself to his family and his kingdoms that he can do the right thing. He isn’t just the prince, the second born. He is loved by his country, deeply so, but nothing is expected of him. He wants to do one good thing for them in turn. Hell, he volunteered himself so that his sister wouldn’t throw away her preexisting courtship. He loves his family and his country, and he has never been asked to do a thing for them. He just wants to prove he can.

So he drapes his pelt over Scotts shoulders, careful and with the sudden understanding of how badly it hurts to see. How easily being separated from it would destroy him. And he can only hope Scott will return it soon.

Scott meanwhile doesn’t believe in another choice. He is the Chosen Champion of Aeor, god of Winter and Stasis. He is a representative of tradition for Rivendell. As much as he is fuming about the marriage, he has rarely acted out in his life. The golden child for so much of his adolescence that even when that love has left he knows little more than to hold his tongue and obey... for now. Still, he knows what is expected of him for the wedding. And despite there being no way for his family or the citizens to verify he abided by tradition in this instance, he is loyal enough to his god (and in fact fairly knows his god perceives him and he would know he wronged him) to not try and get around it.

So he gives his name, as coldly and objectively as he can. It is not a gift, but Jimmy, traditionally, has a right to it through their union. He can only pray Jimmy be kind with it.

Ultimately both spouses are careless with their exchange. Scott misunderstands the importance of the pelt, and keeps it far to long. Jimmy misunderstand the weight of Scotts name, and speaks it carelessly. Its rough, and terrifying. But it leads them to understanding, to finding common ground and for the first time finding hope in their situation as they understand the other not as an enemy but as the only ally in the same situation as them.

Finally I’m gonna do a quick run through of details I was happy with, kinda lore relevant but with less flowery language on the plot.

At their wedding both are dressed in traditional wedding garb for their empires, as well I’ve referenced my board loosely to dress the crowd properly. Rivendell brides/grooms tend to wear white. It represents purity, white is typically only worn in formal settings o it wont be dirties anyways, and it doesn't represent either individual god. Allowing neutrality. Jimmy is wearing a loose cut deep blue outfit with small decorative. Dark colours but especially deep blues are traditional as they connect with both the deep waters and the sky, tying an individual throughout to the world and their life.

In their renewal of vows they wear nearly the same outfits, however Jimmy sports some golden Rivendell jewelry and Scott in turn sports some pearls in his hair much like how Jimmy had at their wedding. Its about the sharing <33

Wedding day was very formal, very controlled. Both of their hair pulled back and styled in very proper traditional ways. At their vow renewal everything was up to them, so Jimmy looks a bit more like himself (as messy as that may be) and Scott has both his kingship and his hair cut (lore) so he’s a feeling a lot more stable

Scotts wears gloves at his wedding, vs without gloves at renewal! Tied in, at his wedding Scotts hair and skin is patterned with growing frost as he gets cold feet (hah) and is very upset about the situation versus his renewals where he has much more control of his powers and very explicitly happy with the situation

That is all for now! Day I hope you liked the pinch! Everyone else i hope you liked the lore! I would love to do more with the au going forward, I have a growing plot document and love talking about it. If anyone wants me to expand on any thoughts, has questions about the plot or characters or otherwise, my inbox is always open and I am attentive to both tags and comments ;) <3

#smajor #solidaritygaming #empires smp #empires smp 1 #empiresshipping #flower husbands #flower husbands arranged marriage au #hoursart #hourspost #pinch hit #the real miracle here is how i managed to get a background on tw oof these panels like what #pulled up my copy of the world download to reference the church and the prisma palace and everything #fun fact the one other post i have on this au is about a plotpoint that has actually straight up been moved #the tension goes on so much longer now lmaoo #long post #ig #rblogs appreciated!#also i do not believe in jimmy being that eloquent ever that was preritten and memoried lol #no id

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frostfires-blog · 8 months

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Which 2022/2023 shojosei anime from my latest post is your favourite/Which one are you most interested in?

Given my latest recommendation/review post (click here if you haven't seen it yet) on this topic I was wondering what others thought?

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academyofbrokenhearts · 6 months

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Jiang Xuening to everyone but Xie Wei: oh yeah, I am totally in love with Xie Wei, he's amazing Jiang Xuening to Xie Wei: eh, you're alright, I guess

#Story of Kunning Palace #Ning An Ru Meng #C drama #Jiang Xuening #Xie Wei #last episodes of Kunning be like #Xie Wei walking around with a pen in his sleeve at all times #100% ready to sign that marriage certificate #meanwhile Jiang Xuening is still trying to reconcile the previous death threats with his sudden willingness to stab himself for her sake #I love them both so much #original posts

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aaronofithaca05 · 2 months

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Olive bed

As I'm drawing and reading the Odyssey, I'm where Penelope is testing Odysseus to see if it's really him, he is angered to think she moved the bed but she didn't

In my copy the bed is really detailed and as a sucker for fluff, I'm sketching an idea.

He cut the tree but let a part live, as they are quite sturdy so the canopy is a full of twigs and leaves pf the olive, in the sides and perímeter, honeysuckles and scented vines creeped around the the shoots that make the perimeter of the bed.

The cloths that are hanging were made by Penelope ( Ody doesn't know this), they are translucent as breezy as they can and around the bed, flowers and a mini garden has grown thanks to Penelope's hand.

So not only Odysseus finds the bed in it's place but also the plants, flowers and curtains that Penelope has made in all those years, filled with sweetests of scents as she has been preparing all this years. (Representing Penelope's faithfulness and love for him).

He only made the structure and the frames, but she has been the one tending it as she didn't let anyone in the palace to know.

#penelope #odysseus #the odyssey #greek mythology #epic the musical #homer #olive bed #they were soulmates #bed #marriage goals #odypen #loving couple #Reigning royals of Ithaca #Ithaca #the palace #flower bed #fluff #my own art #doodle

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valentinesparda · 2 months

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ummmm secret elopement with the judge magister

[ insert on the right uses they/them pronouns only ]

#this is unfortunately not a joke. i will be for reals upgrading him to husband status this instant.#idk if it is secret elopement or if i will go with like. they have a big palace wedding with the emperor's blessing #and vayne is just upset the entire time lol #but i like the idea of them running off to be wed and drace blesses their marriage #but drace would be happy with noah as her brother in law methinks #my art #si: euphemia #self: ff #otp: to be alone

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enchantingcontemplations · 6 months

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Maybe it's because I've been watching dramas for more than a decade which is why I'm noticing these changes so clearly, but when did we go from a love story is two people falling in love and making equal strides towards each other with effort and sacrifice to a love story is a man making all the compromises and the grand gestures and declarations while the woman almost feels like a bystander in her own relationship. It's been happening for the last couple of years but this year takes the cake and I'm confused as to whether this is some sort of shoddy attempt at feminism by way of "a woman can do no wrong and a man is required to do all the heavy lifting in a heterosexual relationship" .

#cdrama #kdrama #story of kunning palace #my journey to you #perfect marriage revenge #wonderland of love #till the end of the moon #king the land #and so many others #I just don't get it???#Like what is this?

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dangermousie · 7 months

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#cdrama #kdrama #poll #a good day to be a dog #the matchmakers #story of kunning palace #wonderland of love #evilive #my dearest #moon in the sky #perfect marriage revenge #goryeo khitan war #Evilive was supposed to be ‘gay for each other so no chance’ btw #tho I guess if you are a woman and not a dude no chance either way?

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cidnangarlond · 23 days

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it's been 5 hours and I keep thinking abt this. are you factkin

#I should note that last night I had a dream where I was royalty again but this palace I was in was so specific with how it looked #I remember looking outside thru these huge windows and the snow was piled SO high and the exterior of the palace was this shade of yellow #and I remember noting in my dream like wow this place is very. yellow #so I started digging up like okay russian and austrian royal marriages and I got a habsburg and looked up the palace him and his #giant family lived in. AND IT WAS THE SAME ONE AS MY DREAM? I'D NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE OR SEEN IT?#and I had said ''why am I having kin dreams''

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xitty · 11 months

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I've been waiting for My Happy Marriage anime. Been reading the books and while this looked promising, you never know. However, the first episode was really good, albeit sad. And looked really good! I can't believe we are getting more good shoujo/josei anime. 😭

#my happy marriage #miyo saimori #kiyoka kudou #shoujo anime #we got raven of the inner palace and sugar apple fairy tale and now this #and ooku is there too but i haven't watched it yet #and three of these are fantasy too i love it #oh there was requiem of the rose king anime but that was a HUGE disappointment #rotrk manga is one of my favourites ever and the anime is so watered down and barely moves #but at least it has really good voice cast

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ultfreakme · 11 months

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I hope the Zuko movie opens with Mai and Zuko getting married, but you can just tell something is wrong. They’re smiling and greeting guests but there’s this distance between them. Cut to Mai, and she’s thinking about right before the wedding and Ty Lee is helping her get into her wedding clothes.

And Ty Lee’s like “I bet married life’s going to look great on you.” Mai just gives her a look, initially it seems cold, impassive, but then she frowns and Ty Lee giggles and says “You make a beautiful bride.” Mai’s brows furrow and all that, “You don’t have to lie.” Ty Lee; “I’m not lying, you’re beautiful, always were”. And then they lean closer and closer, eyes hooded and right when you think their lips are about to brush the door of the dressing room opens and Mai’s mom comes in and she fixes up Mai’s clothes and checks on everything. She’s like “Don’t mess this up.” Mai says “I won’t, obviously, what’s there to mess up?” AND SHE’S LOOKING RIGHT AT TY LEE.

The wedding’s done, but the Fire Lady is in love with a Kyoshi Warrior who is her personal guard and the entire thing is about them realizing no fuck this we’re done(Zuko knows okay he knows, or he eventually finds out but his ain’t about him).

(eventual divorce, mailee elope, Zuko’s like ‘I should’ve seen this coming’. Gaang, everyone in the FN court and Azula who saw this coming miles away: ‘I’m not gonna say anything’)

#mailee #mai x ty lee #I am a SUCKER for when women think they're trapped in the patriarchal fate thrust upon them but they escape through sapphic love #'Marriage?' yeah that's not enough to stop LOVE #I hope y'all know I am making a MOVIE PRODUCTION out of this in my head #I am imagining Mai in the final scene getting rid of her crown the jewels the everything- scattered everywhere #and she opens her extremely organised and precise weapons drawer and adorns the knives with care #and Ty Lee is waiting at the door in her pink clothes like 'ready to go?' and mai says yeah and leaves a letter behind and they RUN #across a hilly flower field and to the docks #and the palace is in uproar over where the fuck the Fire Lady is #but Zuko's like 'nah call off the search' and he's watching the docks #then we see mai and ty lee at the deck watching the ocean with the sunset and they're standing super close #like a parallel to the opening #and THE END

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the-wayside · 5 months

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I watched Perfect Marriage Revenge, chef's kiss. Soapy, romantic, delightful and bitchy. Flawless.

I'm now delving into Bai Lu's Story of Kunning Palace because I love her and I'm ready to be wowed.

#perfect marriage revenge #story of kunning palace #text

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frostfires-blog · 8 months

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My Top 6 Favourite Shōjo & Josei Anime Series Released in 2023

It's fair to argue that we're in a shojo renaissance given the recent victories for the shoujosei community. To commemorate this I wanted to make a post highlighting my favourite shojosei series from this year's line-up—in the hopes of persuading others to watch them and cast their votes for them in the upcoming anime awards.

Keep in mind that some entries will date as far back as October 2022 because they officially qualify alongside this year's anime as a part of the roster for next year's anime awards.

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Honourable Mentions:

-> Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi

English Title: The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Workplace, Mythology

This anime follows Himuro, who involuntarily produces snow and ice phenomena—due to being a descendant of a Yuki-onna— when overwhelmed by his emotions, at his new office job. On his first day, he is saved from being late due to his affliction by the cool-headed Fuyutsuki—who turns out to be his new coworker. As they continue to work closely together, Fuyutsuki continues to provide pragmatic solutions to Himuro’s myriad of wintry quandaries—causing him to constantly want to repay her kindness. As Himuro’s feelings for her continue to grow, so does the frequency of his snowstorms—making them nearly impossible to hide. The fun, relaxing atmosphere of this anime gives a wholesome and homely feel—making it worth the watch if you don’t mind the somewhat slow, romantic development.

-> Romantic Killer

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Parody, Reverse Harem

This series is about Anzu Hoshino, a high school girl with no interest in romance and lives solely for video games, chocolates, and her cat. Anzu’s daily life is turned upside down when a wizard forcibly turns her life into a harem, dating game in order to force her to find love. Out of anger and sheer stubbornness, she vows to resist no matter what. While this is technically a shōnen anime, not a shōjo or josei—I wanted to include it anyway since it has a shōjo vibe to it especially because of the lack of fan service and unrealistic beauty standards. It has a similar vibe to other shoujo series like Watashi ga Motete Dousunda (Kiss Him Not Me) and Kaichou wa Maid-sama! While the storyline is seemingly basic, the show’s refreshing take on classic character archetypes and relatable humour make it worth a watch.

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Top 6:

6) Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru

English Title: My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999

Genres: Romance, Comedy

Despite being dumped by her boyfriend, college student Akane Kinoshita continues to play the MMO they once played together and attends an offline game event in hopes of winning him back. There she meets Akito Yamada, an emotionless yet handsome high schooler, who belongs to the same guild as her. After running into her ex—who is accompanied by his new girlfriend—Akane is desperate for support causing her to rope Yamada into helping her and lending her a shoulder to cry on. As they spend more and more time together their feelings for one another continue to grow despite their innumerable differences. This anime gives off a similar atmosphere to Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashi (Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku) with its humour, casual slice-of-life atmosphere, common themes, and equally catchy opening theme song. The character dynamics, voice acting, and music make this show worth the watch.

5) Sugar Apple Fairy Tale

Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Romance

Despite living in a kingdom where fairies are enslaved by humans, through the possession of one of their wings, Anne Halford longs to see the day when humans and fairies are treated equally. Despite this, she is forced to purchase a warrior fairy to protect her on the perilous journey to the Royal Candy Fair in order to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master. Anne hires the sharp-tongued obsidian fairy, Challe Fen Challe for this job. Despite Anne promising to return his wing after the journey, Challe remains distrustful and wants nothing to do with humans. However, as the pair travel together, they learn more about each other as well as more about the different dynamics between fairies and humans across the kingdom. While seemingly a typical fantasy-romance shōjo, this anime deals with some heavy themes such as sexism, misogyny, slavery, and historical politics. While these themes could certainly be interpreted as problematic, they aren’t just swept under the rug and are commented on but certainly could’ve been more developed upon. The show ultimately balances its light-hearted, slice-of-life scenes and heart-warming relationship-building moments well with its more dramatic subplots. The art and animation are beautifully done when compared to other releases in the genre, especially its use of colours, lighting, and fluidity. The female lead’s dedication to her craft as a silver sugar artisan is commendable and somewhat reminiscent of Shirayuki’s passion for herbalism in Akagami no Shirayuki-hime (Snow White with the Red Hair). Another selling point of the show is the subtle tension and slowly fostered development between its two leads. Both characters have their own decently developed mentalities and motivations independent of each other which is always delightful to see given how rare it can be. Another selling point of this anime is that both season 1 and season 2 were released this year thus making the overall episode count 24 giving viewers ample time to grow attached to its lovable cast and charming atmosphere without feeling pressured for instant development.

4) Kanojo ga Koushaku-tei ni Itta Riyuu

English Title: Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Otome Isekai

After Rinko Hanasaki (originally Eunha Park in the original manhwa) is pushed off a building, she is reborn as Raeliana McMillan—the daughter of a nouveau-rich baron in a historical romance novel she once read who is fated to die tragically young. To prevent the fruition of this plotline Raeliana is determined to end her engagement with the man who orchestrated her untimely demise, Lord Francis Brooks. To do this, she is forced to use her knowledge of the plot to blackmail the novel’s male protagonist, Duke Noah Wynknight, into a contract engagement thus rendering her previous one null and void. Little does she know that she has captured Noah’s interest, in place of the female protagonist, with this move buying her a lot trouble than she originally bargained for… While only decently animated, the character dynamics, voice acting, pacing, and soundtrack make this anime stand out from other similar shows. The compelling chemistry between the two leads really elevates this anime from others with a similar premise. Overall while a decent adaptation from the manhwa, there is some room for improvement especially with the animation. Personally, I felt that this anime could’ve greatly benefitted from having 24 episodes (instead of the chosen 12 episodes) since parts covered by anime are mostly set up with the drama, action, and relationship development only taking place in later story arcs. Unfortunately, most of what makes this series praise-worthy and sets it apart from others with a similar premise wasn’t covered yet in the anime. Although reading the source material in advance had given me relatively high expectations that weren't quite met, I would like to clarify that I thoroughly enjoyed this anime.

3) Sasaki to Miyano Movie: Sotsugyou-hen

English title: Sasaki and Miyano Movie: Graduation Arc

Genres: Shounen Ai, BL, Slice of life, High School

Continuing from season 1, this film follows Shūmei Sasaki and Yoshikazu Miyano as they embark on the next important stage of their romantic relationship as it is tested by Sasaki’s impending graduation from high school. The movie is accompanied by an animated short featuring the side character Taiga Hirano and his growing relationship with his roommate Akira Kagiura. Despite being brief, the movie was filled with tons of important character-defining and relationship-building moments for both Miyano and Sasaki as well as their relationships with other characters and each other. The familiar soundtrack and art style were both nostalgic and comforting while the voice acting was top-notch, carefully conveying the immense depth of the characters’ multi-layered emotions throughout the various scenes. Throughout the movie, we saw just how much the main couple had grown since season 1… We see Sasaki becoming more confident in showing affection towards Miyano, as he holds himself back less and less. While Miyano became much more assured of himself and his feelings towards Sasaki. We see Sasaki’s backstory which provides much-needed context behind his insecurities in season 1. During this adaptation, fairly significant cuts were made from the original source material to accommodate the time constraints—which was naturally disappointing. The animated short that accompanied the movie was heart-warming and leaves watchers curious enough that there is room for a full adaptation of Hirano and Kagiura’s story…

2) Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon

English Title: My Happy Marriage

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Historical

My happy marriage is set in an alternative version of the Meiji Restoration era where spirits and supernatural magic exist but in regression. Our protagonist, Miyo Saimori is born giftless despite belonging to a supernaturally talented family because of this she suffers immense abuse and mistreatment at the hands of her stepmother and half-sister while her father gazes on with indifference. Her hopes of building a happy life for herself seem distant after she is ordered by her family to marry Kiyoka Kudo, a man who is rumoured to be so cold-hearted all his previous marriage candidates ran off. Upon arriving at the Kudo estate, Miyo fully resigns herself to either a life of mistreatment or abandonment but is pleasantly surprised when her husband-to-be is anything but the monster she expected. Both of them begin realizing that the other may be their greatest opportunity to find true happiness and love as they slowly begin to each other. open their hearts to each other. While many may write this anime off at face value thinking of it as just another Cinderella remake—they are sorely mistaken. While seemingly simple in its premise and title, the execution of the many technical elements and core themes that make this anime was nearly flawless. The beautifully detailed animation was a pleasant surprise. Historically speaking shōjo adaptations haven’t gotten the best budgets and heavily rely on having great storytelling and characterization to draw in its viewers. My Happy Marriage however not only has impeccably detailed character designs but also seamlessly fluid and well-paced animation sequences. Special attention was given to animating the opening and ending theme song sequences unlike with many other shows where the theme song animation is somewhat of an afterthought. The soundtrack and voice acting are both exemplary and encapsulate the moods of each respective scene well. The side characters are all well-crafted to suit their roles in the story and aren’t at all redundant with no single archetype being overused. The two leading characters are well-developed and show slow consistent and most importantly realistic growth. The series delves into lasting trauma caused by abuse and the long journey to healing that trauma. Despite only being 12 episodes, the plot and character-building does not get lost amongst the world-building or fantastical elements. This anime delves into the intricacies of human emotions and relationships as well as the main couple’s personal struggles and motivations making us as the audience want to root for them. Ultimately all these elements blend seamlessly to produce a charming and heart-warming show capable of stirring up the emotions of its audience.

1) Kōkyū no Karasu

English title: Raven of the Inner Palace

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Historical, Mythology, Supernatural

The Raven Consort, Ryuu Jusetsu (originally Liu Shouxue in the original source material) is both venerated and feared amongst those in the royal court. Despite being titled as a consort, she does not have any contact with the emperor, Ka Kōshun (originally Xia Gaojun), and lives isolated from everyone else. Her fabled mystical abilities make her the subject of many rumours as she is said to take on any request from recovering lost belongings to casting curses. One day her quiet solitude is disturbed when the newly crowned emperor barges into her palace with a request. Despite finding his subsequent frequent visits annoying, she cannot bring herself to turn him away. She soon finds herself forging several meaningful connections with others, despite the warnings of her predecessor, ultimately forcing her to confront a past that was best left concealed. This show’s unique character designs and uncommon setting make it stand out visually despite its humble budget. While seemingly episode in nature, this show has an intricate overarching plot with fantastic character development. The show does a great job at depicting the main protagonist’s motivations, internal struggles, and development while still maintaining the mystery surrounding her—thus leaving plenty of room for further growth and development. Another thing I greatly appreciated in this anime was its subtly. Rather than just blatantly exposing complex motivations, moral stances, internal conflicts, and relationship dynamics of and between its characters through quotidian dialogue—the show instead chooses to shrewdly unveil this through the actions and expressions of its characters alongside the use of meaningful dialogue. Despite not being presently romantically involved the budding relationship between its two leads is carefully developed and slowly built upon in such a way that doesn’t make the show feel like just another forced or contrived romance elevating the show beyond layperson’s expectations for shōjo and josei anime. Despite somewhat, complex historical injustices being brought up in the anime, it is more focused on its protagonist helping others find peace through self-forgiveness and remembrance than seeking retribution. This has led to criticisms that the pacing of the series is too slow and that the plot lacks satisfying action sequences. However, in my opinion, the show succeeds in its goal of telling tales about the complexity of human emotions and relationships that transcend life and death. Another aspect of this show that really stood out was the soundtrack, especially its ending theme song, which exhibits a uniquely haunting melancholic ambiance that makes me want to listen to it repeatedly. This series is undoubtedly deserving of the title of an underrated gem—given its unique artistic expression, intriguing emotional storytelling, and character development—and has an immense amount of the potential for a follow-up season.

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[P.S. I'm really going to miss watching My Happy Marriage and Sugar Apple Fairy Tale every week—but at least season 2 of the former has been confirmed😭]

#I plan to do a similar post about shojosei series that deserve sequel seasons sometime soon so stay tuned #I didn't make anyone too mad by adding Romantic Killer here...#but I couldn't make a separate post since it was probably the only shounen romance anime I liked this year #shoujo #shojo #shoujo anime #shoujo manga #shōjo #josei #josei anime #josei manga #shojosei #otome isekai #romance anime #kokyu no karasu #kokyuu no karasu #kōkyū no karasu #raven of the inner palace #my happy marriage #watashi no shiawase na kekkon #sasaki to miyano #sasaki and miyano #kanojo ga koushaku tei ni itta riyuu #why raeliana ended up at the duke's mansion #yamada kun to lv999 no koi wo suru #sugar apple fairy tale #my love story with yamada kun at lv999 #romantic killer #koori zokusei danshi to cool na douryou joshi #the ice guy and his cool female colleague

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dd122004dd · 1 year

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The New Mistress Fuca: Part 3 Meeting Madam Fuca

With the agreement set in place, the couple faces their first challenge, pretending to be happy in front of Mrs Fuca. Will she be able to win the approval of Madam Fuca or will she remain in the shadow of Hitara Erqing?

Warnings: None

Author’s Note: Thank you for everyone’s patience and support on the previous chapters, I hope this lives up to your expectations.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Waking up the next day was a strenuous task. Her body resisted being pulled from the soft fabrics of the bed but alas the day had begun, leaving her with no choice but to awaken. Sitting up she looked around the room but found no trace of her husband or the mattress he slept on the night prior. He must have awoken before the sun could touch the horizon.

Her maid swiftly bathed her before helping her dress in a beautiful red robe with beautiful floral embroidery on it. Assmebling her hair into an updo worthy of her new status, she placed hairpins and jewels in the young mistress’ hair before helping her apply her makeup.

“What’s your name?” She asked.

“Mistress, I am called QingQing,” the servant replied meekly, bowing her head.

“Hello QingQing. Do you know where my husband went so early in the morning?”

“Mistress, he is in his study,” QingQing replied.

“Oh? Well then, I suppose I should wish my husband a good morning, shouldn’t I?” She said, rising from her seat. “Take me to his study, will you?”

“Yes mistress,” QingQing replied dutifully while grasping her arm and slowly leading the new Young Mistress of the Fuca clan to her husband’s study.

The polished columns glistened in the soft light as the pair made their way towards the young master’s study. It had a rather beautiful exterior with gently sloping roofs. She opened the door before entering, after being allowed entry.

The sight of her new husband at his desk greeted her. He seemed engrossed in the report before him. After clearing her throat, she finally caught his attention. He questioningly looked up at her.

Smiling at the man she said, “Good morning, husband!”

After a few moments of hesitance he responded, “Good morning.”

“We have to go greet your mother together today, or did you forget?”

“I did not forget,” he said simply before rising from his desk and walking past her, leading the way to the Matron’s courtyard.

“What happened to, ‘you don’t even have to see me’?” he asked rhetorically as they reached the Matron’s courtyard.

“It’s only applicable when we don’t have obligations to be seen together.” She huffed, rolling her eyes at the man, before the pair entered. The matron sat on a beautifully carved wooden chair in the center of the room with ornate seats along the aisle.

The smell of incense wafted through the room as the matron sated sightlessly at the pair, listening to their footsteps as they drew closer and bowed before her.

She smiled, telling them to rise before letting them be seated.

Her new daughter-in-law served the woman tea with elegant hands and a charming smile on her face.

The matron drank the tea, feeling a wave of calm wash over her as the flavors burst on her tongue.

“Delicious,” she breathed reverently, “What did you put in this tea? I’ve never tasted it before.”

“Madam Fuca, I added lemongrass and a bit of ginger, to help warm your body and improve your appetite. I also added a little honey to sweeten the flavor. Do you like it Madam Fuca?”

“You’re so thoughtful! I’m so happy my son was blessed with such a caring wife. I love this tea, perhaps you can make it for me again?”

“If you like it so much, I’d gladly make it for you every day, Madam Fuca.” She replied with a smile on her face. Her husband stared at her with narrowed eyes, making note to keep an eye on her actions in the future.

“Please, don’t call me ‘Madam Fuca’ it’s so formal, we’re family now, please call me mother.”

“Okay, mother,” she said, slightly giggling.

The matron then turned to her maid, beaconing her to bring forward the gift she had prepared for her new daughter in law. On the ornate tray sat a beautiful bracelet of white jade, a golden carnelian hair pin with lilies and lotuses delicately entwined within the design and a pair of gold earrings along with a bracelet engraved with Mandarin ducks, a symbol of love and a lifelong mate.

Smiling graciously, she thanked the matron.

“Oh, my dear. I forgot to tell you. Now that you’ve married into our household, I expect you to help me in household affairs. I’m getting old and I want to teach you how to manage our house as soon as possible.”

Before she was able to respond her husband interrupted, protesting, “Mother. My wife is still young, perhaps it might be better if she just watches for a few years before she starts helping in the household affairs? It would help her learn better. Don’t you think so, wife?”

“Husband,” she said with a pleased smile, “as wise as your suggestion is, I have been helping my mother run our household in preparation, so as to not further burden my in-laws by my lack of knowledge. I think I shall be able to help manage the household affairs, under Mother’s guidance, of course. Do you object, husband?” she said with a wide grin, knowing she backed him into a corner.

“In that case. I do not have a reason to object.” He said through gritted teeth, annoyed at his wife getting her way. He decided in that moment to not let her gain power over the mansion as quickly as his previous wife did.

“Wonderful! In that case, the head-maid Fei will deliver the ledgers to you and if you are able to handle the accounts this month without any mistakes, I will give you more responsibilities. Does that sound fair?”

“Yes, mother. Thank you for trusting me with this. I will not let you down.” She promised.

“I know you won’t. I’m getting a little tired now, its time for me to go get some rest. You may both leave,” She said, rising to her feet.

As she turned to walk away, she left them with a last request, “Oh, and Fuheng? Take your new wife for a tour through the mansion. Also show her the gardens. I hear the flowers are beautiful, this time of the year.”

Fuheng saw his wife looking at him expectantly, sighing he mumbled, “Follow me.”

He led his wife through the mansion with swift, precise steps, showing her the various places within the mansion with a disinterested monotonous tone as she took in the manor, making note to check out certain places that intrigued her. The painfully awkward tour concluded with a tour of the garden where Fuheng stiffly walked beside his wife, wishing for her to speed up as she stopped by each and every flower, asking about it’s name and purpose. When she knew the name of a particular flower she shared what she had read about it, be it sickeningly sweet poetry or its medicinal use.

While Fuheng was suffering through the tour, his wife was taking particular delight in his suffering as she purposely stopped at every flower in the garden, elongating the tour as much as possible and taking slow steps. When she saw him tapping his feet in impatience she slowed down even further, wracking her brains for all the possible plant-related knowledge she had ever learned.

‘Serves him right for doubting my capabilities.’ She thought internally as he sighed for the hundredth time, tapping his sword impatiently.

Just as she was about to point towards another flower a tiny body crashed into Fuheng.

“Father!”

Fuheng looked down at the smiling boy with his arms around his waist. He smiled softly at the child before kneeling before him.

“An’er, you know better than to run wild in the garden,” he admonished.

“Father, I missed you. I haven’t seen you in a few days and when I saw you today, I couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry, father.”

At the boy’s confession, Fuheng seemed to melt before promising to spend more time with the boy.

Satisfied with his father’s promise, he noticed the beautiful woman staring at him with wide eyes. Turning his attention to his father he pointed at the woman and asked, “Father, who is she?”

Fuheng followed his gaze, landing on his new wife. “An’er that is my new wife. She will be your mother from now on.”

“But my mother is Hitara Erqing, she died. How can this woman be my mother?” he asked with child-like curiosity.

Fuheng opened his mouth to explain when he was interrupted by his wife, “(S/N), I am not your birth mother, Hitara Erqing because she will always be your mother and she is always watching you and taking care of you, but because she is not here, I will take care of you as she would want me to.”

Nodding his head in understanding he asked, “Will I have to call you ‘mother’?”

“No dear, you can call me ‘Aunty’ if you want to, okay?”

“Okay aunty!”

“Good boy.” She said, patting his head.

Fuheng watched the interaction with rapt attention, this woman seemed to overturn his expectations of her. Didn’t all women want to be called ‘mother’ by their children, adopted or not?

‘Perhaps she wants to keep (S/N) at a distance so that when the time comes it’d be easier for her children to stand out.’

He decided that this was the only possible reason behind her actions and resolved to keep his son away from his new wife.

“An, you should go get ready for your lessons. Your tutor will be arriving soon,” Fuheng said, leaving no room for argument before turning to his servant and motioning him to escort the young boy away.

“It was lovely meeting you, An!” she said, a large smile on her face as she waved to the departing child.

“Nice meeting you too, pretty aunty!” He exclaimed before following his escort.

Part 4

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