My Happy Marriage (2023– ) User Reviews

High Quality Emotional Romantic Drama

[bill_allison · 8/10 · 3 August 2023]

This is a very high quality production with lovely art design, fine animation, and excellent English voice acting. It was made for Netflix. The title is somewhat misleading because her marriage will be in the future after a one year engagement and will not happen in season one of the series.

The initial setup is Cinderella-like with the eldest daughter Miyo raised as an abused servant by her step-mother and step sister. Miyo's father views her as worthless because she shows no magical ability. To get rid of of Miyo, she is sent to be the fiance of an icy noble, Kiyoko. Miyo is expected to be rejected and become homeless.

Miyo is emotionally crushed and considers herself to be worthless and quietly accepts the cruel abuse. The power of the story is Miyo's gradual journey toward self-worth and her desire to find happiness in spite of her upbringing.

Miyo works hard with a humble determination to prove her worth, to both herself and to others. There will be challenges, threats, and surprises ahead as the story evolves in its own unique way.

There are 4 volumes of novels translated to English and #5 comes out October 2023. I highly recommend both the anime and the novels.

So far so good

[sinahaase-960-743497 · 8/10 · 6 July 2023]

I can't really say much because Netflix has only uploaded one episode so far but I am loving it so much already. It reminds me of Cinderella obviously, but definitely has many differences. In the first episode we learn that Miyo comes from a very hateful family who treat her like a servant rather than a family member. And to make things worse the boy that she grew up with and likes is actually being forced to marry her stepsister who is mean and cruel. Miyo is beautiful, kind, gentle, and strong and I am excited to watch this series to see her relationship grow with her new husband. He is obviously very handsome but we do not get any deeper look into his personality or character in the first episode. I think episodes air on Wednesdays so I will put an update after I finish the series. Thanks.

Heartfelt

[talking_about_movies · 9/10 · 22 September 2023]

A GREAT romance anime is somewhat rare and this is one of those rare instances. This was a touching story with strong protagonists, heartfelt moments and a brilliant character arc.

This is one of the stories where, after watching the finale, you can't help but remember how the characters were at the beginning and how far along they've come. The story is a journey, especially for the character of Miyo. We all experience this journey with her. That connection with the characters made this anime very satisfying.

I love Miyo's character arc. If you see the 1st episode, her character setup isn't exactly unique. It's something we see in many shoujo anime, and it's similar to Cinderella's back story. But if you keep that aside and just think about her character, it's a very complex character to progress. That's why I'm so impressed, because this anime did it almost perfectly. I never felt that Miyo was acting out of character, I could always sympathize with her actions, and still I can feel how far her character has come after the finale.

I also really cared for Kudo's character. That's another strong point for this anime - the fact that I cared for BOTH these characters. That's what makes a great romance - when a viewer is invested in BOTH the characters, can understand BOTH their perspectives, and that's why they want them to be together so much.

This story also had a surprise factor to it - the supernatural world building. I know fans are saying it's unnecessary and I thought of it as a flaw initially too. But when I thought about it, every situation that this supernatural part of the story created, eventually made me root for our protagonists' marriage, which is what the story is about.

The story does get repetitive at times in the middle though, when every family is coming after Miyo.

The animation might be the best this season (at least out of non-sequels). The soundtrack from Evan Call (composer of Violet Evergarden) wasn't that notable in the 1st watch, but I might catch it in a re-watch.

Overall, this was a great anime and a great romance. It's on Netflix worldwide.

Better than I thought it was going to be

[mpmunoz-62990 · 10/10 · 12 July 2023]

This is my very first anime and I have to admit that it was way better than I thought it was going to be. What intrigued me first was the title and then the story from watching the trailer. It had a Cinderella kind of story and I love Cinderella, so I thought I would give it a chance. I have only watched three episodes and I am loving it soo much that I can't wait for next week's episode. I wish I could binge watch the whole series, that's how much I love it. I kind of wish this anime could be a series with real people, but then I don't know if the storyline or the characters could be captured so beautifully as in the anime. I can't wait to finish seeing it!

A beautiful anime with a beautiful cinderella like story

[toobaahmad-31244 · 10/10 · 17 July 2023]

I've been watching anime for so many years, at first I thought it will be a very cringe type anime but after seeing the first two episodes I was stunned and too curious to stop. I went and read the manga, and it is beautiful and a story I can not wait to see the rest of anime. Anime is better and well improved compared to manga and soft novels. Manga only has 23 chapters released but they are all beautiful too. I really wish to get this series thrive, as it is indeed one of the depicted anime. Story is unique, it is soft yet so beautiful.

I would even watch a live action drama for this story line but I don't think they will be able to capture the sci-fi and magical stuff as good as the anime. I've really high hopes for this series.

Cinderella wishes to be as good as this!

[xykatexy · 10/10 · 12 August 2023]

I'm not a fan of anime in general. But all it took was simple curiosity for a "most liked" title on a rainy Sunday afternoon, and it all changed for me.

The story follows Miyo, a girl emotionally and physically abused by her father, stepmother and stepsister. Her family arranges a marriage for her: she is to marry Kiyoka Kudo, a powerful captain to his military unit that deal with the supernatural. He's rumored to be cruel, but it turns out to not be true at all. Miyo and kudo end up developing a warm, comfortable relationship. Another version of Cinderella, no?

Well, I would say Cinderella has a few major setbacks, and this story has none of those (at least not so far). In the CInderella story, Cinderella is ignored and at least mentally abused, and somehow one unknown fairy gives her the clothes and courage to go to the ball. Cinderella has no friends, she essentially has no family either, but is supposed to be a happy and brave girl? While not escaping abuse?

Miyo is none of that. She is vulnerable, and shows how a real human responds to loneliness and abuse. She is jittery, withdrawn, her skin, hair and aura speaks instead of her words.

Cinderella's prince charming is a handsome fool. Kiyoka Kudo is a smart man who observes Miyo, notices her behavior, reacts to it. He has layers to him too, he's not very nice when she first arrives, and it's very easy to infer that he previously dealt with spoilt daddy's little girls from wealthy families, and he expected Miyo to be just that.

The trust is building between them little by little. You can simultaneously call it love, or say it's not love at all. And it doesn't really matter. The burn is slow, harmonious, warm. What is certain is that you are watching two characters showing understanding for one another, giving and receiving acts of kindness, as they build a healthy relationship. And each of them changes as a result. Kudo is becoming softer to Miyo, and she is becoming brave for him.

The story and all the arcs are simple art. But the picture is also beautiful. The color of the scenes often corresponds to emotions, and I am noticing a lot of shadows and greys when Miyo is with her family, a lot of soft pink when she thinks of her mother, and a lot of light when she interacts with Kudo. It's super subtle but so effective.

I'd call this one a must watch!

Shoujo/Josei fans are winning!

[jocelynnhorses · 10/10 · 30 July 2023]

I'm so happy we got a anime for my happy marriage the story and plot is amazing and we can't forget the animation is wonderful.

The plot is so well done it even made me cry a couple of times because you get so attached to the characters it hurts seeing them hurt.

It's such a breath of fresh air that a anime doesn't have fan service in it or the fan service runs the whole show. Fan service makes me uncomfortable so I end up having to drop the series.

I'm hoping we get a second season of my happy marriage, and I hope we end up getting more shoujo/Josei animes in the future!

I really hope we get some official merch and figures as well that be amazing.

Romantic Beginnings, Fantasy Ending

[Mabkid · 7/10 · 25 September 2023]

My Happy Marriage started off with high marks all around. The art was detailed, the music was haunting, the emotions portrayed were delicate... I think I got teary eyed almost every episode in the first half of the series.

If this had been the main premise, I would have rated almost 9!

The premise is a girl, abused by her family, was bequeathed to another family as a bride. The romance that began subsequently was gentle and touching.

However, there is another angle. In this universe, there are people with superpowers. These superpowers are inherited genetically. The girl is from a long line of powerful genes that everybody apparently wants. The second half of the series focuses on this. As a result, the powerful love story turns into a dragonball type fantasy fighting story. Sorry to say, but I suffered through the final episodes only to complete the series. The romantic drama at the beginning was enough to make the story... the action fantasy towards the end seems to be an entirely different genre/story... a little of a pity.

SO SO GOOD

[vmkhsian-44015 · 10/10 · 21 August 2023]

Honestly didn't know what I was getting into when I decided to watch, but clicking that first episode really made love this show.

I first heard of it from Kudo's english dubs voice actor Damien Haas. Which I love LOVE him and his work so I had to click on it.

But this show is incredible and I love it, I just binge-watched the first seven and can't wait for next Wednesday. Hope we get a second season that's for sure and I been wanted to get into the manga, kinda feel bad for watching the anime first but I couldn't help myself.

MAGIC, ROMANCE, BROMANCE?, EVERYTHING JUST AMAZING ABOUT THE SHOW.

Pleasant but could've been better

[Jithindurden · 6/10 · 3 December 2023]

A Cindrellaesque story that tries way too many things at the same time but still wants itself to be simple in its essence. The music of the show, the animation and the way the show is paced, all of it is in line with the main character Miyo's gentleness. The show has more than enough instances that can make you frustrated with her indecisiveness and make you want her to be assertive but at the same time, the portrayal of the effects of years of abuse is shown in a way that would still make you empathize with her despite the disappointment in those actions. These are the positive aspects of the show which works greatly but at the same time, the show is riddled with everything else that it doesn't really want to focus on but is also an integral part of its storytelling. The fantasy aspect and the alternate Meiji era depictions, the respect given to certain constitutions that are part of Japanese culture all work as an affliction to everything good in this. As it doesn't really want to indulge more on anything other than the two main characters, the whole conspiracy going on behind, feels rushed and convoluted where those characters don't have any space to grow, which makes eventual decisions not making sense. Nonetheless, the positive aspects worked immensely well for me, so the stuff that didn't make sense didn't bother me too much.

Soooooooo gooooood!!!!!!

[elenilising · 10/10 · 6 September 2023]

This is my first anime and I am hooked!!!!!!!! I hope they have season 2!!!!! Please?!!!! The english voice actors are very suitable for the character's personality, they casted the voice actors impressively! The graphics is greatly done as well. The story is conveyed in an organized manner. The only problem is it is released every week. How am I supposed to wait for 7 days until the next episode. The theme song by Riria is also very catchy and upbeat. I wish there was subtitles while the song is playing so I would understand the lyrics. Kiyoka is super hot AF!!!!! High five to the person who drew Kiyoka!!! Excellent series!!!!

Maybe this will get better after 6th episode

[Luni_Luni_Luni · 6/10 · 10 August 2023]

I was really looking forward to this series whats with magic and hidden blood powers that's going to rise. BUT i just cannot get over Miyo being the most Cindrella of all Cindrellas. On top of this(no hate to the voice actor) Miyo's voice makes me not like the character at all. Maybe in coming episodes the character will develop its own abilities and some willpower. She did show a lot of spine for her character in the 6th episode and maybe she will grow to like herself more.

Apart from this, i like the animation style and the mix of old and new in the Japanese backdrop. The opening song is really good too. Hopefully it will get better.

Bad Writing

[aha-27033 · 4/10 · 22 September 2023]

The only reason it's not 1/10 is the animation and the first episode. Rest is just terrible.

The main problem of the show is that the writer couldn't decide between Cinderella's story and Fullmetal Alchemist. It even goes as far as not mentioning the magic theme IN THE FIRST EPISODE! Imagine watching "attack on titan" and they introduce Titans in second episode! This is sad from another point of view. If there were no Forced magic theme in the story, I would have definitely enjoyed this. But there are so many plot holes that it made the show impossible to watch for me:

1- if Miyo's blood was so important that they started a war over it, WHY NO ONE GAVE A DAMN IN THE BEGINNING??

Imagine she is a very important asset in families power dynamic and you as a dad want her to be your bride. You want her so much that you might even go as far as destroying a whole mansion. Is it possible that your son marries the wrong girl in the first place?

2- what kind of lame fighting sequence was that in episode 6? It wasn't needed in the first place. But they added it any way, and it was the cringiest fight ever.

3- the husband was like: Super harsh at first - rejects the meal she made (insulting her) - and then suddenly: "no I'm a good person you have to understand me" and don't even let me start talking about how weak and unlikeable the main character is.

4- I also found the relationship between the husband and his subordinate really poor written. The boy is his inferior and yet treats him like a high school friend as if army is just a cool place cool boys hang.

5- step mom and stepsister are the most one-dimensional cliche characters of the show and they torture a family member like nothing, the girl's husband comes to rescue and just punishes them with HARSH words.

Just save your time, watch something else.

Cinderella meets fruit basket

[BingeStreamer · 9/10 · 18 August 2023]

Love this anime like most pp say it has a Cinderella vibe: the step mom is mean to miyo yet miyo is exactly like tohru from fruit basket very reserved wants to please everyone around her even if she's in pain. Miyo is a ordinary regular young girl in a world where pp have magic powers? Gifts? Sadly it makes her a outcast in her own family thus why they treat her badly. To further humiliate her they betrothed her to a man that has a bad reputation of treating his fiancés badly and throwing them out on the streets. Starting from there things change for miyo I won't spoil what happen next I recommend you watch it if you liked fruit basket.

Follows the manga perfectly

[bernie-bd-12-188967 · 10/10 · 12 September 2023]

It's a story as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking at times.

It also follows the manga perfectly.

It's beautifully animated and doesn't skip the cruelty of the so called family, who thought nothing of treating a child like dirt , all because she doesnt posses spirit sight, then hoping they'd passed her on to a so called monster.

The so called monster lord Kodou is the one to finally bring Miyo out of her forever apologising shell & teach her that she's not useless or a burden.

The romance thankfully doesn't go at a fast pace, but it certainly doesn't take forever

Even through I know how the story goes , I can't wait for each episode to air.

Emotional Rollercoaster

[Eranda_Kawshalya · 9/10 · 21 September 2023]

This anime is an emotional rollercoaster that keeps you hooked from start to finish, earning a solid 9/10 rating in my book! "Miyo Saimori's Loveless Destiny" tells the heartbreaking tale of a young girl, Miyo, trapped in the shackles of an arranged marriage and an unjust family dynamic.

The story unfolds with Miyo's tragic past, born from a loveless union and neglected in favor of her step-sister with psychic powers, Kaya. Miyo's life takes a sharp turn for the worse after her mother's death, as her father brings in his lover and Kaya, reducing Miyo to the status of a mere servant.

Despite her cruel circumstances, Miyo shows remarkable resilience, learning to conceal her pain and comply with every order. It's no surprise that she is forced into an arranged marriage with Kiyoka Kudou, a notorious military captain rumored to have scared away his previous potential wives.

As the story progresses, the anime beautifully explores Miyo's struggle and her fear of what the future might hold. However, what awaits her is a pleasant surprise that defies her expectations. Contrary to the rumors, her new husband, Kiyoka, turns out to be a kind-hearted and understanding individual.

The series masterfully portrays the development of their relationship, as Kiyoka's compassion slowly breaks down the walls around Miyo's heart. What follows is a heartwarming journey of love, understanding, and the joy of finding happiness in the most unexpected places.

The animation and art style complement the narrative, capturing both the emotional depth of the characters and the vivid world they inhabit. The voice acting adds another layer of authenticity, making the characters feel genuinely relatable.

Throughout the series, the themes of resilience, love, and the strength to rise above adversity are beautifully explored, leaving a profound impact on the audience.

While some might find the story's pace a bit slow at times, it ultimately contributes to the depth of character development and emotional connection. "Miyo Saimori's Loveless Destiny" manages to strike a perfect balance between heart-wrenching moments and heartwarming ones, leaving viewers with a sense of fulfillment and hope.

In conclusion, "Miyo Saimori's Loveless Destiny" is a captivating anime that navigates the depths of human emotions and showcases the power of love to heal even the deepest wounds. If you're a fan of heartwarming romance and touching character journeys, this anime is an absolute must-watch!

IT'S THE BEST EVER!!!!

[adelynnparinas · 10/10 · 17 April 2024]

Omgosh, I loved this sooooooo much and cannot wait for season 2!!!! It was so sweet and had big character development through out the whole season! To me I never thought Cinderella (idk why people are saying that), I kinda get it I guess, but not really.... It just doesn't give Cinderella vibes, the art and animation is really smooth, and I love the voices, they're so pleasant! I also want to read the manga, I haven't read it, YET.... I'm gonna get them soon thoooughhh, I feel like it's going to be really good too, I've heard that the manga is good to soooo..... I can't wait!!! Hope this was kinda helpful.

Not a bad show

[efee_puiyi · 6/10 · 9 December 2023]

Although My Happy Marriage and Horimiya are romantic animes, they are different from each other in many ways. Initially, the animation is not similar. The animation that Horimiya has is better. There is a thing that seems off in MHM. The drawing of some details differs from Horimiya. To demonstrate, the environment and other background things are like fairy tales. You want to live in a World like Horimiya, unlike My Happy Marriage. Secondly, the characters are well-written in Horimiya in contrast to My Happy Marriage. The unlimited power of the male main character or the secret power of the female main character is not enjoyable. In Horimiya characters are more realistic and have more human feelings. Nevertheless, the characters in MYM are not that bad, especially the female main characters. Unlike, Horimiya we see abuse of power and discrimination in families. Furthermore, we see the impacts on the character. That is better than Horimiya. Finally, The timeline of the anime where the story takes place is more understandable in Horimiya. In contrast to Horimiya, we can see an unrealistic choice in My Happy Marriage. That is to say, the story takes a place in very behind past. However, they are using cars. That makes more hard the watch. In Horimiya, the timeline has its boundaries. There is no logical error in the story. To put it in a nutshell, Horimiya and My Happy Marriage are different from each other because of their timeline, character quality, and animation.

I highly recommend this anime!!

[kasume-49002 · 10/10 · 24 March 2024]

I have been searching for a nice romance anime and this series so far had blown my mind. If you are looking for a sweet romantic love story this anime is just what you have been looking for. The characters are so realistic given the era it is based on. It is still relevant even in today's time we living in. The story itself is better then I would have imagined where a young girl slowly falls in love with a military man and how wonderful their story unfolds is what makes me want to keep watching and rewatching this series for the foreseeable future. So let's spread the word of this amazing anime as much as we can.

An overall good anime, but with some flaws

[utdaxiao · 7/10 · 18 September 2023]

It is an overall good anime, clearly based on the Cinderela story. I was hooked from the start specially now that I myself will have a wedding ceremony soon. The animation is well made and the supernatural story also brings some action into the anime.

However, some things bothered me. First the character Miyo keeps apologizing the whole anime, it starts to get annoying. Second, the sexism involved. I get that the show is set in Japan during the beginning of the XX century, but at least let's see more protagonism from Miyo and not be bounced around between families. It seems she's a property not a character. I think this will come to fruition in the following season as she is now developing her own powers.

It is an enjoyable show overall, but needs to improve to keep the standards.

Such a good show!

[stacybearr · 9/10 · 4 December 2023]

This anime was so good! Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good show. It was full of twist and turns and it had me crying every episode! The main character was written and played out perfectly and her lover was amazing. The only reason i gave it a 9 is because the ending I felt was a little lacking. They never kissed and they had no baby. I was left with wanting more and im sad because i know there is no way a second season could be made as this would drag out the show in an unnecessary way. I would have loved to see a little more romance. That was the only thing it was missing. Highly recommend.

Light and worth to watch

[gyubastian · 6/10 · 13 October 2023]

My Happy Marriage is a charming anime that immerses viewers in the rich tapestry of traditional Japanese marriage customs, interwoven with subtle influences from the Western world. This heartwarming tale expertly blends romance and fantasy, presenting an ideal option for a relaxing viewing experience during leisure hours. Since its captivating first episode, the series has gracefully portrayed the gradual development of its characters, allowing audiences to empathize deeply with their personal journeys.

Despite foreseeing the conclusion well before the movie's end, my fascination with the storyline remained unwavering. I was captivated by the intricate portrayal of how the main characters confronted and triumphed over their trials, deeply invested in their emotional and personal growth. "My Happy Marriage" is a testament to the timeless beauty of Japanese marital traditions, enveloped within a captivating narrative that effortlessly captivates the audience.

Boring, poorly paced, and awful world building

[petritkola · 4/10 · 14 October 2023]

I honestly don't get the hype for this show. The first two to three episodes were good, building up the characters and them getting together. I thought it was pretty cute. Not mind blowing, but enjoyable. Then the show started to get into this whole family power drama where all of a sudden everyone wants this girl and she's the most important girl in the world and she has hidden powers and all this stuff. The power system in this show is NOT well made at all; literally just slapped it on there with no background or actual world building at all. Besides that, the show has such a weird structure.

Episodes 1-6 are about here abusive family who treat her as a slave. Then when the main guy ends up saving her and destroying the entire village, all those characters we build up for 6 episodes leave lol. Her evil sister leaves, her parents, the family, everyone. Then a NEW villain comes to create NEW evil plans to get Miyo. What? Lmao it felt so weird and I had no connection to the evil villains at all. I was never scared or fearful of our main characters and this new evil villain just came out of left field.

Not only that but everyone character in this show is dumb. We ALLLL know that miyo has powers. It's clear as day. But some reason the MAIN MALE CHARACTER doesn't know about it and is always puzzled as to why she having this nightmare. Bro SHE IS FROM A POWERFUL FAMILY. Like they spell it out to you in the second episode.

Just overall an overhyped show and very dumb.

Truly heartwarming and touching

[andisass · 10/10 · 22 October 2023]

In Japanese, the name of the show is 'My Happy Decision', I absolutely loved it and it definitely goes into my top most favourite anime. The animation is very good, maybe not as good as some Ghibli studio, but much more importantly, I found the story to be truly heartwarming and touching, and I think there's a message in there for every woman (and man). The absence of cliche was welcome.

It begins as a story of a girl born into the most unfortunate life and how her life unfolds unfolds in the world of the supernatural when Miyo the main character, is betrothed to who is believed to be an uncaring and unkind man. But is he or is he not. She was not the first. I'm not sure that the English translation of My Happy Marriage, is the right. The tital itself give something of a clue.

Please watch!!

[pianoman12321 · 10/10 · 28 December 2023]

This show is so refreshingly different, interesting, and completely tuned in to the real life internal dark drama but with an optimistic outlook thinly painted on like a beautiful sheer fabric one can look through and see a glimpse of happiness. The dark stuggles with terrible family members are represented emotionally accurate through the characters reactions. Everything here is driven by deep emotional realism. Then there is a supernatural mystery and war room element that will keep action fans intrigued for what's to come. It's a deep, emotionally brilliant show, you really should give it a try.