Now that My Happy Marriage Season 2 is over, it’s time to address the elephant in the room.
The elephant being that this season was incredibly disappointing, no surprises there. I had high hopes about how Kinema Citrus will continue Miyo and Kiyoka’s story considering how well Season 1 went, but boy did I get my just desserts.
Oh man, where did it all go wrong? Pacing? Subpar character writing? A lot of what could go wrong did go wrong with My Happy Marriage Season 2, and it hurts to see the downward spiral considering how good it started off.
The season felt incredibly rushed, as if racing towards a finish line to cram whatever information it could in its 13 episodes. I’d love to be a fly in the room when discussions about My Happy Marriage Season 2’s script was underway, because how did the people behind this season come to this decision?
Look, I have some knowledge about how hard it is in the anime industry, and I acknowledge that fact, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be sad and disappointed about how they directed this season. And truth be told My Happy Marriage Season 2 had all the potential to be a great continuation to the series… if only it had been done better.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead
My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 13, titled “Once Spring Has Come,” suffered due to the delays in broadcast schedule, with some global fans still unable to watch on Netflix as it’s yet to see the light of day. I had to go through so many loops and obstacles just to finally see the finale, so it’s safe to say that Netflix, who produces the anime, isn’t really doing a stellar job in what could have been the best romance anime of the Winter season.
But honestly, the finale isn’t really a satisfying watch either.
So just like that, it’s over?
The episode starts off with Miyo monologuing about her encounter with Naoshi Usui, and how she failed to convince him to turn over a new leaf in respect to her deceased mother’s wishes, going so far as to call his passing an “untimely end” that could have been prevented.
She continues to narrate about the aftermath of Naoshi Usui’s government takeover, noting the efforts of the Anti-Grotesquerie Unit to retake the Army Headquarters like an afterthought.
Miyo then goes on to say that things went back to their usual way as if nothing had happened. Because it did feel like nothing at all happened.
See, that’s the problem with this season. The important issues; Kaoruko being manipulated by Usui, the Mikado being kidnapped, the overarching influence of the Gifted Communion to the country, all feel like an afterthought. It’s not like, oh, these are major events that need more screen time, so why even bother? Giving these major plot points a bare nod is a disservice to the worldbuilding of My Happy Marriage, and I can’t help but think about how–if these threads were more tightly woven together–we could have had a better angle on the dilemma Miyo faced throughout the season.
So Miyo’s back to her quiet life with Kiyoka; she’s cooking him meals, having a happy time. But she also acknowledges that her Dream Sight ability has been casting a faint shadow over her heart. No more context. Cut to the next scene with Kiyoka.
Kiyoka also gives us a surprise by handing in his resignation letter as the captain of the Anti-Grotesquerie unit, stating that Godou will be his successor. He then lists off Godou’s achievements during the Gifted Communion fiasco, and I was like… okay? Wow? He did all that? Why did we even barely see it? Am I supposed to just accept the words being spoon-fed to me right now?
There’s show and don’t tell, but for this season, it’s definitely all tell and no show. I could go off on a tangent about how severely underutilised the supporting characters have been in this season, but I think I can get the point across by just stating the obvious, specifically when it comes to Arata Usuba too.
There is no Chekhov’s Gun even if Arata planned to shoot Usui all along
The scene cuts to Arata and Miyo talking about his plan with the Gifted Communion. Arata reveals that his involvement started with a meeting with Prince Takaihito that didn’t appear in the season at all, and tells of how he received a divine revelation that spelt a coming disaster, the disaster being Naoshi Usui himself.
This tidbit could have done so much better if the season had given Arata more screentime to establish his goals to aid Miyo and Kiyoka, and would have given his character more depth than simply being a Deus Ex Machina during the climax.
I mention Chekhov’s Gun, which is a narrative principle where every element introduced into a story should be necessary and contribute to the plot; and this means that Arata’s recently established motives, which were basically unseen throughout majority of the series, should have been made evident–or at least hinted at–the moment that Naoshi Usui was introduced. Not only does giving focus to Arata make much of the drama make sense, but also gives way for his characterisation to become an antithesis to Kiyoka’s presence in the story.
Kiyoka has established himself as a man of principle, and the way he tackled the dilemma with Usui is very by-the-book, which to me, is the complete opposite of how Arata handled the issue. Arata did things dirty, he took the shadier route to get to Naoshi Usui, and he did terrible things just so he could do what he was set out to do, even if it meant having to hurt Miyo and Kiyoka–something he obviously didn’t want to do.
You can’t help but realise that Arata is a very wasted character; there’s a lot of complexity in his writing that didn’t translate well in the anime. Oh, if only he had been given the chance.
Miyo and Kiyoka’s love still shines through
But at the end of the day, drama aside, the most important facet to this anime is the relationship between Miyo and Kiyoka, and how their love has influenced the people around them for the better. The anime did not fail in making this point across, which I'll count as a win.
It’s great to see Fuyu, Kiyoka’s mother who I didn’t like at first, becoming vocal about Miyo’s wedding dress, and Hazuki, Kiyoka’s sister, gifting Miyo the heirloom wedding kimono that Fuyu and her had worn to their wedding celebrations. It’s a welcome scene to see; Miyo now has a family to call her own, and it’s thanks to Kiyoka and her efforts that they have the assurance of being happy together forever.
Kiyoka also doesn’t disprove his title as the greenest flag husband-to-be, he tells Miyo his decision to resign from his position in the military because what he wants now is to protect Miyo and their happiness together. To Kiyoka, what’s most important to him now is Miyo, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
Even when Miyo received an offer to work in the Imperial Palace under Prince Takaihito to create a new system for ability users, Kiyoka is supportive and acts as Miyo’s rock (as he often does) during her bout of indecisiveness. Although in the end, Miyo refuses the offer because she knew she didn't have it in her, the two are determined to continue loving and supporting each other no matter what they have to face in the future.
So, what’s next? With My Happy Marriage Season 2 now over, a new project for the anime has been announced. With the Naoshi Usui dilemma now behind them, it’s safe to say that we might finally hear the wedding bells for this lovely couple.
If you want to glean more information, look into missed details, or just read our thoughts on each episode, we’ve compiled a My Happy Marriage Season 2 review collection for your perusal!
