Stream It Or Skip It: ‘My Happy Marriage’ Season 2 on Netflix, the Anime Fantasy-Romance About a Demure Girl With Untapped Superpowers

My Happy Marriage (now on Netflix) resumes the supernatural romance saga following the Cinderella-esque story of a meek girl glass-slippered into a less-than-ideal engagement with an aloof lord – but the first season’s big twist was, the lord was kind and affectionate towards her, contrary to his reputation. Based on the acclaimed manga written by Akumi Agitogi, the series tangles relationship drama with magic and politics in an alt-universe version of early 20th-century Japan. We’ll catch up with our protagonist Miyo – with an episode dropping on Netflix every Monday – as she attempts to harness and control her extraordinary Dream-Sight powers, the likes of which belong to only one person on the planet, which is quite the responsibility, since they seem to be key in the battle against evil entities known as Grotesqueries. But she faces an even more daunting challenge at the onset of Season 2 – meeting her future in-laws rimshot!

MY HAPPY MARRIAGE — SEASON 2: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Miyo (Reina Ueda) kneels on the floor, weeping. 

The Gist: Miyo speaks in diary-style voiceover as images blur together: trees bursting with cherry blossoms, a sudden shift to autumn and then winter, an image of her betrothed, Kiyoka (Damien C. Haas), standing before her and saying, “I’m sorry. I love you.” Then she awakes. ’Twas but a dream! Over breakfast, there’s some discussion of how to decipher such dreams, and Miyo thinks to herself, “The meaning behind my dreams was something I never considered,” tipping her hand that she may not comprehend the burden of her Dream-Sight. 

Things get slightly less heavy when Mijoy, Kiyoka and his sister Hazuki (Felecia Angelle) go shopping and run into a lovely older man on the street, Tadakiyo. Quite the coincidence, considering he’s Kiyoka and Hazuki’s father. And quite the contrast, considering Tadakiyo is cheerful and friendly, in mighty contrast to Kiyoka’s sullen, chilly demeanor. Tadakiyo takes them to the countryside for a visit, and if you’re wondering what block from which Kiyoka is the chip, that would be his mother, who makes a glacier look like a sherpa throw fresh from the dryer. She gently fans herself as she insults Miya, calling her inferior and ugly and shabby, then admonishes Kiyoka for not calling enough: “Such a cold and unfeeling son you are.” His retort? “I feel no peace every time I see your face.” As they part ways, Kiyoka threatens to kill his mother. Dysfunction!

Meanwhile, as Miya is utterly terrified by the notion of sharing a bed with Kiyoka for the first time, we learn that demons and Grotesqueries have been roaming the area, which is a sign of trouble and things. (It seems you can’t have one trifling conflict without contrasting it with an existential one, eh?) Prince Takaihito (Akira Ashida) assembles with advisers to discuss the pending conflict, which will soon implicate Miyo – if she survives the mother-in-law of course, which is no guarantee. 

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? My Happy Marriage’s Cinderella story has become more akin to The Princess Diaries if Anne Hathaway had no self-confidence whatsoever. And there’s almost a Matrix-y component to Miyo’s untapped-powers arc; it seems like only a matter of time until she realizes that she knows kung-fu, so to speak.

Our Take: It’s easy to see the appeal of My Happy Marriage – it neatly weaves a bit of political intrigue and elements of chosen-one fantasy plots into the awkward-romance formula that we frequently see in anime, manga, films, TV and, well, just about any storytelling medium that exists. It’s a delicate balance, and an endearing one, as the series doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, while still making us feel a sense of consequence. Part of this series’ success, though, relies on its crisp pacing and the suspenseful slow-build to large-scale conflict and the inevitable reveal of Miyo’s very powerful abilities. 

We can sense what’s coming – the likely and long-overdue emergence of Miyo’s confidence, which earns her the respect of Kiyoto and the rest of the Kudo family. But the show is less about what story is told than how it’s told; it finds a happy tonal medium that cultivates a sense of drama while still giving space to comedy and the goofy kitsch of this romance. The animation is rich and engaging in its color and eye for detail, hewing to the hand-drawn aesthetic of traditional anime.

At least I’d like to hope Miyo’s story follows this arc. We’ve spent a season following her as she often apologizes for no reason, stares at her feet, is terrified of everything and generally makes a dormouse look like a lion. This chick needs to Find Herself, for crap’s sake. She is a desert and a droplet of self-esteem would go a long way – and this series is visually and narratively enticing enough to keep us watching to see if Miyo fulfills her apparent destiny.

Sex and Skin: None in this episode. 

Parting Shot: A closeup of Takaihito’s eyes as he gravely utters, “A calamity approaches.”

Sleeper Star: Honestly, Ueda’s squeaky, mewling vocal performance is hilarious, almost a caricature of the downtrodden-waif Cinderella archetype.

Most Pilot-y Line: “Everything rests on the Dream-Sight of Miyo,” Takaihito says, which feels like it might be the season’s thesis statement.

Our Call: Sharp writing and a compelling blend of tones makes My Happy Marriage an enjoyable, slightly goofy watch. STREAM IT.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.