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5 days ago
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Shojo fans have been spoiled with romance anime that are typically more flamboyant with how the characters express their feelings. My Happy Marriage broke that formula with a much more subtle, slow-burn type romance between two unlikely people, Kiyoka Kudou and Miyo Saimori.
The arranged marriage trope isn’t new in anime romance, but the way the two fell in love is anything but typical. Kiyoka Kudou was initially reserved and had a reputation for being “ruthless.” However, he eventually opens up to Miyo and develops genuine feelings for her, which is where fans get rather confused.
Kiyoka Kudou from My Happy Marriage. [Credit: Kinema Citrus]If you pay attention to the events of My Happy Marriage, it’s fairly obvious why and how he fell for Miyo. It’s not because of physical attraction or anything superficial but the two communicated and got to know each other better as the series continued. She was everything he was hoping for.
Why Kiyoka Kudou slowly but surely fell in love with Miyo Saimori
Miyo and Kiyoka from My Happy Marriage. [Credit: Kinema Citrus]The lead couple of My Happy Marriage never imagined finding one another. Miyo Saimori was abused her entire life by her own family and just wanted to escape them. She accepted the arranged marriage for that reason, despite Kiyoka’s reputation for being “ruthless.” However, she was surprised to find out the opposite about him.
Kiyoka, on the other hand, had several marriage proposals before her. Seeing his mother’s behavior with their wealth, he never wished to have a marriage like that. The previous potential wives failed because they were after Kiyoka’s money and fame rather than him and his personality.
With Miyo, he expected the same. He was pleasantly surprised, however, to find she was nothing like that. She was more than content staying in a smaller estate, despite his ability to move into the main, bigger estate. She was grateful for simple gifts and never complained about anything nor demanded materialistic things.
Gifting the comb was the moment he fell in love with her but even before that, his affection for her was slowly blooming. He was the one person who truly noticed her and acted towards making her feel better. While it seems like pity was the reason he fell for her, Miyo also healed his loneliness.
How Kiyoka shows his affection towards Miyo in My Happy Marriage
Miyo and Kiyoka from My Happy Marriage. [Credit: Kinema Citrus]The commanding officer can be strict and ruthless if he wishes but he’s also surprisingly communicative with Miyo who struggled with it at first. Together, they healed each other and his initial pity for her grew into genuine love.
Kiyoka’s power was used in many ways and he was more than comfortable using it for her benefit. He makes the Saimori Family apologize to Miyo before he ever pays any price for their marriage contract. He even hires her former servant who was close to her to boost her confidence.
In a touching gesture, he also buys her some expensive clothes when he notices her tattered ones. She slowly got back her confidence, thanks to Kiyoka’s efforts. Love should be about uplifting each other and Miyo’s growth was proof that the commanding officer was genuine about his affection.
My Happy Marriage is available on Netflix.
Bengali (BD) · 
English (US) ·