My Happy Marriage – Season 1 Episode 3 Recap & Review

Our First Date

Episode 3 of My Happy Marriage begins with Kiyotaka requesting Miyo to accompany him on a trip through town this weekend. Although she’s hesitant to go, Kiyotaka urges her to abandon her duties for the time being.

The weekend arrives. Yurie helps Miyo prepare for her first date with Kiyotaka. Kiyotaka and Miyo visit Kiyotaka’s workplace first to park his car. We learn his Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit’s comrade from episode two’s name is Godo. After sending Godo away for being annoying toward him and Miyo, Kiyotaka takes Miyo shopping in town. He reminds Miyo to act normal and not to think of herself as an inconvenience.

We cut to Mr. Tatsuishi speaking with Shinji about his decision to give Miyo to the Kudo family since he asked him to let her marry his eldest son. Shinji says he received an offer from the Kudo family and didn’t want to refuse them. Mr. Tatsuishi argues Miyo’s from the Usuba family, like her mother, and could bear children who inherit supernatural abilities despite not having any herself. Mr. Tatsuishi reminds Shinji that her family’s powers are exceptional. Allowing the Kudo family to become stronger would put their positions in danger. Shinji says when Kiyotaka realizes Miyo doesn’t have powers, he’ll likely want to get rid of her. He says Mr. Tatsuishi can bring her into his family if that happens.

Shinji admits the Saimori family won’t get involved with Miyo anymore since they’ve abandoned her. He outright says he doesn’t care if she lives or dies. Mr. Tatsuishi vows to bring Miyo into his family. At the same time, one of the Saimori family’s workers informs Kaya about Shinji’s discussion about Miyo with Mr. Tatsuishi. Kaya’s annoyed that he’s talking about Miyo as Koji asks her if he’d like to go shopping with her. Kaya complies, despite knowing Koji still has feelings for Miyo.

Kiyotaka and Miyo visit Suzushimaya Kimono Shop and says his family’s been their most loyal customers. One of the workers pulls Kiyotaka aside so he can retrieve some fabric he ordered. She teases him for bringing a female with him since he rarely does. While that’s happening, he recalls Yurie telling him how Miyo mends her own clothes. He can’t escape the thought of Miyo wearing worn-out clothes despite airing from a prominent family. A new piece of fabric catches Kiyotaka’s attention, so he asks the worker to make a kimono for Miyo. She hands Kiyotaka the things he ordered but pleads with him not to let Miyo go.

The two visit a sweet shop next, and Kiyotaka asks Miyo if she could smile more. He reminds Miyo they are supposed to get married if all goes well, so he reminds Miyo it’s okay for her to speak her mind. Miyo wonders what Kiyotaka will think of her when he discovers she doesn’t have powers. Miyo hopes this happiness she’s feeling with Kiyotaka can last longer until the time comes to tell him. They return home, and Kiyotaka places the gift he got for Miyo at the Suzushimaya hop in front of her room while she’s bathing. Miyo realizes it’s a comb and rushes to ask Kiyotaka if he put it there.

In a flashback, we learn that presenting women with a comb is a marriage proposal, according to Yurie. However, Kiyotaka says it doesn’t mean anything as he just wanted to get Miyo something. Miyo thanks Kiyotaka for the gift and promises to treasure it. Next, we arrive at the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit HQ, where someone presents Kiyotaka with intel about the Saimori family. We learn Shinichi’s family arranged for him to get married to Miyo’s mother Sumi Saimori. The man confirms Miyo doesn’t have supernatural abilities–unlike her stepsister Kaya. Furthermore, he reveals Sumi airs from the Usuba family, shocking Kiyotaka. Apparently, this family is rare, considering they have the power to interfere with humans.

The investigator doesn’t know how she entered the Saimori family. As he questions why he’s not acting like himself, a group of Shiki-gami attacks him. Kiyotaka defeats the group with his powers. The episode closes with him wondering who sent them to spy on him.

The Episode Review

My Happy Marriage continues swinging and landing fabulous chapters for audiences to enjoy. This episode has Miyo spending more time with Kiyotaka and gives us more of a glimpse of the town and its offerings. Although it would’ve been nice to spend more time with our characters enjoying themselves, what we received was sufficient enough to help us grow attached to their characters. 

This chapter also sheds light on the debacle between Mr. Tatsuishi and Shinichi. It shows how Mr. Tatsuishi craves the power Miyo’s mother’s side of the family possesses and how much of a terrible father Shinichi is. Many will despise him for the harsh words he shared about Miyo and for lacking any regret for abandoning her. It’ll make you question what was the “offer” he couldn’t refuse. 

Nevertheless, we can assume Mr. Tatsuishi had someone send the Shiki-gami to spy on Kiyotaka at the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit HQ. It’d make sense given his motive to prevent the Kudo family from achieving the Usuba family’s treasured abilities. Overall, this was another fantastic episode that gives viewers a balance of delightful romance, slight action, and intrigue. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for this anime.