#moriyama mikuri

[dilebe06]

My Top Female Characters 2022

[lightseoul]

prove it

synopsis. bakugou katsuki starts acting differently after your last conversation. you finally arrive at an agreement. (part 1) (part 2)

cw. fem!reader, worker!reader, prohero!katsuki, aged-up (~24 yrs old), lots of cussing

word count. 3.6k words

a/n. the last part of the series! thanks so much for all the love on the first two parts, everyone! i had such fun writing this <3 again, reblogs, tags, and comments will be highly appreciated!

You barely slept a wink that night.

After that exchange with Bakugou, you immediately left his office, not even bothering to greet his secretary (partly because you couldn’t bear the possibility of her overhearing), and headed straight to your desk.

A feeble attempt at going back to work was made, but you’d be lying to yourself if you said you actually got something done.

Even as you commuted your way home and got ready for bed, your brain wouldn’t stop replaying the conversation, lingering especially on his loaded confession.

He still loves you.

What now?

Sadly, just because you're marred by sleep deficit and boy problems doesn't mean you get to miss out on work. You now walk down the hallway of your floor on the way to the break room, desperate to inject some caffeine into your system to get you through the day.

And to help you focus and get your mind off of Bakugou fucking Katsuki, thank you very much.

You’re one foot into the room when it suddenly dawns on you how you consumed the last pod of your favorite brew yesterday (before all the shit went down), which means that you’re now out and caffeine-less.

Fuck.

“Well, don’t you look like shit.”

Mikuri hums from her favorite spot on the sofa, a cup of what you think is green tea in her hands.

“Thanks?” you mumble begrudgingly as you plop yourself across from her, mood growing sourer by the minute.

“What’s up with you?” she sounds amused, a brow quirked in question.

You sigh, smoothing the wrinkle on your blazer you didn’t have the energy to iron out that morning. “Am sleep-deprived and out of coffee. Not everyone can be chipper like you on this fine day, I guess.”

“No, you’re not?”

You sit up, eyes narrowing, “You mean to say I look like shit normally and not just because I didn’t get enough sleep?”

She frowns, “You know that’s not what I mean. What I meant is that no, you’re not out of coffee.”

“Look,” she gestures to the beverage area with her free hand.

Your brows shoot up in response as you take in the freshly stocked shelf.

Weird, you think to yourself.

You were normally the one to restock on that specific flavor, being the only one on your floor who is partial to it.

Unless…

You shake your head to rid yourself of the unwelcome thoughts, willing to crush the butterflies erupting in your stomach.

Mikuri doesn’t get the chance to comment on your unusual behavior because the Performance Management head of your HR team pops in through the door, a grin adorning his face.

“Good morning, boss! See you in 15.”

Yamakawa, the Recruitment head, rifles through her documents before standing up to distribute them to you and the other sub-department leads.

She goes around the room to hand you what seems to be a substantial amount of pages, “Here’s the status report on Bakugou’s new sidekick.”

“Already?” you splutter, gaining the attention of your direct subordinates. You straighten up, slightly embarrassed. “I thought they’re just starting today?”

“Yeah, well. We figured you’d want to hear it,” Yamakawa says as she gets seated and goes through her copy.

“Get this,” she continues, “he’s way more cooperative than we predicted him to be. Moriyama-san, or Water Jet Hero: Aqua Girl, is already in his office, discussing—” she glances at the report, “—battle strategies and joint training schedules as we speak.”

The others hum in acknowledgment as you sit there, still struggling to wrap your head around what was just said.

“And no one coerced him to do this?” Tanaka, the Performance Management head, pipes in. You whip to look at Yamakawa, anticipating her answer.

“Apparently, he emailed Moriyama-san yesterday himself to set the meeting.”

Delighted noises erupt across the room as you stare at the Recruitment head in disbelief.

“This is great news, right?” the Socialization head exclaims. “If we’re talking long-term, Bakugou’s workload will definitely lessen with a good sidekick around, meaning we’ll get fewer angry outbursts and a more decent-to-be-around boss!”

You know they’re making sense, and that this is supposed to be amazing news to hear as the HR department head, but you can’t help the tinge of anticipatory dread rising in your gut.

“Why don’t you seem happy?” Tanaka asks you, before turning to the others. “Hey, why isn’t Y/N happy?”

The unusual events don’t end after that.

To your surprise, Bakugou starts to attend meetings that concern him, instead of the usual—letting Kirishima do all the coordinating with you and your department. He’s even offered to help you with your analysis report on his new sidekick (quite awkwardly, at that), which you so quickly and frantically declined in front of everyone.

You suspect your subordinates are starting to deem you as weird, too.

If they only knew.

Regardless, with each passing day, you seem to be seeing more and more of him around the office, and needless to say, it’s messing with your head.

The always-stocked shelf of coffee isn’t helping either.

It’s gotten to the point where it’s starting to affect your sleep as well, with how much you overthink these sudden changes in his behavior.

In an attempt to get your mind off him and the confusing mix of hope and dread circling your stomach, you start to drown yourself in work.

Ah, your ever-trusty friend: avoidance.

You stand by the coffee machine as it does its magic, your foot tapping against the floor impatiently. You glance at the wall clock, which reads 8:01 PM.

You sigh, grabbing the freshly brewed beverage not even a second after the machine dings.

It’s been two weeks since that heated conversation with Bakugou, and one since your self-mandated oath to bury yourself with work, at least until your thoughts get a little bit less muddled and Bakugou stops acting differently.

“You’re still here?”

You startle from your absentminded stirring and look toward the source of the voice.

Speak of the devil.

Seeming as though he’s fresh from a shower, you stare at Bakugou as he stands by the doorway of the break room.

You eye the duffel bag that’s slung over his shoulder.

“You’re leaving already?”

Fuck, you think to yourself. Now you feel like a creep for knowing that Bakugou leaving two hours after his shift is considered early in his dictionary.

And now you feel stupid for answering his question with another question.

What’s gotten into you?

“Yeah,” he answers curtly, not offering much of an explanation. “What’re you doing working overtime?”

You place the mug on the marble countertop and cringe when it makes a loud, clashing noise.

You turn back to face him. “Have to work on the biannual report.” You shrug, as nonchalantly as you can, “It’s due soon.”

Bakugou grunts in acknowledgment, shifting on his feet.

“Well, thank you for your hard work,” he offers. “And for—uh—helping me choose my sidekick.”

Your stomach whirls in delight despite yourself.

You clear your throat, “Again, I was just doing my job.”

At that, he deflates ever so minutely, so you follow it up with: “But you’re welcome. I heard you’re thinking of hiring another one?”

“Yeah, just to help with the workload,” he nods. “I met him yesterday.”

“...You’re right, by the way,” Bakugou adds after a few seconds pass without you saying anything.

“Huh?”

He looks away, breaking eye contact. “I don’t like how similar we are. But he’s good.”

You have no idea how he knew you said that.

Scratch that—it was probably Kirishima.

Damn that meddler.

You clear your throat again in an attempt to change the subject and drop the conversation in its entirety.

“Well, I hope you have a good rest of your night.”

Bakugou meets your eye again, and for a moment he looks like he’s about to say something, then hesitates.

He opens his mouth ever so slightly before closing it again, eyes still fixed on you, before simply saying: “You too.”

At that, he turns on his heel and trudges towards the elevators.

Once you’re sure he’s out of sight and earshot, you bring your hand up to clutch at your heart, which is going at an alarmingly fast rate.

“Shit.”

You can’t still be in love with him?

“What?!” Mina hops on her feet, almost knocking your glass of iced tea off the table.

“Dude, you’ve got to stop doing that,” you seethe, looking around your go-to café. It’s unusually barren on a Saturday afternoon.

You look back at her, “People stare, you know. And besides, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL?!” she parrots incredulously.

“Just—” you scramble for words, “please sit back down?”

At your pleading tone, Mina finally gets seated, but her pinched eyebrows tell you she’s far from being done with the conversation.

“Fine,” she relents, “but you’ve got some explaining to do, missy.”

You sigh, “Okay. What do I have to explain to you?”

“Wha—” she starts, aghast, “I mean—first of all, why the fuck are you asking me to contact your blind date when three weeks ago, you were practically disgusted with the idea of going on one?”

“We talked,” you shift your eyes away from her. “Bakugou and I.”

Mina snorts.

“Let me guess. You realized you still love him?”

Your head whips to look at her, “Mina!”

“What?” she spits back. “Don’t use that accusatory tone on me.”

“I have the right to use this accusatory tone on you. I have a feeling a certain someone broke her promise about not saying anything about our last conversation with Bakugou.”

At that, Mina visibly cringes.

“In my defense,” she starts, voice raised, “it was only because that cemented how you’re both still into each other!”

You scoff.

“Aren’t you?” she presses, shooting you a pointed look, “Still into him?”

“I—I don’t know okay,” you raise your voice, inadvertently catching a few café-goers’ attention. You sink back into your seat in embarrassment.

“All I know is that the circumstances between us still haven’t changed. And that this shit is confusing—he’s confusing.”

You wave your hand around vaguely, “He’s been acting all weird and stuff.”

“How so?”

“Well, for starters…”

“Hmmm…”

“What do you mean, hmmm?” you ask, exasperated.

She rolls her eyes at you, “Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that he’s trying to prove you something?”

At that, your heart leaps in your throat. You push it down, though, as best as you can. Crossing your arms across your chest, you huff.

“If he thinks restocking my coffee for me is proving something, he’s got another thing coming for him.”

Mina guffaws, and you can’t help the smile that creeps on your face. Once the laughter has died down, though, she eyes you for a moment before sighing in resignation.

She picks up her phone and thumbs out something on her keyboard.

“Well, you’re in luck,” she starts, “Daichi-san is still interested in meeting you.”

You don’t know whether to be annoyed at Mina for ignoring your earlier request to cancel or be grateful for indulging you on your current one.

Not wanting to change her mind, you merely opt for mumbling a quick ‘thank you’, glancing at your phone as it dings with a message from her containing the engineer’s number.

You look around the interior of the restaurant, past the windows of the private room you’re in where a beautiful traditional garden lies, illuminated by the dim orange outdoor lighting.

You chance a peek at Daichi, who is already looking at you when your eyes meet.

Embarrassed, you look down at your ridiculously elaborate main course, finding yourself grateful that you opted for the fancier of your two dresses earlier this evening.

“So,” he breaks the silence as he pours you a glass of wine whose name you can’t even begin to pronounce. “Ashido-san told me you work at the Ground Riot agency?”

“Yes,” you smile gratefully as you bring your glass to your lips and take a sip. “I’ve been working there for a year now.”

“Must be exciting, huh?” he adds pleasantly, “working for top Pro Heroes?”

Man.

You purse your lips together, not wanting to seem stilted by the question. “It is. It can get quite hectic, though.”

He hums in agreement, “I get that.”

Daichi then proceeds to talk about the agency where he works, and normally you’d be kind enough to actively listen and throw in some follow-up questions, but your mind is now drifting towards Bakugou and your last encounter at the mention of the Pro Hero.

What did he want to say to you?

“L/N-san?”

“Huh?”

Daichi chuckles awkwardly, “I was just asking if you wanted some spice on your salmon."

Spice.

Bakugou would’ve wanted some.

Bakugou, you think to yourself.

Bakugou.

“Bakugou?”

You gape at the figure looming over your dining table.

The very man is standing there in his regular clothes that would’ve disguised his identity if it weren’t for his distinct blonde hair and hulking figure.

“What are you doing here?!”

“I need to talk to you.”

You nervously glance at your date, who seems to be starstruck by the Pro Hero in front of him.

“I’m kind of in the middle of something?” you whisper-shout.

Bakugou barely pays him any attention—gaze remaining on you. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think an unspoken ‘please’ lies at the tip of his tongue.

You shake your head in bewilderment, or in an attempt to shake off these thoughts—you don’t know.

“Don’t you have the night shift? And how’d you know I was here?”

He exhales heavily, jaw tensing.

“I had Kirishima cover for me. And…” He looks away for a brief moment, before turning back and fixing his gaze on yours. “I asked Mina, and she told me you’d be here.”

You don’t know what comes over you, but at that, you stand up on your feet and stare him down.

“You can stop now, Katsuki,” you hush, wary of your date eavesdropping on your conversation. “Quit wasting your time on me just to prove a point and go back to the agency. You’ve done enough.”

His eyebrows furrow in what you’ve grown to identify as defiance, but he doesn’t make a move to fight back or leave.

Instead, he says through gritted teeth: “I’m not just trying to prove a fucking point, Y/N.”

“Then what are—”

“Excuse me?”

You both whip your heads in the direction of the voice, only to see Daichi sporting a sheepish look on his face as his eyes dart between the two of you.

A pang of guilt courses through you at the sight.

He clears his throat, “Do you guys need a minute alone?”

“No, we’re just—”

“Yes.”

You turn back to look at Bakugou in angry confusion. To your astoundment, he leans in ever slightly, mouth nearing your ear. From how close you are, you see how his Adam’s apple bobs as he gulps before speaking.

His voice is barely above a whisper when he says: “I can’t pretend that this isn’t bothering me.”

You jerk away at the sensation and take a step back, flustered. Before you can even gather your bearing, Daichi speaks up again, albeit quite hesitantly.

“I know I’m supposed to be the one leaving here, but if you want some privacy, this restaurant has a private patio right to your left.”

“I can’t believe you interrupted us like that,” you spew as you step out into the restaurant’s patio, which is fortunately empty except for the two of you.

Bakugou follows behind you, trying to catch up as you speak.

“I just needed to talk to you.”

At that, you spin around to face him, and he halts in his step in front of you.

Incredulous, you stare at him for a few seconds.

“Talk,” you finally command.

His eyes widen in surprise, and you can tell he didn’t expect this conversation to arrive at this point so soon.

A moment passes, but not a single word is uttered. Bakugou’s mouth opens and closes, opens and closes, as he attempts to get a word out but to no avail.

“What, now you don’t have anything to say?” you ask pointedly, irritation bubbling in you by the second.

You wait for a few more, excruciatingly quiet seconds before huffing in defeat. And disappointment—you finally admit to yourself.

“If you’ll excuse me,” you turn on your heel, “I have a poor date to return to.”

You start to head for the restaurant’s back door when Bakugou makes a grab for your hand, spinning you around to face him.

“Just—wait.”

His voice is pleading now, frustration and desperation evident in his tone. You’re itching to yank your hand back, which is getting alarmingly clammier by the second, but you fight the urge.

The pained look on Bakugou’s face is enough to freeze you solid.

This time around, you patiently wait for him to gather his words with his hand still wrapped around yours and your heart betraying you, beating at an abnormally fast pace.

What feels like an hour goes by before he finally manages to speak.

And what comes out of his mouth throws you right off.

“I strengthened our coordination with the other agencies around the district.”

“...What?”

You absentmindedly touch your face with your free hand.

You can’t be having a stroke right now.

Bakugou shifts on his feet, a nervous tic you’ve noticed developed over the years.

Okay, if you’re coherent enough to observe that, maybe you’re not having a stroke.

“I mean—” he scratches the back of his neck with his free hand. “—Shitty Hair and I, we clarified jurisdictions around the area so that the two of us won’t be the go-to contact every time there’s a villain around.”

“I’m still not following, Katsuki.”

He ignores your comment, choosing to continue on his tangent instead.

“And I started seeing my therapist again. That damned hag went on telling me she was glad I’m getting help again like she was my mother.”

You blink at him as the gears start turning in your head.

Jurisdiction.

Less overtime.

More sidekicks.

Therapy.

Communication.

Suddenly, everything clicks.

“Maybe I am trying to prove a point,” Bakugou mumbles, more to himself than you.

“But it’s not just that,” he continues, looking back at you and not letting you get a word in.

“I’m here to tell you that I can’t promise that I’ll be perfect. Despite all the adjustments I’ve made, there are still gonna be days when I have no choice but to prioritize my duties as a hero over you.”

He looks down at your joint hands and squeezes, “Over us.”

“But I’m trying my best,” he declares with such certainty it knocks the wind off your lungs. “And I’ll keep doing so, if you’ll give me a chance to prove to you that I can do it.”

A million questions race through your mind. Why couldn’t he have done this for you the first time around? How is this time going to be any different? Are the changes going to be enough?

But he’s staring at you with such longing and hope and determination that the only thing you can think of is: How can you not?

Dizzy from the revelation and robbed of all words, all you can do is nod in affirmation as the tears you didn’t even notice were there start falling down your cheek.

A sigh of relief wracks Bakugou’s body as he scoops you in his arms, engulfing you in an embrace that has you sobbing even more on his shoulder.

The wet sensation spreading on your bare shoulders tells you he’s crying, too.

After what feels like an eternity of shedding tears and being wrapped in each other’s arms, Bakugou finally moves to unwrap his limbs around you, now holding you at an arm’s length.

Now not in spite of yourself, your hand shoots up to wipe off the tear streaks on his face, which he leans into.

“I’m sorry, by the way,” he whispers after a moment.

Your hand freezes in its track. “For what?”

“For not being able to immediately answer back when you asked me if you loving me changed anything.”

He looks down at his feet, uncertain. “I think—I just—” he stutters, “Fuck.”

You can’t help but chuckle in response, and he looks up at your face at the sound. He’s trying to playfully pout, but you can tell by the look on his face that he’s feeling the farthest from playful.

Flashing him what you hope is a reassuring smile, you reach for the hand on your shoulder and squeeze it. “Go on, Katsuki.”

He sighs for the nth time at your coaxing, the slightest bit of relief flashing across his features.

“At that moment,” he finally continues, voice raspy, “I guess I was just scared shitless. I was paralyzed with doubt—in myself, in my capability to not mess up the second time around.”

He huffs, eyeing you, “Didn’t occur to me how stupid that was until I was walking home later that night.”

You’re about to reassure him when he snorts. “The fuck am I saying—I’m still scared.”

At that, you audibly laugh, running your fingers through his hair in an attempt to soothe him. He visibly softens at the gesture, lids fluttering shut for a moment. When he opens them, you then look him straight in the eye—the laughter long gone, now replaced with a palpable seriousness.

“I’m scared, too,” you say, voice quiet. “But we’ll try and make things work. Right, Katsuki?”

He nods vigorously, hand clenching yours and his crimson orbs filled with nothing but sincerity that all the apprehensions floating in your mind suddenly disappear.

“We will.”

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[whenthegoldrays]

I relate to Moriyama Mikuri because if I had a cute, shy boss who showed genuine appreciation for my work and said he wished I could keep working for him, I too would just propose marriage to him

[engshoujosei]

The Full-Time Wife Escapist

11 volumes (digital only as of 5/12/2023)

Licensed by Kodansha, also on Azuki and INKR Comics

25-year-old Moriyama Mikuri has an advanced degree, but has had no luck finding a permanent position. She's been living with her parents and doing temp work, and her latest job is doing housework for a single salaryman, Tsuzaki. Mikuri longs to start a career in her field, and her Aunt Yuri, who has had success in her professional life and who regrets never marrying, also wants Mikuri to find love. When Mikuri learns that her parents are planning to move to the country, she realizes her time is running out. She still has had no luck starting her career, so it seems she will have no option but to move to the country with her parents. She finds another option in moving in with Tsuzaki, who doesn't want to lose his housekeeper. To deal with the scandal of their living together, they get married--though just on paper. Now Mikuri starts her unusual new life, as a woman looking to start her career and as a new "wife". Note: Won the 39th Kodansha Manga Award for the shoujo category in 2015.

Status in Country of Origin

11 Volumes + Guidebook (Complete)

Tags:

Adapted to Live Action

Alternating POV

Award-Winning Work

Awkward Male Lead

Blunt Male Lead

Boss-Subordinate Relationship

Cheerful Female Lead

Cold Male Lead

Contract Marriage

Daydreamer

Emotionally Confused

Emotionally Strong Female Lead

Expressionless Male Lead

Hard-Working Protagonist

Housewife

Impulsive Female Lead

Insecurity

Introspection

Jealousy

Job Hunting

LGBT Character in Non-Yaoi/Yuri Manga

Love Triangle/s

Low Self-Esteem

Marriage of Convenience

Misunderstanding/s

Older Female Younger Male

Older Male Younger Female

Passive Male Lead

Pragmatic Character/s

Pretend Lovers

Relationship of Convenience

Restrained Love

Salaryman

Sexual Tension

Shy Male Lead

Slow Romance

Social Commentary

Straightforward Female Lead

Unexpected Feelings

Virgin/s

[flicksnfilms]

The Full-time Wife Escapist: 1st Season (2016)

Plot premise:  Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu 25-year-old Moriyama Mikuri graduated but had no job offers. She became a temporary employee but was even laid off. So while she is taking a break right now, Mikuri feels unwanted and displaced. She starts work as a housekeeper for bachelor Tsuzaki Hiramasa by chance. One day, he proposes a contract marriage to her. The two of them get married in secret, but will their married life work out?

Network: TBS Episodes (and episode length): 11 (44-58 mins) Creator: Nogi Akiko (screenwriter), Umino Tsunami (manga) Cast: Aragaki Yui, Hoshino Gen, Otani Ryohei, Furuta Arata, Fujii Takashi, Ishida Yuriko, Mano Erina, Narita Ryo, Yamaga Kotoko IMDB | RottenTomatoes

± Absolutely filled with tropes and the problems are ridiculous, which is -thankfully- played for comedy rather than for drama (i hate when conflict is driven by just not letting someone say their piece). The difficulties in communication is directly addressed as functions of Japanese culture and makes a lot of sense in those lights. The season further develops into more heartwarming relationships between all the different parties. Very entertaining. ^_^

[mixisub]

Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (2016)

Watch Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (2016) Full EngSub online free Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (2016) - 逃げるは恥だが役に立つ ; We Married as a Job , The Full-Time Wife Escapist , Running away is shameful, but useful , Nigehaji, 25-year-old Moriyama Mikuri graduated but had no job offers. She became a temporary employee but was even laid off. So while she is taking a break right now, Mikuri feels unwanted and displaced. She starts work as a housekeeper for bachelor Tsuzaki Hiramasa by chance. One day, he proposes a contract marriage to her. The two of them get married in secret, but will their married life work out? -- watch now click on the link below -- Read the full article

[kanjikiwi]

Bebs, let me recommend you a thing. 逃げるは恥だが役に立つ or にげるははじだがやくにたつ (We married as a job) The fact that I went and made some fanart should prove something. That I am a gigantic nerd.

Like me, I bet your passive learning avenues are well utilised. Anime, J-dramas, Japanese music… all lovingly gorged upon as we seek to fortify the Japanese language framework we’ve already developed.

This show is perfect for just that. The dialogue is simply structured yet peppered with fun vocab. Following along at pace, I was able to get the gist of what was being said more often than not.

The story itself is totally rad. You may find yourself tilting your head at first, but fear not, the entire concept ends up being quite progressive. Every character will manage to delight you.

Disclaimer: you WILL disregard all sense of pride and learn the 恋 dance. You WILL learn the lyrics in fluent Japanese and proceed to sing it mindlessly in public. This is normal.

Because it’s impossible to legally supply you with the subbed ending theme for language learning purposes, I offer you this Goosehouse cover (who you should also check out) and encourage you to look into WMaaJ yourself >

[too-many-art]

久しぶり！ Japanese television gesture drawing for the soul <3

[redsamuraiii]

Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (Ep 2)

Kazami Ryota (Otani Ryohei) doesn’t want to get married as he cherish his “me” time since privacy is something he gets so little off, working long hours everyday and has difficulty finding a partner who is not clingy.

Moriyama Mikuri (Aragaki Yui) is recently married and has a unique relationship with her husband who respects her “me” time when necessary in exchange that she will respect his own time as well when needed.

They each believe in quality time over quantity time spend with each other, as they know each of them has a hobby or interest they wish to pursue in their free time and will not let their relationship get in the way.

[recentanimenews]

SPY x FAMILY's Yor Ranks in Top 5 of BookLive's Most Desirable Mother/Wife Character Poll

  In the lead-up to Mother's Day yesterday, Japanese e-book store BookLive revealed the results of its "Most Desirable Mother/Wife" character ranking, which polled 5,130 manga readers in Japan. The poll received both classic and contemporary answers, and the top five that were revealed were as such:

  1. Fune Isono from Sazae-san

2. Mikuri Moriyama from The Full-Time Wife Escapist

3. Misae Nohara from Crayon Shin-chan

4. Bellemere from One Piece

5. Yor Forger from SPY x FAMILY

  Participants' reasoning for answers varied, ranging from which mother/wife character would be the most kind and protective to who they most wanted to have relations with.

    RELATED: FEATURE: Celebrate Mother's Day With 9 Of The Greatest Moms In Anime!

    BookLive also polled which manga the participants would recommend to mothers worldwide, only revealing the top three:

  1. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

2. Case Closed

3. March comes in like a lion

  Source: PR Times

    Der shy man behind @Shymander, Liam is a timezone-fluid Aussie with a distinct fondness for anime, Eurovision and creating odd stats projects despite hating math.

By: Liam Dempsey

[morebedsidebooks]

Japanese Comics of the 2010s Part 2

Continuing my retrospective on Japanese comics during the 2010s, to go back a smidgen further Shojo Beat Magazine had its last issue in July 2009. However, the label itself has soldiered on (next year marking the 15th anniversary) and still publishes many volumes of manga each month for an audience from teens to adults. Admittedly I’ve had my ups and down with the imprint over the years and my purchases over time are fewer than before. However, VIZ Media also brings such titles out occasionally in its general or signature line as well. I’ve previously reviewed the ongoing Shakespearean inspired Requiem of the Rose King (VIZ) by Aya Kanno. Bloody Mary (Shojo Beat) by Akaza Samamiya, a slightly odd vampire series is also another more recent title that made my shelf since I enjoy different and quirky takes on one of the most popular creatures of folklore.

Though in English Shojo Beat is still without a doubt the iconic brand of Japanese comics aimed at girls and women, I’ve got titles from five more publishers on this 2010s list too…

  The Angel of Elhamburg

Just as gorgeous and melancholic as previous titles by Aki, The Angel of Elhamburg is about the long-term relationship between two friends, one who will rise to become King aided by the other and the presence of a reappearing angel at the castle. The English edition by Yen Press is particularly attractive in hardcover with colour inserts.

  No. 6

No. 6, a novel series by Atsuko Asano which began in 2003 published by Kodansha, in 2011 also saw an animated adaptation and with artist Hinoki Kino a nine-volume comic adaptation. A sci-fi story set in a utopian country (or is it dystopian?) with action, thrills, tragedy and queer characters is a fine example of genre fiction. With stronger and growing English light novel market in recent years, here’s hoping the original source material will also make its way over in the future.

  The Prince in His Dark Days

A gender bender variation on The Prince and the Pauper this is one series that if you’re unfamiliar with artist Hico Yamanaka can unexpectedly carry a punch.  Or maybe if you’re having some dark days yourself this is a comic that will speak to you. In English from Kodansha Comics USA.

  Orange

Something of a sensation with an animated adaptation as well, Orange by Ichigo Takano is a title still on my TBR list. I could use the excuse the series hasn’t exactly ended with a seventh volume in the works. But I also know its subject matter around the suicide of a classmate and the effects to a group of friends isn’t going to be an easy read. Also, because it’s a story that shows some of the very powerful capacity of fiction. Exploring what is impossible, trying to change the past. Available in English from Seven Seas.

  The Full-Time Wife Escapist

Mikuri Moriyama is a young adult out of college with a good degree, yet struggles to be employed. When she ends up working as a housekeeper it’s the start of a surprising relationship. This 11-volume series with a large cast of adult characters in different phases of their lives has also been adapted to a live-action drama. A title that is part of the digital-first initiative by Kodansha Comics USA, it’s unfortunate The Full-Time Wife Escapist may be one series that is overlooked.

  Stories from 311

Unfortunately, the decade also saw a disaster like the March 11, 2011 Great Tôhoku Earthquake. Many creators responded in the aftermath, one example Stories from 311. This two-volume charity anthology with 10 artists contributing short comics is digital-only in English available on Bookwalker Global.

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card

Of the many titles the team of CLAMP have developed over the years their mid-90s to 2000s magical girl series Cardcaptor Sakura might be counted as one of the few that fans could recommend for a story with decent length but, also actually having an ending. An exploration of different forms of love and relationships it holds a lot of nostalgia for me as I’m sure others. However, return to it all these years later they have with these characters a little older, and the cards too once again changing. Available in English from Kodansha Comics USA.

  She and Her Cat

With so many stories making a jump to the screen, here is one that came from screen to page. A year in the life of a woman and her adopted cat. Simple yet profound artist Tsubasa Yamaguchi does beautiful justice to this story by Makoto Shinkai. Available in English from Vertical Comics.

[wynnn]

tag

Name 10 favorite characters from 10 different things, then tag 10 people

Taken from @malignedaffairs​ (thanks bb)

Uchiha Sasuke from Naruto

Rin from Blade of The Immortal

Kenzo Tenma from Monster

Suoh Tamaki from Ouran Koukou Host Club

Tsukasa Domyoji from Hana Yori Dango

Sohma Yuki from Fruits Basket

Moriyama Mikuri from Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu

Sakuragi Hanamichi from Slam Dunk

Hiruma from Eyeshield21

Ukitake from Bleach

Tagging...whoever wants to do this :3

[spyxfan]

Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu

Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu

From MangaHelpers: 25-year-old Moriyama Mikuri has an advanced degree, but has had no luck finding a permanent position. She’s been living with her parents and doing temp work, and her latest job is doing housework for a single salaryman, Tsuzaki. Mikuri longs to start a career in her field, and her Aunt Yuri, who has had success in her professional life and who regrets never marrying, also wants…

[vivianstravelblog]

Asian Drama Review: Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (The Full-Time Wife Escapist)

Asian Drama Review: Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (The Full-Time Wife Escapist)

~ Warning! Minor Spoilers! Japanese Drama Review: “Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu aka The Full-Time Wife Escapist” (逃げるは恥だが役に立つ) 2016 ~

SYNOPSIS [ASIANWIKI]

Mikuri Moriyama is 25 years old. She doesn’t have a boyfriend and doesn’t have a job even though she holds a graduate degree. Every day, Mikuri Moriyama has a feeling that she is not needed. Her father, unable to see her suffering…

[traxlation]

Biz-Journal article on NigeHaji and non-romantic marriages

Who Knew “Contract Marriage” Couples Had It So Good? No need to fit the other’s lifestyle and no stress

Author: Fujino Yuri / Seidansha

[Caption: Aragaki Yui]

Starring Aragaki Yui, the drama “Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu” (“Running Away is Embarrassing But Useful”)1 (TBS) continues to rise in popularity and attention as it sets viewership records such as capturing 16.9% of viewers with its ninth episode on December 6th (Kanto region, Video Research Ltd.).

The most common topics have been how cute2 Aragaki is, and the “Love Dance” included in the outro to the song “Love”, sung by lead Hoshino Gen and danced by cast members.

“NigeHaji” is the story of Moriyama Mikuri (played by Aragaki), a woman who, despite her high grades, failed to find a full-time position and was then cut from her temp position; and Tsuzaki Hiramasa (played by Hoshino), a software engineer with no experience in relationships--the two of whom decide to get married “as a work relationship”, and begin living under the same roof without ever having gone on a single date. Of course they sleep separately, and as of the end of the ninth episode, they are not in a sexual relationship.

Japan is currently full of men and women in their 20s and 30s who have never gone on a date, let alone get married. According to results from the National Fertility Survey, conducted by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research and released in September of 2016, about 70% of unmarried men between 18 and 35 years of age “have never dated anyone”, and the number has risen to about 60% for unmarried women in that age group.

Even if they want to get married, they’re in a situation where they aren’t even finding anyone who’s interested. Under this shadow, men and women who have ditched the idea of “marriage for which love is a prerequisite” and gone with something more along the lines of “NigeHaji”’s “marriage as an extension of communal living”.

No Sex, Meals Separate--But They’re Happy

“Until now, marriage has been thought of as something that comes from a process of romance and dating. But there are many cases recently where men and women get married after hitting it off with someone they can see as a ‘roommate’. I call these kinds of marriages revolving around communal living ‘communal marriages’3.”

So says Kameyama Sanae, an author with a number of books on love and marriage issues under her belt. Ms. Kameyama says that in recent years, the number of chances she’s had to hear from men and women who are happily cohabiting and marrying without having romantic feelings for each other has increased.

The question that often comes up is: Even if no feelings of love exist at first, can men and women can live under the same roof without developing such feelings for each other? In “NigeHaji” too, the main plot thread revolves around the heroine Mikuri’s development of feelings toward Hiramasa, her “contract marriage” employer.

But Ms. Kameyama says that “couples4 in communal marriages aren’t really aware of their partner as the opposite sex, whether they’re male or female”.

“So both before and after getting married they don’t have sex, and of course their rooms and beds are separate too. There’s not a sense of assigned roles like ‘the man goes out and works’ and ‘the woman stays in and does housework’. Many couples in communal marriages don’t feel the need to match the other’s schedule, so meals are usually separate too. They might go out to eat together once every six months.”

It’s a strange marriage where a couple’s lives and time are completely independent of each other. But surprisingly, instead of marital relations breaking down, couples in communal marriages maintain for many years the same type of relationship they had at the start, and are able to get along with each other’s families.

“They see the other’s family on holidays and send ‘happy birthday’ texts on LINE. It’s because they have some distance that they don’t forget their feelings of gratitude to each other. To those around them, they look like a normal happy couple,” says Ms. Kameyama.

What About Kids?

But in an age where it’s difficult to find someone you want to marry, is it that meaningful or beneficial to marry someone you have no romantic feelings for? On that point, Ms. Kameyama says, “Because they aren’t harboring any ideals or dreams about marriage or the person they marry, they don’t develop disappointment in the gap between their ideals and reality.”

Indeed, for those unmarried men and women in the 20-40 age range, what gives them the most trouble is pressure from family and others around them--”Aren’t you going to get married?”, so a communal marriage, which at least quacks like a marriage, can give their parents some peace of mind.

“The primary benefit of a communal marriage is to be able to freely live the life you want to. You don’t have to worry about your spouse’s living style or when they eat or sleep, so there’s less stress. You don’t have to quit work, and you’re able to live the life you had when you lived alone, while still being able to reach out for help when you have problems. Your spouse doesn’t get over-involved in your life. There’s a sense of someone else being there, but on the other side of the wall.”

Certainly traditional marriage has the image of “taking away your private time”. In a survey of 500 people who were either married or cohabiting carried out by MyNavi Renting in June-July 2012, over 80% of respondents answered “Yes” to the question “Do you want more alone time?”.

When asking unmarried men and women for their reasons for remaining unmarried, many are likely to give reasons such as “I still want to be free”, “I want to use my money on myself”, “I want to keep working”, or “I don’t want to be tied down by family”. One can consider communal marriages as a new form of marriage that removes these sources of dissatisfaction.

But while spouses can protect each other’s freedom, it’s not as though communal marriages have no downsides. The conspicuous example is children. With no romantic feelings for or sexual relations with each other, as long as the couple doesn’t take the routes of sperm donation or artificial insemination, no children will result from a communal marriage.

“But among those who choose communal marriages, there are many who ‘don’t like sex that much’ or ‘don’t want children’. For those kinds of people, not having children isn’t that big of a problem.”

Will Communal Marriages and “NigeHaji” Couples Keep Increasing?

When looking at the increase in marriages that cut out the process of finding love and are “based on an extension of communal living”, one must take into consideration the fact that there are many people who have had bad experiences dating or are tired of their partner interfering with and constraining them. There are also the type of people who need to keep a certain distance from others to be able to live with them.

For them, a non-romantic marriage where partners don’t interfere with each other and can live at their own pace will work fine. If they don’t have any expectations of their partner, they won’t run the risk of getting hurt and failing in their romantic endeavors.

“By nature, the people who choose communal marriages include many who will do work and housework and anything else that comes up by themselves,” says Ms. Kameyama. “This is the type who are independent and have the mindset of ‘I can do it myself’ and therefore pull away from marriage. But as a result of the Tohoku quake or other factors, those kinds of people have started to think, ‘maybe I’d feel safer living with someone else instead of by myself’, or ‘if I get married, the people around me will stop worrying about that, and my life might get less stressful’.”

In short, dating is a pain, but I want to be with someone. When two people with that mindset get together, the result is new forms of marriage like communal marriages.

“Marriage isn’t a ‘must’. If the situation is fine for the people living together, that’s all that’s needed. There’s a large possibility that communal marriages will continue to increase going forward.”

Of course, cases like that between “NigeHaji”’s Mikuri and Hiramasa, in which couples who haven’t known each other well start to live together as part of a contract marriage, then later develop romantic feelings for each other, are also likely to arise.

As the difficulties in dating and finding love rise, the shapes marriage takes will diversify. Perhaps communal marriages or couples like the one in “NigeHaji” will simply continue to spread.

出典: Biz-Journal.jp

(Page 1 of 3) 1123字 > 578 words

(All pages) 3046字 > 1530 words

Footnotes: 1I reject the official translation and substitute my own. 2Without more context I’m not sure how else to translate “kawaii” for an English-speaking-but-not-necessarily-familiar-with-Japanese-culture audience. Pretty? Charming? Lovable? 3Wonder if something like "cohabiting marriages" would be better and sound less like free love.... 4Author uses 夫婦 (“couple, husband and wife”) throughout the article--I know same-sex marriage isn’t legal in Japan yet, but the article generally assumes marriage is between a man and a woman.

P.S. @ this website...why have a page break in the middle of a section...

P.P.S. I have concerns about how superscript is actually working on my blog so if that's ugly, my apologies....

[animefagos]

El manga Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu finalizará en febrero

New Post has been published on https://www.animefagos.com/2020/01/23/el-manga-nigeru-wa-haji-da-ga-yaku-ni-tatsu-finalizara-en-febrero/

El manga Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu finalizará en febrero

El número de marzo de la revista Kiss (Kodansha) ha anunciado que Tsunami Umino finalizará su manga Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu en el número de abril de la revista, a la venta el 25 de febrero. La historia gira en torno a Mikuri Moriyama, una chica soltera de 25 años que…