iHateAnimeBro

The synopsis of "More than a married couple, but not lovers" suggests that this show probably won't be anything deep, but rather light, enjoyable, relaxing rom-com. For real - how can so ridiculous concepts like "marriage practical" be treated seriously? This premise, however, seems to be pretty original, comparing it to other similar shows. The closest matches are probably Nisekoi and Koi to Uso (forced marriage/pairing), but none of these shows treated this theme in this type of way. [Story - 7] I appreciate the original take when it comes to marriage practical theme. Even if it seems funny, or even stupid in the synopsis, it workspretty well in the show at the end. It allows the anime to take the path, many rom-com viewers are seeking - "enemies to lovers". The show isn't boring at all, even after a few episodes, which is pretty common for this type of anime. Each episode consists of something either funny or exciting for the viewer. It's really enjoyable. As far as I like the whole concept of the show, I also dislike it at the same level. This approach to the story makes the relationship between characters a bit meaningless and forced. Let's be real - Jirou and Akari pairing is pretty exotic, and most likely would have really low chances, without this forced pairing. I much more like the shows, where the relationship goes naturally. There are also a lot of lewd scenes, and in some moments, the show looks like Ecchi. There are also unbearable for me, ambiguous scenes, between Shiori and Jirou. These are not only cringe-worthy but also really tiring to watch - especially when it is repeatable (holidays - beach and restaurant scenes). The chemistry between many characters is weird and forced at times. That seems to be a positive thing in some ways, to show the character development in later episodes. [Art - 7] The colours in the show are vivid, bright, and really saturated, making the atmosphere nicer, and the show more interesting. Most of the time colours are matched correctly, and the art looks really good. In some scenes, the hue is really aggressive, and it may appear oversaturated, which causes the opposite effect from the planned. [Sound - 8] Not much to mention there. Music doesn't play a major role in this show. The opening is just okay. Ending on the other hand is a masterpiece. I loved it from the first time I heard it! [Characters - 6] The characters are really generic. The first episode and the viewer can already think "I saw that somewhere already". And obviously, those characters are widely copied in many anime, but the first suggestion that comes to head? Nisekoi. The main character is madly in love with his childhood friend. He starts to spend much more time with the main heroine, that is totally not his type. As they know each other better, it seems they are clicking quite well. MC starts to realize his feelings for the main heroine. Nothing new. MC is surprisingly not bad, and in some ways likable. It's still far from the really good male MCs, but I didn't feel the cringe, by looking at his actions. It's a good exception from the usual boring, useless rom-com MC. Side characters? Zero development, zero significance to the story. Basically, everyone besides Akari, Shiori, and Jirou "is just there" and that's it. Their personality is almost non-existent. The only side character viewers are about to know a bit better is Tenjin, and it's still really a surface knowledge level (and maybe that is better?) [Enjoyment - 9] I won't lie, this show is one of those I really enjoyed while watching it. I'm aware of its flaws. And I agree it's nothing special. But I still really liked it. Even if it has some elements suggesting it's a generic rom-com, I find the whole show idea pretty innovative. It was something I didn't experience before when it comes to anime. I had a lot of laughs, smiles, and excitement throughout those 12 episodes. I even picked up the manga, as I was curious about what will happen next. "More than a married couple, but not lovers" is doing a lot of things wrong, as long as the brightening up my day, can be counted as a wrong thing. Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman. isn't a masterpiece. But it also not trying to be one. It's a lighthearted romance, with a good dose of comedy, and a pretty original idea for a storyline. The show isn't for everyone for sure. However, if you're looking for a decent rom-com, with a fair amount of lewdness, a great amount of laughter, and some cute moments, look no further. "More than a married couple, but not lovers" anime gets more than I was expecting, before starting this show - 8/10.

KANLen09

What is trash? Is it a dumpster fire, or something that absolutely is worth its name upon that symbolizes something else? In AniManga, we have seen our fair share of trash, or even dumpster fire shows over the years promising something different but with the outcome already written on the wall, and Jim George's quote of "It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish!" rings true for all works. This is especially important for works that people have waited eons to get an anime adaptation, and for me, that show is mangaka Yuuki Kanamari's Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman. a.k.a More Than a MarriedCouple, But Not Lovers. Rom-coms are gotten quite stale over time with the advent of works that pave the way for influences, say in the late 2000s and early 2010s with shows like Toradora! and Nisekoi that are still beloved classics to this day. It's only in recent years with shows like Koi to Uso a.k.a Love and Lies, Kanojo mo Kanojo a.k.a Girlfriend, Girlfriend and the most recent Kakkou no Iinazuke a.k.a A Couple of Cuckoos that truly draw the line for rom-coms inventing something new, but ultimately falling short at the finish line of their wayward cycle of messy love triangles (or rectangles even) predicting what the seasoned Average Joe has already spelled out the disasters with many theories as possible to predict how this "illogical" drama would end. And this show, based on the manga of the same name, is no exception to this rule. Notice that I DID say that the finish line is just as important as how things start, and this show for one, ups the ante on the one show that has already proven itself to be a failure, just like the manga it was based on: Koi to Uso. But unless you're a seasoned AniManga veteran, you would have no idea what Koi to Uso's setting is like, and I forgive you since the anime aired 5 years ago, with the manga only reaching its conclusion at the start of the year. The former's story plot featuring a futuristic Japan where low birthrates are a serious liability for the nation, so much so that the government introduces a system to encourage successful marriages by pairing adolescent high school students according to whoever they are assigned to, and serious repercussions await those who defy the arrangement. This is the case for the male MC having an infatuation on his classmate and long-time crush, who knew that getting her would take a leap of encouragement and boldness, even against the girl that he's assigned to being interested in his illicit romance. And you can take what Koi to Uso offered and plaster it into this series, only beating it in the sense that it's a school-required curriculum to pass before graduation, a perchance at the make-believe married life that similar to said former series, and the pairs are chosen at random. In fact, I would go as far as to say that the mangaka took most of the inspiration from the series, and elevates it in his/her way so much that it actually blends a lot of what makes the rom-com genre great to begin with: Toradora!'s way of the main oddball couple helping each other attain their crushes and Nisekoi's insistence that as much as the male side of the second couple is a supporting character, but being that of the main character being spineless. This is true for Jiro Yakuin, who is almost in the same vein as Nisekoi's Raku Ichijo and Koi to Uso's Yukari Nejima, being all that innocent in front of the girl he likes and has a crush on her for the longest time: the shy and kind-hearted Shiori Sakurazaka. But being the awkward introvert with self-esteem issues (that akin to a certain Hitori "Bocchi" Gotoh), he doesn't feel confident in making sure that his attempts to reach Shiori will ever plan out. This is where the gyaru Akari Watanabe comes in: being assigned to Jiro instead of her crush that is the popular school idol Minami Tenjin, both have a hatred for one another but have the same objective: like Toradora!'s Ryuji Takasu and Taiga Aisaka, help each other to be assigned to the crush of their dreams by way of the tactics bringing the antics, which in this case, is the earn enough points to switch their partners. The irony? Having a mismatch like this requires you and your partner to get intimate with each other and barring the hope that the other person does the same to his/her partner that the same plan would be achieved, this is much easier said than done. Both Akari and Jiro putting their differences aside, may have for better or worse, deepened their relationship with one another, turning their hatred into love and causing confusion on conflicting feelings of whether those exact feelings are true or not. It's a given that the OTP a.k.a One-True Pairing exists for a reason, and as much as people ship the expected Jiro X Shiori and Akari X Minami, love can be blind-sided in the favour if one person curries feelings for the other, and thus says so for the ongoing source material that ever so tries to pair the "match made in heaven" couple that it really questions people from time to time if the person they are going for, IS the one that they really want to spend their life with. And that is some messy business to be dealt with when all is said and done. Jiro's VA Seiichiro Yamashita does a knockout job trying to replicate Jiro's image from the manga, and his character being Kage no Jitsuryokusha a.k.a Eminence in Shadow's gigachad Cid Kagenou, I expect nothing less from his standout performance being just the awkward person in the room and acting innocently boisterous on just about anything that ticks him, such as the case with Akari's VA Saori Oonishi. In fact, having Saori Oonishi be Akari does give her character more weight and significance in this crossing web of emotions as she tries to help the secluded Jiro stand out a bit more and be brave about his emotions, while simultaneously not forgetting that she has to target Minami as well, with the support of her best friends Sachi Takamiya and Natsumi Ohashi. The one surprise that I wasn't expecting to have Seiyuu Saki Miyashita play as Shiori, and after playing main characters for shows since 2018, she found her stride with Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru. a.k.a The Detective Is Already Dead's Siestal, coming back for one full force as the pretty and lovable Shiori, the waifu character bait strikes two-for-two. And of course, how could I forget Minami Tenjin, and VA Toshiki Masuda really captured the sense that he is the school's flower boy, the handsome dude that all girls want to date him. For the relatively new studio that is studio MOTHER, it has been quite the wild ride with the studio's record only being in production assistance for Arifureta when Asread. was just killing the original source material's adaptation, but thankfully it wasn't the case here. With manageable pacing that I'd say is not too fast in hiding those story elements while providing a touch of glimpse with its almost overdone colour palette, the production values look great, even if director Junichi Yamamoto doesn't have much under his resume biography of works which range from the weird to the unkempt. For a standalone effort, this was pretty much what I was hoping for in the manga receiving a good adaptation, and yes, for sure it was, with a lil'bit of omission from the manga as few as possible. I just love the colours presented here, it is a nice contrast and gives the bright "pop" that adds so much personality to the show, and it was a heck of a job well done. The OST, simply wonderful, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Liyuu's OP is good, but Nowlu's ED is even better. What a dazzling of magical pumps and beats, this is some incredible song composition that has a chill vibe to elevate the setting of the anime. Definitely one of the best EDs of the season and the year overall. It comes as no surprise that the anime adaptation has respected the manga considerably, and I am more than elated that it turned out just as great as the source material was in its beginning stages. Would love a Season 2 to this, but as mentioned in the beginning, it comes with the caveat of the manga faltering just the same as any other rom-com story with "un"-necessary padding. Still though, what we got was really just spectacular, and as a manga reader, I can finally take this off my bucket list of hopeful adaptations. A great job well done, even if it's redeemable trash, folks.