I don't usually write reviews in general but I felt like this hidden gem deserved more recognition, and if I can get more people to read this underrated story then I am willing to do so.
Taishou Otome Otogibanashi aka Taishou Maiden Fairytale is a story focused on our two main characters Tamahiko Shima who is the son of a rich family and his fiancée Yuzuki Tachibana. Tamashiko is involved in an accident which leaves his right arm crippled, due to these circumstances he is forced to move to the country side by his father as he no longer deems him a worthy heir. He is bitter and depressed, and this is were the star of the story comes in, his father purchases and sends Yuzuki to take care of him and eventually become his wife. The occurs in the span of 38 chapters and 5 volumes.
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_STORY: 9.5/10___
To be frank, all I could feel reading this story was absolute fluffiness and a cuteness overdrive, watching these two characters interact and grow together as people was very satisfying and despite it having less chapters than most manga, not once did the story feel rushed or forced, their relationship and character development felt smooth and almost natural. I feel that after reading the synopsis many people would assume that it would be about child marriage and it's issues, but it prefers to take the path of a sweet coming of age story, with their relationship starting off platonic and as they grow older and more mature developing the more romantic and sexual aspects of it.
With that being said, not once did i feel uncomfortable reading this story, there is no ecchi in this story, which I came in expecting after reading the synopsis and the first two chapters, but I am very glad the author didn't go down that path because it would've made this lovely story much less enjoyable. There is little to no fanservice, and when there is, it's done in the right way, it never made me cringe nor was it overbearing like I've seen many times before in other manga/anime. But on the other hand I was delighted to find that the main focus of the story is the wholesome day to day moments between Yuzuki and Tamashiko.
There is some drama in it, and when there is you are on the edge of your seat, the author gets you invested in these characters from the start and you are basically praying nothing comes between their happiness which leads to some tense and nerve-racking moments later on in the story that work in great harmony with the general slice of life themes that this story is based around. While it seems like it would fall short like in many other mangas the author keeps it consistent all around, in this case I think having less chapters than usual works in it's favor, keeping it short but sweet.
CHARACTERS: 10/10
I won't go into much detail as I would like readers to experience the characters for themselves, but the cast is just great, characters that you despise at the first few chapters become memorable and lovable companions to our main protagonists, they develop realistically with the story and you can't help but have a soft spot for most of the main cast.
Speaking of character development, it is pretty heavy in this story, which surprised me by how well the author was able to make realistic and smooth development to our main pair and supporting cast in the span of only 38 chapters. The coming of age tag really comes to play here as you see Tamashiko and Yuzuki mature and develop, their feelings and personalities which shows a realistic passing of time AGAIN I can not empathize enough how smoothly and subtly the author develops his characters, and before you know it you can't choose your favorite one!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This will vary based on personal opinions but this was just an absolute joy for me, I was looking for a light read and i found everything i was looking for in this lovely gem. As the big sucker i am for romance stories this was a refreshing take on the genre and just general cuteness.
If you are looking for a short wholesome read, with great characters and fluffy romance i will definitely recommend this to you!