When I think of marriage I think of suffering, problems, guilt, divorce etc. It's not due to my family situation because my parents are happily married, but because of the many stories I've heard from friends and relatives. And also because of society in general. I've heard many more stories of people being in a miserable, detached relationship than in a happy and loving relationship. I guess marriage is a hit for most. But then I watched this anime and I began to realize the beauty of it. The reason why couples decide to take the next step. I really did think about it. I sat there and contemplated, I fantasized and dreamt of how nice it must be to have a wife like Tsukasa. To have someone like her that cares for me and someone that I can cherish as well. And then it hit me that I don't even have a girlfriend yet so I can't get married in the first place...
Tonikawa: Over the Moon For You is an anime I least expected to have enjoyed so much this season. Twelve episodes of following a young couple around and watching them laugh and flirt might sound boring to most, but you can be damn sure I enjoyed the hell out of it! I know the slice of life/romance genre isn't super exciting, but I just feel like I can ease up and relax when I am watching something this cute and wholesome. And with all the shounen/action anime that aired this season (Haikyu!!, Jujutsu, Fire Force) Tonikawa was a nice change of pace that simply allowed me to take it easy.
The anime follows Nasa Yuzaki and his wife Tsukasa and their journey through life as a married couple. Nasa is a charismatic and kindhearted young man and a prodigy as well because of his intellect. He's on the path to become a really successful person and live a lavish life until one day he encounters a beautiful girl named Tsukasa. At that moment he instantly falls in love with her and decides to throw everything else away because to him a moment like this may never come again. On his way to talk to her he gets hit by a truck but luckily Tsukasa saves him, minimizing his injuries. He then confesses his love to her (with his injuries) and she accepts only if he marries her first. Happily agreeing, Nasa passes out and he doesn't see Tsukasa again until he is 18 when she suddenly appears at his house and that is when their married life begins.
Nasa and Tsukasa are sort of an awkward couple at first, having jumped straight to marriage without really knowing each other. This means that each interaction and new experience they have together is a first since they have never been in a relationship before in the first place. Nasa is a caring, intelligent, and organized person, which Tsukasa learns pretty quickly, but he can also be very impulsive and whimsical which might lead him to trouble. Tsukasa his newly wedded wife, is mysterious as can be since her past is pretty much unknown to Nasa. But soon he learns that the elegant Tsukasa is a gentle, sweet girl who can be intense with the things she loves and also has a bashful and cute side to her. As they spend their days together, we see that they easily get comfortable with one another and are soon a very lively couple.
Their interactions are adorable and heartwarming that simply leave you grinning at your screen the entire time. Scenes like traveling together, going shopping, eating together, going to the bathhouse, and sleeping together are simple but still pleasuring at the same time. I'm at the age where going on a simple Target run feels like an exciting journey itself, so when I see that Nasa and Tsukasa are going shopping for clothes or a new TV, I'm like "Hell yeah!". Since each experience is a new one for both of them, things never get boring and you are left wondering what is going to happen next in their married life. Tonikawa romanticizes what the married life is like which is certainly far from realistic but I'm glad the anime decided to focus on the small details and beauty of it rather than the negative aspects of it. And after all this is an anime so I'm not complaining.
Secondary characters aren't really important, but they do make a fun addition to the cast and keep things entertaining and fresh. It's fun to see Nasa and Tsukasa interact with others and see how they react to their marriage since it just occurs out of the blue one day with no story behind it. But I guess that is what love is. It has you make some irrational and absurd decisions. The art and soundtrack are alright, good enough for me to enjoy things without having any complaints. One thing I loved besides Nasa and Tsukasa is the OP “Koino Uta" by Yunomi. I won't lie, I wasn't really feeling it the first time around because it sounded like some weird remix and some EDM/dubstep which I'm not a fan of. But by the second or third time I listened to it, I was bumping to it everywhere I went. It's just a banger and catchy. That 1 minute and 30 seconds before the episode were always glorious.
Is the married life any good? There are definitely ups and downs but what really matters is the way a couple is able to deal with their problems, and that determines how well their relationship is. This is a review and not couples therapy, so I'll get to the point. Tonikawa is a wholesome and heartwarming anime that draw you in with its charming couple and delightful story. I just can't get enough of Tsukasa and Nasa. I wouldn't mind if we received a second season at all. Actually, I'm hoping for a second season. If you're a slice of life/romance fan I'm certain you'll enjoy this. I ain't getting married anytime soon but at least I found an amusing anime to distract myself with and maybe get a glimpse as to what my future may hold. Hopefully...
