The following contains spoilers for Episode 1 of The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague, “Cherry Blossom Meeting and a Coming Blizzard,” now streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague joins the ranks of office rom-coms such as Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku and Servant x Service, offering a fresh take on the somewhat limited genre. The Winter 2023 anime season’s new romance follows the heartwarming relationship between two chilly coworkers, one of whom is descended from a yokai.
Mingling office comedy with supernatural romance, The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague centers on the fast friendship and developing romance between two workmates. Himuro, a descendant of the legendary Yuki-onna, and Fuyutsuki, a young woman known for her stoic personality, meet on the way to their first day at their new workplace. Fuyutsuki’s kindness quickly establishes a bond between the two, which continues to grow as they interact with each other at the office. As it doesn’t take long for Himuro to develop a crush on his coworker, this office rom-com promises a wholesome romance that will warm the hearts of viewers with each episode.
Himuro and Fuyutsuki’s Complementary Personalities Establish an Adorable Dynamic
Similarly to the hit Spring 2022 rom-com Aharen-san Is Indecipherable, The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague’s primary couple boasts a quieter dynamic than many other popular rom-com couples. As the series title suggests, both Himuro and Fuyutsuki appear to have cold exteriors, though they exhibit this trait differently. While Himuro is icy in the literal sense thanks to his yokai ancestry, Fuyutsuki demonstrates the cool personality traits of the kuudere archetype. She even muses over her stoic reputation at the beginning of the episode.
Though Himuro and Fuyutsuki appear cold on the outside, they are both quite warm on the inside. Himuro may be descended from the wintry Yuki-onna, but his personality is best characterized by the warmth of spring, as he adores flowers and cats and fawns over the romance blossoming between him and Fuyutsuki. Meanwhile, Fuyutsuki herself is kind-hearted, her quiet nature not hiding the sweetness that lies within. While anime shows often explore a kuudere character’s soft side over the course of multiple episodes, Fuyutsuki’s inherent warmth is evident from the beginning.
Many romantic comedies tend to follow the opposites attract trope, but The Ice Guy and His Female Colleague takes a different route. Though they are not carbon copies of each other, Himuro and Fuyutsuki complement each other with their similar natures. Because they both exhibit warm hearts beneath cold exteriors, their dynamic is natural and easygoing, allowing for a sweeter and more wholesome romance rather than one fraught with drama.
Supernatural Elements Provide a Unique Spin on an Office Romance
The first episode may not set up dramatic twists or clashing personalities, but it does add an interesting layer to its office romance story. When Himuro and Fuyutsuki first meet, Himuro is stuck in a block of ice with snow flurrying around him. As he explains, he is a descendant of the yokai known as Yuki-onna, or snow woman. His uncontrollable icy powers contribute supernatural elements that seem to exist seamlessly and without question in the series’ otherwise ordinary setting. As he is not the only supernatural being to work at the office, the natural coexistence between yokai and ordinary humans will certainly provide a fascinating dynamic.
Although The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague will likely boast a slower pace akin to most slice-of-life series, the supernatural take on the series’ wholesome office romance is sure to keep fans of cute rom-coms hooked. Even if the premiere seems to set an easygoing tone, viewers can expect a few bumps in the road, especially with the next episode hinting at an uncomfortable setting for Himuro.
