Historical anime series rarely get much traction each season. However, this summer, fans are in for a treat, as two historical novel series are getting original anime adaptations: Yugo Aosaki’s Undead Girl Murder Farce and Akumi Agitogi’s My Happy Marriage (Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon).
The two series have a commonality in that both encompass supernatural genre elements. The stories also occur in similar time frames: the late 19th century to the early 20th century, although the events happen in different regions with vastly different historical circumstances. Even so, these two anime are worth watching for history buffs and historical anime fans alike.
Undead Girl Murder Farce Is a Gothic Mystery in the Making
Undead Girl Murder Farce is a novel series by Yugo Aosaki and then later became a manga with illustrations by Haruka Tomoyama. The story focuses on the adventures of half-demon Tsugaru Shinuchi, his trusted servant Shizuku Hasei, and their companion, a severed head named Aya Rindo. Aya, a beautiful woman, was beheaded by a mysterious half-demon from Britain. The half-demon took Aya’s body, separating her body from her head. Fortunately, Aya cannot die due to her demon pedigree. She encounters a half-demon named Tsugaru who has demon blood from the same demon that decapitated Aya. Together, they travel from Japan to Europe to retrieve her body and get revenge against the demon who ruined both of their lives.
The story is set in late-19th century to early 20th-century Europe. Although the story has fantastical elements such as supernatural beings and magical creatures, its story elements were arguably inspired by Gothic literature, which was popular at the time, such as Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle’s Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Undead Girl Murder Farce incorporates similar Gothic literary elements in its storyline, including characters being haunted by the past, storylines involving vengeful spirits and death, and plenty of psychological trauma. Given that Undead Girl Murder Farce combines good-old Sherlock Holmes-esque detective stories with the supernatural, those who like anime such as Vanitas no Karte, Black Butler and Moriarty The Patriot will likely appreciate what Undead Girl Murder Farce has to offer. The series is set to air on Crunchyroll in July.
My Happy Marriage Shows Marriage Life in the Meiji Restoration Era
My Happy Marriage (Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon) is a fantasy light novel series written by Akumi Agitogi and illustrated by Tsukiho Tsukioka. It was then adapted into a manga illustrated by Rito Kohsaka. The story is about the marriage between Miyo Saimori and Kiyoka Kudo. Miyo was born without a supernatural talent and was cast aside as a servant by her abusive stepmother and young sister. Once she was of marriageable age, her family arranged for her to wed a cold-hearted soldier named Kiyoka Kudo. Kiyoka is known to be a monster, and all his previous fiancées fled before their marriage. However, as they get to know one another, Miyo realizes that Kiyoka isn’t a monster, and the two slowly open their hearts to each other.
My Happy Marriage is a historical romance drama set during the 19th-century Meiji Restoration Era. At this time, Japan opened its doors to foreign countries and began incorporating Western values and culture into its society. My Happy Marriage showcases the challenges of marriage and family values as two different perspectives clash.
The series feels similar to the supernatural fantasy Otome Yokai Zakuro — a story about a young girl who exorcises yokai spirits alongside a Western soldier. My Happy Marriage also involves the supernatural and deals with an alternate Japanese society on the brink of Westernization. Viewers may also be reminded of Taisho Otome Fairy Tale, which is about a young woman forced into an arranged marriage but who slowly falls in love with her husband. For fans of Japanese historical romances or Cinderella-esque fairy tales, My Happy Marriage premieres on Netflix on July 5th.
Both Undead Girl Murder Farce and My Happy Marriage put unique twists on 19th to 20th-century history with their paranormal elements. For those who enjoy historical romances or supernatural mysteries, these two summer anime series will be well worth checking out.
