Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 8

はぴまり〜Happy Marriage!?〜 #8

by Maki Enjōji

Hokuto resigns from Mamiya Commerce and takes on a failing company, risking everything to become heir in one year. Chiwa and Hokuto are closer than ever, so why is he saying they can’t be a true married couple?

Genres: Manga, Romance, Josei, Adult, Contemporary, Graphic Novels, Fiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2011

About the author

Name (in native language): 円城寺マキ (えんじょうじ マキ)

Maki Enjōji is a Japanese manga artist. Among her works, Happy Marriage!? is one of the best known and it has been published in English under VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat, in French by Kazé, in German by Tokyopop and in Italian by Star Comics.

Reviews

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slapping her again because she didn't tell him about the stalker. I know Hokuto is afraid that something bad would have happened with Chiwa but he didn't have to do "that". And Chiwa also didn't say anything about it and just let him do that. WHAT?! Minus one star.

[Gobokairina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inilah kemuncak cerita ni sebenarnya. Membawa kita kepada masalah sebenar yang dihadapi oleh Hokuto.

Konflik dalaman yang melibatkan keluarga besar Hokuto menyebabkan hubungan dua sejoli juga turut terancam. Chiwa sedaya upaya mahu membantu, tapi Hokuto dan perasaan egonya menyukarkan segala-galanya.

Dan, bila Hokuto tiba-tiba 'hilang'... jeng jeng jeng. Mampukah Chiwa terus setia menanti?

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some good character development here, and we see Hokuto grow as a person which is nice. There's a lot of repetition a well, though - how many times can we see the two of them work themselves into exhaustion? And I know that there's the cultural difference in how that's viewed, but still... using it as a plot point twice was already pressing it. Hopefully the next volume will come up with some new story-lines.

[Jes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m starting to remember why I shelved these for so long— they’re just so repetitive.

I did like this better than the last volume I read, though. Hokuto has a wonderful, two-page spread in which he declares his love and true intentions for his marriage with Chiwa. And there’s also a funny little scene where Chiwa kisses Hokuto so hard his knees go weak, which I thought was cute.

All that said, I really can’t rate this higher than a three because it’s so damn repetitive. I was fully enjoying the story until Chiwa has a little dialogue line in which she goes “What am I doing…? We’ve been married for three years” or something to that effect. It was sort of a wakeup call to just how long Chiwa and Hokuto have been acting like this, which is to say, far too long. It’s natural for any marriage of convenience story to be built on miscommunication but the weird zig-zag, spiral pace of this story is wearing on me.

Thank god there’s only two volumes left. I will say, though, I typically like the end of romance manga a lot more than I liked the middle. So I have high hopes!

EDIT: Wait, how could I forget?? Hokuto slaps Chiwa again, this time before falling to his knees in the rain. Oh, josei romance. You never get old. 🙄

[GuisBell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que horror con los problemas que se presentan, tantas malas personas queriendo hacer daño, que difícil alcanzar la felicidad, pero me gusta la forma como van resolviendo los problemas y se hacen mas unidos...

[✿яσsαℓιη∂α✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Çok güzeldi be..
Hokuto ve Chiwa çifti çok tatlılar.. ♥️

[Derryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

She👏🏻 has👏🏻just👏🏻been 👏🏻stalked..... how do you react..... I know slap her! Fuck me this has gone off the rails 🙄☹️☹️

[Maritza Valle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mostly, I just want to finish this series and see what happens in the end. The little subplots have stopped mattering in the least.

And I have a HUGE issue with the fact that THIS IS A PHYSICALLY ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP and that never gets mentioned. Several times now, Hokotu has SLAPPED Chiwa, but since it's because of some bullshit "i couldn't live without you, i was so worried," reason, and he always apologizes or SHE SEES IT AS A SIGN OF HIS PASSION, it never gets addressed. This is maybe a cultural thing, but I can tell I won't be going back to this genre after I finish the series.

Also, the book had nothing to do with winter, so I'm not sure what's up with the cover.

[Rei · Rating 1 out of 5]

WOULD HE STOP SLAPPING HER?

The lack of communication dear god!!!

[Laura✧˚ · . · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5
The mamiya family and the drama is the reason why I continue on with the series. Hokuto wants to take over but after watching Chiwa take care of her dad he decides to pay his grandfather a visit because he has a proposal. He wants to take over the mamiya travel and leave his current ceo position in the mamiya commerce. In exchange if he makes money with the travel company hell become the heir. If he doesn’t he’ll give up himself. His family won’t leave him alone if he fails but he wants to give Chiwa a better future. He has to work a lot now so he wants her to wait for him because she’ll feel pretty lonely from now on. Later on there’s an incident and Chiwa is saved by asahina and she takes care of him until Hokuto decides to pay him a visit to say thank you and tell him about his moms accident. He wants him to be discharged ASAP and he sees his dad. Because of Chiwa and what she said about her own dad, he decides to speak with him and he’s okay with his decision and he’s glad to see he cares about someone in this world. Chiwa believes something is changing in Hokuto but later on he gets sick and collapses due to work and they get into an argument. Soma and Chiwa decided to give him a free morning by canceling all of his meetings and he gets mad because soma is working for him and Chiwa doesn’t understand anything about his work and she’s useless. Soma gets mad and says he’s behaving like a little kid and Chiwa decides to stop doing stuff for him. From now on she won’t cook, clean or do the laundry and she goes back to her old room. They don’t have sex because his stamina is really low(his words not mine) and for days Chiwa keeps the promise. She goes out for drinks with friends until soma calls her. Hokuto doesn’t clean so he’s forcing soma to but clothes and underwear for him and Chiwa feels sorry but she believes he has to understand that he has a wife now and he’s not alone. Chiwa changes his mind because he’s working hard for a future with her and she has to help him. She promised him to be there for him so she goes back to cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. Hokuto apologizes because he was stressed and he used to do things on his own but now he has her. She offers to do anything for him and he just wants her to do the house chores and drive him to work so he could take a nap. Chiwa is surprised to find out he wants her to drive and his office is across hers but he didn’t say a word. He can actually see her office and she believes he’s looking after her. After an incident going shopping, where a bike runs over her she starts to believe maybe it’s not a coincidence, since she got run over by a car a while ago. Later on, while she’s going home someone pushes her over the stairs at the train station and she knows someone was behind her. She doesn’t want to tell Hokuto because he’ll get worried but she doesn’t want to go home alone. She tries taking a taxi but it’s too expensive and the next days she tries to wait for him at the office and lies and makes up excuses until Hokuto realizes the lights went off at her office and she was waiting for him again. She wants her to be an adult and go home by herself. The next day she can leave early because there’s a typhoon coming and sakuraba wants them to leave early but she insists on staying at the office. In the end, she goes home alone but the stalker is right behind her again. Luckily, Hokuto and asahina are there. The latest knew someone and he recognized her behavior. She apologizes because she didn’t want to worry Hokuto but he slaps her again and goes down to his knees Bc she doesn’t want to lose her. He’s trying to think of someone who could be behind this: another guy from the hostess bar, someone from his family or his cousin but they don’t have any motives. She knows of someone who wants her away from Hokuto but she doesn’t want to say the name out loud. They go home and that’s the end.
Honestly, the romance is not it. Chiwa is really insecure and codependent on him. Her whole happiness relies on Hokuto and how he’s feeling. She doesn’t have goals for herself and it’s sad to see. This is the second time Hokuto slaps her because she’s expressing her feelings. Sure, Chiwa is childish and insecure but those scenes are unnecessary and uncomfortable. He’s getting way too used to slap her and honestly I don’t like that.
The mamiya family drama and the stalker chapters were my fave ones. They had action and less of Hokuto and Chiwa being idiots and I’m here for it. I think asahina was the best option still. He’s cute, classy and cares for her. I’ll finish the series just to see what happens with his family and the stalker.

[bow down to our ace king victor vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.65!

oh so asahina did cheat on her…..ok. thought there was something more to it but guess not. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. regardless, i still prefer him over hokuto 🤭😼 . also ,, when he got hit by a car 💀 lol. but hokuto’s head smash with the board still triumphs as the most comedic scene in this series by far 😋. n e way, many of the emotional points were lost on me bc their relationship is something i don’t care much for,,,, so that’s nice lol.
also, this “as a wife I must…..!” business is getting tiring 😩. girl, hes 28!! wdym he can’t take care of himself!!
the way he slapped her again tho💀 just slapping willy nilly now huh 💀

[Emy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Marijke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg that bonus story was over the top 😂😂 why be jealous off a cat🐈😂

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cariño Brutal...!!!! The thing that I don't like about the Hero is he always goes out for days WITHOUT telling her. No damn communication at all.

And he slapped her twice in the series! Gosh.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for complete series



Chiwa's father has been nothing but trouble and a financial mess for her to clean up. Even working extra nightshifts don't seem to round up the money but an unusual offer might get her out of this mess: her company's CEO Hokuto can only keep his position in the family business if he were to marry. Hokuto is in need of a wife, Chiwa needs the money. A quickly signed marriage certificate turns them into unlikely flatmates - it's not as though they are romantically involved.

For the longest time, I only read shoujo manga and disregarded any series that were targeted at older readers. I'd often seen Happy Marriage?! during the time when I was working at a comic store and mentally shelved it as not interested - office romance, married couple - none of it caught my interest. It was only during a moment of extreme boredom that I picked the first volume off the shelf and flipped through it. I came to the conclusion that it was one of the most hilarious manga romances I had read and immediately ordered the entire series and promoted Maki Enjouji to an auto-buy author.

About a decade later, I still love this series. Chiwa and Hokuto's relationship is absolutely hilarious, they have me laughing so many times. But in addition to the comedy, I love the chemistry between them and the bond that grows between them as the series progresses. I think this is most strongly seen in Hokuto who transforms from a calculating businessman into a caring husband. I also consider both Chiwa and Hokuto to be very realistic characters as they both definitely have their faults. Funnily, this seems to be one of the most common points of criticism this series seems to receive from other many other readers.

It seems others consider Chiwa a weak female lead and Hokuto as abusive and arrogant. Arrogance aside, I can't agree on either of the other points. Both of them have an argumentive nature - they argue, in fact, they argue a lot. I don't believe either of them is worse than the other in this point and, as both of them rightly say, it's part of their relationship dynamics - they grow stronger after each argument. The difference is the way they express themselves; Chiwa is less confident and cries easily, but she rarely backs down and stands her ground - crying in itself is not a weakness of character, the fact that she can still pull through shows that. Hokuto is very reserved when it comes to showing warm feelings but he is very outspoken when he's upset which in my mind is very realistic. Not everyone is able to express how they really feel and I think it's why these two are often irritated yet also bring out the good in each other.

While domestic abuse certainly is an issue that needs to be addressed more often, I do feel that many people overshoot their target by narrowing down on books or movies that show even the slightest hint of a male character not playing the perfect gentleman. Hokuto is by no means perfect but there isn't a single action of his in this entire series that I would consider as abusive. There is a scene where he slaps Chiwa - a slap is a far cry from hitting or abuse. There is a reason why it's called a wake-up slap - there are times when something like that might really be the only way to get through to someone who is, as in this particular case with Chiwa, in a complete panic and not listening to reason. Had it been the other way around with Chiwa slapping Hokuto, no one would have said a thing. People aren't always rational and the way many fictional characters are criticized in this regard sets unrealistic standards of real people.

With that off my chest, other than the comedy and romance, there's also a bit of a mystery and family issues on both sides to deal with. I don't usually like longer romance series (although Happy Marriage?! isn't all that long with 10 volumes) as they tend to drag but here there are plenty of other elements that keep the story going. Despite the introduction of other love interests along the way, I like how neither Chiwa nor Hokuto ever showed the slightest interest in others.

Finally, I really enjoyed the art in this one. I generally like Maki Enjouji's art but I am particularly fond of it in this series. Her art is also a strong drive for the comedy but the romantic scenes are also beautifully drawn. While I may still prefer shoujo manga (I don't seem to outgrow it...), thanks to Happy Marriage?!, I know that there certainly are manga for older readers that can appeal to me as it's been one of my favourites since I first read it.

[Miss Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

oh my god is hokuto slapping chiwa going to be a repeated thing???? i'm actively anti-recommending this series now, no one needs domestic violence portrayed as romance, good bye

1 star

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn about how I feel about this series. I want to keep reading it, but it is so frustrating and getting repetitive!!! Chiwa is becoming increasingly annoying. She's constantly apologizing for her actions (they way she responds to Hokuto's behavior, is how any normal person would respond, and I don't mean the incessant apologizing). As you can probably guess, Hokuto acts poorly when he responds to things that don't please him. For example, Hokuto slapping Chiwa (twice now) and calling her an idiot (several times). Both inappropriate! Then there is the part where Hokuto asks Chiwa what makes her happy and the response (rephrased by Hokuto) was 'Then your happiness...relies entirely in mine'. 🤦‍♀️ No, no, no!

[Luana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5

Capisco l'ansia, ma credo che Hokuto dovrebbe smetterla di prendere a sberle sua moglie, anche perché è un atteggiamento francamente inquietante e un tantino tossico.
Per non parlare poi delle dinamiche di coppia, che, dopo otto volumi, sono sempre le stesse - con Chiwa che ha la stessa personalità di un foglio di carta, troppo presa a fare da zerbino per il marito e a frignare ogni due pagine; Hokuto, dal canto suo, non ha ancora ben capito cosa voglia dire essere sposati, quindi non sempre si comporta in maniera irreprensibile.
A fare da corollario a tutto questo, ci sono le lotte interne alla famiglia Mamiya, la questione della morte della madre di Hokuto, i magheggi della sua ex, quasi investimenti, stalker che prendono ordini da non si sa bene chi. Insomma, un bel minestrone...

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beh, una ti confessa che ha avuto problemi di stalking e tu le tiri uno schiaffo?! Ma quando mai! Capisco Hokuto, che vuole proteggere ciò che ha di più caro, ma uno schiaffo alla povera Chiwa proprio non ci stava. Ed è già la seconda volta che lei le prende.

Ma bisogna dire che Chiwa ha un bel caratterino. Hokuto la trascura un po' e lei si "vendica" non occupandosi più di lui. Nel giro di un giorno la stanza di Hokuto diventa il solito casino e dopo un po' lui è costretto a comprarsi le camicie perché lei non gliele lava e stira. Che poi, 'sta gente non lava i vestiti dopo che li ha comprati?

Però mi piace vederli crescere. E le pagine bonus alla fine fan morir dal ridere!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Chiwa and Hokuto can’t seem to figure out how to relate to each other. They always think they’re a burden to each other or are insistent on doing things by themselves. This always ends up in a fight and they have to have someone point out they’re being stupid. Weirdly enough, Hokuto has decided to give up Mamiya Commerce to try to turn Mamiya Travel into a profitable business in order to be worthy as heir. Of course it’s causing problems in the marriage. And naturally, Chiwa is being stalked again. Maybe it’s the ex girlfriend involved this time…

[brightredglow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume 8 may be my least favorite so far of the "Happy Marriage?!" series. Chiwa pushes in a way that annoys and Hokuto does his level best to be just as annoying. The saving graces though are Asahina, Chiwa's college boyfriend who is now her boss; the always awesome but so under-utilized Soma, the personal assistant extraordinaire; and the scene with Hokuto and his father at the hospital.
There is also more progression in the mystery of Hokuto's mother's death which adds some intrigue.

[Prabby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Imma just put it straight. He slaps her again but it’s because she’s panicking and rambling and won’t listen to him. Do I think it’s healthy or smart? No. But in certain situations it actually is how to shock someone into getting out of their lapse. I still don’t like the fact he’s slapped her twice, even if it is meant to be a device used to shock and silence her when she lets her anxieties get the best of her I just don’t like it at all. Otherwise this was ok.

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 2 out of 5]

2020 Read #20

I’m glad I’m nearing the end of the series because these characters are being stupid and redundant. They are no learning from their mistakes! How many times can Hokuto get mad at Chiwa for [insert minor quibble] and then she gets mad at him in return and ignores him? I mean, really, you guys are adults. I know marriage is a tricky thing at times, but these two are really stubborn and irritating.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! They're showing real character growth. Hokuto realizes that Chiwa pretty much lets life walk all over her and decides to help her see that for herself. At the same time, Soma forces Hokuto to see how much he takes advantage of Chiwa. This is definitely one of the better volumes, although I'm enjoying the series overall.

[Nisa Greennnpanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review (for the whole manga):
Out of most of the mangaka's manga that I have read so far, I enjoyed this one the most. It's a typical story of how an ordinary girl is forced to marry a rich and superior guy (who was previously her boss) and how the overcome their differences and obstacles that they face along their marriage journey and yet I still enjoyed reading it.

[Annie Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good Volume. You really see the love they feel for each other. They both changed throughout their marriage, for the better.

I look forward to finishing the last two volumes to the series. ( if I remember correctly, there are a total of ten. ) I still need to buy the next two, eventually.

Loved it. 💗

[bee ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

these two will probably never resolve any of their issues and are doomed to forever repeat their stupid mistakes. how many more stupid big fights do they really need to have?? the parts where they get along are still enjoyable enough somehow, but they don't even last that long !!

and i still hate hokuto.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hokuto decides to get another new job for the sake of his marriage, resulting in him WORKING EVEN HARDER?! How many times is this going to happen.

Also, he slapped her. Again. Girl. Punch him in the balls!!!

Do better next time!

[scarlettraces · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one ever read a josei romance expecting realism but less of the slapping would be nice. Other than that, this vol feels like a successful series that hasn't quite worked out how far away the finish line is going to be.

[Marisó · Rating 4 out of 5]

En general todo bonito, todo bien, se me pasó rápido pero de nuevo, POR QUÉ VAS A DARLE UNA CACHETADA?
Por suerte es la última en toda la serie, pero no entiendo a la autora, y más siendo mujer, cómo se te ocurre que la mejor forma de llamar la atención de una esposa es con una cachetada? Wtf