With the wedding on the horizon, can Arisa convince Mari’s mother to grant her blessing?
Creative Staff
Story and Art: Tamamushi Oku
Translation/Adaptation: Jenny McKeon
Lettering: Chiho Christie
What They Say
Arisa and Mari are finally getting married! Given the possible cause of Arisa’s amnesia, though, Mari’s concerned her bride-to-be might faint during the ceremony―or even lose her memories again. And preparing for their big day isn’t the only issue, because Mari still hasn’t told her family about their relationship! The pair decide to announce their intentions, but will they get through to Mari’s parents…?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With the wedding planned, Mari and Arisa just have a few more hoops to jump through: Arisa’s embarrassment at intimacy and finally telling Mari’s family that the two of them are an item. The former is something they can continue working on, though Mari harbors fears that kissing Arisa on the day will trigger another amnesiac episode. The latter, though, is something they have to face head-on. Mari’s mother is very traditional, and it’s going to be difficult to convince her. But with Arisa’s enthusiasm, Mari cannot run away anymore.
Mari and Arisa continue to be adorable, even in the face of some realities that are coming into being with their relationship. The first, of course, is that while they wish to get married, Japan does not recognize same-sex marriage, so it would be a wedding in name only. With acceptance of that, then it’s just getting everybody on their side. The chapter that deals with Mari and Arisa travelling to Mari’s family to finally tell them the truth really crystallizes everything this series is about for me. As expected, Mari’s mother does not initially take the news well. However, it’s not that she’s angry or in denial, but rather that it does not make logical sense to her, both because she cannot understand how two women can love each other but also due to the aforementioned lack of legal backing their union would have. But every single one of her confusions and rejections are completely swept aside in Arisa’s airheaded enthusiasm. Mari’s mother cannot help but ultimately bless their union, if only because Arisa absolutely cannot see any of the problems in the objections raised. And, of course, once Arisa mentions the possibility of seeing Mari in a wedding dress, all of her mother’s doubts are erased (or, at least, happily put aside at the joy of dressing up her little girl).
In Summary
Cheerful Amnesia continues to be wholesomely adorable, and I love the way that any problems that Mari and Arisa face can be just pushed aside because Arisa us completely unable to comprehend the fact that a problem can be there. Things are really building now in this volume as it seems like we’re headed into some major developments in the next volume, and I look forward to seeing how it all plays out. Recommended.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: OT – Older Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: September 17, 2024
MSRP: $13.00
