Here's an interesting one that I fell in love with not too long ago. This is the first one I'm putting up here that's achieved completion status, so go ahead and give it a read if you have a day off and want something to warm your heart.
Title: Taishou Otome Otogibanashi
Author: Kirioka Sana
Date: 2016
Status: Complete
Chapters: 38
Genres: Comedy, Historical, Romance, Shounen, Slice of Life
Summary:
Set in the 10th year of Japan's Taishou era (1912-1926), Tamahiko Shima was the second son of a wealthy and prominent family who had his whole life ahead of him. But an accident took the life of his mother and left him unable to use his right arm. No longer a suitable heir, his father sent him away to live in a mansion far in the countryside of Chiba, where he would never be thought of again. Broken and empty, Tamahiko was content to just waste away and die in his empty house, having nothing to live for.
But then a knock on the door one snowy night brought Yuzuki into his life. Yuzuki was bought by his family to serve as Tamahiko's caretaker/wife, to look after him and assist him so they would no longer need to spare him any consideration. Unable to even love himself, Tamahiko finds he is unable and underserving of Yuzuki's compassion, but Yuzuki will not let herself be discouraged, and will do whatever it takes to give her beloved husband something to live for in the hope that he might smile again. This is the story of how a man from a family who never gave him love or compassion learns what the true meaning of love and family is, having someone care for him because of who he was and not because of his value as a son and heir. Will Yuzuki's warm smile be able to melt Tamahiko's frozen heart?
Final Thoughts:
As this story is complete, I can say that reading it was a touching experience. Tamahiko begins as a broken man who, in spite of his kindness towards others, cannot see the value in his own existence. It is the unconditional love of Yuzuki that slowly begins to warm him and make him grow as a person into someone who can see a value in himself, when before he thought he had no meaning left. Seeing the gradual romance build up between these two is a heartwarming thing that makes the reader fall in love with Yuzuki just as Tamahiko does, and as so many other characters in the series do. Tamahiko is not the only broken and lost person in this series, and many more characters are saved by Yuzuki's kind smile and sweet words. The romance is pure and heartfelt, and we can see the joy the couple shares as Tamahiko opens up to Yuzuki more and more and Yuzuki demonstrates her love and devotion to Tamahiko more and more. This is a series about broken people who find the strength to rise and live again, something it does in a way that is honest and true.
Rating: 4.5/5
This series rates so high because it deals with the struggle of loss and pain. Tamahiko truly sees no value in his life from the start. It shows the value a kind hand can have in the healing process, and that no one is so far gone that they cannot be fixed with love. I believe that this series captures the true essence of loving and supporting another person in a mere 38 chapters that many other well-known series fail to do in 100 or even 200 chapters. The series truly hits its stride when the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 hits while the main pairing is separated, and we see the true depth of their love for each other, and how much Tamahiko changes as a result of Yuzuki's kind smile unending love. I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to see a relationship of true love and devotion from both parties as they strive to be the perfect partner to take care of their other half.
And as always, send any recommendations you have!