{Seto no Hanayome}—{2002}

Seto no Hanayome (translated into “The Inland Sea Bride”, but is also known as “My Bride is a Mermaid”) was first a manga written by Tahiko Kimura and was serialized in the magazine “Monthly Gangan Wing” in 2002. In 2007, the 26-episode anime adaptation was released. I haven’t checked for a long time, but I had originally watched this on Netflix.

A young teenage boy named Nagasumi Michishio is saved from drowning by a mermaid named Sun Seto one day during his summer vacation at Seto Bay. Under mermaid law however, either the mermaid whose identity was revealed or the human who saw the mermaid must be executed. In an attempt to save both Nagasumi and Sun’s lives, Sun’s family (which is the head of a mermaid Yakuza group) reluctantly decides that the two are to be married. Sun’s father Gozaburo is enraged about his daughter’s sudden marriage. Between Gozaburo’s constant attempts on his life and the madcap antics of a slew of antagonists, Nagasumi has a hard time transitioning into his new married lifestyle.

WARNINGS: A tiny bit of Sexual Themes, but it’s more of like “this would be hella sexual out of context really”

{Quality Meter}—{5/5}

Not only is this, I feel, a tiny bit higher quality style-wise than any usual anime, it also can be very fast-paced (watch out, I could keep up but a couple of my friends said they couldn’t so I guess it’s not for everyone) and is another anime that will go into extreme detail for dramatic, comedic effect and it’s perfect. Another note–though they’re not mermaids ALL THE TIME, you do get a good helping of seeing them in their tails (the point is they’re not supposed to be seen with tails but they’re all clumsy so). Another note is some pop culture references that add to the hilarity.

{Kawaii Meter}—{2/5}

Sort of a cute anime but it’s more funny than cute?? The only thing cute is Sun’s and Nagasumi’s relationship and development, but maybe you think your favorite character is cute for their own reasons.

{Storyline Meter}—{4/5}

I would say it’s a little random but it does keep the plot smooth. New characters come in, some character development…though there’s not an exact plot/goal most of the time, the last few do have a distinct enemy to face and all.Pretty easy to follow, I think.

{Kokoro Meter}—{1/5}

Really you’ll mostly be crying because you’re laughing so hard, but…I think there was a couple episodes that were sad (the orca guy thinking he had a fatal disease, Sun thinking it was a one-sided relationship…).

{Fan-service Meter}—{2/5}

Again, this is more for comedy, but I can recall a few things…like Nagasumi drying off their legs is almost always “sexual if taken out of context”, the scene with the two mermaids in the bath, Lunar trying to seduce Nagasumi, and that one episode where everyone saw Nagasumi as their dream man…I mean, I think that’s about it. They’re not usually sexualized just to be some kind of object, it’s usually “for the sake of comedy”.

{Authenticity Meter}—{0/5}

I mean, this is all about mermaids. As far as we know, mermaids don’t exist, and so all of this is unrealistic.