Taisho Otome Fairy Tale; A tranquil, moving display of the power of love

Ever heard of butterflies in your stomach? Well forget about that, for this anime can give you butterflies in your very soul.

Otome: A maiden, sweet-smelling as a flower, a single bud blooming in a tranquil garden, pure and dignified. To shy to even speak of love or romance, she dares not allow herself to dream of a kiss. Even so, she blooms again today; seeking, ever seeking happiness beyond the stars.
The opening narration for each episode said in reference to Yuzuki.

Taisho Otome Fairy Tale tells us the story of Tamahiko Shima, a young man who has lost the ability to use his right arm as the result of a tragic accident, as well as the various other people in his life. Ever since the accident he has lived the life of a recluse, spurned by his own family and left to live alone far removed from modern civilization. Cold, dejected and pessimistic, Tamahiko doesn’t have much to live for. His life is one of despair and debilitating sadness. But all that changes one day when a special stranger shows up at his door one night…

Enter Yuzaki “Yuzu” Tachibana, a literal force of sunshine, good vibes and happiness. She is the definition of cheerful and has been arranged to one day become Tamahiko’s very own wife. From then on, his well being and care becomes her responsibility, a task she relishes and gives her all to each and everyday. From cooking and cleaning, sowing and stitching, to mending Tamahiko’s very own broken heart and shattered spirit. Make no mistake, Yuzuki is the very essence of what it means to be a heroine.

**Yuzaki, the ray of sunshine, the spring breeze which gently soothes all that she touches.**

Otome excels in showing us that love can change people, how it changes them and how it does so for the better, it can make them be so much more then they ever thought they could be. It also explores how someone must go about rebuilding there life in the wake of tragedy, how to become whole again and find new purpose, perhaps even in places they had never ever considered before. The anime unfolds very much like a peaceful slice of life show; we are given the privilege to tune in and observe the sweet and charming daily lives of this utterly adorable duo.

The artwork evokes a very strong sense of sweetness. Literally from the swirly patterns in Yuzuki’s hair buns to the tones and hues of all the lively colours. I kept thinking that this anime is so sweet that the characters are literally reminiscent of sweets and chocolate!

Additionally the soundtrack is stellar, along with great vocal performances from the cast all around I’d have to give specific praises to Saya Aizawa for the wonderful humming and singing she does in the role of Yuzaki, and to Ayasa Itou in her role as Kotori Shiratori who sings at one point a truly marvelous insert song.

The backgrounds are drawn with a style resembling that of an oil painting which further serves to accentuate the picture book fairy tale aspect of the story.

As the story plays out additional elements come to the fore, but it really just boils down to some uber sweet sugar coated overdosing of wholesomeness. If you like or are interested in seeing a lovey dovey, sweet yet powerfully emotional romance with a dramatic and pretty serious underlying story line, then I wholeheartedly recommend watching Taisho Otome Fairy Tale. In fact I could not recommend this anime enough. In my humble opinion this is one of the best romance animes of the decade.