REVIEW: ‘My Happy Marriage’ Season 2 Episode 4 — “What The Autumn Breeze Brought”

My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4, “What the Autumn Breeze Brought,” sees Miyo (Reina Ueda), Kyoka (Kaito Ishikawa), and Arata’s (Ryohei Kimura) confrontation with the resurfaced Naoshi Usui (Yûya Uchida, 86) play out. In the aftermath, the military begins preparations for the coming showdown, which includes having Miyo spend her time on the base so Usui can’t get near her.

This week’s episode picks up right where the previous one left off: Usui ambushed the trio of protagonists as they exited their train. The confrontation is short, and Usui’s goal seems to be simple intimidation as he flexes his impressive sense-altering abilities. Kyoka cannot land an attack on him as numerous people pass by, left oblivious to the fight playing out in their midst. That Usui can alter the perceptions of so many all at once shows a great degree of power and skill.

My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4’s visuals level the episode up.

My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4’s visuals greatly help accentuate the haunting levels of power Usui wields. The sequence is bathed in an ominous read, which augments Kyoka and Arata’s desperation as they realize how ill-equipped they are to deal with their opponent.

As Usui prepares to leave his bewildered prey, he appears near Miyo for a moment, promising that he will see her, his “daughter,” again. What exactly he means by this is not explained. Does he merely think of her as a daughter? The episode later reveals that he was close to Miyo’s mom. Or is he hinting at a literal parent/offspring relationship between them?

Once Usui vanishes from sight, My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4 jumps ahead to a meeting at the military base where Kiyoka is caught up with the larger situation and plans begin to be put in place. After the trap some of their troops fell into recently, they have been given some new personnel to shore up their numbers, including Kaoruko Jinnouchi (Haruka Tomatsu, Violet Evergarden), a rare female officer who is given charge of protecting Miyo, who along with Arata, will be staying on the base to ensure their safety.

The meeting also lays out the groundwork for what exactly Usui is capable of. While his powers over the perceptions of others are terrifying in potential, they do have limits. His abilities tax his body and mind greatly, which probably explains why he left so abruptly from the train station.

The middle stretch of the episode devotes itself to Kaoruko and Miyo as the former gives the latter a tour of the base. Kaoruko is a refreshingly unreserved personality in this series, coming right out and asking Miyo to be her friend and giving more than a fair share of her feelings about various elements of military life. She displays an easygoing charisma that is hard to reject, though we soon learn that many of the base inhabitants make it a point to do so.

Miyo learns some lessons in My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4.

The tour ends at the dojo, where Kaoruko is asked to participate in a kendo sparring session with one of the recruits. Having grown up in a family-owned dojo, Kaoruko has a great deal of experience in the art and makes swift work of her opponent. But after the duel, several male soldiers insult Kaoruko, stating that the man is supposed to win. The superior on-site shut down these taunts, but the implication is that they are not an anomaly. Despite the negative reception from some onlookers, Kaoruko puts on a brave face as she waves to her new friend, sparking admiration in Miyo.

Just as Hazuki (Yôko Hikasa, Is it Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?) introduced Miyo to a new representation of femininity and confidence in season one, it looks like Kaoruko will play a similar role this season. As Miyo sees Kaoruko shrug off the insults, she is amazed by how unabashed she is about her success. Miyo wonders if she can one day express herself so happily, unworried about what others think of her.

This moment in My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4 is a great learning moment for Miyo, but can also be seen as a strong set up for future revelations about Kaoruko. Putting the woman’s perseverance in such a bright light gives it a warmth and ease that belies how hard enduring such barbs is. It seems likely that we will get a moment where we see the young officer’s internal struggles with the constant rejection of so many of her peers come to light, which will be made all the more powerful by this moment.

Once the day is done, there is a quiet moment between Miyo and Kyoka as they sit on their porch, bathed in the moon’s soft glow. They chat about their day, bringing solace to each other simply through their close presence together. While not a ton of words are spoken, the bond the two share feels powerful, even through an act as simple as holding hands in the moonlight.

The final major element of My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4 is a pair of flashback scenes that begin to fill out Usui’s character. Going back to when he was young, we see him interacting with Sumi on two different occasions. Even at a young age, there is a disturbing sense of disregard for others in the boy. Aware of how potent his abilities are, he seems to revel in hurting others. In one sequence, he’s shown gleefully marching a group of ants to their deaths. This establishes Usui as someone with deep-seated issues and not likely to be swayed from his chosen path if the opportunity presents itself.

My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4 delivers a lot: a chilling confrontation, a wonderful new friend for Miyo, and lots of setup as the series prepares for its next big showdown. All this flows wonderfully together as the episode skillfully weaves in and out of its various elements.

My Happy Marriage Season 2 Episode 4 is streaming now on Netflix.