^That must be the curse of Yuri Hime. It's seems like most of the editors there are really incompetent. I don't believe it's Itou Hachi's fault. Just look at the recently finished series in Yuri Hime. Feels bad.

I really like all of Itou Hachi's other works, but this one feels all out of balance...

Strongly agreed. This story feels like a very belabored version of Master and Me. Same setup: waifish, unreliable girl enters relationship with older woman against her will (but it's okay because it turns out to be True Love™ or whatever), is bad at the things she's ostensibly been placed there for, has another older woman acting as a motherly caretaking figure, and the older woman in the relationship tolerates the younger one because she derives emotional support from her (much like a household pet).

last edited at Aug 9, 2016 3:00AM

I really like all of Itou Hachi's other works, but this one feels all out of balance...

Strongly agreed. This story feels like a very belabored version of Master and Me. Same setup: waifish, unreliable girl enters relationship with older woman against her will (but it's okay because it turns out to be True Love™ or whatever), is bad at the things she's ostensibly been placed there for, has another older woman acting as a motherly caretaking figure, and the older woman in the relationship tolerates the younger one because she derives emotional support from her (much like a household pet).

Yeah, but in that one, the older woman has a lolicon ladyboner for the unreliable girl, so the woman has motivation for wanting the younger one around. In this one, the younger one has absolutely no redeeming features, as recognized by either the older one or the audience. Maybe it says something about it in the first two chapters, but I have absolutely no idea why the younger one is even there. and little motivation to reread and find out. As opposed to the abovementioned Master and Me, where everything made sense the first time.

I really like all of Itou Hachi's other works, but this one feels all out of balance...

Strongly agreed. This story feels like a very belabored version of Master and Me. Same setup: waifish, unreliable girl enters relationship with older woman against her will (but it's okay because it turns out to be True Love™ or whatever), is bad at the things she's ostensibly been placed there for, has another older woman acting as a motherly caretaking figure, and the older woman in the relationship tolerates the younger one because she derives emotional support from her (much like a household pet).

Yeah, but in that one, the older woman has a lolicon ladyboner for the unreliable girl, so the woman has motivation for wanting the younger one around. In this one, the younger one has absolutely no redeeming features, as recognized by either the older one or the audience. Maybe it says something about it in the first two chapters, but I have absolutely no idea why the younger one is even there. and little motivation to reread and find out. As opposed to the abovementioned Master and Me, where everything made sense the first time.

Well then, try to imagine this setting:
A person with parents doing every little thing possible for one to do in her place, not letting her do anything, and in turn this doesn't let her develop any skills, because she does nothing all day long, much like her parents' pet. Now, imagine this person going out in the world with no skills whatsoever, with enough motivation to try and learn, but doesn't even know where to start because she doesn't know anything.

last edited at Aug 9, 2016 11:05AM

I want Kayo to be with Hako. They will throw her out eventually, she can't live with a married couple forever. Actually after reading first chapter I imagined her having a affair with Senri.

I want Kayo to be with Hako. They will throw her out eventually, she can't live with a married couple forever. Actually after reading first chapter I imagined her having a affair with Senri.

I'm reasonably sure it was pretty normal for married couples to have household servants should they be able to afford them, back when that was a thing...

Not particularly incompatible with KayoxHako OTP either.

This series is cute and all but any romance where the partners have a parent-child relationship feels just wrong to me.

Nngh... Ugh, I kind of empathize with Chiru to a point, because I'm virtually useless too, but I don't know how I feel about this series? It's cute and all, but it feels unbalanced, I suppose.

I'm still planning on keeping up with it, though. While I vastly prefer stories like Spring, a Minuet, I still adore Itou Hachi's work.

(Edit: I apparently cannot remember names for shit.)

last edited at Aug 9, 2016 11:36PM

I find this one a bit less appealing too, but it's partly because the older partner isn't taking responsibility in any way. Like, the kid knows nothing, but is enthusiastic as hell, wants to learn, wants to be useful. She could eventually become useful, which would make her happy and fulfilled.

So what does the older partner do? Does she mentor the kid? Does she teach her any skills? No, first she just sloughs the issue off with "You're fine as your current (helpless, useless) self"--but only in a vague, wishy-washy kind of way, nothing that really affirms her worth or indicates emotional attachment or anything. Then eventually she says "You want to be useful? Here, have a plant. I won't tell you anything about how to take care of it, I'll just set you up for failure." Gee, thanks. Same goes for the garden stuff--"Weed these plants. No, I won't tell you among all the massive variety of medicinal plants what might constitute a weed, just try at random and I'll make you feel like a moron when you get it wrong." Uh huh. And she's supposed to be the competent one?

The servant seems to mostly operate on a "defend my turf (and badmouth the mistress for not being able to take it from me)" approach.

The kid is adorable. It's not her fault she's useless, she wants to change. The other two don't seem to want her to, but they want to look down on her for being the way she is at the same time.

(The earthworm was very cute)

I find this one a bit less appealing too, but it's partly because the older partner isn't taking responsibility in any way.

Very strongly agreed. There's that recurring "dominant, talented partner and subservient, useless partner" in a lot of Itou's works that gives rise to some very unfortunate implications when you dig into them.

last edited at Aug 11, 2016 7:26PM

Sometimes Itou Hachi could bring us an astonishing story with a really simple theme, but in other times it is like the repetition of the same story with different characters. I say Itou brings the same theme over and over without anything new and fresh in it. This is cute, of course, but i think i need more than a cute story. More like i demand some kind of development in this story. While reading this i even thought a harsh thing like, "Why Itou bother continuing to write the story of this couple?"

The first pairing of Legally Married universe is likely still my favorite, too bad nothing new comes from them

I find this one a bit less appealing too, but it's partly because the older partner isn't taking responsibility in any way. Like, the kid knows nothing, but is enthusiastic as hell, wants to learn, wants to be useful. She could eventually become useful, which would make her happy and fulfilled.

So what does the older partner do? Does she mentor the kid? Does she teach her any skills? No, first she just sloughs the issue off with "You're fine as your current (helpless, useless) self"--but only in a vague, wishy-washy kind of way, nothing that really affirms her worth or indicates emotional attachment or anything. Then eventually she says "You want to be useful? Here, have a plant. I won't tell you anything about how to take care of it, I'll just set you up for failure." Gee, thanks. Same goes for the garden stuff--"Weed these plants. No, I won't tell you among all the massive variety of medicinal plants what might constitute a weed, just try at random and I'll make you feel like a moron when you get it wrong." Uh huh. And she's supposed to be the competent one?

The servant seems to mostly operate on a "defend my turf (and badmouth the mistress for not being able to take it from me)" approach.

The kid is adorable. It's not her fault she's useless, she wants to change. The other two don't seem to want her to, but they want to look down on her for being the way she is at the same time.

(The earthworm was very cute)

As usual, your analysis is spot on. This is irritating me as well.

The first pairing of Legally Married universe is likely still my favorite, too bad nothing new comes from them

Interesting timing.

Ch. 4 is out! Someone please translate it and post it here <3

As for the imbalanced relationship... From what I see, Chiru's incompetency in doing household chores is understandable cause she's an Ojou-sama that hasn't needed to do anything for herself. But she is trying, and I respect her for it.

Ch. 4 reveals Senri's past, and I really don't think the relationship is imbalanced at all after reading that chapter. Senri may seem like the reliable one, but she has her fragile moments, and while it may seem like Chiru isn't contributing much to their relationship, she is lending Senri strength by staying by her side and supporting her. The accepting love and support are not tangible products that can be evaluated like a meal or new clothes, but don't underestimate the power that are brought when you know and feel that you are loved! :D

As a certain Wise Wolf once said: "Loneliness can cause death." And I know she's grateful for that someone that came into her life and journeyed with her through both hardships and happiness.

Considering that it's an arranged marriage I'd like to know what the Kasuga group gets out of this!
Senri's probably getting some kind of dowry and a higher status (not to mention a servant and maybe an heir if they get science babies or whatever), does the Shinome family has some kind of important monopoly or recipe of some kind? o.O

whoa... didn't expect this!

So nice to see more of Itou Hachi's work

It's always nice to see new chapters from one of my favorite authors here :>

Omggg <3 finaly Itou Hachi's work!!!
Cute story ^^ I hope we get the translation of My Master and Me and the story sequel soon :)

last edited at Mar 11, 2018 2:22PM

Is it just me who feels like the servant is just an unnecessary third wheel? like she literally has no use - should be the other partner doing the work she does

Is it just me who feels like the servant is just an unnecessary third wheel? like she literally has no use - should be the other partner doing the work she does

To do that one would have needed to rework Chiru's character from the start. She's 16, and a very young, privileged 16 at that. As we get a glimpse of here, Senri is kind of clueless in her own way--she's far more mature and reliable, and relates well to people in public, but she doesn't seem to have much sense of how to negotiate the complexities of an intimate personal relationship.

Kayo is more cynical and down-to-earth than either of them, but not really more experienced in the ways of the world. Having her as a go-between for the couple, but not really a mentor or role-model for Chiru, softens the conflicts between the two kinds of cluelessness in play.

If you keep the main characters the same but just take Kayo out, those misunderstandings are transformed into one-on-one conflicts, and Chiru's immaturity becomes complete uselessness as she struggles with domestic tasks she has no idea how to handle, and Senri's inattention starts to look more like (perhaps in some people's eyes justified) contempt.

last edited at Mar 12, 2018 6:43AM

Thank you so much yuri-ism for not giving up on this series T_T

Maybe they will pair the little sis with Kayo? unfortunately unlikely since she's probably just a plot tool to reveal Senri's supposed bad past (the typical "I'm glad to see her smiling again because she was never this happy anymore after xxx happened" plot tool)
Idk I just want her to get a pairing. I feel sad that she's stuck as a third wheel when she's the most competent of the three.

Chapter 12 is when Kayo's love interest gets introduced. Her romantic arc is still going as of 23.

i love it but
i would prefer a less annoying Kayo she buts in every time

This isn't a perfect manga, but I still love it. I really hope it gets localized officially. (Even though it's unlikely)