#Explore The Making of a Key Visual With My Happy Marriage Season 2’s 1st BTS Video

Back in 2023, the KADOKAWAanime YouTube channel released a short series of making-of videos for My Happy Marriage‘s first season. The same treatment is being given to My Happy Marriage Season 2, and the first such video, which was released on February 1 JST, tackles the creation of the anime’s key visual before switching to an interview with directors Takehiro Kubota and Masayuki Kojima.

The video breaks down the key visual’s creation process into the illustration, [background] art, and finishing (coloring) stages. The illustration was handled by Hikaru Sato, one of Season 2’s chief animation directors, who did not just the initial rough drafts but the clean-ups. The backgrounds for the visual were done by background art director Emi Katanosaka, while color designer Anna Okamatsu filled in its colors. Some of Okamatsu’s work also went beyond adding colors, with the video mentioning the creation of “special materials” for the kimono’s depiction and special effects for Miyo’s bangs.

During the directors interview portion, Kubota, who was the sole series director for Season 1, mentioned that production for Season 2 had started during Season 1’s own production, and that that “we entrusted the initial stages mostly to Kojima-san.” (Kojima later adds that Season 2 was still at the script stage.) Kojima also oversaw the new setting material.

Another topic of discussion that emerged was the depiction of Naoshi Usui, with Kojima saying, “How far do we delve into their humanity, and to what extent do we explore that aspect? In the end, the more well-defined the antagonist is, the more, in a way, it enhances the main character’s presence.”

Watch the full video below:

My Happy Marriage Season 2 premiered on January 6, 2025 JST and is streamed overseas on Netflix. It is based on the KADOKAWA-published (Fujimi L Bunko label) novel series written by Akumi Agitogi and illustrated by Tsukiho Tsukioka, which Yen Press describes as:

IS THIS MARRIAGE A BLESSING? OR A CURSE?

​Born talentless to a noble family famous for their supernatural abilities, Miyo Saimori is forced into an existence of servitude by her abusive stepmother. When Miyo finally comes of marriageable age, though, her hopes of being whisked away to a better life crumble after she discovers her fiancé’s identity: Kiyoka Kudou, a commander apparently so cold and cruel that his previous would-be brides all fled within three days of their engagements. With no home to return to, Miyo resigns herself to her fate—and soon finds that her pale and beautiful husband-to-be is anything but the monster she expected. As they slowly open their hearts to each other, both realize the other may be their chance at finding true love and happiness.

Staff (reprising unless stated otherwise)

• Director: Takehiro Kubota
• Director: Masayuki Kojima (new, director of Made in Abyss, storyboard artist and director of My Happy Marriage Episode 5)
• Character designer: Sachiko Yasuda 
• Series composer and screenwriter: Ami Sato
• Screenwriter: Minori Hashiba (new)
• Screenwriter: Fuka Ishii (new, co-screenwriter on Rankings of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage)
• Screenwriter: Momoka Toyoda (previously co-series composer)
• Background art director: Inspired’s Emi Katanosaka 
• Background art advisor: Inspired’s Osamu Masuyama 
• Compositing director: T2 Studio’s Tsunetaka Ema
• Color designer: Anna Okamatsu 
• Kimono designer: HALKA
• Music composer: Evan Call 
• Script development support: Koji Morimoto (new)
• Animation production: Kinema Citrus

Cast

• Reina Ueda as Miyo Saimori
• Kaito Ishikawa as Kiyoka Kudo
• Ryohei Kimura as Arata Tsurugi
• Hiro Shimono as Yoshito Godo
• Ryotaro Okiayu as Tadakiyo Kudo
• Kikuko Inoue as Fuyu Kudo
• Yuya Uchida as Naoshi
• Haruka Tomatsu as Kaoruko Jinnouchi

Source: KADOKAWAanime YouTube channel