Dorama 2020
Marry Me! (Japanese Drama Review & Summary)

Marry Me! poster
- Genre: Contract Marriage, Relationship, Romance, Family, Love Story
- Release Date: 2020
- Origin: Japan
- Dorama: 10 Episodes
Cast:
- Rinka Kumada as Himari Sawamoto
- Toshiki Seto as Shin Akiyasu
- Harumi Sato as Waka Yoshiura
- Rintaro Mizusawa as Sho Akiyasu
- Reiya Masaki as Kohei Yamada
Episode 1
This is such a cute drama.
Anyway, Himari and Shin are a ‘victim?’ of a new experimental governmental rule which was enacted to solve the aging population and low birthrate.
Additionally to give the unemployed a new lease of life by matching them with those in good jobs and prospects. This is called the NEET (Unemployed Young Adults) Protection Act.
Shin was being congratulated on his birthday as soon as he arrived in the office. He was immediately given a document as he had been chosen to be the prototype to the new experimental law.
His boss told him that his promotion is depending on how he manages a relationship with a NEET.
His chosen intended was Himari, who is a 21-year-old girl and had become a recluse after the death of her grandparents a few months ago.
Directly after high school, her life had become caring for her grandparents.
When Shin went to see her, she was being hounded by her neighbours who called the police to check whether she was still alive or dead because of the lack of activity in her house.
Shin assured the neighbours that he was Himari’s guardian, her husband to be.
Himari did not know anything about it and told Shin to go away.
Shin noticed that she really did not know anything about it because the letter sent to her by the government was still on her letterbox.
Shin went to see Himari again.
Himari asked him to cancel the wedding. He noticed how depressed she was and she said that the only company she has in this world was her cat.
Again Shin is not giving up. He returned to see Himari who he found really scared because her Momotaro was really unwell.
Shin took her to the vet. Momortaro was cured but still, HImari was sad.
Shin asked to marry if because what she needed right then was a family and he will be her family.
Himari finally agreed to marry him.
Shin asked her to sign a marriage registration. He was at the registry office when he saw the others going through the process of marriage being very happy.
He returned to Himari and asked her if she really wanted to marry him.
Himari told him that she does not dislike the idea and she after her scare with Momotaro, she would rather be with Shin.
Shin promised to find ways to make her happy. They grinned at each other and they were so cute.
Episode 2
Shin woke up and open the sort of balcony to his room only to fall down on the yard below. He told Himari that they should fix the house.
Himari was reluctant and insisted that there is nothing wrong with the house but Shin disagreed. He said living in the house is like dicing with death. There are some nails that have not been fully hammered in and the roof leaks.
He said that they should go to their DIY store.
The mention of the DIY store convinced Himari that they should fix the house.
Himari was like a little child in the store. She said she had never been in a store where there sell everything.
Shin almost lost her because she just wanted to see everything and would run off.
She found them a couple of new teacup and she was so radiantly happy that Shin fell in love with her.
Anyway, he was fixing the roof when she called for him to have a break.
He felt like they are really married that he had always thought that their union was just work.
Anyway, Shin bought Himari a smartphone. She was grateful and excited because she had never had one before.
At work, Shin was being teased by his colleague if he had done the conjugal bit with his new wife, whether he had fallen for her.
Shin said that the marriage is part of his work.
Himari befriended a runaway boy.
The boy was duly fetched by his unemployed novelist father.
The next the boy invited Himari to spend the day with him and his father. going to an amusement park.
Shin colleague were shocked that he allowed his young wife to go out with another man.
Shin was not overly concerned as he trust his wife.
He was just coming home when he saw them looking all downcast.
The father explained that his son had been naughty and broke Himari’s phone.
Apparently, Himari was so focused on her phone most of the day that the boy finally had enough and grabbed the phone and threw it. It then broke.
Himari was really upset. Shin was just about to hug her to comfort her when there was a knock on the door.
It was his colleagues at work, a drunk Kohei and a rather jealous Waka, who told Himaki that Shin was her boyfriend two years ago.
Episode 3
Himaki and Shin are getting on well and it showed because he is lighter at work and he brings lovely bento lunches.
Waka was besides herself with jealousy. She went to see Himaki and told her to divorce Shin because she was nothing to him, she is just work to him.
Himaki refused.
Apparently Shin and Waka dated for four years but the relationship was not progressing was Waka wanted so she told Shin that they should break up.
All Shin said was ‘Ok’ which still rankles on Waka.
Shin and Himaki were just returning from the shop when they saw a young man playing the violin at their house.
The young man was Sho, Shin’s brother.
Sho was surprised to learn that Shin had gotten married.
Shin confessed that he had not told the parents yet. He said he will call them the next day.
But the next day, Himaki called him to say that his parents are at the house.
Episode 4
Sho was upset that his parents had come. Shin and Himaki tried to talk to him but Sho grabbed Himaki and locked themselves in the bedroom.
Sho was enchanted how Himaki is so easy to get on with. She is a peaceful person.
He told her that he was glad he has a big sister now.
Himaki loved being called a big sister.
Sho saw that Himaki had fallen asleep. She was such an easy-going person, he was able to relax.
Meanwhile Shin was hating being with his parents.
He was thinking that he was glad he was about of their house.
His mother was a bit of a snob. She said she will not approve that someone barely literate will be a member of their family. They are lawyers, doctors, educators.
Shin said that he will stay married to Himaki.
Himaki woke up and saw that the sleeping Sho had covered her with a jacket.
She tiptoed downstairs and Shin was glad to see her.
She helped her mother-in-law in the kitchen, who found that Himaki was finding it hard to call her mother.
Himaki explained that she grew up with her grandparents; she was not used to calling anyone mother and father as she was told to forget them.
Shin’s mother was moved by the story of the gentle Himaki.
Shin was with his father. Shin asked him why he never eat at home when he was growing up.
His father did not expect a mundane question. He was contemplating that Shin will ask him a profound question about life.
Shin was in the garden when Himaki found him. Shin apologised to her for his parents.
Himaki, though, was all smile. She said that she loved her new family. She then showed him the photos forwarded to her phone by Shin’s mother.
The photos showed Shin being so happy.
Himaki commented that he must have loved his father very much because Shin looks so happy in every single one of the photos taken by his father.
Shin realised that Himaki was right. He had been secretly rebelling against his parents when in fact he was covered in love.
Himaki and Shin went to wake Sho for the roast chicken dinner with the parents. Sho was not enthusiastic at first but Shin asked him to stay with him and Himaki for a while.
During dinner, Shin broached the subject of Sho staying with him and Himaki for a while. After a careful thought, Shin’s mother agreed but the father said that he disagreed.
Then they asked why? He said that the house will be so lonely without his children.
Awww
His father apologised that all he had down while his boys were young was work and more work. He wanted to earn enough so his boys could have a better life. But he regrets it now. He should have more time with them.
Finally, Shin understood his father.
They left lighthearted and Himaki was happy to be part of them.
Himaki said that she will bake a cake for Sho’s birthday.
She tried to bake a cake several times until she had ran out of flour.
She went to the shop but saw Shin on the other side of the road with his colleagues.
She happily waved to him but she fell on the road where an incoming van was almost upon her.
Episode 5
Shin, unmindful of his own life, ran towards Himari and covered her with his body. He had never been so frightened not of his life but losing someone.
He checked on HImari for any injury but she was fine. He told her all the same that he had promised to protect her but she has to learn to protect herself as well..
It was only when they got home that they noticed that he was the one who was injured when Sho asked why was blood soaking his trouser leg.
HImari immediately cleaned him up and saw to his wound.
When he asked her what was she doing outside, she told him that she went to the supermarket because the local convenience store had run out of flour.
Shin asked if he could give her a hug. She was prepared to give him a friendly bear hug but he hugged her tenderly and more lover-like.
This made HImari feel rather awkward towards him.
It was Sho’s birthday party and they had fun. Ironically, Sho decided to go home to his parents’ house.
This only made Shin to feel awkward and uncomfortable around HImari as well but not enough because he almost kissed while she was sleeping next to him but she woke up.
Now they were both awkward.
Himari asked the little boy who to stop the awkwardness and tension between her and Shin.
The boy maturely commented that should she be asking this kind of question from a grade school child?>
All the same the boy advised her.
So when Shin came home who apologised to her immediately and said that that he did not her will never going to happen again.
Himari said that she does not mind and gave him a peck on his cheek. She said the boy told her to do this.
The next afternoon, Shin was excited to come home. But he saw Himari looking so happy with another man.
Episode 6
Awww!!! This episode is sweet.
The boy with Hamari was her high school friend Mitsugi, who went to university with a full scholarship playing baseball. He was thinking of quitting baseball after he hurt his shoulder and the first person he thought of to see was Hamari.
He was so shocked when he found out that Hamari was now married and to his concern, she was married under an experimental government program, NEET.
He asked Shin man to man whether he like Himari or just part of his job.
Shin assured him that Himari is his family.
Mitsugi asked if he could go out with Himari the next day before he goes back to university. Shin gave HImari permission.
During their day out, Mitsugi asked HImari if she was happy? He wanted to know if she was contented in how the way things were with her husband. He then assured her that if he cannot make her happy then he will. He then hugged her tenderly but HImari patted him in the back as if he was a sad brother.
Shin was rather weary when he was going home.
Mitsugi was waiting for him near his house.
Mitsugi told him that he was not too concerned about Shin and Himari anymore because despite their marriage being forced on them, he realise that they care for one another. Mistsugi told Shin to look after HImari well as he was leaving.
When Shin got to the house, it was in darkness, and when he turned on the light he gound an unconscious HImari near the kotatsu. He realised that she was drunk.
He thought she had been drinking because she married the wrong person but a drunk Himari assured him that she was happy.
He then put her to bed.
When she woke up the next morning, she found Shin still asleep by her bed.
He asked Himari if she remembered what happened the previous night?
Hmari got rather emotional and said that she thought Shin would ask her to leave.
Shin confessed he iskedes her.
She was surprised at first but she told him that she iskides him as well. Awwww
Episode 7
Shin was worried that Himari believes that babies are delivered by storks. He was worrying about this because the whole point of marrying a NEET is to beget babies.
Kohei could not believe that Shin had not slept with Himari yet.
Shin was so shocked that Kohei would assume that.
Anyway, Waka and Kohei surprised Shin and HImaki with a spa break.
Shin was not too sure but Himari was all excited.
When then got to the inn and time for bed, Shin bashfully said that if they sleep next to each other, they would not only be doing kisses.
To his surprise Himari was all for sleeping together.
Himari said that she is grown up she knows this kind of things as it was taught in middle school.
Since she knows, Shin did not waste any time. He jumped her.
When they woke up the next morning, he found Himari crying a little bit.
She reassured him that it was because for the first time she actually felt like a family.
Awww
Shin went back to work and handed in his notice. His boss could not believe it.
Kohei was shocked. He punched Shin in the face to make him realised what he had done. He just resigned from his job.
Shin said that he loved Himari so much and for real that he does not like to participate in the government little experiement.
Poor Himari was a little worried about Shin but she had to support his decision.