My Bride Is a Mermaid (瀬戸の花嫁) is a Japanese manga series written by Tahiko Kimura. The manga was serialized in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly Gangan Wing from 2002 to 2008 and in Monthly Gangan Joker in 2010. In 2004, a drama CD based on the series was released by Frontier Works. The series tells a story of a young mermaid who saves a young boy named Nagasumi Michisio from drowning. To avoid death, Nagasumi chooses the option to marry her. A 26-episode anime television series adaptation animated by Gonzo, directed by Seiji Kishi, and written by Makoto Uezu aired in Japan on TV Tokyo between April and September 2007. Two original video animation episodes were released in November 2008 and January 2009. Odex, a Singaporean distributor, released it in English in Singapore as Seto No Hana Yome. The anime was licensed for a North American distribution by Funimation (rebranded as Crunchyroll, LLC in 2022) and was released on home video from July to September 2010.

Plot

The story of My Bride Is a Mermaid revolves around a young teenage boy named Nagasumi Michishio. One day during his summer vacation at the Seto Inland Sea, Nagasumi is saved from drowning by a mermaid named Sun Seto. Under mermaid law however, either the mermaid whose identity was revealed or the human who saw the mermaid must be executed. In an attempt to save both Nagasumi and Sun's lives, Sun's family (which is the head of a mermaid Yakuza group) reluctantly decides that the two are to be married. Sun's father Gōzaburō is enraged about his daughter's sudden marriage. Between Gōzaburō's constant attempts on his life and the madcap antics of a slew of antagonists, Nagasumi has a hard time transitioning into his new married lifestyle.

Characters

Michishio family

Seto family

Seto Group members

Edomae family

Other characters

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Tahiko Kimura, My Bride Is a Mermaid was serialized in Square Enix's manga magazine Monthly Gangan Wing from July 26, 2002, to February 26, 2008. The series later moved to the publisher's Monthly Gangan Joker, where it was published from May 22 to November 22, 2010. Square Enix collected its chapters in 16 volumes.

Volumes

Anime

The anime TV series adaptation directed by Seiji Kishi, written by Makoto Uezu and produced by Gonzo and AIC aired in Japan on TV Tokyo between April 1 and September 30, 2007, containing 26 episodes. Episode 17 of the anime adaptation scheduled for broadcast on the Japanese cable network Anime Theater X on September 3, 2007 was canceled due to concerns of copyright infringement. Some of the characters who appear in that episode are believed to closely resemble characters from other works. The series was licensed by Funimation and was released under the title My Bride Is a Mermaid!. The first of two parts was released on July 20, 2010. Three pieces of theme music were used for the anime: one opening theme, and two ending themes. The opening theme is "Romantic Summer" by Sun (Haruko Momoi) & Lunar (Sakura Nogawa), which was written, composed, and arranged by Momoi. In the opening video, the characters dancing behind Sun change depending on the episode whether it is dedicated or related to them (for example, Nagasumi dancing with the Seto's Special Squad brothers). The first ending theme, used for episodes one through thirteen, and then again for episode twenty-six, is "Asu e no Hikari" (明日への光) by Asuka Hinoi, which was written, composed, and arranged by Yugo Sasakura. In the video, the image in the ending changes slightly between each episode as new characters are introduced in the anime. The second ending theme, used for episodes fourteen through twenty-five, is "Dan Dan Dan" by Sun (Haruko Momoi) & Lunar (Sakura Nogawa), which was written by Gorō Matsui, and composed and arranged by Shūhei Naruse. In the video, the characters' animations change depending on the circumstances they undergo during the episode (for example, the Class President transforming into "Yes! Amazoness!").

Original video animation

An original video animation episode entitled Jin (仁) was released on November 28, 2008, along with the OVA ending theme single, "Mirai e Go" (未来へGo) by Dekabancho. The OVA's opening theme single, "Zettai Otome" (絶対乙女) by Sun&Lunar, was released on October 29, 2008. A second OVA entitled Gi (義) was released on January 30, 2009, along with its ending theme, "Kakehashi" (梯 -かけはし-) by Sun&Lunar. The opening theme for this OVA, "Tenshi Ranman Love Power" (天使爛漫 Love Power) by Haruko Momoi, Sakura Nogawa, Rika Morinaga, Eri Kitamura, was released on December 24, 2008.