Filthy Casual for Life

Episode 1: The Meeting

Summary

The episode begins with a soliloquy of our main protagonist, Miyo. Her words are sorrowful, beginning to paint a picture of someone in despair. In the next scene, Miyo is splashed with tea by her younger sister. Miyo is a servant in her own home. The stepmother and father do nothing to correct the younger daughter, Kaya. In fact, they participate in the verbal abuse. Talk around the home solidify that Miyo is nothing more than a nuisance in her own home.

One day, Mr. Tatsuishi comes by to discuss important matters. It is assumed that he came by for marriage proposals. We are introduced to Koji. Koji has a crush on Miyo and even brings her candy for her to try. Koji confesses that he wishes he could save her from her family life. It seems that Koji is aware of the abuse she suffers.

Miyo is cleaning up the dining area. Kaya asks for a new kimono and instead is offered to pick up 2 or 3. It is obvious that Kaya is the preferred daughter and is spoiled as such. Whereas Miyo is wearing a tattered and old kimono. As she is leaving the room, her father stops her and tells her to be available at noon in two days’ time.

While she is cleaning, Koji arrives at her home. He is wearing Western-style clothes. He looks troubled. She is summoned by her father. There, her father informs her that Koji is now engaged to Kaya. Miyo is obviously heartbroken. To fuel the fire, he informs Miyo that she is being sent to Kudo Kiyoka. Kudo has a terrible reputation which is probably why they promised Miyo as his fiance. In no way does her family want her to find any shred of happiness.

She packs her things, consisting of a comb and her kimono, and sets off to the Kudo household. She knows that she will never be accepted back into her own home. She is greeted by the servant Yurie who is happy to see her. She is taken to meet Kudo, who is cold toward her. However, when she sees Kudo, something shifts in her heart and she is struck by his beauty.

Thoughts

I was immediately taken in by this episode. It does a great job of painting the abuse suffered by Miyo. Unfortunately, the story does mimic Cinderella. You have the stepmother and half-daughter joined in their mutual hate for Miyo. The father does nothing to protect his eldest daughter. This part of the storyline is far from the original but still compelling in its own way. It was painful to see the one person who showed her kindness get engaged to the one who brought her pain. It highlights the downside of arranged marriages. Although Miyo’s life seems filled with unhappiness, the end of the episode shows that there is potentially a ray of hope in her future.