Summary: >

Miki Koishikawa was an ordinary girl in high school, until the day she found out that her parents were going to swap spouses with a couple the met on a cruise line. The other couple happens to have a son named Yuu. Miki finds herself being drawn to Yuu, but then finds out that a boy she had a crush on (who turned her down) really does love her. Miki soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle, but will she figure out who she loves?

Thoughts: >

Ah yes, the shoujo classics. And by classic I DO mean classic because Marmalade Boy is a staple of the genre and is shoujo 100% through. As such you'll find all of the standard dilemmas of a teenage girl. Marmalade Boy takes that a step farther in that it introduces you to multiple characters and follows the relationships and drama of them as well. Marmalade Boy is honestly what an anime soap opera would be (or maybe is?). And for those who enjoy a long series with a lot of different developments, this series will also deliver at a whopping 70+ episodes.

So where do I stand from all of this? While I sort of have a reputation for liking shoujo anime, this one crossed the line. It was too much "Oh my God that cute guy is looking at me, what should I do?" sort of girly stuff which is just a bit too much for me. I enjoy a good drama, and I understand that teenage girls think this way - but tone it down man, there's no reason to have the drama-meter stuck at 11. I also found the music to be way overpowering when it shouldn't have been. "Oh my! There's no more shampoo" Duh Duh DUUUUUH. Yeah, it's almost that bad. Although I guess that sort of makes sense now that I think about it that women have this ultra dramatic music playing in their heads at all times. You still didn't take out the garbage - Duh duh DUUUUH. The toilet seat is up! - Duh duh DUUUUH. Yeah, actually that makes sense now. Thanks Marmalade Boy!

One nice thing about this series is the fact that there is just an all out weirdness factor to it that is just downright crazy. Take the parents for example. Getting divorced on a cruse? Okay. Divorce and spouse finding someone else. Sure. Two married couples swapping spouses THEN living together? Hold on there! And not only that Miki and Yuu are related by marriage. There is sooo much incest that isn't incest going on here that I'd certainly never want to draw out this family tree. For people like me, this crazy stuff is like a life preserver in a sea of super shoujo drama that would surely drown me, or at least put me in therapy. But it's also the weirdness that gives this series much of its charm; enough to even gain fans from those who normally don't like shoujo stuff.

To me however it wasn't my thing. It's just too much. So for those uninterested in shoujo anime - there is nothing for you to see here. For Shoujo fans, this would be a must see title. For those who think they might be interested in this title... it's a tough call. I'd say give it a chance and watch a few episodes. You can get a good feel within 4-5 episodes in my opinion. If you aren't hooked by then, try something else.

Screen Caps: >