He had no problem with it, he wanted to please his grandmother who had taken care of him. On the other hand Benio did see a problem, a big one that clashes with everything she believed in. She tried to break down their engagement any way she can, pleading, reasoning, bullying and even running away from him, but all that comes to naught. So when the day came when she has to live in the Ijuuin family as a prospective bride, learning how to run the household and other fun things, Benio attempts to persuade them that she really was not wife material. She can't cook or clean or sew, nor is she glamorous or even pretty. The fact that the housekeeper and Shinobu's grandfather detested her made the situation even worse, but that was after all the whole plan.

However, despite the number of crockery broken, clothes torn apart and disappearance of peace of mind a romance bloomed between Benio and Shinobu. No matter how hard Benio attempted to deny it the attraction grew stronger, especially after he was sent to the front line in Siberia. Just when you think this will turn out to be a luke warm story as Benio attempted to become a "better wife" tragedy strike and Shinobu perished while trying to save his men. Devastated, Benio's life changed, she believed that he was alive and decided to look after his family while he was away. As the heir had died, all property were divided until there was barely anything left for his Shinobu's grandparents. Benio decided to look for a job and become an employed modern woman, either that or die.

She finally found a job as a reporter at Joudan magazine, with an enigmatic editor who happened to be allergic to all women. Benio's tenacity impressed him and he became quite attracted to her, but before anything can develop Shinobu's ghost haunted Benio in the form of a Russian Marquis who happened to resemble Shinobu...

This manga is a classic in many ways, it starts off rather lightly before becoming quite serious. The jokes revolves around the Rocky Horror Show as well as other bizarre characters that seems to appear out of nowhere. It was the overall theme of the manga which always interested me most, even with all the feminist messages, it still promoted marriage as an inevitable event. I guess in many ways this idea still persists today, a type of Ally Mcbeal mentality, "I am woman hear me roar", but first I want to get married...

Hanamura Benio, prospective bride, age 17. Her mother died at a young age and consequently her father raised her the only way he knows how as a boy. She knows how to use a sword, climb a tree and she loved sake. Her father's a major in the Japanese army, and he still missed his dead wife terribly.

His father had an affair with a German princess and what came from that union was the handsome Shinobu who resembled his mother. His parents were separated due to unequal birth and his mother was married off to someone else. His father could not stand the sight of his son who looked eerily like his lover and spent his years away from Japan until he died. As a result Shinobu spent his time with his grandparents whom he loved dearly, which explained why he was willing to marry Benio. He's a romantic at heart, and attempts to court Benio in this fashion usually comes to naught. :)

This pretty face belongs to Ranmaru, a man and Benio's neighbour. The two had been friends since they were children and strangely enough of the two Ranmaru is the more feminine one. He's a kabuki actor who's very popular with the men because of his face, much to his annoyance. Ranmaru is in love with Benio and eventhough he realise the sentiment will never be returned he tried to be a friend in any way he can. He's usually dragged around by Benio to do things he did not want, like going on an elopement with her.

Aoie Tosei, editor of a magazine called Joudan. At first he was reluctant to hire Benio because she was female, aside from his allergic reaction towards them he just didn't believe a woman would be capable to cope with the long hours and low pay. His magazine is his dream, created out of defiance against his middle class respectable banker parents. He was ashamed of the fact that he was illegitimate, his mother was married when she was pregnant to another man, hence the "frailty thy name is women" mentality. His hair usually covered his handsome face, one of the reasons why he grew it long in the first place. He finds his looks an embarassing distraction, especially for someone who detested women.