English Dub Review: My Happy Marriage “An Evening Banquet and Distant Snow”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
At a surprise gathering, Hazuki and her guests share their thoughts on love.  Later, Miyo’s worries grow after learning of Takahito’s ominous vision.

Our Take:
Tensions are growing high as a traitor runs loose around the area, and Takahito’s vision is approaching closer than ever.  Thankfully, it’s not all doom and gloom regarding this week’s episode, as Miyo attended a special ladies’ night with Hazuki, Yurie, and even Kaoruko.  Takahito also participated in this unique gathering as Lady Takako despite being the only man in the group.  Considering the drama occurring on Takahito’s grounds, the episode’s first half serves as a respectable breather with Miyo, the girls, and Takahito hanging out.  It slows the plot down a bit until Takahito shares more of his vision with Miyo, but their discussions about love managed to grab my attention, primarily because they might involve the connection between Miyo and Kiyoka.
As Kaoruko suggested, love is equivalent to alcohol.  It can be pleasant while drunk, but they might end up losing a part of themselves in the process.  This might likely be the case for Miyo, who, even though she loves Kiyoka, her timidness prevents her from fully embracing that connection.  It also doesn’t seem to help that the couple wind up sharing the same room again, similar to their stay at the Kudo residence.  But at least their awkwardness brought some laughs, further solidifying them as one of anime’s most beloved couples.  In a way, “An Evening Banquet and Distant Snow” reflects on the feelings of love that are suitably complex for the show’s character growth, but it also isn’t without a sense of charm and tranquility to make its filler plot enjoyable.