Common Name: Osake wa Fuufu ni Natte Kara
Alternative Names: Love is Like a Cocktail
Score: 6/10, 3/5
Length: 13 Episodes
Genre: Comedy, Foodie, Slice of Life, Romance, Short-Form
Summary: Stoic, determined, but ultimately kind business woman, Mizusawa Chisato is the ideal office worker. In spite of being adored by her co-workers, she rarely spends time with them outside of the office since a hard day's work usually proceeds a stiff drink. Though she hides it fairly well, Chisato is a lightweight when it comes to alcohol and only ever feels comfortable drinking at home with her loving husband. As a trained bartender and fantastic cook, Mizusawa Sora, is always happy to cater to his wife's desire to let her hair down once the work day is done. Finding ways to blend good food with good drink, he always does his best to make sure Chisato doesn't overwork herself or neglect the simpler things in life. In many ways, they are the perfect pair who keep each other's worlds turning.
Review: Just to be upfront about something, I am not particularly a fan of alcohol. I enjoy it as a means of interacting with others and actively avoid it as a form of stress relief since I grew up learning that leaning on crutches like that can be both dangerous for oneself and those around them. I am, of course, referring to the issue of developing alcoholic tendencies. While this bias of mine does make me hesitant around shows that feature alcohol, I can't say I don't understand where these titles are coming from. Drinking, particularly with people you care for, can be a fun way to relax after a hard day. So, I have to say I'm already a bit fond of a show like Osake Fuufu which features alcohol as the main point of the show, yet also treats the idea responsibly. Rather than simply reveling in the glory that is boozahol, it properly expresses how to use alcohol in one's home life without ever crossing the line into the realm where alcohol becomes a negative influence.
Of course, my fondness for the show is only bolstered by how freakin' adorable it is.
While the show is generally limited in scope, due to the nature of it being a show with episodes 3 minutes long, it does a pretty great job expressing its characters, their daily lives, and an introduction to the world mixed drinks without ever dwelling on any one idea for too long. With each episode, we're presented with more and more of the daily goings on in the Mizusawa household. We get a real understanding of how much Chisato and Sora care for one another and support each other in their own ways. Where Sora helps her unwind after a hard day's work by using his training as a bartender and chef, Chisato seems to be the main breadwinner of the home and a source of comedic entertainment for him. What I think I appreciate most about how the show handles this scenario, though, is how well it walks all the lines it does without every really tripping into a negative or sensitive area. In much the same way that this show could have easily turned alcohol appreciation into worship of alcoholism, it would have been all too easy to make Sora's involvement in their relationship seem skeevy or manipulative.
As terrible as it is to consider, years of anime watching has taught me to always assume that
squinty-eyed characters only act nice to further some ulterior motive.
Rather than using alcohol as a way to make Chisato more eager or willing to do whatever he wants, though, Sora actually takes on a very calm and reasonable tone whenever Chisato is buzzed. Sure, he might tease her when she's drunk--really, who could resist poking fun at such an easy target--he always presents himself as the adult in these situations. This kind of considerate nature speaks to how much he respects their relationship, never wanting to push some personal agenda when he's totally sober and Chisato isn't. So, rather than being presented as potentially self-centered or manipulative in his offerings of alcohol, Sora gives off the impression that he really just wants to help his wife stay happy and healthy since office work in Japan is generally understood to be both stressful and emotionally exhausting.
Still, I doubt she'd mind if he did try to pull something from time to time though.
While I do say I appreciate this kind of pure and wholesome kind of drinking behavior, I will admit it does also bug me a bit as well. I do love the respect these two show one another, but the fact that their relationship never really goes anywhere speaks to the show not really being realistic. It's difficult to regard these characters as believable when their married life seems to be filled with nothing but chaste flirting and alcohol. Of course, that lack of believability hinges on the idea that this show is meant to be representative of their everyday life, rather than just the moments when alcohol comes into play. Since we never really get any episodes or moments where these two aren't just relaxing with some alcohol though, it's hard to determine which this show is supposed to represent. Had the show run a little longer and given us some more time with these characters, I'm sure we might have been able to see some of the more personal (non-alcoholic) moments of their relationship. That's just not the kind of show we got though. Rather than being a show like I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying, which tackled representation of adult romance, Osake Fuufu exists primarily as a show about alcohol. On top of expressing what responsible drinking should look like in a home setting, it also offers the unique benefit of offering its audience a few basic cocktail recipes that can be used for a variety of situations. So, it's not like this show exists without purpose or merit. It's just a cute, fun, adult-centered show that I personally wish offered more, but I'm more than content to just appreciate it for what it is and can recommend it with that understanding being stated.