The characters are not only carefully molded but also deeply developed, each with their own realistic issues. Everyone needs to experience such intricate characters—no, people—with their own eyes. In Dakedo Happy Paradise, you’ll see unrequited love that will tug at your heartstrings and force you to scream “Ganbatte!” for the (side) character. In Dakedo Happy Paradise, you’ll see a shota being constantly mistaken for a girl and, at one point, even being dressed up like one! (Boku no Pico fans, you’ll shed a tear at this.) In Dakedo Happy Paradise, you’ll see a man who can’t contain his… love… for Ganbatte-chan gushing over her, showing himself to her, and pushing her down, doing his utmost to share his (hormone-fueled) feelings with her when she’s too pure to understand! In Dakedo Happy Paradise, you’ll see the issues of an elder brother who just happens to be normal and uninteresting! Last but not least, there’s one we’ll all be able to relate to - Ganbatte-chan and her issues with her (male) parent. Truly heartbreaking.
She’s an innocent, pure child who gets wrapped up in the woes of life, death, abandonment, puberty, three teenage boys, and her brain. Instead of sucking it up and getting beat by her problems years later, Ganbatte-chan, having nowhere else to turn, decides to take up a job as a housekeeper. Fate takes the wheel and that house just so happens to be filled with three gorgeous male brothers who are all around her age. And there are no parents, either, because apparently they can live alone and apparently Ganbatte-chan is perfectly fine with that. When the brothers are introduced, you will notice how they look first. The average shoujo style that they are drawn in will grace your screen.
Small, slanted eyes, somewhat feminine hairstyles, bodies that aren’t anatomically correct, but reeeeaally attractive—yes, you heard it right! Bishies! Bishie brothers! You’ll lap it up, I promise.
The beauty of Dakedo Happy Paradise is that it’s all fun and games. Ganbatte-chan is happy, relishing in the undivided attention of three boys. And then, by the next page, the screentones are dark and ominous. The transition is so smooth that you’ll have to blink a few times. Ganbatte-chan’s head is a dark, air-filled place, after all. She’s been abandoned by her father. Abandoned. This, mixed with the boys, the comedy, the lack of a consistent focus, and those moe moments we all love makes Dakedo Happy Paradise a really unique shoujo. The serious issue of abandonment by her good for nothing father is tactfully skimmed over sometimes and other times not. After all, we don’t like issues. They’re icky. But when the tears come all of a sudden, OH MAN, you feel it.
I don’t want to spoil it for you, but the boys play a big part in comforting Ganbatte-chan. Their complexities come out during those times. When Sexual Harrassment-kun wraps his arms securely around Ganbatte-chan, my heart flutters. When I-look-like-a-girl-pyon yells at her and then berates himself for his social ineptitude (I feel ya), I just want to put him in a skirt. And our favorite black haired sweetie, well I love it when he…
The last point that I feel needs to be brought up about Dakedo Happy Paradise is that it never loses its fun, youthful, comedic attitude. Ganbatte-chan’s crying about her dad? No problem! Just keep the jokes coming and keep the atmosphere basically the same and you’ll have her out there giving it her all and fighting (kyaaa) in no time! We’ll all forget about the issue as long as you keep that up.
One gripe that I have is that, besides a completely obvious crush and Sexual Harrassment-kun’s playfulness, we never really get to see any romance. Disappointing! Family and friendship is all fine and dandy, but I want to see some suckin’ face! Oh, by the way, spoiler alert.
Dakedo Happy Paradise isn’t one to be missed. Unless you’ve heard of all this before. I’m not sure how you could have, though, but if it just so happens that you have, well, you might not find it to be all that special. Sorry.
