The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague Is the Office Romance Version of Horimiya
Horimiya and The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague both feature sympathetic people who aspire to be in real relationships.
Horimiya and The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague don’t seem to have much in common other than the fact that they are both romantic comedy at first glance. The mystical workplace romance between a Himuro-kun, a progenitor of a snow ghost, and the cool and collected Fuyutsuki-san is told in the novel The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague. Two high school girls from Horimiya, Kyoko Hori and Izumi Miyamura, forge a close relationship after discovering each other’s hidden identities outside of the classroom.
However, these two programmes have a similar approach to creating endearing love tales with morally upright protagonists. These two anime series stood out from other romantic comedies because their relationships developed without toxic male or feminine characteristics and unreasonable expectations.
Kindness & Thoughtfulness Leads to Romance
The main characters of The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague and Horimiya are buddies who later fall in love with one another. The majority of romantic comedy television shows include characters who are always trying to win over their sweetheart. The characters in these series, on the other hand, sincerely care about one another and go out of their way to assist each other out with little things in everyday life.
For instance, Izumi Miyamura accompanies Sota, the younger brother of Kyoko Hori, home in the opening scene of Horimiya after he has a nosebleed. Hori appreciates Miyamura’s consideration. They quickly became close and began spending time together at home and school. Hori and Miyamura grow close when she confides in him to look after her younger brother and trusts him to keep her homebody nature a secret from others. Since being a snow spirit descendant can present some difficulties in daily life, Fuyutsuki-san makes an effort to make Himuro-life kun’s easier in The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague. For instance, Himuro-kun loves cats and flowers but is unable to approach them since he may freeze them to death when he becomes agitated. Himuro-kun is unable to enjoy the things he loves, so Fuyutsuki-san provides him with a collection of her cat’s whiskers, as well as straw packaging that shields plants from frost.
These thoughtful gestures demonstrate how much they love and care about their connection. It violates the norms set out in rom-coms, wherein characters mislead others into adoring them or portray naive and erroneous notions of love. These kind deeds and in-depth discussions establish the groundwork for a strong and close friendship.
Sensitive Male Protagonists are the New Stars of Rom-Com Anime
Typically, the male lead in romantic comedy shows is a little bit overly protective and sometimes chilly and calloused toward their loved ones. Characters like Takumi Usui from Maid-Sama! and Kyya Sata from Wolf Girl and the Black Prince would playfully “tease” the female protagonist to the point that they developed difficulties with low self-esteem. The primary male heroes of The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague and Horimiya, however, defy this harmful masculine stereotype. Due to their greater sensitivity and emotionality, Miyamura and Himuro-kun are able to connect with their vulnerable side.
For instance, Miyamura reflects on his time in high school towards the conclusion of Horimiya. He used to be reserved and reclusive, but because to Hori, he was able to be more open and make new acquaintances like Toru Ishikawa. When Himuro-kun is in danger in The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague, Fuyutsuki-san is his go-to person. Himuro-kun physically shrinks into a toddler in episode 2, “The Okinawan Sea and Melting Feelings,” as a result of the heatwave in Okinawa, and seeks Fuyutsuki-san for assistance. To stop Himuro-kun from becoming any smaller, Fuyutsuki-san dashes out to get ice cream.
Being kind and reserved, Miyamura and Himuro-kun are highlighted as having a more feminine appeal. Similar to female characters like Sawako Kuronuma from Kimi ni Todoke, they have a conservative and subservient personality that makes it difficult for them to interact with other people. However, they find their voice and gain the ability to interact with people thanks to the support and generosity of their confident and extroverted female counterparts. Because it deviates from traditional gender conventions, it’s exciting for fans to witness this subservient image in male characters as compared to female ones.
A josei audience is targeted by the workplace romance The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague. However, Horimiya fans may admire the series for creating a healthy relationship that began as friends and for the male heroes’ presentation of a sensitive and vulnerable demeanour rather than the stereotypical macho image.
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague Is the Office Romance Version of Horimiya
- Reference Sites:
- https://animesee.com/
- https://www.crunchyroll.com/
- https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/
- https://www.cbr.com/
