An Anime About A Same-Sex Couple In Japan
Title and Songs
Tadaima, Okaeri (Welcome Home in English) is an anime, based on the manga series of the same name by Ichi Ichikawa, that came out from April to June 2024. The first season has twelve episodes and is available to watch on Crunchyroll (outside of Japan or on VPN). The opening theme song is “Futatsu no Kotoba” (ふたつのことば, “Two Words”), performed by Madkid, and the ending theme song is “Tsunagiai” (つなぎあい, “Connection”), performed by Takayoshi Tanimoto.
Premise
It follows a same-sex couple, Masaki and Hiromu, who settle into a new neighborhood with their almost-two-year-old son, Hikari. Hiromu works for a big company, while Masaki is a househusband. Later on, they have another child, a little girl called Hinata. Other characters enter their new life as well: Matsuo, Hiromu’s friendly coworker, and Yuki, the neighbor’s adult son, who is shy and almost gloomy but soon becomes very attached to Hikari.
Genre
The anime is a slice-of-life type, with some more comedic or dramatic storylines. Little Hi-chan is a never-ending source of laughter and cuteness, while Hiromu’s family and his father in particular make for some difficult situations for the couple.
An Omegaverse Aspect
An Omegaverse Anime
The reason for the rejection that the couple faces is simple, but it’s not because they’re gay: Tadaima, Okaeri takes place in the “Omegaverse”, and Hiromu, as well as his parents, is an alpha, while Masaki is an omega. Alpha and omega are two social classes, or maybe genders, that typically do not mix. There are also Betas, who are more like regular people. Omegas are the lesser gender, they have an “O” on the back of their necks, they get “in heat” which is characterized by being sick, and they can be pregnant and give birth. This means that, yes, Masaki carried both Hikari and Hinata in his womb.
Alphas and Omegas Don’t Mix
An alpha-omega relationship is really frowned upon, which explains why the couple decided to move and why they have such a strained relationship with Hiromu’s father. Some coworkers of Hiromu’s are also heard gossiping about it in the first episode. Nonetheless, Masaki and Hiromu are loved by their kind, non-judgemental friends.
A Controversial Take On The Omegaverse
Some people judged this take on the Omegaverse to be quite disappointing. It is a genre that has rules one must follow. Usually, Alphas and Omegas are strongly attracted to one another because of pheromones. In this, it is not the case, as relationships outside of one’s caste are naturally really rare, there is typically no attraction. One Reddit user, StaraFrost, even writes: “Feels like someone who’s never read a single omegaverse just slapped an omegaverse label on it after someone gave them a couple second description of it.” If this dynamic was loathed, though, people agreed on praising all other aspects of the anime.
A Metaphor For Discrimination Against Gays
I was not familiar with the concept of the omegaverse, so the discrepancies do not bother me. However, I do find it interesting that the couple is not discriminated against for being gay, by anyone, at all; but they are for being a mixed caste couple. This allows for the topics of discrimination and strenuous relationships with family to be explored, but not for the reasons one might expect. It is a smart choice, as viewers don’t see yet another couple outcast for being gay, which have been plaguing screens.
The Portrayal Of A Gay Relationship
A Positive Portrayal Of A Same-Sex Couple
Beyond their classification as a mixed couple, I noticed some very positive takes on how the anime portrays same-sex couples. Both men use the pronouns “ore” or “boku” to refer to themselves, neither use a feminine pronoun as can sometimes be the case in boys’ love content. Hikari refers to Hiromu as “Papa” and Masaki as “Ma-chan”, which is slightly feminizing but makes sense as it is a shortening of his dad’s name. Personality-wise, Hiromu and Masaki are well-balanced as well. If Masaki is definitely more subdued and less talkative in public settings, Hiromu is far from an absent macho father. Both often profess their love to one another, and they are in ecstasy when looking at their children.
Should You Watch It?
The anime does not shy away from portraying kisses or cute moments between the couple, without making such a fuss about them either (do NOT cue the soft filter and rose petals coming down from nowhere), which I find to be a nice, mature choice. All and all, Tadaima, Okaeri is a very good and sweet anime, with a unique portrayal of a same-sex couple. I highly recommend it!
