My Girlfriend Without Wasabi (さび抜きカノジョ, Sabinuki Kanojo) is a spin-off of I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying by Cool-Kyou Shinsha. It centers around Rino and Nozomu Juse, delving into their relationship prior to their marriage. The series ran for a single volume, for a total of 13 chapters.
This work contains examples of the following tropes:
- Adaptational Mundanity: When I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying adapted the first two chapters (and part of the epilogue) for the sixth episode of its second season, all of the fantasy elements go completely unmentioned.
- Adapted Out: None of the members of the supporting cast show up in the animated version (though the only one who would have showed up in the parts they covered was Kiyu).
- Babies Ever After: The series ends with Rino giving birth to triplets, who also happen to be the reincarnations of Kiyu, Aoyama, and Aka.
- The Cameo:
- A poster of Akiko from Metsuko ni Yoroshiku can be seen behind Nozomu at the beginning of chapter 7.
- Rino mentions both the Jigokumeguri and Gotouchi families in chapter 8.
- The rest of the cast of I Can't Understand What My Husband is Saying all show up in the epilogue. Hajime in particular can also be seen watching anime on his laptop in chapter 1 and working at the sushi restaurant in chapter 2.
- Colorful Theme Naming: Aka, Aoyama, and Kiyu are all named after primary colors (red, blue, and yellow respectively).
- Cool Mask: The Juse family have been mask makers for over a millennium and specifically adopted Rino to be the family head because of her skill. All three of Rino's companions also wear masks that she made that are the only things left when they fade away.
- Emotion Eater: In a roundabout way. Kiyu, Aoyama, and Aka are all masks given life by Rino's latent demonic powers. Since demons draw their power from negitive emotions, their life force is literally fueled by her feeling miserable and thus begin to fade away once she's happy with relationship with Nozomu.
- Exotic Eye Designs: Nozomu's mother has spirals in her irises, due to being a reincarnation of Winny from Peach Boy Riverside.
- Forgotten First Meeting: Hajime notes in the epilogue that he worked at the sushi restaurant that Nozomu and Rino frequented. Going back to chapter 2 reveals that he was the one who took their order the first time they went there.
- Go Out with a Smile: Aka, Aoyama, and Kiyu all fade away with a smile on their face, content with the fact that Nozomu will be able to make Rino happy. Well, Aka and Kiyu did anyways. Aoyama gave a thumbs up, but her face covering mask made it difficult to tell if she was smiling.
- Halfway Plot Switch: The story starts off as a Yonkoma slice of life romance series before switching over to a more traditional manga format once the intrigue involving the Juse family comes to light. It switches back to a Yonkoma format for the final chapter once things settle down. The author mentions in the afterword that this had been the plan from the beginning.
- Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Nozomu is only slightly above average height, while Rino is short enough that most people mistake her for being in elementary school.
- Mask of Power: Rino has the ability to imbue the masks she makes with magical powers due to being the reincarnation of a demon. When her powers fade away, all the masks become normal (if still very well made and expensive).
- Parental Substitute: Kiyu and Aoyama acted as a mother and father figure for Rino ever since she was a child due to how absent her father is. Kiyu even admits at the end of the series that she was literally created to serve as her mother.
- Past-Life Memories: The final chapter implies that Nozomu's mother remembers her past life as the witch Winny in Peach Boy Riverside and the fact that Nozomu and Rino have a Reincarnation Romance.
- Plagiarism in Fiction: Soon after they met, Rino tells Nozomu the story of a girl who blanked out on the entrance exam and copy-pasted from Wikipedia. When Nozomu asked if the girl had a death wish Rino just smirks and gives a thumbs up.
- The Power of Love: Inverted. Falling in love takes away Rino's powers and causes Aka, Aoyama, and Kiyu to fade away.
- Reincarnation: The entire cast are reincarnations of characters from Peach Boy Riverside. Kiyu, Aoyama, and Aka all reincarnate as Rino and Nozomu's newborn triplets at the end of the series.
- Reincarnation Romance: Nozomu and Rino are the reincarnations of Hawkthorne and his demon lover Juselino, the Mask Oni God, from Peach Boy Riverside, though this is never directly addressed aside from a small comment from Nozomu's mother.
- Reused Character Design: All of the characters resemble ones from Peach Boy Riverside. This is not a coincidence.
- Running Gag: Nozomu's mother offering him and Rino condoms.
