Hige-san is a portly, mustachioed, middle-aged office worker who loves marshmallows—especially those produced by one specific company: Tabekko Marshmallows. His attractive younger female coworker Wakabayashi-san is infatuated with him and blatantly flirts with him all the time—often offering him marshmallows as an excuse to get them into compromising situations—but since she has No Social Skills and he's too gentlemanly and Oblivious to Love to notice, Hilarity Ensues whenever they're together.
Began as a series of webcomics on Pixiv before being made into twelve 3.5 minute shorts. The comics are now officially hosted on Comic Pixiv and still ongoing. The comics are mostly translated and can be found on Danbooru
, while the shorts are viewable through Crunchyroll.
Marshmallow-soft tropes:
- Alternate Universe/High School AU: The author also made a universe with Hige as a school teacher and Wakabayashi as his student, titled Wakabayashi-kun Won't Let Me Nap. She still pines for him in this universe.
- Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Hige is a Tabeko marshmallow fanatic, and it's very hard not to think that he would be, given that his features are soft and roundish, and his color scheme is primarily white like a marshmallow.
- Babies Make Everything Better: Wakabayashi-san wants a baby, even to the point of asking for one 'as a gift' when inviting Hige-san over to her house...
- In EP12, Wakabayashi-san fantasizes about taking care of a baby Hige-san in a dream.
- Big Beautiful Man/Chubby Chaser: Hige-san isn't quite a ballerina, but Wakabayashi-san still wants to be with him.
- Big Sister Attraction: Wakabayashi’s younger brother clearly likes his sister more than a normal sibling and he doesn’t approve of his sister’s crush on Hige. He tried to kiss her on the lips in episode 6, but accidentally kissed Hige instead.
- Double Entendre: Episode two has Hige-san stuck in the rain, calling the office, with Wakabayashi-san next to him. Of course she decides to offer him a marshmallow while being euphemistic about it, so the boss will misunderstand."I'm on the phone at the moment, I'll gobble it up later..."
- Evolving Credits/Eye Catch Each episode ends with a song and some poses of Wakayabashi-san (usually in a bikini) as a background; also, usually, Hige-san and Wakyabashi-san (and for some episodes, a coworker) interact in some way.
- First Kiss: An accidental one between Hige-san and Wakayabashi-san's brother, at a company picnic."My first kiss tasted of marshmallow."
- In Vino Veritas: Wakabayashi tends to be a bit more open with her feelings for Hige when she’s had a few drinks. She opened her blouse when she asked Hige if he wanted any “marshmallows”, she gropes his large belly, and she mumbles about wanting to have a baby with him.
- Love Confession: On a company trip, Wakabayashi drunkenly confesses her feelings to Hige and asks if he'd want to date her. He gives her a proper response to her weeks later, and says that he wouldn't be averse to a relationship.
- Love Triangle: Once Mioko is introduced in the series, she and Wakabayashi start competing for Hige’s affections.
- Marshmallow Hell: When moving between subway cars in one episode, Wakabayashi-san and Hige-san end up getting caught between the cars when it starts moving. This also results in Wakabayashi-san with her face buried in Hige-san's chest; she doesn't even attempt to move away for the entire remaining trip. When Wakabayashi-san arrives home later, she goes straight to her room to bury her face in some pillows in an attempt to recreate the experience, to the confusion of her brother."What are you doing?""... Nothing."
- Mistaken for Gay: The employees of Tabekko tend to call him 'fairy'. This may be because he tends to take factory tours repeatedly, by himself, with no known girlfriends. (Through the first 12 episodes so far he's shown to be more of a clueless asexual, but he may just not be trying to look for a relationship of any sort.)
- Oblivious to Love: Hige doesn't seem to notice Wakabayashi's almost absurd levels of affection towards him, even when she's very obviously making a move on him.
- Relationship Upgrade: What the desired outcome is, for Wakabayashi-san. They do get together later on in the comics, but the upgrade was made with about as little fanfare as possible.
- Rescue Romance: Mioko develops feelings for Hige after he inadvertently saved her from a groping pervert on the train.
- Sound-Effect Bleep: Used in episode 10 when Wakayabashi curses out Mioko.
- Those Two Guys: The two Tabekko employees seen so far (as of the first 12 episodes).
- Through His Stomach: Wakabayashi knows she can't woo Hige through normal means, but she does know that he goes gaga for marshmallows, so she lures him in with those.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Hige loves Tabbeko marshmallows. He was saddened when he thought the factory was no longer producing marshmallows.
- Umbrella of Togetherness: In episode two, Hige and Wakabayashi share an umbrella on their way to work.
- Unrequited Love: On Wakabayashi's part, so far, as part of a hoped-for Relationship Upgrade.
- What Does She See in Him?: Hige’s coworkers don’t understand why Wakabayashi and Mioko are crushing on Hige.
