Mamiko Oumae

• Name: Mamiko Oumae
• Birthday: January 25
• Height: 165 cm
• Zodiac: Aquarius
• Blood Type: O
• Favorite Color: Emerald Green
• Hobbies: Shopping
• Special Skill: Organization
• Likes: Egg dishes
• Dislikes: Insects

Mamiko Oumae is a pretty college girl who stands out with her long, wavy brown hair, dramatic mascara, and flashy manicured nails.

She used to have beautiful black hair, but now it's a bit damaged from styling.

She doesn’t shy away from showing off her stylish figure and looks much more grown-up and fashionable than her mom, Akiko Oumae, and her sister, Kumiko Oumae.

Her hands look fresh and young, and her clothes show off her curves.

Her family can’t help but notice how much more stylish and bold she has become since moving away.

Her luggage is covered in stickers hiding lots of scratches, proof of her many trips between home and Tokyo.

Mamiko is usually seen as a serious, straight-A student who follows her parents’ rules.

However, with people she thinks are below her, she can be blunt, cold, and even a little arrogant.

Despite that, she hides a warm, caring side.

Before focusing on studying, she was close to Kumiko Oumae and acted like a good big sister, helping her with music and schoolwork.

Mamiko isn’t good at cooking—her attempts often turn into disasters, like burning ingredients or scraping the pot too hard and ruining the non-stick surface.

Mamiko Oumae is very organized and neat, and she was once a talented trombone player.

She taught Kumiko Oumae how to play brass instruments, especially with the basics of using a mouthpiece.

Although she’s not good at cooking, she is very good at shopping and collecting makeup products, from all kinds of brushes to lipsticks and eyeshadows.

Kumiko Oumae

Mamiko is five years older than her little sister, Kumiko Oumae. She calls her “You” (using a casual tone), while Kumiko addresses her as “Big Sis.”

They were once very close. Mamiko often took care of Kumiko Oumae, especially when Kumiko started learning brass instruments.

But after Mamiko quit music to study for exams, she felt jealous that Kumiko could still do what she loved, and started acting cold and saying harsh things, such as, “You can’t go to college with club activities,” or “If you say something weird again, I’ll sew your mouth shut.”

Their relationship grew distant, and they struggled even to talk face-to-face.

At first, when Mamiko was considering her future, she would only brush off Kumiko Oumae’s questions with words like, “It’s none of your business,” or “There’s no way you could understand how I feel.”

Later, as Mamiko decided to take responsibility and follow her passions, she became more open, sharing regrets from her past and encouraging Kumiko Oumae to live without regrets too.

After this turning point, they started to talk more easily again, teasing each other the way they did when they were kids.

Shuuichi Tsukamoto

Shuuichi Tsukamoto is a boy Mamiko has known since he was little.

Their families are close friends—they used to live in the same apartment building after Mamiko’s family moved to Kyoto.

Even after Mamiko moved to Tokyo for university, Shuuichi Tsukamoto and Mamiko Oumae talk when she’s home, chatting about school and music.

He once invited Mamiko to watch a performance by the Kitauji High School brass band and talked about Kumiko Oumae’s admiration for her when they were children.

This conversation inspired Mamiko to open up to Kumiko Oumae about her feelings and choices.

• “If you say something weird again, I’ll sew your mouth shut.”
• “You can’t get into college just doing club activities.”
• “It’s none of your business.”
• “No way you can understand how I feel.”
• “I should have lived without regrets.”
• “You should try to live without regrets too.”

Childhood and High School

Mamiko Oumae started playing trombone in elementary school, making her family proud by performing at events.

She kept playing in junior high’s music club and taught Kumiko Oumae the basics of brass instruments when Kumiko joined the band.

However, when it was time to prepare for exams, Mamiko followed her parents’ wishes, quitting music to focus on studying.

Her life became all about going between school, home, and cram school, with almost no time spent eating with her family.

Mamiko attended a high school with higher grades than Kumiko Oumae would later attend, and sometimes would help Kumiko with her homework, saying, “This level is too easy for me!”

University Years

Mamiko Oumae failed her first-choice college but got accepted to a backup school in Tokyo, where she lived alone with support from her parents.

She visited her hometown during long holidays, but otherwise stayed in Tokyo.

Being a third-year college student, she realized that studying was all she knew.

She regretted always doing what her parents wanted and worried about her future.

She finally decided to take a stand and leave college to attend a beauty school and become a hairdresser—her real dream.

After returning home to tell her parents, her father reminded her that she herself chose this path before and that, if she truly wanted this, she’d have to pay for her studies and living expenses on her own.

Mamiko accepted the challenge and, after a few days, made dinner for her family as a sign that she was ready to start over and take responsibility for her new life.

She told Kumiko Oumae about her regrets and hopes, encouraging Kumiko not to repeat her mistakes.

After Entering Beauty School

With her parents’ approval, Mamiko left university, joined a beauty school in Osaka, and started supporting herself completely.

She closed her old bank account, took several part-time jobs, and used her money mostly on beauty products, with little left for savings.

Mamiko enjoyed the tough new life because she chose it herself and found joy in following her passion.

At first, things were awkward with her parents, but over time, they started to get along better again, exchanging gifts and even spending quality time together.

Mamiko’s relationship with Kumiko Oumae also improved, with Mamiko sometimes giving her sister hair makeovers or advice about college majors.

Special Scenes from the Anime

The anime adds extra moments between Mamiko and Kumiko Oumae.

On the day of the national brass band competition, Mamiko comes to watch Kumiko perform, and they both share their true feelings.

Later, Mamiko even sends Kumiko a handwritten letter, showing their relationship is growing more honest.

Mamiko Oumae’s cooking is famously bad—she once burned a whole pot of miso soup and badly scratched a nonstick pan.

She loves shopping, especially for makeup, and has a big bag stuffed with brushes, lipsticks, and eyeshadows.

Every time she comes home, she brings a suitcase covered with stickers hiding lots of old scratches.

Mamiko Oumae’s actions remind us that it’s never too late to try again or to find a new path.

Her bold choice to change her life inspires all those around her, especially her little sister, Kumiko Oumae.