Koi to Uso

Koi to Uso, known in English as Love and Lies, originated as a manga series written and illustrated by Tsumugi Musawo. Debuting on the Manga Box app in 2014, the series was conceived against the backdrop of a near-future Japan where the government assigns marriage partners to citizens upon their sixteenth birthday to solve declining birth rates. Musawo crafted the narrative to explore the tension between state-mandated stability and the chaotic, often painful nature of personal desire, utilizing a delicate and emotive art style to underscore the protagonist's internal conflicts.

The series gained significant traction for its premise, which drew comparisons to historical marriage practices juxtaposed with modern digital-age anxieties. Following the manga's success, it was adapted into an anime television series in 2017 by Liden Films, which further expanded the work's reach. The design and visual storytelling have been noted for their focus on soft, expressive character portraits, capturing the melancholy of the central love triangle as the characters grapple with the implications of their government-issued notifications.