Oji-san to Marshmallow

Oji-san to Marshmallow originated as a web manga series authored by Otoi Rekomaru, first serialized on the social platform Pixiv. The work centers on the understated office romance between Hige, a middle-aged man with a deep-seated affection for marshmallows, and his younger coworker, Wakabayashi, who harbors a crush on him. It gained significant traction for its lighthearted humor and character-driven interactions, eventually leading to its formal serialization in Ichijinsha's Comic Rex magazine and an anime adaptation.

The aesthetic of the series is rooted in the conventions of the slice-of-life comedy genre, focusing on the contrast between Hige’s mature, bearded appearance and his childlike enthusiasm for sweets. Otoi Rekomaru’s minimalist art style emphasizes subtle facial expressions to convey the characters' internal states during their repetitive, often awkward social rituals. The work was well-received by fans for its comforting, low-stakes narrative, which avoids the dramatic tropes common in traditional workplace romances.