The Way Of The House Husband

Sometimes the best way to watch an anime is to go in blind. No reviews, MyAnimelist.com, nothing! Just “balls to walls” viewing! Now for an avid anime fan, this caries a monochrome of difficulty. After all, anime is like dating. Sometimes you get to first base, and sometimes you get blue balls because the next season isn’t coming for another year, and sometimes you give it everything only to leave with a broken heart. Dating coaches and therapists alike agree that it is unhealthy to place unrealistic expectations on humans, and anime coaches, there are no anime coaches.

So when I first saw an article for the upcoming Netflix release, The Way of the House Husband, I was intrigued. So much so that I posted the article to my social media channels and forgot to go back and read it. Honestly, all I needed to know was the release date, and I was all in. Well, the release date came and went, and life showed up, so it was buried in a sea of other anime-related duties along with regular 9 to 5 stress. But kudos for adulting as I was able to feast on this five-episode laugh factory and prioritize some fun.

“The Way Of The Yakuza and The Way Of The House Husband Are One And The Same”

The Way Of The House Husband is an anime based on the manga by the same name or Gokushufudu in Japanese. The manga, written by Kousuke Oono and its anime counterpart currently airing on Netflix, follows the life of Tatsu, an ex-Yakuza crime boss, now retired from the life.

Known as the Immortal Dragon by those in the crime life and outside of it, it’s like the shutdown hit the Yahuza; the story follows Tatsu in his day-to-day husbandly duties. He cooks, cleans, does the grocery shopping, etc., while his wife Miku works as a successful designer and career woman. This anime is the opposite of the ’50s saying behind every good man is a better woman!

The premise alone sounds like it would make for a dull anime, but on the contrary, the anime is very comedic, and the episodes move forward at a steady pace. Do not look for the traditional world-building done even in short series or a lot of character backstory. We are given just the right amount to keep the viewer enthused.

The pacing is kept constant by his daily activities that intersect with his former life, which is once a Yakuza, always a Yakuza. Admittedly he is a man of honor. He is constantly harassed by old foes, former underling Masa and under constant surveillance by the cops. Scenes involving the family cat, Gin, provide additional comedic relief when things seem to slow down.

For seasoned anime and animation viewers, The Way Of The House Husband puts me in the mind of Harley’s Holiday, a Batman the Animated Series episode in which Harley Quinn is pardoned and tries to dance a straight line. Tatsu, unlike Harley, doesn’t end up back in Arkham.

The Way Of The House Husband is a multi-format series aimed at the seinen demographic. It exists in anime and manga form, and a live version was produced and originally ran from October to December 2020. The anime adaptation is directed by Chiaki Kon, who has worked on Bleach and the Naruto/Boruto series. Animation is handled by Jet Studio, which explains a lot because my first impression was that Way Of The House Husband reminds me of Food Wars. You’ll notice a throwback to the anime style that made Crying Freeman famous for my old school heads.

There is a love-hate relationship among fans regarding this series. A recent Screenrant.com article highlights that some fans disapproved of the animation style. It is done in panel sequences similar to manga or comics in the west. There are few fluid sequences.

Initially, I thought that the animation was due to issues stemming from the Covid shutdown, or like others, Netflix skimped on the budget. Again watch first, read reviews second. Wash, rinse, repeat in that order. I am a fan of creativity, and the use of colors is vibrant and alerted me that the animes execution was purposefully done.

“If You Make A Mistake Put It Six Feet Under”

The Way Of The House Husband was an enjoyable experience for my viewing enjoyment. I took the first episode to grasp the flow of events, and by episode five, I was disappointed. No disrespect to the recently released Netflix anime Yasuke, but I needed two more bouts of laughter before seeing your trailer. This brings me to my personal gripe; If I had a significant negative, I would say that that was it. Too short.

Though I enjoyed the comedy, fans who want fluid animation may find this anime a hard sell due to its creative license. But I believe the casual Netflix viewer looking for something new will be in for a good ride.