Here is my review on “The Way of the Househusband” a Netflix adaptation that follows the day to day shenanigans of the once-legendary member of the Yakuza, turned world-class househusband Tatsu, or “Immortal Dragon” as he was known. It is described as a “cosy gangster comedy” by Netflix to which I would be inclined to agree.
Gokushufudou / The Way of the Househusband
The Way of the Househusband is an anime based on the existing manga of the same name. Released directly to Netflix in April 2021, all 5 episodes are ready to stream to those with a paid subscription.
Initial Impressions
I was a little dubious about this at first as it was a Netflix Anime exclusive and I seem to end up having mixed feelings about the platform, but the trailer linked above really amused me so I was keen to give it a chance.
The main things that stood out to me in the trailer which pushed me to want to watch it was the visual style, the VA and the humour. Tatsu is voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda – who seems to be seriously employed right now as I see him in so many roles! I think his voice acting is perfect for conveying this role and adds so much character.
As if he wasn’t ideal enough for the role of Tatsu, he actually performed in a live-action trailer for Gokushufudou, the original version of this you can watch here. However, I will implement the English translated version below for ease of watching. He absolutely nailed it and fits the character of Tatsu SO WELL, both in visual and voice!
Just based on the fact he did this and committed to the character so well got me hooked, I couldn’t wait to see the rest of the show.
Let’s break it down
So now that my interest was piqued, did the show live up to expectations and follow through? To better understand I will break the review down into aspects of anime that I think have the power to make or break my viewing experience…
Artstyle/ Animation
I mention this one first as for me, the biggest potential make or break of an anime is the way it looks. This includes things such as character design, the artists’ style, and the way it is animated.
The Way of the Househusband has a very simple design overall, but does feature the odd detailed image here and there at times – which by the way, look epic! Mostly it felt more like watching a comic book, rather than being fully animated, I didn’t hate it but it was a bit jarring at first because I hadn’t watched anything like it before. I think it lends to the lighthearted comedy value of the story though, but I wonder if it could be misconstrued as being low budget and low effort?
It looks to follow the manga pretty closely in terms of visuals, and I love that they chose to keep it authentic to the original intention, it definitely isn’t as intricate as some shows but it has its own charm that it rocks!
Pacing
Each episode is broken down into chapters from the manga and is basically short comedy skits showing the day to day role of Tatsu and the kinds of silly things he gets up to and contends with. I actually felt like it kept my attention pretty well and it didn’t particularly slow down too much anywhere. It took me a moment to get my head around the chapter system but overall once I understood the layout, it was easy to keep up with.
Characters
We meet a handful of main characters and supporting characters in the show but the main depth and development are in Tatsu’s character. We meet his wife Miku, a hardworking professional woman with terrible home-making skills. We also meet Masa, Tatsu’s former underling in the Yakuza, who features in many of the episodes.
Not forgetting their adorable cat, Gin – who has a lot of screen time too, and well… it’s so cute, who can resist?
Outside of these characters, any others that are introduced feel like plot drivers, rather than actually having much substance or long term meaning, but it totally makes sense. I mean, this is Tatsu’s world, they are just living in it!
Genre
The show is listed on My Anime List as fitting the following genres, I think these are particularly accurate…
Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life
Soundtrack
The opening song for The Way of the Househusband is called Shufu no Michi, performed by Uchikubi Gokumon Doukoukai. I personally love metal/rock music so might be a little biased! I think this song really represents the aggression of the Yakuza elements in the show whilst being playful and upbeat, it elevates your energy!
The ending song for The Way of the Househusband is performed by the same artist and is called Goku・Fufukaidou. Personally, I am not as much of a fan of this song as I am the opening sequence, however, it follows the same genre and is a nice wind-down. I’ll be honest though, I am the type to quickly skip to the next episode rather than listen all the way through the ending sequence unless its a total banger.
How does it feel to watch The Way of the Househusband?
I spent a lot of time laughing throughout watching the show, the actual content was very lighthearted and funny. The way the author wrote Tatsu to be very intimidating and scary but he ends up doing something entirely innocent and cute – is so endearing and amusing to watch. The juxtaposition between the way he is perceived by others, as this big Yakuza gangster, but the way he actually is – a loving, loveable, caring is awesome…he’s like a toasted marshmallow.
This is a show I would watch when I don’t really want to think about anything intricate or consume some deep and meaningful story and just want a good, lighthearted laugh.
My Ratings
Visuals
Despite the simplicity of the shows design and animation overall, I think it has charm, it is lighthearted and the visuals reflect that well. The characters and places we see are cool but I’m not sure there is anything “special” about any of the characters aside from Tatsu. I deducted stars because I am not entirely sold on the animation style and usually prefer something a little more intricate.
Soundtrack
I like the opening and ending songs but I don’t think I would listen to them outside of the show. Of the two, my favourite is definitely the opening sequence, it is really upbeat and lifts the spirits. The genre of the songs isn’t for everyone but I don’t think this really should have much bearing on whether you watch the show or not! I give them 3 stars, I like the vibe and the genre, but outside of the show I don’t think they hold any weight like other anime OP/ED’s.
Entertainment value
As previously mentioned, this is a really good show to watch when you want something lighthearted, that isn’t particularly thought-provoking and just gives you good laughs. I think the comedy is really strong and it is overall super wholesome, it held my attention throughout and I didn’t get too bored anywhere. If you can work with the animation style I think this show has great potential to be really entertaining for a lot of people!
To summarise…
I would recommend The Way of the Househusband as a lighthearted, humorous watch for anyone looking for something relaxed and wholesome to watch.
I think you have to appreciate it for what it is rather than hold it to the standards of top hitting anime, and if you can gel with the visuals I think anyone can have fun watching this! It doesn’t feel aimed at any one audience and isn’t overloaded with stereotypical anime tropes that you often see.
If you have a Netflix subscription and have been debating over if you should watch it, I’d say give it a go. It’s only 5 episodes of approx 20 minutes each, so it’s not a huge loss if you start and find it isn’t for you.
Have you watched already and have thoughts you want to share? Come join in the conversation on Twitter below or leave a comment on this post!
Signing off!
The Anime Tourist