The Way of the Househusband: Volume 1 manga review

The Way of the Househusband Graphic Novel Volume 1 cover image

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 9) introduces Tacchan Tatsu.  Once upon a time, Tatsu was a Yakuza boss, a man so feared that he was known as “The Immortal Dragon.”  Now, Tatsu is married to Miku, a career woman.  Now, the Immortal Dragon is a “househusband!”  But when he is reunited with Masa, a former underling, Tatsu realizes that the world of the Yakuza is not quite ready to let him go.

[This volume includes three bonus manga stories: “Gin's Walk,” “This is Masa Style,” and “Let's Have a Fair Fight.”]

THE LOWDOWN:  I found The Way of the Househusband manga to be a delightful read.  It is so odd, but that can be a good thing, which it is in this instance.

The Way of the Househusband Graphic Novel Volume 1 introduces readers to the simple, everyday world of Tatsu, the one fashioned by creator Kousuke Oono.  That world is about cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and eventually DIY crafts for the housewife.  Sheldon Drzka's translation and Jennifer LeBlanc's English adaptation capture the straight-forward dialogue and also this story's undercurrent of sly wit and slight goofiness.

Oono's art is offbeat compared to most manga art; the illustrations seem like something out of a Western alternative comics title.  However, Oono captures the interior and exterior world of Japan in excellent detail.  Tatsu and Miku's apartment looks like a real living space, and the grocery stores and shopping mall spaces... well, they make me feel like I am in some place where actually people shop and consume more than they need.

Of course, this is only Vol. 1.  Still, I find myself drawn into The Way of the Househusband, and I am always up for an interesting spin on the domestic comedy.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers looking for offbeat VIZ Signature manga will want to walk The Way of the Househusband.

A-
7.5 out of 10