While anime fans may be under the impression that romance series are filled with wholesome moments and heart-wrenching drama that showcases the main couple’s ability to grow and understand each other, Studio DEEN’s adaptation of Asuka Konishi’s novel Yakuza Groom shows off a couple it brings out the worst in each other and is a thrilling rollercoaster ride that every anime fan should watch this fall.
Yakuza Groom follows Yoshino Someigranddaughter of the Somei Group, a yakuza family based in Osaka. Despite her upbringing, Yoshino led a relatively ordinary life until her grandfather, the fourth-generation head of the Shomei group, told her that she was being sent to Tokyo to live with the heir of another yakuza family, whom she was to marry. When she arrives, she is almost immediately rejected by Kirishima for being too boring, and after he insults her, Yoshino decides to toughen up, survive, and ultimately leave Kirishima and return home to Osaka. By the end of the show’s first episode, Yoshino proves her resolve by selling her kidney and giving the money to Kirishima out of spite, only for him to confess to her as his lover.
Video from ComicBook.com
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Yoshino and Kirishima are terrible for each other and that’s what makes them perfect
The relationship between Yoshino and Kirishima, although orchestrated by their families, is turbulent from the very beginning. Yoshino is not particularly afraid to express her disdain for Kirishima and his shady activities, but when given the opportunity to help him, she often falls into the very same yakuza activities she opposes. In the second episode, Kirishima tries to track down another family’s daughter who is supposedly missing. Yoshino notices her when she is buying a new hair dryer and informs Kirishima about it. The two eventually team up and track down the woman.
It was revealed that the reason Kirishima was looking for the young woman was because she had defrauded members of the Philippine Mafia out of 500 million yen and ended in an all-out brawl with her bodyguards. Despite being hit by one of the bodyguards, Yoshino eventually steps in to help and the pair take out the bodyguards with a fork, their fists, and a brand new hairdryer. Once all is said and done, the episode skips to the next day and a bandaged Kirishima gives Yoshino her “share” of the money they got from the young woman they tracked down. Yoshino states that she does not need the money – and that she is not taking up Kirishima’s counter offer to sell his cornea – and instead demands that he go with her and buy another new hair dryer.
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At the time of writing, only three episodes are available. Yakuza Groom has proven itself week after week it’s going to be a non-stop roller coaster ride where while viewers may not want to root for Kirishima to beat Yoshino, they can’t help but fall in love with his surprisingly charming demeanor. Likewise, there’s something infectiously entertaining about watching Yoshino’s nefarious descent into yakuza activities to keep up with her fiancé’s criminal activities. Yakuza Groomthe ability to lure your audience Featuring a gorgeous, colorful art style and vibrant characters while showcasing the constant drama between two people who absolutely shouldn’t be together, it makes it a must-watch for seasonal anime fans.
Additionally, the toxic couple in the series breaks away from all the typical anime romance stereotypes that fans are used to seeing. Yakuza Groom doesn’t shy away from pointing out at every turn how problematic Yoshino and Kirishima are as a couple, and always reminds viewers that Yoshino is playing along with everything that happens for the sake of her survival and the sake of her grandfather. It’s an incredible alternative to the usual romance anime, which makes it incredibly unique compared to other anime of the same genre.
H/T Oboe