Synopsis: “Yoshino’s engagement is far from a dream come true. Her grandfather, head of the largest yakuza group in Kansai, has arranged her marriage to Kirishima, grandson of the Miyama Clan leader, as part of a truce. To Yoshino’s surprise, Kirishima seems kind and charming for a yakuza member. But his warm facade only serves to mask a dark and dangerous truth.”
There are very few series on my list that deserve an anime adaptation, with one of them being the most toxic yet interesting depiction of modern yakuza influence. Imagine my palpable excitement when I heard that Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii announced its adaptation. As a long time manga fan of this series, I urged every friend in the vicinity to watch it. We are all anti-toxicity for real-life relationships, but in the form of entertainment where the characters are aware of their red flags and still strutting hot, you can’t help but sit with a bag of popcorn and watch the drama unfold.
Episode one of Yakuza Fiancé starts with Yoshino’s induction into the Miyama Clan and her interactions with Kirishima. It’s rather standard as Yoshino slowly begins to uncover the true Kirishima while adapting to her new environment in Tokyo and the Miyama house. Some people might take issue with Kirishima’s two-sided personality that would heavily influence female watchers, the problematic coercion of the arranged marriage, and Yoshino’s own explosive rage. However, episode one makes it clear that the yakuza world does not operate the same way as our own and that Kirishima is on a completely different level that Yoshino doesn’t even fall for him. In fact, she remains thoroughly creeped out by him, but does everything out of pride to challenge him, which evens the playing field. It’s also a bit of a script flip that instead of the male lead holding power over the female lead, it’s Yoshino who has the half-sadistic and half-masochistic Kirishima in a tight grip.
So why is Yakuza Fiancé the bi-panic experience? Frankly, it’s just because everyone is so damn pretty. Yoshino is incredibly striking with her vibrant red hair and dresses so elegantly that she’s often mistaken to be much older. I’d even go as far as to say her fashion style is impeccable in the anime series and the ending sequences. Meanwhile, Kirishma is the cool-eyed prince charming at the school with a green motif that has girls swooning over him, yet it compliments his other personality when he becomes the snake that strikes and maims his opponents. This couple’s red and green contrast is incredibly eye-catching and makes them stand out from the cast. Though some of Yoshino’s general animation sequences could use a little bit more work — at times, she looks a bit too shoujo-fied with more white circles and sparkles in her eyes than deadpan or curious.
Because the first episode is introductory and doesn’t feature anything outstanding, it is carried by the voice acting instead. I’d even argue that Yoshino’s voice actress (Hitomi Ueda) is the star of the whole production. Kyoto-born and raised, Ueda is perfect for the role with her fluid switching between the Kansai and standard Japanese dialects. Yet, Ueda adds a bit of tension to Yoshino’s voice whenever she speaks in standard Japanese, encapsulating her character’s anxiety being in a new environment and her uncertainty in navigating societal norms — notably being bullied by girls or hit on by random guys. It’s only when Ueda makes the full switch to Kansai during the kidney-selling scene that Yoshino truly roars to life. She is brimming with rage, confidence, and authenticity that makes Kirishima fall head over heels for her. And honestly? I don’t blame him either – I would do the same.
Other notable mentions of voice acting go to Krishima’s voice actor, Akira Ishida, and Gaku Miyama’s voice actor, Kazuya Nakai. Ishida does an excellent job at being velvety smooth and deliciously dangerous with the barest change in lilt, while Nakai sounds exactly as he’s portrayed — a hot old man who Yoshino immediately swoons over. Ironically, it’s said that Ueda was inspired to pursue voice acting because of Nakai’s various roles. It’s almost like a dream team. Also, I won’t lie — I think I’m starting to see more shades of myself in Yoshino and Ueda because anything Nakai voices is downright sexy
All in all, this is a pretty solid start for Yakuza Fiancé. The in-between animation could use some improvement, but the acting chops are pretty high up there, along with the character design. I should also mention that the opening by ORAL CIGARETTES is pretty catchy, and the ending sequence that features manga artwork and the animated ballroom dancing sequence of Yoshino marks all the checkboxes for me. We are here for a spicy time, not a lovely time, so buckle up and get ready to embrace the drama.
