Tatsu, a former high rank yakuza member decides to stay at home being the helpful and loving husband that he is to his career focused wife, Miku. Without letting aside his intense personality and ferocious manners, he takes care of every aspect of the household, from calibrating a “roomba” vacuum cleaner to recycling used bottles accordingly in the special boxes outside the supermarkets. By always being out and about around the block, we watch him coming across his former yakuza sidekicks or babysitting neighborhood children. Tatsu is committed and excited about the new turn of this life, but to the viewer, it seems that even the couple's cat has more thrilling time than its humans.
“The Way of the Househusband” was a hit a lot earlier than its release. Chiaki's Kon anime lands in the Netflix platform following a well-received seven volume manga from 2018 and a last year's brief live action (!) television drama of ten episodes. Its light-hearted and comical concept combined with smart animation and style made the series a commercial and artistic success with Netflix picking it up from the second season.
The cleverest aspect of this anime is the smaller duration within the five main episodes of the series. The witty scenario is harmonized perfectly with the comic strip feeling the rhythm of the storytelling gives. One negative aspect of the quick sequences of the series is the regular use of still shots, that although serves the spontaneity of Tatsu's adventures well, it gives a scrappy look to the anime. Not a major issue, though, since the vivid colors and the excellent sense of humor make up for anything. Socially, the most apparent feature of this anime is the bold statement of reversing roles. Miku is the breadwinner of the house while the extremely masculine Tatsu chooses the tender role of the stay-at- home husband.
“The Way of the Househusband” offers a new breath of air in the slice of life genre. A genre in which, pretty much, never anything remarkable happens in the plot ;and what could represent better the slow passing of everyday life than an anime about housework. I wish for some of Tatsu's ex yakuza friends and neighbors to become regulars in the next season, creating the feeling of familiarity and closeness the manga series “Yotsuba!” has.
Check out “The Way of the Househusband” and get inspired and passionate about your everyday routine. To please others might be the greatest acquisition in life, anyway.
