The Way of the Househusband (Vol 1 - Review)
By: Mithrandiel
Note - VIZ Media provided us with a digital copy of this volume in exchange for our honest review.
After spending years as a fearsome Yakuza member and earning the moniker "The Immortal Dragon", the former tough guy opts for a more domestic life, taking on the role of a househusband! In the premiere volume of The Way Of The Househusband we follow the misadventures of an intimidating guy who's just doing his best to make a welcoming home for his hardworking wife!
Review
Interested in finding out what John Wick probably did during his years of matrimonial bliss? The Way Of The Househusband provides a hilarious, sometimes poignant glance behind the curtain of a man with a checkered past.
The series wastes little time in introducing the absurdity of our main character. Sporting a full-back dragon tattoo and tucking away a hidden blade, within two panels we see this same figure tossing in some eggs and making a cute bento lunch for his significant other. After slaving away over breakfast, his wife comes out in a whirlwind and takes off early. Realizing she left her lunch behind, he takes off after her in a flurry on his bike, only to be stopped by local police. They recognize him and prepare to ask him more questions before he leaves them with a coupon and takes off.
The formula is set pretty quickly, watching the unlikely househusband move from one odd encounter to the next, with shadows of his past occasionally showing up to complicate things for him.
While the initial volume provides some great laughs, and is generally a good introduction to the characters, I’m hoping that it can break the formula in the coming volumes. The little vignettes are entertaining, but the potential for unraveling The Immortal Dragon’s backstory, including what led him to stepping away from his life of violence, as well as more serious threats to his now (largely) peaceful life are almost too enticing to ignore.
All that said, The Way Of The Househusband is a thoroughly entertaining debut volume for a refreshing new series. A good “reset” if you’re working through some heavier titles like Beastars (our review for vol. 2 is forthcoming).
Enjoy!
