Ever wonder what a tantalizing romance between two Yakuza families would look like? Would it match up to the steamy expectations you had imagined? Or would it be a complete, comedic toss up? Well, I’m here to tell you that if you wanted a mix of the above, with a bit of psychotic urge thrown in, then you’d have what results in the show that is, Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii. But one would be remiss in not stating one very obvious fact: This anime will hook you! Produced by Studio Deen and viewed on Crunchyroll, this is a show that exudes character and charm, while maintaining a true standing towards the source material artwork. Each beat feels like the edge of your seat ride as we navigate the treacherous waters of Yakuza life from the lens of its lead character, Yoshino Somei (VA: Hitomi Ueda).

Yoshino is not unfamiliar with the world of the Yakuza as she her self is the granddaughter of a Yakuza captain and has grown up within the clan. Yet her toughest challenge would come in the planned match up of herself and a rival clan’s heir, Kirishima Miyama (VA: Akira Ishida). A man she despises with every ounce of her being. Which of course makes for some enjoyable banter and moments of pure absurdity. Yet, their character dynamic when it comes towards pursuing a goal in mind couldn’t be more connected.

From feverish brawls in the park to duping a man who wishes to make a young starlet disappear, their ruthless methods are one-in-one. So when it comes to Yoshino having to come to terms that she can’t shake Kirishima, she decides to play the situation to the best of her abilities. That often includes totally ignoring him for a set time of three days or quite literally bashing his head. Each of these two characters are beautifully brought to life with the stupendous work of their voice actors. From Yoshino’s tomboy personality to Kirishima’s walking red flag demeanor, you can’t help but fall in love with these two!

Speaking of being a walking red flag, let’s talk about the man, Kirishima. I’ve never witnessed a character so toxically obsessed and monstrous that I found myself both liking and loathing them. The way he conducts himself outside of his time around Yoshino is down right diabolical. From his joyful participation in brutal beatings to the inhibitions of flesh and lust, he’s a typical mafia man cut from the murky depths of the underworld.

Yet, his puppy dog like fascination towards Yoshino and his unflinching resolve to pursue her (after being made clear that Yoshino HATED his guts and could care less about him) makes him oddly endearing at times. That’s where this show does his character justice in reeling you in with these tender moments of humanity before peeling back the cloth to reveal his manic nature underneath. Its character development that gives Yakuza Fiancé the grounded sense of reality and a fairly faith interpretation of the seedy underbelly of Japans criminal underground. Well, maybe not so much the sheer tenacity of Kirishima’s obsession for Yoshino, but you all hopefully get the point.

With this 12 episode cur, we are left at then edge of a cliff as tensions racket up to a larger extent. Yoshino’s grandpa faces internal divisions from within and all the while, Kirishima remains an enigma in the larger tapestry. However if that tapestry receives a second season, we are sure to start the seasons cur off with a bang. That being said, I would rather enjoy seeing Studio DEEN at the helm for the following seasons, which I am certain will come once the manga has a more fleshed out amount of entries.

The animation work has been a treat in of itself, but there have been some noticeable dips in quality during the middle few episodes. Funding as per usual can vary episode to episode and as such, Yakuza Fiancé does suffer from noticeable dips during the middle of the season, yet the quality of its writing and characters remains high episode to episode. There will always be a balance between 12 episode anime runs, but this is one that can thankfully stand strong against others.

If you are also like us and love the sound design from a musical stand point, then you will surely love the series. From its intense fighting beats to the standard, but effective, placid melodies. However as with most anime on the market, is that of the opening animation and that of the ending. Here they both solidly deliver on this front. The opening song is performed by “Under and Over”, performed by The Oral Cigarettes with the superb ending song being, “Nani Wararotonnen” (なに笑ろとんねん), performed by Yoshino and allow me to say with equal love, both of these musical pieces add such a dynamic feeling to the show and really help to encapsulate what it is Yakuza Fiancé has to offer.

If you find that you need a bit of obsessive love in your life and you have that Yakuza itch, then you cannot go wrong with this show. It delivers on a front that attempts to show some more of the infamous Yakuza underworld, while still holding true to being a rom-com that is caught up in all the intrigue of it. You can catch this one on Crunchyroll in North America, with all 12 episodes now airing!