The Way of the Househusband

Episodes 1-5: A relative disappointment. This highly anticipated adaptation of a popular manga unfortunately received a very un-anime format. From the very first minutes, the viewer is struck by the total stasis and immobility of the images, as if someone were flipping through the manga in front of you while reading it and adding music. I have nothing against such segments as a supplement or decoration of more important moments or to underline jokes, but to make it an hour-long slideshow is a strong ordeal. It's decently made up for by gags focusing on the unwavering and resolute status of the main character's past, coupled with her currently noticeably more pacifist approach in the household (the vacuum cleaner mission, the 1 vs. 0 likes, and the whole instagramming thing in general). The short 3-minute and non-sequential sketches move along quickly, so the series serves as a one-off treat along with the dessert already served, but don't expect more. Thumbs up for the hard-working Kenjiro Tsuda in the lead role, though I felt at times that he was getting a bit sweaty shouldering the entire show all by himself. A weak 3 stars Episodes 6-10: The series continues the trend set by the previous episodes. The combination of the normally quiet domestic work with the aggressive insight of the ex-Yakuza still coaxes a smile, but the cadence of quality gags has waned slightly. I'm still enjoying the Instagram references, "Ceiling LED lights attack!", "How dare you underestimate the function of 100 yen shops?!", "Tapioca ganged up on me, that is some heavy shit" and similar gags are riotous. Tsuda is a god. Unfortunately, the animation seems to be getting more and more static. Still a weak 3 stars. (08/04/2021)

Some say it's like a slideshow, but who needs action animation when that's not at all the point here. It's a gag. Totally. The Yakuza code as we imagine it, driven ad absurdum. And I enjoyed it immensely. It's a relaxing one-off that's great to digest. [EDIT.] The second half didn't amuse me as much. I'm dropping it a star. Still, it's not bad if you like this type of humor. (20/04/2021)