This Currently Airing Yakuza Romance Anime Is Criminally Good

As far as excitement goes, there’s only so far a romance anime can go. The protagonists can finally kiss moments before the series ends, they can maybe confess their love and finally become an official couple, but that’s as far as a thrilling moment goes in romance anime. Some fantasy action romances like Yona of the Dawn or Inuyasha have achieved a more exciting plot in the past, and Spy X Family has its moments while not being a strict romance anime. Still, there hasn’t been a well-made anime out there that is romance first, and action second in quite a while.

That’s where Yakuza Fiance comes in. It mixes shoujo romance with fighting Yakuza groups, a badass female lead, and a love triangle between an aggressive Yakuza member and a beloved childhood friend. The result is a thrilling action romance anime with exciting twists and turns throughout every episode, flavored with a bit of Yakuza crime drama. The female lead is also unique compared to every other shoujo lead out there in that she can stand her own, even to the point of selling her own kidney to make a statement.

Related

16 Best Yakuza Romance Manga, Ranked

Romance stories involving the Yakuza can be highly compelling, as the following manga illustrate.

We Love The Headstrong Female Protagonist

Prideful, Intelligent, and Maybe A Little Insane

Romance anime protagonists tend to stick to the same archetype; demure, thoughtful, and kind to a fault. Protagonists like Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket and Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle are some of the best interpretations of that stereotype. But the protagonist of Yakuza Fiance shatters those pre-conceived conventions and leaves them in her wake. Yoshino Somei is the granddaughter of the head of the Somei Group, which is directly affiliated to the Kansai Region’s largest designated criminal group within the Yakuza. She was raised in the criminal world and gained her cutthroat attitude from it, but with an air of elegance and poise of being known as a Yakuza “princess” growing up.

In the anime, she’s engaged to an aggressive member of an opposing Yakuza group, Kirishima Miyama. The article will divulge about him later, but for now, know that he is a stereotypically violent Yakuza member with a penchant for masochism. He calls her essentially valueless and encourages her to sell her body to bring value to him, being bored in who he perceives as too “normal”. She is infuriated and distraught by the suggestion, with her pride wounded after it was made clear she’s seen as lesser in his eyes than she’s used to. Instead of doing what he tells her to, she has her kidney surgically removed to sell for cash, which she gives to him as a play on words of “selling her body”. Insane? Completely. But this crazy act of selling one of her own organs to make a statement to the crazy and violent Kirishima finally gave him respect for her, and she was able to hold onto her pride through it all, so it all worked out.

A Violent Love Triangle With Unexpected Twists

Move aside, Edward and Jacob. Two men are fighting for Yoshino’s affection in the show, and they both come with their out sets of benefits… and problems.

Firstly is our previously mentioned Kirishima Miyama. He is not just Yoshino’s fiancé, but he is also the grandson of the head of the Miyama family, which is a direct affiliate of the Tokusa Clan… AKA the largest designated criminal organization in the Kanto region. While Yoshino grew up more like a princess, Kirishima here grew up more like a soldier. He is tall, covered in intimidating tattoos, and can hide his true feelings more easily than showing them in the first place. He has no issue with committing acts of violence to protect anyone in, or loyal to, the Miyama family, with a smile on his face.

Then there’s Yoshino’s childhood best friend, Shouma Toriashi. He was abandoned by his biological father when he was a child, and became an orphan in middle school. He was then adopted by Yoshino’s grandfather, and was raised in the same household as her. When he was younger he was on drugs and violent, being raised in a Yakuza family, but mellowed out and even became lazy as an adult. That is, unless it comes to Kirishima, who has become his #1 enemy since Kirishima became engaged to Yoshino. He will also become violent towards anyone who puts Yoshino in danger.

Currently Airing, So What’s Next?

The Manga Is 38 Chapters Deep And Still Publishing

While we’re only halfway through this season of the anime so far, at the pace it’s continuing at, there will still be plenty of manga left for a few more seasons. That is, of course, if they choose to continue adapting the manga. They’ve already announced a one-hour long special dedicated to Yoshino’s life in Osaka before becoming Kirishima’s fiance since the release of the anime, so there’s good standing to hope on a second season coming by next fall.

Yakuza Fiance isn’t like your regular shoujo romance. It takes enemies-to-lovers to a completely new level, while introducing another love interest into the mix. It’s more grown-up than most of the shoujo romance anime genre leads itself to be. It’s messy, just like any good Yakuza drama should be. And overall, it’s a fascinating bit of chaos to watch go down in the romance anime genre.

Yakuza Fiance can be streamed on Crunchyroll right now, with new episodes on Mondays.

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii

Set amid yakuza tensions, this drama follows Yoshino, whose marriage is arranged to Kirishima as a peace offering between rival clans. While Kirishima appears kind, his demeanor conceals a menacing reality, challenging Yoshino’s perception and safety within the intricate world of organized crime.