#honestly the whole review was just an excuse to gush about Yoshino

[somanystarfish]

Yakuza Fiance: Raise Wa Tanin Ga Ii Anime Reveiw

When I first stumbled onto Raise Wa Tanin Ga Ii or Yakuza Fiance, I was pretty bored of romance anime/manga. I thought I knew how this series would play out. A cute, feminine, and innocent female lead meets a Yandre Yakuza bad boy who changes for the better because he falls in love with her. Both would stumble around their feelings for one another, and bad boy would steal the show by getting into fights saving her all the while looking really cool. Tried and true.

Episode one seemed like it was setting exactly this up until…

Kirishima looks Yoshino dead in the eye and tells her that if she’s going to hang around him, she may as well make use of her only redeeming quality- her looks- and sell her body at a brothel he has connections with. He says it because he wants her scared of him and gone.

And she does sell her body.

She disappears for two weeks and comes back after selling her kidney. Which is stupid, yeah, but she refuses to let anyone think that they can intimidate or manipulate her. She did it to send him a clear message. She’s crazy, and she doesn't back down. She’ll go to extremes and drag you down with her.

And just like that, he’s obsessed

and SO AM I!

This series is so much fun! It leans into trashy tropes but quickly subverts expectations.

Female leads in yakuza stories are typically submissive or resigned to their roles. Not here. Yoshino’s blunt, unpretentious personality and refusal to conform to expectations make her so refreshing. She also plays an active role in the story instead of just reacting to the antics of the boys around her. I love seeing her struggle to assert her autonomy in a world seeking to control her.

She grew up around Yakuza, so she’s hardened and twisted. She has guts for days, is unafraid to join in on fights, and has no qualms about fighting dirty. Romantic ideals don’t blind her. Instead, she acknowledges her circumstances and finds ways to assert her agency. She’s not easily shaken and won’t hesitate to call anyone out on their bullshit, making her feel grounded and realistic. Overall, she’s not defined by one role or trope but is a multifaceted character who feels like a real person navigating extraordinary circumstances.

The extraordinary circumstances are Kirishima—a ML from hell. While Kirishima is a violent, sneaky, obsessive f**kboy, Yoshino will uphold her pride above all else. Their strong personalities clash like a Molotov cocktail to flame. For every one thing Kirishima does right as a romance ML, he does ten more things that should disqualify him, and she’s all too aware of them all. But she stays with him because she’d rather die than back down from a tough situation before finding a way to come out on top.

It’s not normal or right, but it’s wickedly enjoyable to see play out!

She’s open about her inability to see him as a romantic interest—rightfully so because she knows how dangerous he can be. That said, she also makes it clear that she values authenticity, encouraging Kirishima to be himself rather than putting on a “good boy” act for her. Since both of them are tied to the yakuza world, they can understand and accept each other in ways outsiders can't.

While many stories soften or redeem similar characters, Yakuza Fiancé leans into Kirisima’s worst qualities, showing his manipulative and unpredictable nature without romanticizing it. Love doesn’t make him a better person. He may act cute with her, but that doesn’t mean she can let her guard down around him.

Neither is right in the head, so their relationship could never be normal. It’s much less of a story where you watch this romance develop and more of one where you watch them react and grow as they deal with one another.

The secondary characters also share rich, organic bonds with each other. Shouma is SO MUCH more than a second male lead existing solely for a love triangle, and Tsubaki isn’t just a simple supportive side character either—they each bring their own unique complexities to the narrative. These relationships add emotional weight to Yoshino’s journey, showing that her life isn’t defined solely by her engagement to Kirishima but by her connections to others in her world too. None of THEM are normal, so seeing them enter the scene is always fun.

WHAT I DON’T LOVE:

Studio DEEN’s limited budget is noticeable in the animation. The art direction sometimes fails to harmonize the characters with their environments, though nighttime settings look significantly better.

While the sound design features a couple of cool tracks, it often feels mismatched with the tone.

The pacing suffers from cramming too many moments into each episode, ultimately sacrificing emotional impact.

While anime lets us see all the action scenes animated, the manga remains the superior version of the story, in my opinion. It’s just more polished and well-paced.

Overall, Yakuza Fiancé is not for those looking for lighthearted romantic escapism; some may find the romance lacking in traditional payoffs. However, the series offers a compelling blend of psychological drama and romance, focusing on challenging conventions and crafting dynamic characters.

If you’re willing to give it your patience, the story is at its best from episode 7 onwards.

This is a fun watch if you’re ready for a story that keeps you guessing at every turn with a female lead who stands in a league of her own.

9/10