# The Way of the Househusband (極主夫道)
**The Way of the Househusband** (極主夫道, *Gokushufudō*) is a Japanese comedy manga by Kousuke Oono about Tatsu, a legendary yakuza known as "the Immortal Dragon" who leaves the underworld to become a devoted stay-at-home husband, applying his gangster intensity to cooking, cleaning, and supermarket shopping.[1](https://www.viz.com/the-way-of-the-househusband) The series has been serialized in Shinchosha's Kurage Bunch web magazine since February 2018 and has been adapted into a live-action television drama (2020), a live-action film (2022), and a Netflix anime produced by J.C.Staff that ran from April 2021 to January 2023.[2](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creator | Kousuke Oono; his first serialization, after a 2016 debut one-shot "Legend of Music" in Monthly Comics @ Bunch[1](https://www.viz.com/the-way-of-the-househusband) |
| Serialization | Shinchosha's Kurage Bunch web magazine, since February 2018; 17 collected volumes by June 2026[2](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer) • [3](https://www.shinchosha.co.jp/book/772788/) |
| Premise | The feared yakuza "Immortal Tatsu" gives up violence and, equipped with an apron, tries to make an honest living as a househusband[4](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81261669) |
| English release | VIZ Media, VIZ Signature imprint; Vol. 1 released September 17, 2019, 160 pages, rated Teen Plus[5](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/way-of-the-househusband-volume-1/product/6042) |
| Recognition | Ranked 2nd in the 2019 nationwide booksellers' recommended comics survey; cumulative sales passed 2 million copies[6](https://www.vap.co.jp/gokushufudo/) |
| Adaptations | Live-action TV drama (2020) starring Hiroshi Tamaki, live-action film (2022), Netflix anime (April 2021 to January 2023)[2](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer) |
| Anime cast | Kenjiro Tsuda (Tatsu), Shizuka Ito (Miku), Kazuyuki Okitsu (Masa)[7](https://www.netflix.com/na/title/81261669) |
## Premise and characters
The story follows Tatsu, a yakuza so formidable that his name struck fear in hardened police officers and vicious criminals alike; the Netflix logline credits him with single-handedly defeating a rival gang with a lead pipe. Soon after his sudden disappearance from the underworld, he resurfaces as a fiercely devoted stay-at-home husband supporting his hardworking wife, Miku.[4](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81261669) • [8](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/the-way-of-the-househusband) The comedy comes from the mismatch between his intimidating demeanor and domestic life: he treats supermarket sales as a battlefield, calls bread yeast "white powder," and frightens neighbors while sorting recyclables.[4](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81261669) • [9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_way_of_the_househusband/s01)
Supporting characters include Masa, a former subordinate; Torajiro, an ex-gangster now running a crepe truck; and Gin, the family cat, whose segments function as short interludes.[7](https://www.netflix.com/na/title/81261669) • [10](https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/the-cel-block-anime-reviews-analysis-for-the-gen-x-fan/the-way-of-the-househusband-review-yakuza-comedy) The series is highly episodic, built around ordinary situations rather than a continuing plot.[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_way_of_the_househusband/s01)
## Publication
Kousuke Oono (おおのこうすけ), born in Shiga Prefecture, made his professional debut in 2016 with the one-shot "Legend of Music" in the magazine Monthly Comics @ Bunch. The Way of the Househusband is his first serialized work and his first English-language release.[1](https://www.viz.com/the-way-of-the-househusband) The first collected volume appeared in Japan on August 9, 2018, and the series has continued at a steady pace, reaching volume 17 in June 2026.[3](https://www.shinchosha.co.jp/book/772788/)
The manga found an audience quickly. A live-action promotional video released in December 2019, starring Tatsu's voice actor [Kenjiro Tsuda](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenjiro-tsuda), commemorated 1.2 million copies sold.[11](https://nagoya.repo.nii.ac.jp/record/2004695/files/k14317_thesis.pdf) The publisher later reported cumulative sales exceeding 2 million copies, and the series placed 2nd in the 2019 "recommended comics chosen by booksellers nationwide" survey.[6](https://www.vap.co.jp/gokushufudo/) VIZ Media publishes the English edition under its VIZ Signature imprint; volume 1 was released on September 17, 2019.[5](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/way-of-the-househusband-volume-1/product/6042) A licensed spin-off book, *The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster's Guide to Housekeeping* by Oono with Laurie Ulster and Victoria Rosenthal, was published by VIZ Media on July 25, 2023.[12](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-of-the-Househusband-The-Gangsters-Guide-to-Housekeeping/Kousuke-Oono/The-Way-of-the-Househusband-The-Gangsters-Guide/9781974736584)
## Live-action adaptations
A live-action television drama was broadcast in 2020, produced by Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation with Hiroshi Tamaki in the lead role alongside Haruna Kawaguchi, Jun Shison, and Tina Tamashiro.[2](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer) • [6](https://www.vap.co.jp/gokushufudo/) Oono said that when the drama was announced he had never imagined, while drawing the series, that it would be adapted for television.[13](https://www.ytv.co.jp/gokushufudo/original/) A live-action film followed in 2022.[2](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer)
## The Netflix anime and its animation style
J.C.Staff produced the anime adaptation, which premiered on Netflix on April 8, 2021, directed by Chiaki Kon with scripts by Susumu Yamakawa.[14](https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2021/04/review-the-way-of-the-househusband-anime-has-lost-its-way/) Episodes are about 20 minutes but are divided into several short segments, matching the manga's chapter structure.[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_way_of_the_househusband/s01) A second season was released on Netflix on January 1, 2023.[4](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81261669)
The anime became known for its extremely limited animation: most scenes are still frames with minimal motion, closer to an animated manga panel than traditional anime, and viewers nicknamed it a "PowerPoint presentation."[10](https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/the-cel-block-anime-reviews-analysis-for-the-gen-x-fan/the-way-of-the-househusband-review-yakuza-comedy) This was a deliberate choice rather than a production accident. Kon stated that the producer's directive was to "make an anime that's exactly like a manga... it never moves," and she had previously directed *Back Street Girls*, another yakuza comedy built on minimal motion, at the same studio.[10](https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/the-cel-block-anime-reviews-analysis-for-the-gen-x-fan/the-way-of-the-househusband-review-yakuza-comedy)
Reception was divided. Critics praised the comedy and voice acting while criticizing the visuals: Common Sense Media gave 3 of 5 stars, calling the rigid style charming but the series feeling unfinished, and Rotten Tomatoes recorded an 84% Tomatometer from only two reviews.[8](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/the-way-of-the-househusband) • [9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_way_of_the_househusband/s01) Other reviewers argued the adaptation was so faithful it amounted to a colorized, narrated version of the manga, losing the pacing control a reader has on the page.[14](https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2021/04/review-the-way-of-the-househusband-anime-has-lost-its-way/) A 2026 special anime video, released to mark the 25th anniversary of Shinchosha's Bunch Comics imprint, included an original scene and moments not adapted in the J.C.Staff series.[2](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer)
## References
1. [The Way of the Househusband, VIZ Media](https://www.viz.com/the-way-of-the-househusband)
2. [The Way of the Househusband Gets New Special Anime Trailer, Crunchyroll News](https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/6/9/the-way-of-the-househusband-special-anime-trailer)
3. [極主夫道 15巻, Shinchosha](https://www.shinchosha.co.jp/book/772788/)
4. [The Way of the Househusband, Netflix Media Center](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81261669)
5. [The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 1, VIZ Media](https://www.viz.com/manga-books/manga/way-of-the-househusband-volume-1/product/6042)
6. [極主夫道, VAP](https://www.vap.co.jp/gokushufudo/)
7. [The Way of the Househusband, Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/na/title/81261669)
8. [The Way of the Househusband Parents' Guide, Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/the-way-of-the-househusband)
9. [The Way of the Househusband: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_way_of_the_househusband/s01)
10. [The Way of the Househusband Review: Yakuza Comedy, Pinned Up Ink](https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/the-cel-block-anime-reviews-analysis-for-the-gen-x-fan/the-way-of-the-househusband-review-yakuza-comedy)
11. [Nagoya University thesis on anime advertising featuring Gokushufudo](https://nagoya.repo.nii.ac.jp/record/2004695/files/k14317_thesis.pdf)
12. [The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster's Guide to Housekeeping, Simon & Schuster](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-of-the-Househusband-The-Gangsters-Guide-to-Housekeeping/Kousuke-Oono/The-Way-of-the-Househusband-The-Gangsters-Guide/9781974736584)
13. [原作｜公式 極主夫道, Yomiuri TV](https://www.ytv.co.jp/gokushufudo/original/)
14. [Review: The Way of the Househusband Anime Has Lost Its Way, Women Write About Comics](https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2021/04/review-the-way-of-the-househusband-anime-has-lost-its-way/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Anime and manga › Manga titles, publishers, and magazines › Seinen and josei manga titles › Comedy and slice-of-life titles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license