Tag Archives: Tora

Book Review: The Way of the Househusband, Vol 8 by Kousuke Oono

The Way of the Househusband, Vol 8   

Author: Kousuke Oono

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 16, 2022

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Comedy/168 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Sales at Torajiro’s crepe truck have plummeted, and the reason is Koharu, his sister.  She’s opened a rival truck called Lovely Donuts, which is taking Torajiro’s customers. What’s a guy to do but call on the only man who can save him…Tatsu?

Tatsu and Miku awake to find a winter wonderland just outside their door. But it’s the condensation that has Tatsu’s knickers in a twist! While Miku goes to work, Tatsu heads to the store to stock up in case things get worse. He runs across some men who are under orders from their boss to clear the area outside of his office, but they are having a tough time of it. Tatsu berates them for having the wrong equipment and sets them straight.

Tatsu, Miku, and Masa get together for movie night. The only question is what to watch. Seems that everyone has different ideas and tastes.

Miku’s coworker persuades her to adopt his hamster, but since they have Gin, that doesn’t seem practical, so they try to present him to Masa as a gift. But Masa barely has enough for him to subsist on, let alone a pet. Tatsu’s old boss is also a no-go because of Pinky. While Tatsu tries to figure out what to do, the cops think they’ve finally caught him doing something illegal.

Miku is supposed to go golfing with a client, but she’s never golfed before. Tatsu tells her she’s in good hands with him and he’ll show her the ropes! He takes her golfing, but she finds the rules as he explains them to her probably don’t apply to her.

Tatsu and Miku run into Tora and Koharu. The crepe man claims to have a very hot product to show them, but he can’t do it there. So they arrange to meet on the mountain over the weekend. The product turns out to be a riverside tent sauna! Sounds like fun, right?

Tatsu and Masa and some of the guys head to the mountain to search for bamboo shoots. Tatsu reminds them that since it’s the boss’ mountain, he will need a cut of their haul too.  But when circumstances deal them a blow, and they’re left with almost nothing, how do they explain that to the boss?

Tatsu takes Miku and Masa to his favorite Chinese restaurant, which he says has a secret menu. The chef proudly shows them his newest dish, a Sichuan super spicy hot pot. Anyone who can finish it will get the dish for free. Of course the three of them are game! But can they do it?

Tatsu attends a crime prevention class, and he is most eager to assist the officer in charge with her demonstrations.

Tatsu is back and he’s in fine form with another round of hilarious hijinx! These stories never get old, and I love Tatsu so much! I hope this series runs for a long time to come. Look for bonus stories, one about zombies and the other an episode of Policure! If you don’t know what Policure is, you need to go back and start reading the series again lol

Book Review: The Way of the Househusband, Vol 7 by Kousuke Oono

The Way of the Househusband, Vol 7     

Author: Kousuke Oono

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: January 18, 2022

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Comedy/168 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Ms. Torii is trying to keep a low profile as she indulges in a guilty pleasure, but she has the misfortune to run into Tatsu at his part-time gig. He shows her the ropes, and helps her to enjoy the experience.

A typhoon is rolling into the area, and this means war! Tatsu is up to the challenge, determined to defend his turf from the invader, no matter the cost! But when he learns that Masa is out and about at this perilous time, he is determined to save him!

Tatsu, Miku, and Masa go camping. When Masa accidentally knocks over the rice, he approaches the other campers in hopes of finding someone with extra and runs into Tora, who is also camping. When Tatsu finds out, the one-upmanship begins!

Tatsu and Masa are taking collections… for the neighborhood association. But oddly, the people they approach seem to take Tatsu’s requests as some kind of threat. When he approaches one particularly difficult group of men, Tatsu has to make them understand what the money is actually going to be used for.

Miku absolutely loves watching Policure, and Tatsu enjoys it along with her. But she has a favor to ask of him. Her friend has a very ill child in the hospital who also loves Policure, so can Tatsu visit her… but dressed as a character from the show?

Tatsu and two of his associates are called upon for a delicate job involving a man’s beloved daughter named Pinky’s birthday.  Of course they’ll do it, and each plans the perfect gift according to their own talents. Which will the beloved canine prefer?

Tatsu shows Masa how to make malt amazake, a non-alcoholic sake. Tatsu has to keep reminding Masa to have patience or he’ll ruin the product! The next day, Miku is subjected to the amazake everywhere she turns, to her dismay. Is there no limit to the stuff?

Miku’s father invites Tatsu to go with him to a meeting of his haiku club, and is gratified to find Tatsu admires his haiku. When Tatsu tries his hand at some haiku of his own, there seems to be an oddly familiar theme in what he writes. When the club runs into a rival group, a friendly haiku slam is proposed.  Can these two groups discover any common ground?

After meticulously ironing everything, Tatsu overdoes it and  has thrown out his back! Miku discovers him lying face down on the floor. But he refuses to take it easy, and she ends up having to carry him to a doctor… for the second time in their relationship.

I never get tired of these stories. I could read them forever! Each volume is so good! I love everything about them, the art, the stories, the characters. I think they are perfect. My favorite story in this volume was the one with the child in the hospital, made me cry (good cry, not bad). Also, another glimpse into how Tatsu and Miku met. I hope we get to see more of that, cause I am dying to know how the demure Miku met and fell in love with a Yazuka! Look for the bonus stories involving Tora going camping and Gin’s encounter with an otaku.

Can’t wait to read more!