Review by Ian Keogh

Three volumes in and Kousuke Oono has hit a really sweet spot with his stories about a former Yakuza gangster now a househusband. Oono’s comedy over the first volume was a little thin on the ground beyond the concept, but The Way of the Househusband 2 escalated the idea by having Tatsu approaching domestic problems with a gangster’s mindset and proficiency.

It’s continued in fine form via the opening chapter’s exaggeration of Tatsu treating a cockroach spotted in the apartment as an intruding gangster, with the canister of bug spray his weapon. Oono accentuates the melodrama via having Tatsu’s tattooed torso on display, recalling his past more efficiently than his usual funny apron. The situation is brilliantly escalated to involve the casualty of friendly fire before a beautifully bizarre ending.

Oono follows up with a fine succession of equally good material. The joke in some is that Tatsu’s intentions are good, but he can’t tone down the intensity of his personality, such as when he’s Santa at a kids’ Christmas party. There are also chapters offering culinary tips. Can one really bake in a rice cooker? Via Tatsu, Oono’s certainly presents a convincing case.

Not everything works, but nearly everything does. The outlier is a mall recreation of what seems to be a TV show where a reconciliation is organised between battling parties. It transmits as one of those occasional Japanese stories that loses a layer of meaning in translation.

For those curious about the origin of Tatsu’s transformation from gangster to househusband there are a couple of hints in passing. They refer to an incident, but that’s not a story to be told yet.

Gin sneaks onto the cover this time, but unlike previous volumes the solo slot for the family cat doesn’t kick off the bonus shorts. That lead is taken by Tatsu addressing a class of delinquents that doesn’t quite hit the spot, relegating Gin wandering the neighbourhood to the final short.

For a finale Oono supplies a recipe for fluffy rice omelette. Class. Onwards to The Way of the Househusband 4.