Mobsters in Love Volume 2 Review
“I was just thinking… you look pretty cute when you smile.” Shojiro to his captain Aki.
In the yakuza world, ‘Aki’ Akihiro Kashima is the most dedicated of captains to his boss Shojiro Sawatari. Buried beneath his dedication is a tangled mess of deep feelings that go way beyond respect and devotion to duty – but Aki is the last person in the world to ever admit or confess how he really feels to his boss. But when assistant captain Ritsu Hibiya is sent back from Hokkaido to the main house, he sees exactly what’s going on and can’t resist having some fun at his captain’s expense. Yet… has his little joke gone too far? When the boss walks in on Ritsu kissing Aki, does he misread the situation as well?
It’s high summer and the boss suggests a trip to the beach. Aki can’t believe his ears; is this a date? Of course it isn’t; Sawatari follows the suggestion up by telling him to call everyone up – the Sawatari family are going to hit the beach together! Could it be that the boss has guessed how he really feels and enjoys teasing him?
While these romantic shenanigans are going on, Sawatari is invited to meet up with Yukio Minakami, boss of the Minakami family – and the news isn’t good: Kyoya Fushimi, from a rival syndicate and Sawatari’s sworn enemy, has suddenly reappeared after disappearing for over a decade. Aki remembers only too well that Fushimi means trouble but the boss tells him in no uncertain terms, “You’re forbidden from getting involved until I say so.” But events overtake Aki and an encounter where he stops to help a nice young man in a suit, who’s trying to find an important envelope he’s lost, ends with Aki being tasered. The nice young man is none other than Ryoji Murasaki, captain of the Fushimi family. “You know,” Murasaki says as he hauls Aki away, “you’re not cut out for the mob.” Aki has fallen into the hands of Sawatari’s sworn enemy: Kyoya Fushimi who plans to use him to lure his real target, Sawatari, into his clutches.
The second volume of Mobsters in Love alternates between the light-hearted vibe of tough mobsters having fun on a day out at the beach and the vicious attitude of barking-mad Kyoya Fushimi who’ll stop at nothing to provoke Sawatari, even killing his captain. A rom-com with yakuza was always going to tread a very slender tightrope between delivering lovable rogues who, given the strict code of honour of the yakuza families, are criminals in the eye of the law. Mangaka Chiyoko Origami pulls off the tonal shifts by endearing us to Aki and his unrequited love for his seemingly oblivious boss (although the hints keep coming that maybe Sawatari might not be as oblivious as he pretends to be… and maybe Aki’s feelings have not gone unnoticed). When things look at their most bleak, it’s down to Ritsu to try to repair the damage and build bridges. And – rather sweetly – it’s hinted that Ritsu, for all his kidding, might have feelings for Aki too. Origami’s characters are attractively presented, especially Shojiro (this series will appeal to all who love ‘old man yaoi’) and she’s good at expressions, where eyes and the set of the jaw betray a significant change of heart. This Boys’ Love is rated Older Teen so nothing explicit takes place, although the scene where Fushimi threatens Aki is genuinely unpleasant.
The translation for Square Enix Manga is again by Jan Mitsuko Cash and captures exactly the right tone of voice for all these mobsters. The lettering by Vanessa Satone works well again, conveying all the different levels of reactions of the characters. It’s nice to have a colour page at the front as before and there are two light-hearted bonus chapters, as well as a two-page trailer for the third and final volume (out in January 2025).
Read a free excerpt at the publisher’s website here.
Our review copy from Square Enix Manga was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).
