HomeComics/MangaMANGA REVIEW | "Mission: Yozakura Family" - Volume Eleven

MANGA REVIEW | "Mission: Yozakura Family" - Volume Eleven

MANGA REVIEW | "Mission: Yozakura Family" - Volume Eleven

Although he has become a member of the family, Taiyo constantly needs to prove that he’s worthy of Mutsumi. Yes, he has helped put Kawashita behind bars, but the quest to take down Tanpopo continues onward. In order to make the next move, Taiyo needs to earn his Silver Ranking on the spy exam. In Volume Eleven of Mission: Yozakura Family, that moment to enter the next level arrives.

It all starts when Tsubomi Yozakura appears in Taiyo’s dream. He has a wild, complicated, and super-secret task for the kid: kill her. But in order to achieve that, he’ll need to talk to Kawashita, something that requires a Silver Ranking to be granted clearance. Fortunately, the test is just a couple of weeks away. The bad news: the three judges of the test are Shinzo, Futaba, and Kyoichiro Yozakura.

But wait: bad news? Having Taiyo’s siblings-in-law should be a good thing, right? Oh, you ignorant fool! If this is your first time getting to know the world of Mission: Yozakura Family, then I suggest going all the way back to Volume One. Because let me tell you something: the Yozakuras don’t hold one’s hand in order to accomplish their goal. No, they put a gun in one hand, and superglue a live grenade in the other. After all, the spy life requires taking on everything on extra hard mode!

And extra hard is exactly what the Silver Ranking test is, as Taiyo and a few hundred others face the Yozakura trio in tests of speed, consumption, and time. And nary a single one of them holds back. Wild weaponry, poisonous tea, and a ballet of piano wires. It’s an impressive display of athletics, violence, and concentration. It also unlocks some important memories for Taiyo, as he flashes back to when he and Mutsumi were kids with nary a care in the world.

But it’s in the final test where Taiyo unleashes a new power, one that could consume him if he’s not careful. Whether or not he earns his Silver Ranking at this point doesn’t matter much (although it’s vital to his mission). In that moment, in front of Kyoichiro of all people, he proves something far greater than anything else: his worth. And for the first time, Kyoichiro has nothing but the upmost respect for Mutsumi’s husband.

Taiyo grows plentiful in the eleventh volume of Mission: Yozakura Family. Although the main mission takes a back seat, what occurs is important to the overall goal of this series: protecting Mutsumi. It’s fun, explosive, and sprinkles in some heartwarming moments for good measure. Hopefully, what Taiyo achieves here will aid in his new quest. The question is, how with the rest of the family take to such a secret task when they find out?

FINAL GRADE:

Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.

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The J-POP king of America, Evan has been bringing the hottest sounds of the Land of the Rising Sun to the English-speaking public since his college radio days. He's also an expert in the gaming, anime, & manga realms, never afraid to get critical when the times call for it. Born & bred in Boston, he achieved his biggest dream yet by making the big move to Tokyo, Japan in Summer 2023! For personal inquiries, contact Evan at evan@b3crew.com. For press/band inquiries, write to us at thebastards@bostonbastardbrigade.com. (Drawing by AFLM of Wicked Anime)