MANGA REVIEW | "Mission: Yozakura Family" - Volume Sixteen
There’s bound to be a bit of crazy in any spy family, as evidently in Mission: Yozakura Family. But damn, the big poppa Momo Yozakura is a grade-A psychopath! His plan to bring Tsubomi back to life is one that has every one of his kids (and son-in-law) on their toes. And as the sixteenth volume shows, they aren’t the only ones concerned with this situation.
While Taiyo and Kyoichiro are chasing down Momo, the rest of the family is dealing with Dad’s concoction. Is it a plant monster? Perhaps a new form of superhuman? Not even author Hitsuji Gondaira knows exactly, as he even called the opponent a mere question mark in the chapter title. No matter, as the brothers and sisters throw everything they’ve got at the thingamabob with both some success and some scars.
As this is going on, the always bucking brothers-in-law are running towards Momo. Yes, Dad’s gotten up there in age, but as Grandpa Yozakura has shown, that doesn’t stop him from being a real menace. Although Taiyo gets a lucky punch in, Momo goes to great lengths to demonstrate why he’s still light-years away from the “doting dad”. And just when things couldn’t get more complicated in Mission: Yozakura Family, the Spy Association steps in to make things rough for the siblings.
Basically, they’re out of the league! Well, they might be, but the Yozakuras want to try to stop their dad before they make a decision. Alas, Momo keeps making things worse for his kids, with video clips of his bloody escapades adding more fuel to the fire. And when word gets out that his kids might be kicked out of the Spy Association, he does something very, very drastic.
Forget the three days Kyoichiro promised, as no one in the Spy Association might be alive in one damn hour! With the aid of the President Kai, weekly spy gossip columnist Alexandryu, and military expert Shura, everyone must find the bombs Momo planted. When the stakes are high and the time is limited, this is when Mission: Yozakura Family likes to show its biggest guns.
Even though they work best as a family, this volume shows why they’re good with teaming with those outside of their bloodline. Kyoichiro and Kai demonstrate how well their skills coincide with one another, whereas Futaba and Shura show how their (reluctant) friendship helps with taking on some of their tougher enemies. As for Taiyo and Shinzo, their partnership with Alexandryu may have its perks, but they tend to be overshadowed by the reporter’s…let’s call them “tendencies”.
But towards the conclusion of this volume of Mission: Yozakura Family, Momo’s real objective peers its head. And it could spell a plethora of danger for every person involved. It’s going to take more than sibling love to deal with this situation, and it might involve a little blood and pain to get it done. By the end of Volume Sixteen, many readers will be left wondering how the Yozakuras and their Spy Association pals will get out of this one. Odds are, it’s going to take a little violence to sort it all out.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
