Review of The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting
The Devil is a Babysitter. “The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting” is very simple, but bitter-sweet show about a yakuza gangster who lacks a sense of responsibility and holds very little value for human life, babysitting his bosses introverted, cinnamon roll daughter. It’s a fish out of water comedy of a big tough crime guy helped by his big tough crime guy friends who are actually all just big tough goof balls underneath all of the crime trying to raise a kid who's having trouble opening up to those around her. It’s charming, funny and rewarding to watch babysitter Kirishima and yakuza boss daughter Yaeka open upto each other about their troubles growing up in the yakuza and learn to help each other overcome their troubles and strive to become better for each other. Y’know, wholesome dad anime stuff.
Though it does tend to hold back on the violence in terms of screen time that element is still there, and when it is there it’s pretty brutal. The juxtaposition of Kirishima babysitting one moment, but then beating up rival yakuza punks in the space of a game of ‘Red Light, Green Light’ in the next not only works, but sets the apart from similar shows with similar themes in it’s genre. When the show moves outside of that comfort zone it tends to drag down the pacing, but it’s always manages to find it’s footing again.
The animation is fine, but heightened by good art and characters expression. Vibrate colours and backgrounds for babysitting scenes contrasted with moody yakuza shadows and shots of grey for yakuza scenes highlight the juxtaposition (I like that word) between the two worlds Kirishima lives in and it looks great. Because this is a cast of enjoyably complex characters it’s the ones who stand out as simple sometimes who drag the show down. Hanada is just hungry all the time and Mashiro’s motives as a villain feel very anime cliché, but they don’t appear enough to bog down the rest of the cast.
Overall, I really enjoyed “The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting”. If you’re worried that this show is one of the dad shows that turns a bit creepy after a while then I can confirm that it stays wholesome throughout. Y’know, like Spy X Family. Just because a small child blushes at a father figure doesn’t mean that they’re sexually attracted to them and if you think thats the case you need to seriously stop being a literal degenerate. It’s a good show from start to finish.
7/10 Good.