The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping is a self-help book written by Laurie Ulster and Victoria Rosenthal, based on the manga The Way of the Househusband written by Kousuke Oono.

The manga deals with the story of a former Yakuza gang leader turning a new page in his life by becoming a house husband.

Whereas, The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping takes inspiration from the manga and provides a detailed guide to cleaning tricks to leave your home sparkling, secrets for finding cutthroat deals, schemes for mastering your territory, keys to caring for your gang, and much more.

Within these pages, you will also find 25 delicious recipes that will satisfy any voracious gangster.

Where each of these tips can come in handy for everyone and especially for those people who are living alone.

So without any more delay let’s see what the authors say about the book!

1. What inspired you to choose “The Way of the Househusband” and what are your thoughts on the concept of a former yakuza member becoming a househusband?

Victoria: I previously worked with Amanda Ng, an editor at Viz, on other cookbook-related projects. She reached out to me if I had any interest in possible work with any of the Viz franchises.

I had a long list that included The Way of the Househusband, which is one of my favourite series. When she told me work for a project was about to begin, I was really excited about recreating the recipes that Tatsu had made but my other household skills were not up to his level. This is where Laurie came in.

Laurie: I was lucky in that I was hired for the project without knowing much about “The Way of the
Househusband.” I learned all about the character and his story by binge-reading every volume available,
and from the very beginning, I thought it was a brilliant, fun concept.

Having a former yakuza member turn all of that energy into running a household—with respect and love for his wife and a desire to make everything nice for her—is both intriguing and delightful.

2. Tatsu’s dedication to his wife and his household duties is a central theme. What is your opinion on the portrayal of a strong, caring male lead who doesn’t fall into traditional stereotypes?

Victoria: I think we need to see more of this in the media. It is these caring qualities that made me fall in love with the series.

Tatsu has the intimidating, cold-looking exterior you would expect from a former yakuza but as people get to know him, they realize that he puts others ahead of him and just wants to make his household perfect, be it through cooking or cleaning.

Laurie: I think this is one of the things I loved most about it, that the story is of a man who, despite being
a formidable leader of gangsters in his past has zero qualms about being a househusband.

He doesn’t care about the stereotype at all, which is what makes him extra charming. He understands that
housework is valuable work and takes pride in all of it… including the knowledge that he’s doing it for his
wife and wants her to be happy.

3. The series combines the worlds of crime and domesticity uniquely. How did you manage to strike a balance between these seemingly contrasting elements and cooking, housekeeping, budgeting, networking, and fitness?

Victoria: This was a relatively easy task because of how well the series is written, taking ordinary tasks and giving them this tough yakuza spin.

Using those secret weapons or connections to get the job done is something we all do. We just think of it as a boring task but Tatsu takes it to that next level and showing how that was done was the goal of this book.

Laurie: The truth is, if you’ve been in charge of a household it IS a battleground of sorts. It was very easy to
adapt the way of approaching criminal activities to the way one could tackle housework, budgeting and
everything else that goes with it.

You have to think of every detail and every possible outcome with each task, you have to be strong and persevere, and you have to dominate. Tatsu, as we see in the manga, gets it immediately.

4. In your opinion, what makes Tatsu, the protagonist, such a relatable and endearing character to readers, despite his unconventional background?

Victoria: It is his go-get-them attitude and his approach to everyday problems. For example, when he was having a hard time falling asleep, he didn’t just try one thing to knock himself out but made a whole dish based on ingredients that are known to help you sleep easier.

That is a lot more effort than I’d typically take when it comes to getting a good night’s rest but I appreciate his vigour.

Laurie: I think it’s his sincerity and his commitment, his zeal. He is enthusiastic about everything, he’s
determined, and the people around him are often surprised because they mistake his zeal for menace
and then are surprised when they find out he just wants to make a nice meal or get a good bargain or
arrange the prettiest flowers.

Comedy with a heart and an outlandish character channelling himself into the everyday lives the rest of us have to deal with… you can’t help but relate.

5. The series often highlights traditional gender roles and challenges them through Tatsu’s actions. What messages or themes do you want to convey regarding gender dynamics and societal expectations? Also, how will this book help single folks to deal with the reality of the world?

Victoria: It is highlighted throughout the series and I think that is exactly why more people should read The Way of the Househusband.

Gender norms are there because you are told and taught that is the way it is supposed to be. Breaking them makes for a better and more inclusive world, which I am all for.

This book is a great guide to help you improve your skills that might be a little less comfortable with. It is a perfect companion for anyone looking to level up their house skills.

Laurie: I feel like Kousuke Oono did all that in the manga. It’s all there on the pages! Tatsu defies expectations of
gender dynamics because he simply doesn’t care. Any job that needs doing is WORTH doing. He doesn’t
even have to talk about it. That’s the beauty of it.

I think the book will help single people because it covers all the bases in terms of cooking, cleaning, and
life skills; if you don’t have anyone else to take on those tasks, you’ll find help here so you’ll know what
has to be done.

6. Could you share your process for developing the recipes that Tatsu cooks in the anime and manga? Which of these are your favourite recipes?

Victoria: The process started by going through the series again and noting all of the recipes. From there I finalized which recipes were going to be used and started testing.

Any recipes that had information in the manga I made sure were included. For example, with the Hamburger Steak Plate (pg 95), the manga called out the use of minced fish paste in the mixture.

I did a bit of experimenting and ended up adding ground mackerel to the dish and it worked so well. It added this deep richness to the dish that I didn’t expect.

My personal favourites are the Honey-Lemon Chicken Sandwich (pg 92) and the Birthday Cake (pg 112). Both of these are items I look for excuses to make.

Laurie: That’s all Victoria!

7. The manga has gained an international following. Were there any cultural nuances or challenges in translating the recipes and daily life situations for a global audience?

Victoria: There are several ingredients that might be a bit difficult to find at your local grocery store and will require a trip to a speciality grocer or to be ordered online.

I do hope that this will convince the readers to check out these ingredients for the first time.

Laurie: I’m a Canadian who’s been living in America for decades, and while the differences there are minor, they
still exist, so it made me aware that there were some life situations that would be less universal than others.

I tried to adapt them when I could, so they’d be relatable. I can only hope my own cultural ignorance didn’t interfere with that.

8. The book often pokes fun at the mundane aspects of daily life. What do you think draws readers to find entertainment in these seemingly trivial scenarios?

Victoria: I think it is Tatsu’s approach to things. He never does anything below 100% and that just draws people into the series. It is what kept me reading and makes it so relatable.

Laurie: It’s the contrast, I think: This powerful ex-gangster who does everything with gusto is now applying that
energy to the same details of the day we all have to deal with. Never a dull moment.

9. Lastly, what do you hope readers and viewers take away from The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping after experiencing Tatsu’s unique journey?

Victoria: As with many of my projects, I hope this guide helps new cooks to be a little less intimidated by the kitchen. With all the amazing recipes that Tatsu has whipped up throughout the series, I think that should be pretty easy with this book.

Laurie: I hope they are entertained; I also hope they continue to feel connected to the character they’ve loved
from the manga, and I hope they feel inspired to tackle some of the tasks in their own households that seemed daunting in the past.

Most of all, I hope they enjoyed the ride and learned something along the way.