Mission: Yozakura Family (Japanese: 夜桜さんちの大作戦, Hepburn: Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hitsuji Gondaira. It has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since August 2019, with its chapters collected in 21 tankōbon volumes as of January 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by Silver Link is set to premiere in April 2024.
Plot
The series follows Taiyo Asano, a boy who lost his family in a car crash. His childhood friend, Mutsumi Yozakura, is his only comfort in life. However, things change for Taiyo again, when he discovers that his teacher is not only the older brother of Mutsumi, but she also comes from a family of spies. After a fight involving the Yozakura family, Taiyo becomes Mutsumi's husband, and in order to protect her, he must become a spy himself.
The main protagonist of the series. He is also the husband of Mutsumi. He is very kind and compassionate, which is very surprising in the world of Spies. Originally an ordinary human, his training to be a spy has caused him to become superhuman. His reason for marrying Mutsumi is because of the Yozakura family's one rule: "No killing among family"; the one thing that would protect him from getting killed by Mutsumi's overprotective brother Kyoichiro. He specializes in using Yae, a revolver that fires electricity instead of bullets, and can transform into a katana. After Mutsumi gives him some of her blood, he gains abilities of the Yozakura family, including the ability of "Blooming". His Blooming ability allows him to harden his body. His signature color is red.
The main heroine of the series. She is the wife of Taiyo. She is sweet, loving and responsible, she is the tenth head of the Yozakura family. Although she has no special abilities like her siblings, she is the only one capable of producing the next generation of Yozakura spies due to her ability to produce the Someinine that gives the family their abilities. Her signature color is blue.
The eldest sibling of the Yozakura Family. He is very overprotective of Mutsumi, to the point of having a complex. He is willing to torture and murder others to protect her, which results in him having an antagonistic relationship with Taiyo. He uses weapon called Steel Spider, a large amount of steel thread he can manipulate at will. His blooming ability lets him coat his threads in his blood to corrode and destroy everything around him. His signature color is black.
The second sibling of the Yozakura Family. Despite being somewhat violent and strict, she is actually very caring and motherly. She specializes in martial arts, specifically aikido and jujitsu, and can use said martial arts to control wind. Her Blooming ability allows her to engulf and nullify attacks. Her signature color is white.
The third sibling of the Yozakura Family. He has a glass heart and is easily embarrassed, but very caring. He is a weapon specialist, capable of using almost any weapon he can get his hands on, and can even craft his own, his most powerful being a shapeshifting alloy called "Turmeric". His Blooming ability allows him to see how to destroy anything. His signature color is green.
The forth sibling of the Yozakura Family. She is somewhat nonchalant, but also aggressive and competitive. She is a hacking specialist, and can even create programs in the form of video games. Her blooming ability allows her to read data at the speed of a supercomputer. Her signature color is magenta.
The fifth sibling of the Yozakura Family. He is a free spirit, and would rather do fun things then work. He also cares a lot about his appearance, specifically his skin. He can disguise himself as anyone and mimic their voice perfectly, making him a espionage specialist. His blooming ability allows him to "empathize" with his opponent and essentially read their minds and understand everything about them. His signature color is yellow.
The youngest sibling of the Yozakura Family. He is the kindest of the siblings, although he has a unintentional dark side. He is a medical genius, able to create multiple drugs, for lethal intentions, or for healing. He is a mutant as a result of multiple experiments, although he can alter his shape to a more human form. His blooming ability allows him to detoxify any poison, although different ones have different effects, such as plutonium causing him to glow, or pufferfish causing his stomach to swell. His signature color is turquoise.
The family guard dog. He is a Okami dog, and has guarded the family for generations. He is able to alter his size at will.
Ai (アイ)
A girl placed under the care of the Yozakura Family after the loss of her guardian. A former leader of Tanpopo, she had her DNA mixed with an Okami Dog, granting them her abilities. Taiyo and Mutsumi see her as their daughter.
Hinaguki
Sui Aoi (蒼 翠, Aoi Sui)
One of the leaders of the Hinaguki and a friend of Mutsumi. He often cuts clothing to pieces via a special striking maneuver, the first strike of which always hits the chest.
Others
Ayaka Kirisaki (切崎 殺香, Kirisaki Ayaka)
Former classmate of Taiyo and Mutsumi. She has a certain admiration or obsession for both Taiyo and Mutsumi. She is the maid of the Yozakura Family.
Media
Manga
Mission: Yozakura Family, written and illustrated by Hitsuji Gondaira, started in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump on August 26, 2019.[6] Shueisha has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on February 4, 2020.[7] As of January 4, 2024, 21 volumes have been published.[8]
Viz Media publishes the manga digitally in English on its Shonen Jump website.[9] Shueisha also simultaneously publishes the series in English for free on the Manga Plus app and website. Viz Media started releasing the volumes in print on October 18, 2022.[10][11]
These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume. They were originally serialized in Japanese in issues of Shueisha's magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump and its English digital version published by Viz Media and in Manga Plus by Shueisha.
Mission 187. "Uncle Kyoichiro wants to be Loved" (凶一郎おじちゃんは愛されたい, Kyōichirō Oji-chan wa Aisaretai)
Mission 188. "An Island At the Edge of the North" (北の果ての小島, Kita no Hate no Kojima)
Mission 189. "The Nanao Dungeon" (七悪ダンジョン, Nanao Danjon)
Mission 212. "Eldest Daughter Vs. Eldest Daughter" (長女vs長女, Chōjo vs Chōjo)
Mission 213. "Kazu & Nii" (一と二, Kazu to Ni)
Anime
On December 17, 2022, it was announced that the series will be adapted into an anime television series by Silver Link.[48] It is set to premiere in April 2024 on MBS and TBS. The series is directed by Mirai Minato, who is also overseeing the scripts. Mizuki Takahashi served as the character designer and chief animation director. The music was composed by Kōji Fujimoto and Osamu Sasaki.[49]
Novel
In October 2022, as part of the manga series' third anniversary, it was announced that it would receive a novel adaptation.[50] Titled Yozakura Family: Yozakura Family Observation Diary (夜桜さんちの大作戦 夜桜家観察日記, Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen Yozakura-ka Kansatsu Nikki), it will be released on July 4, 2023.[51][52]
Reception
By December 2022, the manga had over 1.5 million copies in circulation.[53] In 2020, the manga was nominated for the sixth Next Manga Awards.[54]