Having ended on a high note, Season 1 of Mission: Yozakura Family boasts the anime’s tastiest arc to this day — the Skeleton Island Arc. What makes the Skeleton Island Arc the best in the series so far is how jam-packed it is with battle-bonding moments that bring the Yozakura siblings closer. Peppered with just enough seeds of mystery carrying over to Season 2, this ultimate arc of Season 1 leaves fans with more questions than answers. While we are still waiting for Season 2 to unravel itself, we have yet to determine how the adapted and confirmed story arcs compare throughout the anime. With the laid-back atmosphere that the new season opens with, one might wonder what arc will help the series make the cut worthy of the top slice-of-life shonen anime masterworks.
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Much to the disappointment of the manga’s fan base, that gap in Mission: Yozakura Family anime vs. manga is a significant one. The manga chapters covered in the anime adaptation don’t dive into all the possible story arcs. Nevertheless, fans may still get the chance to see more arcs from the manga down the road, as the anime keeps juggling arcs around. For the time being, we focus on the most exciting story arcs that Mission: Yozakura Family has delighted us with so far, and hone our spy visual intelligence skills as we rank them.
6
The Introduction Arc
- Episodes: 1–3
- The Arc’s Highlight: Episode 3 “Feelings”
Arguably, the Introduction Arc of the anime series hasn’t fared as well as it could have. To be fair to the Yozakura clan, however, introductions are a tough deal even for seasoned spies. In fact, a smooth introduction is something only a few shonen anime series with a tasteful opening arc have mastered. As for the Yozakuras, their spy work has some room for improvement when it comes to the introductory part.
Fans point out a number of issues with the anime’s Introduction Arc. One common grumble has to do with Kyoichiro’s over-the-top obsession with his sister, as a lot of us feel for Mutsumi’s predicament and understand her hunger to have well-respected boundaries. What offsets this, though, is Taiyo’s healing from grief along with his willingness to put up with Kyoichiro’s torture tactics for the sake of Mutsumi’s well-being. The scenes that balance Kyoichiro’s cold-blooded control with Taiyo’s warmth make for highlights in this trio of episodes.
With that said, comedic and emotionally-charged highlights don’t always win a seat in the hearts of anime viewers. What doesn’t help the Introduction Arc score well is the anime’s slow transition into eye-catching action scenes — the bread and butter of the most exciting shonen anime series. More so, the Introduction Arc’s lack of success can be further attributed to the somewhat lackluster style of adapting the manga. The anime deliberately gets rid of quite a few slice-of-life scenes just to meet the season’s pacing toward the Tanpopo Invasion Arc.
Still and all, the Yozakuras share some solid comedic moments in the first few episodes of the series, especially in Episode 3 of Season 1. It’s worth noting that each episode in the trio has done fairly well in ratings.
5
The PoPoPPo Arc
- Episodes: 4–6
- The Arc’s Highlight: Episode 5 “Interrogation/Date”
The PoPoPPo Arc’s reputation as one of the most confusing arcs in the series precedes it. In terms of the plot, it lacks coherence and feels a bit all over the place. On the bright side, we get to see more of Kengo’s and Shinzo’s abilities and personalities in Episode 4. This episode also showcases some Yozakura family moments that deserve a spot among some of the best anime series for family watching. Taiyo’s power growth, however, feels rushed with the timeskip.
What makes the PoPoPPo Arc hit the mark in more ways than one is Episode 5 “Interrogation/Date.” Not only do we get to watch a thrilling interrogation scene with Seiji Hotokeyama, but we also take a glimpse at more antics from Kyoichiro. Breaking through the dark clouds of those two characters, the episode shines with the hilarity of strange attempts at romance and cute main couple moments between Taiyo and Mutsumi.
As the arc unfolds, Episode 6 adds another stalker to the couple’s growing list of ones. This match-made-in-hell one, however, has the potential to evolve into the couple’s biggest fan – Ayaka Kirisaki. Hell-bent on taking Taiyo out, Ayaka would rank high among secretly sinister female anime characters, as she loves her victims to death – literally.
All in all, through the lens of adhering to the manga, the PoPoPPo Arc doesn’t strike us as the deepest. The SILVER LINK studio has redeemed itself, however, with the beautiful Ferris wheel and sunset scene at the end of Episode 5, making for a real chef’s kiss moment.
4
The Kuroyuri Arc
- Episodes: 7–10
- The Arc’s Highlight: Episode 9 “The Flower Meaning of Kuroyuri (Black Lily)”
Despite being chock-full of interesting new characters, the Kuroyuri Arc still feels average in likability compared with the anime’s best story arcs. From its very start, this arc picks our curiosity with quite a setup featuring a pink-haired hitman politician, fragments of Taiyo’s family lore, and a brief introduction to Hinagiku — the government hand in the spy underworld.
As the arc unfolds, Episode 7 expands the shadow world of Mission: Yozakura Family into its government facet represented by agents Sui and Oga. Taiyo’s limits get put to the test as Sui’s Scattered Petals technique challenges his training and Nanao’s life hangs in danger. Upping the ante in Taiyo’s microcosm, Episode 8 introduces yet another overzealous fan of Mutsumi who could rank high among the most overprotective anime mother figures. This time it’s the Hinagiku agency’s head Rin Fudo who shares a sophisticated relationship with Kyoichiro.
Where the Kuroyuri Arc makes us break out the tissues is Episode 9. That’s where it delves deeper into who Kuroyuri was before wearing a pink-haired chicken-like costume and committing acts of violence against government officials. Having lost his daughter to the same people who hired him to do their dirty work, Kuroyuri shows us how a villain can be born out of almost anyone. In the spirit of action-comedy, Episode 10 then concludes the arc, acting as the bridge from happy bonding moments toward a more serious tone ahead.
3
The Tanpopo Invasion Arc
- Episodes: 13–17
- The Arc’s Highlight: Episode 15 “Yozakura Blood”
Tanpopo is the source of final villain energy in Mission: Yozakura Family Season 1. Considering how well the Tanpopo Invasion Arc kicks the shonen side of things into gear, Tanpopo leadership feels like a strong contender for the list of the top shonen anime final villain figures. With a touch of family bonding time, this arc exposes some of the roots of the Tanpopo rival organization.
In Episode 13, Taiyo opens the door to learning more about the circumstances surrounding his family’s tragic death as well as the shadow architects behind it. We also get a glimpse at the effects of the Hazakura drug and discover its creator Dr. Motoko Kawashita. As the arc progresses through Episode 14, fans get to realize how many people the Tanpopo organization has harmed, including the 9th Yozakura Head Rei Yozakura.
The arc approaches its climax in Episode 15 where we get to watch Hazakura in action as Shinzo’s abilities take on a Tanpopo member injected with that drug. It is also where the Yozakuras score in the undeclared Spy X Family vs. Mission: Yozakura Family battle. In Episode 15, scenes where Taiyo is a menace to society weave a tasteful blend of situational hilarity and battle energy well in the style of Spy X Family’s comedy-action gem of an atmosphere.
As we dive deeper into the Yozakura bloodline lore, Episodes 16 and 17 finish off the arc with a delicious Yozakura vs. Hazakura melee. The Yozakuras obviously come out on top, with each family member showing their strengths and devotion to the team alike.
2
The Steam Locomotive Gerbera Arc
- Episodes: 18–20
- The Arc’s Highlight: Episode 20 “Sun Earrings”
Train battles aren’t exactly breaking news in the world of shonen. This arc, however, pulls at the heartstrings of the anime’s fans like no other. In fact, two of the episodes covering this arc have ranked at the top, and it’s not hard to see why.
Tapping into Chapters 52 and 53 of the completed Mission: Yozakura Family manga, Episode 18 warms up our hearts with some family time at the Endless Hell Hot Springs resort. The bliss is in the air, and so is Kyoichiro’s dark side – shining at the sight of Taiyo getting a well-deserved cheek kiss. Eventually, everyone and their spy grandma dogpiles Kyoichiro in the ultimate pillow fight.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
That bliss doesn’t last for long, though, as Episodes 19 and 20 finish the arc with a high-stakes, emotionally-charged train ride. In “A Drug Called Tanpopo,” Taiyo gets caught up in the train line of fire with Momo, Kawashita, and the Hazakura user Yuki Shirai. While Momo and Kawashita manage to slip away, Shirai battles Taiyo, showcasing the power of a Hazakura user with 100 percent compatibility while telling him about his parents.
Defeating Shirai leads Taiyo to face another dangerous duo of Hazakura users, whom he survives owing to Futaba’s and Rin’s involvement. As the Steam Locomotive Gerbera Arc concludes well in the spirit of some of the top shonen anime story arcs out there, it sets us up for a much bigger battle ahead.
1
The Skeleton Island Arc
- Episodes: 21–27
- The Arc’s Highlight: Episode 21 “Yozakura Front Lines/The Blooming”
What Season 1 of Mission: Yozakura Family ends with is all that we could want and then some for the Yozakura family. Besides the satisfying beating down of Kawashita, the Skeleton Island Arc drives most of the Yozakuras to demonstrate their Blooming specialties worthy of some of the most exciting shonen anime transformations. With the wedding reception of the century to match, the Skeleton Island Arc is certainly one for shonen history books.
Culminating in all the Hazakura users defeated by each Yozakura’s special ability, the Skeleton Island Arc proves exactly why the Yozakura family sets the tone in the spy underworld. The arc does, however, come with a sense of tragedy, as the former matriarch ends up dead and the shady Momo Yozakura character teleports off with her heart. Only time and Season 2 of Mission: Yozakura Family will reveal the answer to what Momo plans to do with this trophy.
Without a doubt, the Skeleton Island Arc ranks at the top of our list and not just because it finally shows us Kyoichiro in a giant fish suit. What makes the Skeleton Island Arc a definite winner in our ranking is the way in which it nails the sophisticated hybrid genre of slice-of-life shonen anime. Watching the Yozakura family bond over the touching wedding video from Rei Yozakura, only to descend into the chaos of yet another Yozakura tradition of raining bullets on the newlyweds, drives this point home.
