Mission: Yozakura Family

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 vice principal 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.

Characters

The Yozakura Family

Taiyo Asano (朝野 太陽, Asano Taiyō)

Voiced by: Reiji Kawashima, Hana SatoEp. 31 credits (young) (Japanese); Griffin Burns (English)

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.

Mutsumi Yozakura (夜桜 六美, Yozakura Mutsumi)

Voiced by: Kaede Hondo (Japanese); Abby Trott (English)

The main heroine of the series. She is married to Taiyo. She is sweet, loving and responsible, as well as 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.

Kyoichiro Yozakura (夜桜 凶一郎, Yozakura Kyōichirō)

Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi, Miho Wataya (young) (Japanese); Sean Chiplock (English)

The eldest sibling of the Yozakura family. He is psychotically overprotective of Mutsumi. 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. He is the vice principal, under a pseudonym, at the school that Mutsumi and Taiyo attend. His Blooming ability lets him coat his threads in his blood to corrode and destroy everything around him. His signature color is black.

Hinagiku

Sui Aoi (蒼 翠, Aoi Sui)

Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama (Japanese); Stephen Fu (English)

One of the leaders of the Hinagiku 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.

Rin Fudo (不動 りん, Fudō Rin)

Voiced by: Romi Park (Japanese); Amber Lee Connors (English)

The head of the Hinagiku. She is a tall, buxom woman who was captured at one point by Tanpopo, which led her founding Hinagiku. She is a former classmate of Kyoichiro and Seiji, though she does not get along with the former, as they both often clash, much to Mutsumi's dismay.

Ouga Inugami (犬神 王牙, Inugami Ōga)

Voiced by: Daiki Hamano (Japanese); Andrew Russell (English)

Tanpopo

Makoto Kawashita (皮下 真, Kawashita Makoto)

Voiced by: Yūji Ueda (Japanese); Brian Beacock (English)

A doctor who is involved with Tanpopo. He was tasked with studying the Yozakura family.

Momo Yozakura (夜桜 百, Yozakura Momo)

Voiced by: Koichi Yamadera (Japanese); Aaron LaPlante (English)

The patriarch of the Yozakura family. He was involved with the kidnapping of Rei and Mutsumi, which left Rei dead, while Mutsumi survived after being found by Kyoichiro. He has stayed hidden ever since that event.

Tsubomi Yozakura (夜桜 つぼみ, Yozakura Tsubomi)

Voiced by: Yukana (Japanese); Deneen Melody (English)

The first head of the Yozakura family. She was also a prisoner who Makoto experimented on during World War II. Her powers allowed her to heal other people.

Yuki Shirai (白井 雪, Shirai Yuki) / Hakuja (ハクジャ)

Voiced by: Rina Satō (Japanese); Cristina Vee (English)

A member of Tanpopo's Nijibana. She is formerly a patient who was in the care of Taiyo's parents, Akari and Hide. Her long white hair is her main weapon, as the Hazakura effects were focused on her hair.

Mizuki (ミズキ)

Voiced by: Kenji Nojima (Japanese); Brandon McInnis (English)

A leader of Tanpopo and a member of the Nijibana Rainbow Flowers. He is able to use poison gases. A soil pollution caused a disease in his hometown that killed many people including his wife and daughter. He was saved by Makoto.

Spy Association

Kai Izumo (出雲 灰, Izumo Kai)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya

Alexand Ryu (アレクサンド龍, Alexand Ryu)

Ayaka Kirisaki (切崎 殺香, Kirisaki Ayaka)

Voiced by: Mariya Ise (Japanese); Kayli Mills (English)

Former classmate of Taiyo and Mutsumi. She has a certain admiration or obsession for both. She is the maid of the Yozakura family.

Tsukiyo Hoshifuru (星降 月夜, Hoshifuru Tsukiyo)

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Landon McDonald (English)

Me-chan (めーちゃん)

Voiced by: Saori Ōnishi (Japanese); Anairis Quiñones (English)

Usa the Hell ears (地獄耳の宇佐, Jigokumimi no Usa)

Others

Seiji Hotokeyama (仏山 聖司, Hotokeyama Seiji)

Voiced by: Yasuyuki Kase (Japanese); Jonah Scott (English)

A detective for the Koizumi Police Force. He is a former classmate of Kyoichiro in middle school and assists the Yozakura family by hiding information on them.

Rinne Kitazato (北里りんね, Kitazato Rinne)

Voiced by: Yoshino Nanjō (Japanese); Kristen McGuire (English)

Asuka Hatoda (鳩田 飛鳥, Hatoda Asuka)

Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese); Landon McDonald (English)

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Hitsuji Gondaira, Mission: Yozakura Family was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from August 26, 2019, to January 20, 2025. Shueisha collected its chapters in 29 individual tankōbon volumes, released from February 4, 2020, to March 4, 2025.

Viz Media publishes the manga digitally in English on its Shonen Jump website. 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.

Novels

In October 2022, as part of the manga series' third anniversary, it was announced that it would receive a novel adaptation. Titled Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen Yozakura-ka Kansatsu Nikki (夜桜さんちの大作戦 夜桜家観察日記), it was released on July 4, 2023. A second novel titled Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen Orusuban Daisakusen-hen (夜桜さんちの大作戦 おるすばん大作戦編) was released on April 4, 2024. A third novel titled Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen Hifumi to Alpha no Seichō Kiroku-hen (夜桜さんちの大作戦 ひふみとあるふぁの成長記録編) is set to be released on March 4, 2025.

Anime

In December 2022, it was announced that the manga would be adapted into an anime television series by Silver Link. The series was directed by Mirai Minato, who also oversaw the scripts. Mizuki Takahashi served as the character designer and chief animation director. The music was composed by Kōji Fujimoto and Osamu Sasaki. It aired from April 7 to October 6, 2024, on the Nichi-5 programming block on all JNN affiliates, including MBS and TBS. The first opening song is "Unmei-chan" (運命ちゃん; lit. 'Fate'), performed by Ikimonogakari, while the first ending song is "Fam!", performed by Chico. The second opening song is "Secret Operation", performed by fripSide feat. Yoshino Nanjō, while the second ending song is "Kekkon Kōshin Kyoku" (結婚行進曲; lit. 'Marriage Parade Song'), performed by ASOBI Doumei. The series is streaming on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ in selected territories. The English dub premiered on Hulu on June 17, 2024.

Following the airing of the final episode, a second season was announced. The staff and cast from the first season reprised their roles. Mirai Minato served as the season's chief director, with Takahiro Nakatsugawa joining as director and Kōji Fujimoto returning as the sole composer. The season is set to run for two split cours; the first cours aired from April 12 to June 28, 2026, and the second cours is set to premiere on October 11 of the same year. The first opening song is "What's 'Kazoku'?", performed by Sakurazaka46, while the first ending song is "Shalala", performed by Pilaf Alien. The second opening song is "Forever Song" (フォーエバーソング), performed by Humbreaders, while the second ending song is "I'm Still Breathing", performed by Kid Phenomenon.

Reception

By December 2022, the manga had over 1.5 million copies in circulation. By January 2025, it had over 3 million copies in circulation. In 2020, the manga was nominated for the sixth Next Manga Awards.