Review of the Pictorial Drama "The Boss's Daughter and Her Caretaker": A moving human drama

"Picture Drama: The Boss's Daughter and Her Caretaker": A heartwarming comedy about the underworld that depicts a new normal

■Overview of the work

"Picture Drama: The Boss's Daughter and Her Caretaker" is a picture drama series based on the manga of the same name by Tsukiya. A total of seven episodes were streamed on the official YouTube channel from January 28 to July 22, 2022. Each episode is short, about two minutes long, but depicts a heartwarming comedy set in the underworld. Animation was produced by feel. and GAINA, and the director was Jun Matsuda.

■ Story

Toru Kirishima, the young boss of the Sakuragi-gumi, was known as the "Sakuragi-gumi Devil" for solving troublesome problems with violence. However, one day he was suddenly appointed to look after the boss's only daughter, Yaeka. This is a story depicting the daily life of the strange duo of the shy and introverted Yaeka and Kirishima, who tries to solve problems with violence.

■Explanation

"Picture Drama: The Boss's Daughter and the Caretaker" has a different comical tone from the TV anime, and you can enjoy the world of the Boss's Daughter and the Caretaker. Episodes 1 to 6 focus on Kirishima and Yaeka, and depict their interactions with the members of the Sakuragi-gumi and other organizations. In particular, episode 7, "Ohagi Edition," is a special edition produced to commemorate the TV anime "The Boss's Daughter and the Caretaker" x Felissimo's "Cat Club" cat support charity project "Ohagi Project." In this episode, Yaeka picks up a stray cat named Ohagi and raises her as a member of the family. The "Ohagi Project" was launched as an official anime charity project in collaboration with Felissimo's "Cat Club," which aims to create a society where cats and people can live happily together. A portion of the sales of official Ohagi anime goods will be donated to the "Felissimo Dog and Cat Fund" operated by Felissimo's "Cat Club" and will be donated to animal welfare organizations nationwide. The funds will be used to find foster homes for rescued animals, cover food and medical costs, protect animals during disasters, and prevent the over-breeding of stray cats.

■Cast

The cast of this work is impressive, with Yoshimasa Hosoya as Toru Kirishima and Misaki Watada as Yaeka Sakuragi. Other voice actors with unique personalities also play the characters, including Kaito Ishikawa as Megumi Sugihara, Ryota Takeuchi as Kazuhiko Sakuragi, Mai Nakahara as Miyuki Sakuragi, Misa Kobayashi as Kanami Kurosaki, Tomoaki Maeno as Toichiro Aoi, Wataru Hatano as Rei Hojo, Jun Fukuyama as Masaya Hayami, and Hiroshi Kamiya as Yuri Mashiro.

■ Main staff

The original story was written by Tsukiya, with illustrations by Sayaka Tsujigami. It was finished by Hiroshi Iwaida, directed by Jun Matsuda, photographed by Kanon Miyazaki, background design by Saki Watanabe, and edited by TWO WAIDEE. Animation is by feel. and GAINA, and the series is produced by the Boss' Daughter and Caretaker Production Committee (bilibili, Micro Magazine, d Anime Store, Pony Canyon, Bushiroad Move, TOKYO MX, Microhouse).

■ Main Characters

Kirishima Toru is a junior boss of the Sakuragi-gumi, and is known as the "Sakuragi-gumi Devil" because he tries to solve troublesome problems with violence. One day, he is suddenly appointed to look after the boss's only daughter. Sakuragi Yaeka is the only daughter of the boss of the Sakuragi-gumi, and is a timid and introverted girl. She is not good at expressing her emotions, so Kirishima is appointed to look after her. Sugihara Kei is the head of the Sakuragi-gumi's subordinates, and for better or worse, he is honest and expressive, and is the one who gets teased. Sakuragi Kazuhiko is the boss of the Sakuragi-gumi and Yaeka's father. He is strict with himself and others, but is kind to Yaeka. Sakuragi Miyuki is Yaeka's mother. Kanami Kurosaki is Yaehana's aunt and the female manager of the restaurant "Kurosaki". She is not afraid of her brother-in-law, the boss, or Kirishima, and treats everyone on an equal footing. Toichiro Aoi is a former underboss of Sakuragi. He is friendly, responsible, and caring, but he is quite short-tempered. Rei Hojo is Kirishima's best friend since middle school, and is a gay tattooist who designed Kirishima's tattoo. He currently runs "TATOO". Masaya Hayami is a member of the Kakihara Group, a fighting maniac who would pick a fight with Kirishima whenever he saw him in middle school. He joined the Kakihara Group to look for Kirishima. Yuri Mashiro is a underboss of the Momoyama Group, and Kirishima's nemesis. He is a man of unknown origins who likes Kirishima's cold-heartedness.

■Subtitle

Episode 1 "Yaekashi and Kirishima" (2022/01/28)
Episode 2 "Sugihara and Kirishima" (2022/02/11)
Episode 3 "Aoi and Kumicho" (2022/03/11)
Episode 4: "Kirishima to Kill" (2022/04/01)
Episode 5 "Masaya and Kirishima" (2022/05/13)
Episode 6 "Yaeka and Kirishima" (2022/06/30)
Ohagi Chapter (Episode 7) "Ohagi and Yaeka" (2022/07/22)

■ Related works

This is a picture drama version of the manga "The Boss's Daughter and the Caretaker" by Tsukiya. The original manga is serialized in Micro Magazine's Comic ELMO.

■ Evaluation and impressions

Although it is a short drama, "Picture Drama: The Boss's Daughter and Her Caretaker" entertains viewers with its charming characters and comical storyline. In particular, the relationship between Kirishima Toru and Sakuragi Yaeka is extremely appealing as a heartwarming comedy set in the underworld. Contrary to Kirishima's nickname "The Devil of the Sakuragi Group," his struggle as Yaeka's caretaker delves deeper into his humanity. Also, don't miss the way Yaeka's timid and reserved personality gradually changes through her interactions with Kirishima.

Each episode depicts interactions with different characters, and the story is made more exciting by the unique characters, such as Sugihara Megumi's honest side and Kurosaki Kanami's strong-willed attitude. In particular, episode 7, "Ohagi Edition," depicts Yaehana finding a stray cat named Ohagi and raising it as part of her family, warming the hearts of viewers. This episode is also linked to a charity project, and is commendable for contributing to society.

The cast is also impressive, with Yoshimasa Hosoya as Toru Kirishima and Misaki Watada as Yaeka Sakuragi bringing out the best in their characters. Other voice actors with unique personalities, such as Kaito Ishikawa, Ryota Takeuchi, and Mai Nakahara, also play the characters, adding depth to the story.

The production staff is also excellent, with Jun Matsuda's direction and feel. and GAINA's animation production providing high quality visuals despite the short length. In particular, the attention to detail in the background design and editing enriches the worldview of the work.

■Reasons for recommendation

"Picture Drama: The Boss's Daughter and Her Caretaker" is a heartwarming comedy set in the underworld that can be enjoyed by a wide range of viewers. Although it is short, it is packed with charming characters and a comical story that will warm the hearts of viewers. Additionally, episode 7, "Ohagi Edition," is linked to a charity project, and is also commendable for playing a part in contributing to society. Furthermore, the high-quality visuals created by a stellar cast and excellent production staff are not to be missed. This is a work that we highly recommend to those who want to enjoy a heartwarming comedy set in the underworld, those who want to enjoy a short but fascinating story, and those who are interested in charity projects.