Yall are actually not going to believe the effort I went through, just to put pictures on this post for you guys. Don’t ever say I didn’t do anything nice for you. I was on the phone with an Amazon customer service rep for THIRTEEN minutes. I literally hate talking on the phone and for a second, I didnt even want to write this post. And all because I just wanted to read Yakuza Lover on a different device. Crazy.
Anyways, once again we pretend that I hate Shoujo, when secretly I’ve been looking for new shoujo manga and shows to watch. We already know I’m a hypocrite, save your judgement for someone else. Yes my name is Nielly and I am a hater of Shoujo, but I read it. I clearly enjoy romance, but also I’m a cynical single person, and an all around player hater. That’s not gonna stop me from reading this stuff.
Those of you may have seen my tweets about reading Yakuza Lover. I’m still not sure what pushed me to read the manga. So far I like it a lot! For those who have never heard of Yakuza Lover and are reading this, now’s a great time to bring up our two love birds (bleh).
Meet Yuri!
Yuri is a 20 something college girl, who sets her heart on finding someone who will just accept her for her. She’s a tough girl with a strong head on her shoulders. Never one to shy away from saying what’s on her mind, Yuri is quite the firecracker. And she can pack a mean kick. She gets herself into a pickle at a party that lands her in the arms of Yakuza boss, Toshiomi Oya. It’s like love at first sight!
Yuri finds herself being into this guy! It’s insta-love from the start, until the two find themselves in slightly scary situations. Yuri then goes from this tough girl, to the worried lover. While she enjoys being with Oya, it is not lost on her that he lives quite a dangerous life. Being with him has even gotten her in some trouble with his enemies. But Yuri is remains invested in her lover. She trusts Oya to keep her safe at all times, and to always guard her heart. It’s honestly super adorable. Personally, I don’t think I have it in me to worry over a man in a gang. But that’s just me.
Yakuza Boss Oya
Enter Toshiomi Oya! He’s a tatted up, glasses wearing, dark haired knight who sets his eyes on the young Yuri. From the moment Oya sees Yuri, he just KNOWS he has to have her! She’s got this fire that lights up his world. Delicate looking, but tough. And a playful attitude that Oya loves so much. Yuri brings out Oya’s younger side, as he is an older man. It’s mentioned often, the age gap between the two. While Oya is a gentleman with Yuri, he is not a man one would ever cross. People often end up in trouble, mistaking his calm demeanor as a weakness.
Oya know’s any day could be his last day. So he makes sure to make the most of the moments he has with Yuri. I won’t lie, him constantly telling her he may or may not die that day, is quite nerve-racking. If you my boo and you a gangster, please don’t tell me you’re unsure of if you’re living through that day or not. But still, Oya is head over heels for Yuri, and strives to have nothing but positive experiences with her. Oya loves to see Yuri happy, and will do anything to keep a smile on her face.
Volume 3 Recap
This volume covers the events that happened after Yuri was kidnapped by the Russian. We know Oya came to her rescue and sent her off with his guards. Oya then handled some business, and went back to his lady. However, while Yuri was reluctantly waiting for Oya to return, she began to worry excessively. To the point of tears. Yuri even was refusing to eat properly, until she knew her man was safe. He does make it back and Yuri is relieved. The next few panels after that consists of the two making love. We aint running that type of blog, so use the active imaginations I know you all have. During their uh…sessions, Yuri wants to be extremely close to Oya. They make love over and over because in her head, Yuri needs to know and feel her man is alive. I would consider this a near death experience.
Cue steamy sex scenes
Yuri is traumatized and the only way to make sense of it all, is to be under her man. I don’t know why, but in reading all those panels, I just hope they were using protection. Seems kind of weird to think about in a fictional book I know. But she is young, and still in college. It’s the responsible adult in me talking. I just would hope Oya was smart enough to protect her. Also, I actually cannot picture them having little crotch goblins running around. His life is way too dangerous for kids anyways. Back to the story, they basically have sex until Yuri is on the verge of passing out. I mean they go at it….allll night. I knew what I was getting myself into when I actively chose to keep reading this story. So, I’m not going to complain.
Nightfall comes, and Yuri tells Oya she just wants him to herself. No interference, no outside forces, besides guards. Just them two and no one else. Yuri asks about Semilio, and Oya does admit that he did not kill the Russian. But he did make an example out of him. Yuri heads back home, and spends the last of her break working at a restaurant. Once again the two are back to little contact. Oya mostly reaches out to her at night. Yuri wishes she could do normal things with Oya like go to a beach but can’t because of his tattoos.
New beginnings?
Oya finally messages Yuri telling her he wants to see her. He sends a car out to her, and brings her to a house up in the mountains. Yuri is so giddy to see her man she runs into his arms. She marvels over the house, asking Oya how many houses he owned. Oya is so happy she likes the house and then announces to her that it will be their new residence. Now, I’m not gone hold yall….I screamed.
They’re going to be living together oh my gosh???? Living in domestic bliss! The hater in me is like this is so not going to work. The hopeless romantic in me is like about time! I know Oya is a boss, and he’s got a lot on his plate. But it bothered me that he couldnt see Yuri as much. Before this, they hadn’t seen each other in ten days. And I am no relationship expert, but that doesn’t seem normal? He never talked to her during the day. Yuri is constantly pulling out her phone waiting for him to reach out. And then I deduced this couldnt possibly be a bf/gf dynamic. A partnership.
Couples wouldn’t do that to each other right? For a minute, she really did just seem like a yakuza lover. A woman Oya calls up when he wants her body. And I knew that to be untrue, since he really cares for her. So its nice he’s proposing they actually live together. It is a bit too fast and I still think they are in the honeymoon phase, but they grown. Oya gives the ecstatic Yuri a key, promising her he’ll do his best to try and be home often. They then go out to the pool and have a talk.
The Shanghai incident
Oya realizes he put Yuri in a very scary situation. He was also very convinced she would even leave him because of it. If I was her, I might have left. What’s that song lyric by Megan Thee Stallion? “Aint no d*** alive, that could make me lose my mind.” Yuri girl, I’m sorry but she is built entirely different. See, me? I’m leaving! There is no way you could convince me to stay, after I just got snatched by a russian mobster. This is the exact reason why I could never be the girlfriend of a superhero. Your arch-nemesis beefin’ with you, and now I’m getting kidnapped because of it. Nope.
Oya admits to trying to butter Yuri up so that she’ll stay. And of course, it works. She finds it extremely cute, that he felt the need to try and spoil her to keep her with him. I think she’s different, and that’s putting it nicely. Yuri is still madly in love with her man. She thinks he can be a tad negative, and sometimes scary but still adorable. And that wraps up the third volume. There are some bonus scenes as well.
Thoughts/bonus scenes
Even though Oya has decided both him and Yuri will live together, she’s still a student living at home. This means she sneaks out to be at the house Oya has provided. At this point in the story, no one knows that Yuri is with a man in the yakuza. I’m sure if anyone found out, they would be concerned, as they should be. So it makes sense that she would be sneaking out, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I do hope that there will be a point where she does tell someone. Yuri doesn’t seem to be the type to care what others think. Unless it’s Oya. But I think I could imagine her not wanting to scare her parents or friends, with news of who she’s dating.
All the other bonus scenes are not neccessary to go over, but I did read the author’s note. She refers to Oya’s and Yuri’s love as “foolish” and I’m just glad she knows where she’s headed with her story. If she want’s to keep writing about these two and their outrageous love, then I’ll keep reading faithfully. Still waiting on that big argument. Or for a light to go off in Yuri’s head to LEAVE. But she is young, and I suppose this is young love to her. How long will this go on, I have no idea. But you know what, I’m here for a good time not a long time.
