My Home Hero

My Home Hero (Japanese: マイホームヒーロー) is a Japanese manga series written by Naoki Yamakawa and illustrated by Masashi Asaki. Serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Young Magazine from May 2017 to July 2024, the manga has been collected into 26 tankōbon volumes. The story revolves around Tetsuo Tosu, a normal salaryman, who becomes involved in a dangerous situation after discovering his daughter is being abused by her boyfriend, leading him to commit a murder to protect his family. The series has been adapted into an anime television series and a live-action television drama, with a live-action film planned for 2024.

Plot

Tetsuo Tosu, a 47-year-old salaryman, discovers that his adult daughter Reika is being physically and emotionally abused by her boyfriend, Nobuto, who has a history of violence and murder. After learning that Nobuto plans to harm Reika further, Tetsuo murders him to protect his daughter. With the help of his wife, Kasen, Tetsuo disposes of the body, aiming to cover up the crime. However, Nobuto was the only son of Yoshitatsu Matori, the head of a powerful yakuza clan, and Matori’s men soon start hunting for answers. Tetsuo must use his wits and knowledge of mystery novels to stay ahead of the syndicate, while also protecting his family.

Characters

Tetsuo Tosu: A 47-year-old manager for a toy company who becomes embroiled in a dangerous situation after murdering his daughter’s abusive boyfriend, Nobuto. Tetsuo uses his love for mystery novels to navigate the challenges he faces in the aftermath.

Kasen Tosu: Tetsuo’s 41-year-old wife and accomplice. She was raised in a rural cult and now helps Tetsuo dispose of the body and protect their family.

Reika Tosu: Tetsuo and Kasen’s 18-year-old daughter, a college student who is trapped in an abusive relationship with Nobuto. She later becomes a police investigator after a time skip.

Majima: A skilled member of the yakuza syndicate who works under Kubo and is highly proficient in surveillance and detection. He joined the yakuza to pay off a family debt.

Nobuto Matori: The 20-year-old boyfriend of Reika, who has a violent past, including the murder of past girlfriends. His death becomes central to the plot as his family seeks answers.

Yoshitatsu Matori: The head of the Matori yakuza clan and Nobuto’s father. He seeks to uncover the truth about his son’s disappearance, willing to go to extreme lengths to do so.

Kubo: A high-ranking member of the yakuza syndicate who works for Yoshitatsu. He seeks to find out what happened to Nobuto.

Kaya: Reika’s classmate who gets involved in the situation due to her connection to the family.

Ryuji Kubo: A vengeful lieutenant who takes drastic actions to avenge Nobuto’s death, eventually becoming a serial killer.

Manga

My Home Hero is written by Naoki Yamakawa and illustrated by Masashi Asaki. It began serialization in Weekly Young Magazine on May 29, 2017, and is ongoing, with chapters being collected into 26 tankōbon volumes as of October 2024. The manga is licensed in North America by Kodansha USA, with the first volume released on February 28, 2023.

Anime

An anime adaptation of My Home Hero was announced in June 2022. Produced by Tezuka Productions and directed by Takashi Kamei, the series aired from April 2 to June 18, 2023, on Tokyo MX and BS NTV. The opening theme is “Hoshi ga Kieta Hi” by Chiai Fujikawa, and the ending theme is “Decided” by Dizzy Sunfist. Crunchyroll licensed the series for streaming outside of Asia, with a Blu-ray release planned for May 28, 2024. Medialink licensed the series for distribution in South and Southeast Asia.

Live-action

A live-action television drama adaptation aired from October 25 to December 20, 2023, on MBS and TBS. Directed by Takahiro Aoyama, the drama consists of ten episodes. Additionally, a live-action film adaptation is set to premiere in Japanese theaters on March 8, 2024.

Reception

By June 2022, My Home Hero had sold over 2 million copies. The series has been praised for its suspenseful thriller elements, with comparisons to the American TV series Breaking Bad. Erwan Lafleuriel of IGN France noted that the first volume is “very effective,” highlighting its gripping plot and intense character development.