Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1: Taiyo Asano vows to protect Mutsumi as he wears the Cherry Blossom Ring

Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 premiered on April 7, 2024, at 5 pm JST on MBS, TBS, and affiliated networks in Japan. The episode introduced the main characters and witnessed a dramatic moment at the end, with Taiyo vowing to protect Mutsumi.

Undoubtedly, Silver Link studios has done a fabulous job in bringing the iconic moments from the manga to life, from Taiyo's past to the action scenes. Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 cleverly teased fans what to expect from this series.

Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 highlights: Taiyo Asano's past and his connection with Mutsumi are revealed

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Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 begins with Taiyo Asano recalling the day he was involved in a car accident. Although he survived, the poor boy lost his parents and younger brother. That day, Taiyo realized two most essential truths about life.

Firstly, someone can only realize what's most important to them once it's gone. Secondly, things that are most important to someone can be easily lost. The car accident completely changed Taiyo's personality as he became afraid to connect to others, fearing they may also disappear from his life.

However, Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 revealed that his childhood friend, Mutsumi Yozakura, promised to stay by his side. At his family's funeral, the blue-haired girl tightly held Taiyo's hands, assuring him that there was someone whom he could trust.

Taiyo and Mutsumi, as seen in the anime (Image via Silver Link)

Following that, Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 returns to the present, and shows Taiyo Asano at school. His friends ask him to hang out with them, but Taiyo's timid nature doesn't allow him to. Mutsumi arrives and acts like a mother to Taiyo, worrying that he could end up spending the rest of his life alone.

She politely tells her friend to move on from the incident and rehab his communication skills. At that moment, Mr. Hirukawa, the class teacher of Taiyo and Mutsumi sneaks in and interrupts their conversation.

Following a playful banter with Taiyo and Mutsumi, the enigmatic man asks the boy to meet him at the office. At his office, Hirukawa reveals his collection of photos of Mitsumi Yozakura.

Asano finds himself in a tight spot in Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 (Image via Silver Link)

He informs Taiyo that he has been secretly watching over the blue-haired girl, and getting rid of the "pests" (her admirers) along the way. Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 also reveals that Hirukawa even threatened Tanaka, a third-year student, to cease contact with Mutsumi.

As such, he doesn't like her relationship with Taiyo, even though it's platonic. The enigmatic man brings out a knife from his sleeve and holds it against the boy's throat, prepared to finish him off. At that moment, a white-haired girl arrives and rescues Taiyo.

Taiyo meets Mutsumi's siblings

After regaining consciousness, he notices Mutusmi and four other unfamiliar faces. Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 reveals that Taiyo's childhood friend, Mutsumi, belongs to a renowned spy family, the Yozakura. She introduces his siblings to Taiyo Asano.

Taiyo Asano regains consciousness (Image via Silver Link)

Additionally, the boy finds out that Mr. Hirukawa's actual identity is Kyoichiro Yozakura, the elder brother of Mutsumi. He's the best spy in the family, as the siblings reveal.

Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 explains that despite being the best, Kyoichiro once made a mistake that left Mutsumi injured and stressed. Since then, he has become over-protective of his sister, eliminating everything he considers a threat to her.

The Yozakura siblings also explain to Taiyo about a tip Kyoichiro received. According to the tip, someone close to Mutsumi is targeting her. Even though Kyoichiro hated Taiyo, he disregarded him because he was Mutsumi's childhood friend.

Yozakura family siblings, as seen in the episode (Image via Silver Link)

However, with the tip, he has found an excuse to eliminate the boy. Since Kyoichiro won't listen to anyone, his siblings decide to battle him. However, it's a dangerous idea, given that Kyoichiro is inarguably the strongest spy in the family.

At that moment, one of the Yozakura siblings, Futaba, reveals that there's one way Taiyo Asano can surely survive, which is to marry Mutsumi. Futaba explains that if the boy marries Mutsumi, he will be included in the family's only rule, which forbids a family member to kill one another.

As such, every Yozakura has a double-banded Cherry Blossom ring. Once a Yozakura gives someone the other half, a marriage is established. However, Mutsumi goes against that idea because she doesn't want to force her friend into her family, especially with him losing his parents so soon.

Shion and others, as seen in the episode (Image via Silver Link)

Thus a battle against Kyoichiro becomes the only option. Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 then shows the eldest brother sneakily entering the room amid their conversation.

Even though Futaba and others request Kyoichiro to stay away from Mutsumi and Taiyo, he doesn't listen. Thus, a battle begins. Every Yozakura sibling displays a unique method of fighting.

However, none of them could stand a chance against Kyoichiro's strength. Mutsumi takes Taiyo to a shelter and requests him not to come out till she says so. She tries her best to make her brother listen but eventually fails.

Kyoichiro and Mutsumi, as seen in the episode (Image via Silver Link)

Kyoichiro's overwhelming desire to protect her sister propels him to put extreme restrictions on her life. Blinded by his desire, Kyoichiro fails to see that his restrictions can confine Mutsumi's life.

The episode then shows Taiyo Asano coming out of the closet and approaching Kyoichiro Yozakura. Having gone through a similar experience, Taiyo understands the feeling Kyoichiro is going through. However, that's exactly why he knows that it's wrong.

Taiyo wears the Cherry Blossom ring and vows to protect Mutsumi

Taiyo wears the Cherry Blossom ring (Image via Silver Link)

He tells Mutsumi that he will follow her sister's plan. The boy assures her that it's fine because she promised to stay with him. With tears in her eyes, Mutsumi smiles and throws the Cherry Blossom Ring toward Taiyo.

As he tries to catch it, Kyoichiro uses thin wires to restrict the boy. However, with immense courage and defiance, he forcefully grabs the ring and puts it on, despite profusely bleeding. Vowing to protect Mutsumi, the red-haired protagonist joins the elite spy family.

Mission: Yozakura Family episode 1 ends with Futaba taking a dig at Kyoichiro and reminding him that since Taiyo has become a family, he needs to teach him what it really means to protect Mutsumi.