On a rainy June day, fifteen year old Sachie Wakamura finds herself alone in the world when her mother dies, her father having passed on many years before.  She has literally nowhere to go, but she remains optimistic that she'll figure things out – somehow – when a deus ex machina, in the form of a grandfather she has never met before, drops into her life and introduces himself as her late mother Yukie's father – and offers her a home with him.  Of course she finds herself skeptical, wondering if perhaps the older man is perpetrating some sort of a hoax.  And when he offers her his hand, and she discovers that he is missing a pinky, that doesn't really help the situation.  But she accepts his offer, finding herself ushered into a big black limousine, and it isn't until she reaches her new home that she realizes that her newfound family is yazuka, and her grandfather assigns her her own bodyguard – a handsome young man her own age by the name of Rakuto Igarashi!  Life as she knows it will never be the same as we step into Wild Ones, by Kiyo Fujiwara.

 

Highlights

 

Sachie settles into her new life with her new family – her grandfather and the "boys" that make up his clan.  While they may be fierce yazuka in the outside world, at home they are the most loveable guys you ever saw, who would do anything to protect and serve the princess in their midst.  Sachie finds herself attending the same school as Rakuto, and even at school he is her protector in every way.  Which she finds an infuriating contrast to how he can be at home – she finds him evil and cruel and demanding, but also sweet and attentive and warm.  Which only serves to confuse the girl the more she gets to know him.  He is the most popular boy at school – class president, great athlete, great scholar – is there anything he cannot do?  And all the girls simply adore him!  On Valentine's Day, he receives more chocolate than any other guy in the school.  He drives Sachie crazy, and yet he is always there for his Sachie-sama, and rescues her from every situation she finds herself in, because of her nature – she is an honest girl, who tells it like it is, does not tolerate oppression of other people, and gets very upset if someone attempts to waste precious food!

 

The more she gets to know him, the more she cares for Rakuto, but she finds that she can't tell him so.  Conversely, Rakuto is unable to voice his reciprocal, and quite matching, feelings for Sachie.  When the grandson of one of Grandpa Raiso's friends comes to stay with them, Azuma, he finds himself in a competition for Sachie's affections, and it becomes a race against time to see which one will confess their love to her first, and who will emerge as the winner of her heart!  When summer break comes, Grandpa decides to take the entire clan to a resort (having been influenced by a movie called "Hula Boy") and they find themselves at a rather cheesey place called Hawaii Land.  But it's the company that counts, and everyone is having a grand time, when a ghost from Rakuto's past appears, in the form of the father that ran out on his family years before, and Sachie attempts to help her protector through his own crisis, promising him he'll never be alone.

 

As volume 9 begins, an awkward reunion takes place between father and son, while Sachie talks to her grandfather, who knows more of the story than anyone, revealing to her that all is not as black and white as it appears.  Rakuto's dad asks a favor of him, and Rakuto has a lot to think about as he returns to find Sachie still waiting for him, as promised.  Then it is time to leave the resort, and Sachie worries that there is no sign of Rakuto's dad, but he arrives just in the nick of time, bearing a gift of seafood, and reminds his son to at least think of what they had discussed.  Back at home, life goes on as before.  Rakuto presents Sachie with the anything coupon she gave him previously, having decided how he wants to redeem it – all he wants is for her to call him by a nickname, such as Raku – so why does Sachie find that a difficult thing to do? As they prepare to go to the Obon Festival, Azuma helps Sachie by ransacking Rakuto's drawers for a yakata for him to wear – and accidentally unearths a hidden secret, one that ties Rakuto with Sachie's past, revealing him to be her long-ago mysterious first love!  But he hides the knowledge from her, fearing what would undoubtedly occur, and he loves her too much to lose her to his rival.

 

It is Rakuto's last year at high school, and his career path is empty!  So is Sachie's, but she has another year to decide.  Pressure is mounting on Rakuto, exacerbated by his father's request that they begin again, and live together!  If he does that, he can't be close to Sachie, which he desires more than anything.  He and Azuma are in an open rivalry for her affections.  Will Azuma continue to take advantage of the secret he holds?  Will Sachie come to understand these feelings she has for Rakuto – and be brave enough to tell him?  Will the path of true love ever run smoothly for these two?

 

Overall

 

This has to be one of the funniest, sweetest, and most romantic series I've ever read!  I've loved every minute of it – it runs the gamut from comedy which will have you either giggling or roaring, to heartfelt moments that will have you reaching for a kleenex, to riveting oh my god are they finally going to confess moments which will have you holding  your breath, waiting for these two young people to tell one another how they feel.  There is a memorable cast of secondary characters that supports Sachie and Rakuto, and the fun never stops!  Whether it's the young bratty son of a rival yazuka who decides he wants Sachie for his wife, or the spoiled rich girl who wants Rakuto, and ends up with him as her protector when her own becomes ill, with Sachie in the supporting role of maid!  In one volume there is an underwear thief, and the whole clan goes on the alert, looking out for Miss Sachie's unmentionables! Wild Ones is a wonderful series; it's rated T for teen, but it has something for everyone who enjoys love and comedy and romance and youthful spirits!  Sachie's protective yazuka family sometimes remind me of the Three Stooges in their care of her, but they are very well-meaning stooges, and Sachie couldn't ask for a better family.  I've been biting my nails as I read, waiting for these two to reveal their feelings to one another, and I pray that the next volume relieves the tension brought about by the end of volume 9!

 

ComicsOnline gives Wild Ones 4.5 out of 5 New Year's cards.