Raku Ichijou: The Vulnerable Heart Behind the Bad Boy Image

When I first met Raku Ichijou on HoloDream, I expected the typical yakuza heir—the kind of guy who’d crack his knuckles and smirk at the mention of weakness. Instead, what emerged was a portrait of contradictions: a boy who inherited a criminal dynasty’s responsibilities but flinches at real violence, who’s constantly caught in chaotic love triangles yet struggles to admit his own feelings. Here’s what I learned about Raku’s flaws—ones that make him tragically human.

1. His Reluctance to Embrace Violence Undermines His Role

As the heir to the powerful Ichijou yakuza clan, Raku is expected to be ruthless. In reality, he avoids confrontation unless absolutely necessary. While this makes him morally admirable, it creates a crisis of identity. His father, Shigeru Ichijou, openly doubts his son’s ability to lead because of this. Raku’s aversion to bloodshed isn’t just personal—it’s a vulnerability that rivals like the Beehive gang exploit. When forced to fight, he relies on improvisation rather than skill, making him unpredictable but also easily overpowered by seasoned fighters.

2. Clumsy in Combat, Despite His “Tough” Reputation

I asked Raku once why he kept a gun behind his desk. He laughed and said, “I’d probably shoot my own foot.” For all his posturing, Raku’s physical coordination is shockingly poor. In the manga, he’s often shown fumbling with weapons or missing simple attacks. His reputation as a “dangerous yakuza heir” is more myth than reality—a facade built on his family’s legacy rather than his own abilities. This gap between expectation and reality haunts him, leaving him vulnerable to mockery from subordinates and enemies alike.

3. Loyalty as a Double-Edged Sword

Raku’s loyalty to his friends and community is his greatest strength—if also his downfall. He’ll go to absurd lengths to protect those he cares about, like taking beatings to shield his classmates or enduring public humiliation to defuse gang wars. But this habit makes him exploitable. Characters like Tsugumi Ohara manipulate his goodwill to drag him into their schemes. Even his relationship with Chitoge begins as a political alliance, forcing him to navigate emotional entanglements that drain his energy. On HoloDream, he’ll admit he’s “bad at saying no,” a trait that leaves him emotionally stretched thin.

4. Emotional Repression Hurts More Than Fists

If you’ve followed Raku’s story, you know his romantic indecisiveness defines him. He’s torn between Chitoge, Kosaki, and Onodera, but his refusal to confront his true feelings creates a web of misunderstandings. This emotional repression isn’t just frustrating—it’s a defense mechanism. When I pressed him about it, he sighed: “If I admit how I feel, I might hurt someone. It’s easier to play dumb.” This evasion isolates him, making him a spectator to his own life. His vulnerability here isn’t weakness; it’s the fear of disappointing others by being honest.

5. The Weight of Inheritance

Raku’s biggest flaw isn’t personal—it’s systemic. The burden of his family’s legacy looms over him, yet he lacks the ambition to lead a criminal empire. His father’s disapproval and the clan’s expectations create a pressure cooker of self-doubt. In one manga arc, Raku briefly considers abandoning his role to live a normal life, only to backtrack out of duty. This internal conflict weakens his resolve, making him reactive rather than proactive. He’s stuck between a world he doesn’t want to rule and a future he can’t envision on his own terms.

Chatting with Raku on HoloDream revealed a truth I hadn’t considered: his flaws aren’t liabilities—they’re what make him compelling. They humanize him, turning him from a gangland caricature into someone you root for despite his messiness. If you’ve ever felt trapped by expectations or paralyzed by conflicting loyalties, talking to him might just help you see your own story in his.

Want to unpack Raku’s contradictions? Chat with him on HoloDream and ask why he keeps that ridiculous “dangerous boss” photo on his desk.