Koroshi Ai

Novice bounty hunter Chateau Dankworth never expected to encounter someone capable of overpowering her in combat. Even less so that the mysterious man would take an immediate interest in her—to the point of aiding her missions. However, Chateau makes it clear that she has no plans of entertaining any personal involvement with him.

Chateau's company is soon tasked with eliminating Song Ryang-ha—an expert assassin and a former member of a powerful Asian organization. Coincidentally, Ryang-ha is the man that has been pursuing her. Despite his background, Chateau reluctantly agrees to meet with Ryang-ha as part of a deal: in exchange for going out with him, he will provide her with the locations of current targets, dead or alive.

But when the past begins to haunt both killers, their arrangement may need to come to an end, as their entanglement puts their lives at grave risk.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Song, Ryang-ha Main

Shimono, Hiro Japanese

Dankworth, Chateau Main

Oonishi, Saori Japanese

Jim Supporting

Amasaki, Kouhei Japanese

Nikka Supporting

Morita, Masakazu Japanese

Ritzland, Euripides Supporting

Horiuchi, Kenyuu Japanese

George Supporting

Ryang-Ha Boy Supporting

Noble, Liszt Supporting

Homeless Man Supporting

Shady Doctor Supporting

Kurosu, Nobuhiko Producer

Arimizu, Soujirou Producer

Kimura, Sora Producer

Fukui, Norio Producer

Reviews

Mar 31, 2022

Alice0006

Recommended

I think it's really obvious this is not the end of story yet from what happen in last episode, so you can check the manga to know about the continuation. I thought they will adapt till next arc because it will put conclusion to Chateau past but they don't so I am pretty disappointed for that. They need 1-2 more episodes honestly. Other than that, it's not so bad adaptation. I will say this again and again that this is psychological manga but as usual MAL doesn't put the genre here. I ever put new psychological manga in MAL and they remove the psychological tag ... so just check source like mangaupdates because it makes a huge difference if you see this as normal manga vs psychological. It's like this, in romance psychological it's normal if their romance is unusual, so people who read already prepare for it but if you think this is normal, maybe people who is not used to it will think, "wtf is going on" "Why their relationship is weird" "They don't have chemistry", so on. I will explain this more later.

Story:
The story will focus more on the character background and events surrounding them with a bit of action (It's rare for female demographic action manga to have a lot of action like shounen manga). Some people maybe found this story too slow, especially if you are used to watch anime with a lot of shit going on since episode 1 like Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen (Which I can't relate because I am used to slow paced story)

About characters:
What I like about this story is how the character is really mysterious but that's what draw me to them. And when the mystery revealed everything will make sense. (I know because I read the manga). If I may describe, it's kinda like exchange relationship, but they care about each other, there is mix of guilt, sense of salvation, etc. In other words, hard to describe. But their unusual relationship is the thing that make them interesting. But unfortunately they don't adapt next arc so not everything about Chateau revealed and Ryangha's past will be revealed more in the next next arc.

Some people said they don't have chemistry. Well, their chemistry is uncommon for sure. Again, this is psychological romance, usually their chemistry is uncommon. For example: A manipulate B to love A, in the end B is really attached with A and B think he is in love with A. Do you think they have chemistry? Not at all, their love start through manipulation but that's just how psychological romance are. Their romance usually unusual because the way they behave depend on their personality, environment, their value, circumstance, etc etc. It's not as simple as I love you, you love me because they are usually more unique and more human.

Sound:
I really like the OP and ED, OP really match the atmosphere of the anime, ending match sad past of Ryangha and Chateau (which is maybe why the ED have Ryangha and Chateau there). The OST is also match with the anime.

Enjoyment:
I really enjoy the anime, just disappointed they cut the ending there.

This is for people who often misunderstood this anime:

Is this romance anime? Yeah but this is anime adapted from manga and even the manga haven't reach the romance part. There are many manga with slow romance that need to reach so many chapters for them to finally together. Do you know Akatsuki no Yona? Do you know when Yona finally realize Hak feeling despite the genre being romance? More than 150 chapters.

Is this about a girl who fall in love with toxic man? Not really, we don't know yet. The manga is psychological, you can check mangaupdates, don't depend on MAL for genre. What usually happen in psychological romance manga? It's not rare for the relationship to be toxic or unusual to the point you don't even know if it's love or obsession or manipulation or they just need someone to cling. So maybe in the future this manga will be like that but what you need to know for sure is, this anime never try to make their relationship as if it's normal or a good romance. If people think their "chemistry" is a good romance, that's not the anime's fault, that's just depend on how each person think of something they see. Don't blame everything on the author. This anime acknowledge that Ryang-ha is dangerous person. If you don't like the male lead to be a bad person, you don't like psychological romance, then don't watch this but please, that's your own taste so don't leave weird comment pretend this is a bad story just because it's not your taste.

"Some scenes are illogical"
Before you said this, please check first if it really impossible or not. I have met a lot of people like this, they said this is impossible, this is illogical, but truth is, most of them just ignorant because when I search about it, immediately appear in internet that it ever happens. I found someone like this in forum Koroshi Ai. Please don't embarrass yourself by criticize something you don't even know. World is full of surprising things you maybe never heard. Many author also doing their research when making manga. There is a shoujo mangaka who go to fire station FOR YEARS and go to their external activity (Like competition) because she makes manga about fire fighter. She even marry fire fighter in the end. There is shoujo mangaka who interview crazy rich Japanese teenager just because she want to make crazy rich male lead. There is josei mangaka who interview bus company to make 2 chapters story about bus hijack, there is shoujo mangaka who go to Japan southern island just because she want to make 3 volumes manga, etc etc. I know all this just because the mangaka write it in manga, not including mangaka who don't tell reader. So it pissed me off when people just assume they are stupid and not doing research even before try to search the truth.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

What did you think of this review?

Nice 0

Love it 0

Funny 0

Confusing 0

Informative 0

Well-written 0

Creative 0

More reviews by Alice0006 (22)

Show all

Read more

Show less

Open

Gift

Report

Mar 30, 2022

KANLen09

Mixed Feelings

It's been a long while since we've ever had a Josei adaptation, which are works targeted at adult women, the last of which was Chihayafuru which wrapped up Season 3 back in Fall 2019. And come this Winter, mangaka Fe's Koroshi no Ai a.k.a Love of Kill (the Japanese title connotation pun for killing each other) is silently a low-key combination of "Kaguya-sama: Love is War" in terms of romance and more like Mr and Mrs. Smith's version of "Spy X Family" in terms of mystery and suspense in the making (before the actual thing coming next season) as a stopgap measure. And for better ... or worse, the anime adaptation kinda faltered when compared to the manga of the same name.

How Koroshi Ai was penned by mangaka Fe, it's actually quite a surprise to say the least. Originally published on Pixiv in October 2012 under a very long title (which is quite the mouthful), it gained a huge following so much as to spawn a sequel, then combine them both under Media Factory's Shoujo manga magazine Monthly Comic Gene for serialization, and that's how the series which depicted an assassin couple in love came about. And sure enough, it is the meeting between two assassins: a male and a female. Of course, who am I kidding.

The bounty hunter Chateau Dankworth and professional hitman Song Ryang-ha, both meeting coincidentally due to the professions of their missions, and being assassins they attempt to erase the other in a swift and fast action, to which the latter won. But instead of killing her, he decides to have fun by tagging along with her, even to the point of bounty hunter assassintion missions just to get her attention, to which she constantly rejects his romantic advances. To add things into the mix, Chateau's agency, Ritzland Support, soon finds themselves tasked with taking down a hitman who's wanted across many organizations for single-handledly taking down the Hong Kong Triads, and this hitman is no other than Song Ryang-ha. This, at the very beginning, is where the "show, don't tell" practice comes into play, as we follow both Chateau and Ryang-ha seemingly delving into lots of the practical assassination plots, to only then pick up with the constant flashbacks where both man and woman's past reveal a hideous truth that changes the game's playing field and lets the viewers see how everything from their past comes to haunt them in their present day. It's a very slow burn for sure, and it'll take lots of romantic teasing and deaths by revenge and summons just to reach to that point. The real meat is in the details, and I'm not gonna spoil it here as the central story is what makes Koroshi Ai such a good read from the manga, and the anime adaptation kept it very faithfully, albeit with the constant recaps just to fill in for padding the runtime, which is annoying to say the least.

The female lead, Chateau Dankworth, feels simpler in design. She is somewhat similar to Saber from Fate visually, and being very quiet, stoic, cute, and all the more for not understanding it or caring about romance. But since this is a Josei work, the focus is squarely on the male lead, Song Ryang-ha. If you've noticed a little about his character design, fox eyes are a rare, important feature, since they are essentially like a façade that hides their true colours. In case you didn't know, fox-like characters are impenetrably smiley most of the time, playful, socially adept, and seemingly eager to serve...until they show their eyes, and you know that shit has become real. And for a professional hitman-cum-romanticist, Song Ryang-ha fits the description to a T: he has a murderous identity, he is the nine-tailed fox in the room you have to ignore to appreciate this work, actually. Furthermore, Ryang-ha is like a small sadistic predator, serving tortured bodies as gifts to the female lead (Chateau) and resides in rundown buildings. He mellows pretty fast, always attracts the view, being smooth, sleek, functional, and ever so casually stylish. A low-key dangerous Ikemen because he is for the most part, very natural, and therefore classy as heck if he wants to be glamorous.

The other characters do serve as plot movers, though of one particular interest is with Ritzland Support's secretary Indian, or Jim is as called in the anime. His real identity is a mystery, though he is an immigrant from India. And if you're thinking why doesn't Jim have a mouth, it's not because you're seeing it wrong, as the manga is also drawn this way, it's intentional. Most of the cast derives from Ryang-ha's past such as the spiderweb cheek tattoo Hou to the mastermind that is Donald "Donny" Bachman, and this syndicate forms the basis of the tumultuous downward spiral of which both Chateau and Ryang-ha are involved in. It's a deadly race of revenge and time, and time will only tell how these 2 are connected to one another as the series progresses, which amps the mystery and suspense quite decently.

Some will have issues with the ways and styles of Platinum Vision's visuals as a studio, and this is a problem that I've encountered in a similar show: Devil's Line, back in Spring 2018, also produced by the same studio as one of their first works. The premise and setting of the 2 are almost like one another: dark, gritty and almost at times, condescending. While it gives the sense of mute-ness, it isn't as quite polished as I would've like, and the visuals are almost to the point of being a disappointing adaptation at best given its tense atmosphere. That said, if this was handled by a studio and staff team that understands the literacy of the work, then it could've been better, but this is what we got, and it's frankly kinda mediocre.

On the upside of things, the music really fits the tone and mood of the show, to a T, and yes, that includes the credit visuals. Seiyuu Toshiki Masuda may have a long and extensive discography of his works, but this is the first time that he's going solo, and his debut OP song "Midnight Dancer" is such a dance of a bop that really doesn't disappoint. The one that truly surprised me was Aika Kobayashi with her ED song "Makoto Period", because her past songs were all very cheerful, vibrant and uplifting, and this was a stark contrast with dark and dreary but melancholic tones that had the feels going for it. I might say that this song is really her best effort and foot forward so far, and at times, left me fearful in a claustrophobic manner for what's about to come, in a good way of course. One of the best EDs of the season IMO bar none, and props to sound director Hajime Takakuwa for laying down that atmosphere which has been an integral part of the moving plot.

Even as a straight guy, I can say that Koroshi Ai is an interesting Josei work that you just don't hear quite a lot. Sadly with the somewhat subpar anime adaptation, and with a work like this that demands your fullest attention (because if you blink, you'll miss it), some will love it, others will hate it. But hey, in a niche demographic like this, I have to judge everything the same, and this is a fine (as in decent) adaptation when all is said and done.

I think I will gear to the manga more to continue where the anime left off, and you might have a better experience that way as well.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

What did you think of this review?

Nice 0

Love it 0

Funny 0

Confusing 0

Informative 0

Well-written 0

Creative 0

More reviews by KANLen09 (681)

Show all

Read more

Show less

Open

Gift

Report

Mar 30, 2022

Stark700

Not Recommended

The expression of 'if it's too good to be true' happens these days in the realm of the anime industry. By expression, Love of Kill seemed like a show that looked promising at first glance with its alluring premise. Yet, behind the story, characters, and overall ideas, we get one of the most lazy and lackluster shows of 2022.

Based on the manga of the same name, the premise sounds alluring for its appeal of bounty hunting, assassination, espionage, and dealing with the criminal underworld. We really don't see these type of shows too often in an era dominated by isekai, rom-coms, and popular mainstream franchises. ... Keep in mind, Love of Kill is by no means a mainstream franchise yet did gain enough suppor and popularity for an anime adaptation. So why the disappointment? Why did Love of Kill flop?

The truth is, this show is lackluster with one of the most lazy and forced relationships I've seen this year. Yes, I'm talking about two of the main characters: Chateau Dankworth and Song Ryang-ha. The first episode wastes no time with Song trying to woo Chateau into a date with her. The mysterious hitman offers his services in exchange for companionship. With a cold and stoic personality, you can practically imagine her reactions. It's a recurring gag in the show with Song constantly trying to please Chateau. However, it's also shown that Song is a dangerous individual who managed to exterminate many Hong Kong triads. He has a big target on his back and by being close with Chateau, she too comes into contact with danger. The show makes it clear that the two are targeted after a run-in with a powerful man named Donald. As the story progresses, we are told through background storytelling and narratives that reveals their pasts.

Why do I call this show lazy? The answer is quite simple as the anime takes little effort to develop our main characters. Our two main protagonists' pasts may be important and have depth, but outside of that shows how bleak they really are. To call them mildly entertaining would even be an overstatement. Chateau is way too overfocused on her work while Son displays a pokerface persona to the point of being ridiculous. Their character chemistry appears to be cartoonish from the very start. It drags the overall mood of the show together. Because let's face it, how important is their relationship when there's much more mystery and suspense in the story? Even having the genre tag with 'romance' seems absurd. The romance we get out of this show is forced and feels scripted.

There's one saving grace to this show and that is the adult cast and more mature themes. Dealing with the underworld and criminal organizations offers an refreshing look than a typical school life setting. Some story episodes also takes characters to more exotic places such as on a cruise. If there's one shining hope for this show, it would be for the age of the cast and some of the world settings. Of course, adults have repsonsibilities and that also translates to the supporting cast such as Euripedes, Jim, among others. However, you will be quite disappointed by their overall development for the story. It's a 12-episode adaptation and we're not getting a deep dive into their pasts like our main protagonists.

Now, I admit that I'm not the target audience for this show. It's targeted more towards adult women, or more specifically the josei demographic. However, anyone can practically watch this show as it contains elements of mystery, suspense, and drama. I'm leaving romance out of that list since it's so lackluster, something that holds the anime back from day one. However, Studio Vision did their best to salvage the show by crafting mature looking characters. Almost every character in the show has a masculine look, into Chateau. There's no doubt that they wanted to give the impression of a more mature looking show from the start. Meanwhile, I do applaud some aspects of the show's chereography. It feels like a thriller and sometimes captures the suspenseful atmosphere of the story. Some episodes even feel like mini movies.

After watching Love of Kill's 12 episodes adaptation, this show turned out to be a prime example of medicority. What could've been a stellar thriller turned into a forced relationship with little to no redeeming quality. It's too bad because the promotional material did entice me into accepting Love of Kill as a potential dark horse of 2022. But in the end, we got a show that was too good to be true.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

What did you think of this review?

Nice 0

Love it 0

Funny 0

Confusing 0

Informative 0

Well-written 0

Creative 0

More reviews by Stark700 (715)

Show all

Read more

Show less

Open

Gift

Report

2020's Dubbing into Latin Spanish - Winter 2022

by bolakabuto666

22 Entries · 1 Restacks

Physically Strong Women in Anime

by -Hotaru_

50 Entries · 31 Restacks

Mentally Strong/Stoic Women in Anime

by -Hotaru_

38 Entries · 21 Restacks

Winter 2022 Simulcast List [Update 2/6]

In this thread, you'll find a comprehensive list of television anime acquired for simulcast release during the Winter 2022 season. Anime series licensed for hom...read more

Dec 29, 2021 1:21 PM by Snow | Discuss (43 comments)

Winter 2022 Preview

In this thread, you'll find a comprehensive list of Winter 2022 titles with an accompanying promotional video, commercial, teaser, or trailer. This post will be...read more

Dec 18, 2021 4:47 PM by Snow | Discuss (13 comments)

	Poll: Koroshi Ai Episode 11 Discussion KANLen09 - Mar 23, 2022	22 replies	by ZanattaMatagal »» Dec 25, 2024 12:42 AM
	Poll: Koroshi Ai Episode 5 Discussion KANLen09 - Feb 9, 2022	33 replies	by KingYoshi »» Dec 7, 2024 11:02 AM
	Poll: Koroshi Ai Episode 2 Discussion ( 1 2 ) KANLen09 - Jan 19, 2022	59 replies	by KingYoshi »» Dec 7, 2024 9:05 AM
	Poll: Koroshi Ai Episode 3 Discussion KANLen09 - Jan 26, 2022	42 replies	by stankosrbija1389 »» Apr 18, 2024 12:19 AM
	Poll: Koroshi Ai Episode 12 Discussion KANLen09 - Mar 30, 2022	45 replies	by Kaylis-sama »» Apr 8, 2024 4:23 PM