Koroshi Ai

Jan 5, 2021

deadoptimist

Recommended

Preliminary (55/102 chp)

This josei/shoujo astonishes you with great fighting scenes and an intricate mystery plot, but may disappoint romance-wise for several reasons. Yet in the end it is a story about a relationship, for better and for worse. In my opinion, worse. Is action shoujo a flawed concept by design? I hope not. But Koroshi Ai, while mostly enjoyable, sure makes you wonder.

Koroshi Ai is one of the pixiv-born series, which I will be calling “ASMR-manga” starting now, because they get their popularity thanks to a particular tone/mood and when serialized cultivate it. In Koroshi Ai it’s a suspenseful romance where a fox eyed cool assassin ... hits relentlessly on a stoic bounty hunter girl and she is “nah, pls go away, nuh-huh”. The thrill comes from the duality – is this courting playfulness or a cat-and-mouse play? What are his true intentions? Why is she so non receptive to his advances? You want to see sexy times, but is this even safe? The same duality reigns supreme in the setting too, where a funny fluffy relationship is wrapped in a setting with so many deaths. Children suffer a lot of trauma here, I must give a warning.

The focus is squarely on the male lead. Fox eyes are a rare, important feature, since they are essentially a mask. Foxlike characters are impenetrably smiley most of the time, playful, socially adept, and seemingly eager to serve, until they show their eyes – and you know the shit has become real. Song Ryang-ha fits to the letter – he is murderous as hell, this is the nine tailed fox in the room you have to ignore to appreciate this work, actually. At the beginning he fully reminds you of a small sadistic predator: he gifts tortured bodies to the female lead and resides in rundown buildings. He mellows pretty fast. Credit has to be given to the author for his understated but powerful design. Ryang-ha always attracts your view. He is smooth, sleek, functional, ever casually stylish in his suits – he evokes the image of an S-class armored car you'd see with a convoy, or a timeless elegant pistol. He is dangerous because he is, very naturally, and therefore classy. The story offers several attractive guys with different flavors in leading roles, but Song remains the undisputed star, you read for him and then do the inspirational “for him” desktop collage.

The female lead, Chateau, feels simpler in design. She is somewhat similar to Saber from Fate visually, similarly very quiet and stoic, cute all the more for not understanding it or caring about romance.

What else does Koroshi Ai do right? The atmosphere of night shoot-outs and high-class crime! This shoujo has an unprecedented amount of violent night mob raids. The human fodder is rough, scary, armed, and professional. Brains fly, buildings burn, snipers on the roof work as a team and coordinate ground troops. I love the attention to the bladed weapons, the care with which they are drawn, and a very unnerving blademaster child bodyguard who uses them the most. The little guy will be a force of nature if he grows, but it’s unlikely he’ll have a chance with his attitude.

The drawing style is delicious, backgrounds rule much more than I could ever expect. There’re hiccups here and there, the author messes up feet, for example, and Chateau’s weird hips bug me. This is not an in-your-face shounen with two-page spreads too, the panel composition is much calmer here. Instead this manga offers detailed tasty interiors you expect, you want to find in this kind of story – a cruise ship, a hotel, a private castle, dingy hideouts, mafia offices, an abandoned factory. All come with realistic layouts, a big amount of items, and great nighttime lights. There are suits, weapons, and cars all around. And, of course, as I have mentioned, terrific shooting scenes. Character designs are clean, tidy, maybe even sweet – fitting for the demogprahic, but not flowery. On the side manga offers funny yonkoma about its characters, costumed special pages, and lush colored covers you badly want on your walls.

What doesn’t happen in this manga? The amount of everyday dating “porn” is low, they have no time to eat cakes together. They don't show any skin either, this manga is low on naked bodies. And there’s no competition between the leads at all – Chateau loses to Song on the first few pages and stays helpless in his hands, which a) may be unnerving; b) lowers her agency and makes her ultimately disappointing as a character.

Which brings us to what is likely the core question of action shoujo. Is there a place for a female lead in an action story? As Koroshi Ai progresses, as it weaves its very complex and sometimes hard to follow, yet fairly consistent, plot (be ready for a multitude of reveals, cliffhangers, flashbacks, and schemes), Chateau becomes more and more of a princess in destress waiting for her prince. Together with her initial extreme reservedness it turns her into an object around which everything revolves. She’s both the main driving force and the main problem of this manga in all regards. No, yes, she has an inner conflict, and she has an annoying tendency to attack stronger fighters inefficiently when she throws a tantrum, but she becomes a prize valued not because of her personal qualities, but because of her past/her accidental role in the events. Is this the desired outcome? Does this please readers?.. Interestingly, even Song becomes less foxy in the second half, with his irises visible most of the time. I guess the whole tone of the work slightly shifts.

Overall, from my point of view, I would say that the implied pureness of the female lead makes her empty and unrealistic in her profession and/or setting. Sure, diving under enemy bullets is also not reality, but it makes more sense character-wise than going along a blood trail unprepared. As a result both sides of this manga are wounded:

– If you like action, you will be likely annoyed by the totality of the female lead’s careless powerlessness. She acts, but she’s woefully inefficient, and it is not a good look. Then you have to suspend your disbelief when true professionals do stupid things to save her.

– If you like romance, you have to be content with teasing and tension only. Because of Ryang-ha they often look like lovers, but as of chapter 55 when all hell is loose in the plot already I can’t yet say confidently it is sexual/romantic and not parental for him. They have never truly connected because of the striking difference in experience and conduct, after all.

Nonetheless, the shootouts are good, the ikemen are good, I like fox eyes, and I simply can’t ignore how happy seeing a josei/shoujo romance with so many quality fights makes me. Actually, there isn’t that many series with modern firearm action out there in all demographics, so what we see in Koroshi Ai must be cherished and appreciated. Chateau may be true to her name and become this static beautiful fortress to conquer in the later chapters, but the men here go all out, and I am fully on board with seeing them show off, struggle, suffer, expose their dark secrets. Shoot on, guys, for what this manga could have been.

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May 14, 2019

Juziy

Recommended

Preliminary (28/102 chp)

Koroshi Ai is less on the romance, and more on the plot/action/mystery.

It starts off with the main characters on opposing sides, but the enemy theme isn’t that prevalent after that, though the main characters do not easily consider themselves as comrades or on the same side either. The way trust and suspicion works in this manga is something that makes sense to me as a reader.

Now, about the premise. Guy who happens to be a murderer and totally suspicious stalks girl after finding her interesting... maybe. It doesn’t seem like it’s all the silly and simple though. If you’re hoping for a love at first ... sight thing with kind of brainless reasoning as to why the protagonists suddenly grow attached to one another - then too bad for you. But if you like that the characters actually seem to have proper motives and go about doings thing consistent with their characters - then this is definitely great. Whether things will develop properly along the love axis remains to be seen, but I for one am glad that the actions of the characters so far aren’t just attributed to something random like “oh I fell in love so”.

The characters have not been fully fleshed out so much yet because their motives have not been fully revealed nor the circumstances surrounding them. But they are interesting, can fight well, and we get a rather good sense of their personalities so far. I’m enjoying the gradual reveal of things as I slowly get a better understanding of why they do things they do.
Especially Ryang-ha, who is introduced as this rather OP guy with suspicious background and who can be a cold blooded murderer - manga does not shy away from depicting blood/injuries/death. Who is this guy and what’s his relation with everything and our other MC? I am very interested to see. I also very much appreciate his strength because it doesn’t feel underserved, and he’s also appropriately not immortal or omnipotent. Like obviously, since he’s the MC he isn’t going to die, but despite us readers being sure he’s extremely competent we are still able to feel that he’s in a difficult situation when he is in one.

Chateau is also decent, and seems to have interesting circumstances surrounding her. She’s badass in her own way but possibly overshadowed by everyone else - she lives in this world where everyone can fight competently anyway. But I like her this way - she does what she can well, but she also knows her limits and tries to consider her situation as well. Her interactions with Ryang-ha and the other cast is rather amusing due to her personality, and she’s not a delicate little rose either, both in mentality and combat prowess.

The action scenes are aplenty with gun fights and other close combat, and the art is pretty as well. Plot wise things are still shaping up but should be able to easily garner one’s interest. The setting is pretty fun and not your usual lame fighting stories since these people are definitely capable of killing and will do so without hesitation. They’re not little law-abiding citizens. Overall, a pretty decent story so far.

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Nov 14, 2019

mochiluv16

Recommended

Preliminary (38/102 chp)

I feel like I do not have enough good things to say about Koroshi Ai. It quickly made its way up to my top 5 favorite manga and I only wish the chapters came out faster. I am a sucker for a good romance and while the dynamic between the two MCs is what originally drew me in, I have to say that it is the intrigue of the plot that I am so gripped by.

To begin with, the story is pretty captivating. I have read a lot of complaints that it is difficult to follow, which I can somewhat attest to, but the ... elements of the story are much more subtle than the usual plot of a manga. It is difficult to give examples without spoilers so I can only really say that initially, the story is difficult to follow but I think if you persevere through the first 5-10 chapters, the mangaka does a better job presenting the story more clearly. Koroshi Ai also lends itself well to multiple readings as I mentioned above that certain story elements and characterization is subtle and can take a while to pick up on. The plot revolves around multiple mysteries concerning our two MCs. There is a lot of stuff to follow and it seems for a while that there are far more questions than answers. I suppose this may frustrate readers but I think in its current arc a lot of things are being cleared up and I trust the mangaka to give us a satisfying wrap up when its time. The writing is really good so, as I said, I trust the mangaka to deliver.

The art isn't phenomenal but I really like it. It fits the dramatic atmosphere of the story and the gore is also pretty great if that is what you are looking for (I mean IT IS about contract killers and stuff so..). I really enjoy the character's designs and I think some of the fight scenes are dynamic enough that they would work well if animated.

The manga is almost exclusively about its characters which works out because I think the characters are fantastic. Chateau, the female MC, is surprisingly complex given her silent-type characterization. She maintains her badassery even in contrast to the far more capable Ryang-Ha. Ryang-Ha is personally my favorite character but the plot's intrigue focuses a lot more on him so that may be why. I think his transition from cute loverboy to the cold-blooded killer is, while troupish, still entertaining and he definitely pulls at my heartstrings. I also really like that the romance between them is done tastefully. I won't say I don't enjoy my fair share of fanservice but it is refreshing to see a romance manga take itself a little more seriously. More than anything, the characters are well done because their actions and motivations are believable and in line with their characterization, especially once you get into the later chapters and start to learn more about them.

I enjoy this series a lot. It satisfies what I want: romance and bloodshed. The grim setting of the criminal underworld and the dynamic between the two MCs is done well and every chapter improves on the last.

Overall, I truly do not understand why this series is so underrated. I feel that it can appeal to a large audience and I wish for it to be officially translated someday!

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Dec 18, 2020

merope28

Recommended

Preliminary (55/102 chp)

Koroshi ai doesn't have a lot of romance but it's definitely there.

The two hitmen start off as enemies and eventually become allies who can rely on each other. Their relationship develops through various encounters with enemies, eventually allowing them to open up with each other. It's the type of manga where you like the action but also the interactions going on between the characters.

It quickly rose up to my ranks to my top 10 manga. The pacing isn't too slow or too fast but enough to keep you entertained! Definitely will not disappoint!

Last but not least, the anime adaption has been confirmed so look ...

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Mar 27, 2021

taylormoo

Recommended

Preliminary (46/102 chp)

Koroshi Ai, or Love of Kill, is the perfect manga for someone who wants a more adult shoujo story with badass characters and a splash of questionable romance, which I will soon delve into with more detail. It's not often I can find a josei that is both entertaining and well-crafted. Oftentimes, they reel readers in with unbuilt relationships and too much intensity from the very first chapter. While these josei stories are good in their own way, Koroshi Ai is a slow-cooked stew that makes you wait for the full flavor. And d*mn, is the resulting dish good.
First off, Chateau Dankworth is worthy of ... her name. She is not your typical doormat character, and her job is to freaking hunt people down because she's a bounty hunter. Yes, Ryang-ha may be stronger than her, but she is formidable in her own right. She was doing well for herself before he showed up in her life, which I find to be incredibly important. She was never a character who waited for her prince charming. However, when he does finally appear, it certainly is not in the traditional aspect.
Ryang-ha is mysterious in every sense of the word. He looks the part, (hot) and he's even more lethal than our lovely Chateau. When he suddenly shows up in Chateau's life and attempts to gain her favor by helping take down targets, she lets him. She waits to see what his game is, what he has to gain. How he knows her, and how he knows things she can't even remember about herself. Also, when you find out how Ryang-ha knows Chateau, man, it explains everything--even Ryang-ha's questionable actions--while also being depressing as f*ck.
The characters are amazing, obviously. Chateau may seem stiff at first, but that's because she thinks things through thoroughly and gives us a female lead that's realistic and more relatable. Ryang-ha is the character you desperately want to figure out, and as the chapters go on, you're left wanting more and more. I suppose this manga could be considered a psychological thriller in a sense, especially as you get deeper into the story.
I want to note that the side characters are interesting and full of depth as well. Indian-Kun will forever have one of my favorite character designs, despite it being stubbornly simplistic. It matches his personality, which makes it even better.
My enjoyment for this manga is a 10. I mean, it's one of the best ongoing joseis out there, in my opinion. Not only does the story progress at a stable rate, but you don't lose interest because everything isn't revealed all at once or not at all. You're given just enough to keep coming back for more, and the action scenes are nail-biting as well. Some of the scenes had me making dying sounds out loud, or practically falling out of my seat.
Overall, this story is just so well-crafted compared to a lot of other stories out there right now. Please read the first volume or two before deciding to continue with it or not. In all honesty, for some reason, I didn't get sucked into the story until my second try at reading it. I often look back at my younger self and cringe, especially seeing how my taste in manga, or really anything else, has changed. Also, in case you live under a rock, Koroshi Ai is being turned into an anime, and the first two volumes are coming out, in the US, on the 30th of this month and May 18th. I suggest buying them if you want to support the mangaka and a second season of the anime!

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Mar 2, 2022

wonderinglabs

Recommended

Preliminary (57/102 chp)

Found this manga through the anime as I was too impatient to wait for the episodes to release (lol).
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Love of Kill is a fun manga read, not to be taken too seriously... although you shouldn't underestimate it either! Definitely brings forth an interesting story (despite common tropes used) that makes you want to keep reading. The characters have common tropes as well but they still manage to capture your attention. Worth a read if you do not want an overly complicated story and some subtle romance... The art is amazing as well as the character designs. Everything is easy to follow and I have ...

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Jan 10, 2022

UndaT

Recommended

Preliminary (57/102 chp)

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading Koroshi Ai. Rather, I thought I wouldn't really like it as I don't usually read crime/mystery manga.
I'd say this: curiosity kept me reading for the first few chapters. Before I knew it, I've read through quite a few more and was enjoying it.

That aside, I really don't know what would be considered cliché or overused in such genres yet it still felt rather unique. The story unfolds really smoothly and at a good pace, not to mention the writing style: the elegant flashbacks/rewinds were extremely appealing.

The plot itself, even for a mystery, was not very ...

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