REVIEW: ‘Romantic Killer’ Volume 1

Divine intervention in romantic life is an easy manga trope, but it’s executed uniquely and expertly in Romantic Killer Volume 1. A full-color manga, the series is written and illustrated by mangaka Wataru Mamose, published and localized in English by VIZ Media, translated and adapted by Adrienne Beck, and features touch-up art and lettering by Inori Fukuda Trant.

In Romantic Killer Volume 1, high schooler Anzu Hoshino has a great life. She plays video games, pigs out on chocolate and other snacks, and pets her beloved cat to no end. Only interested in 2D boys in her otome games, her IRL romantic life is well, nonexistent. But this easy life is turned upside down when a magical creature transports her to an altered reality bereft of her favorite things.

While other isekai have players transported to great worlds with everything they could possibly want and unnatural advantages, the world in Romantic Killer takes away Anzu’s chocolate, cat, parents, and video games all in order to force her into a romantic pairing. Now, our heroine is stuck surrounded by hot guys instead. In order to get back to her beloved video games and cat, Anzu must play along. So, of course, she begrudgingly makes friends with Tsukasa Kazuki aka the hottest and most popular guy at school.

With meet cutes and shoujo tropes galore, Romantic Killer Volume 1 is adorable and captures the heart of a girl who really wants to blow off dates for video games. I mean, that was me as a teen. Actively saying I was sick to beat the next level in an RPG instead of flirting and finding a boyfriend. The humor throughout the manga is not just great because of the meta-shoujo storyline, but the way it handles shonen at the same time.

Blending shonen, shojo, romantic comedies and isekai, this is a series that gets exactly how to make its readers laugh. And while that is due to Mamose’s writing, it also is a testament to the localization team and Beck’s translation that makes all the jokes land for English readers.

The art in Romantic Killer Volume 1 is bright and fun, but it’s more on par with shonen stories than anything else. With visual references to Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Kaiji, not to mention some battle manga moments, this series is just great. Anzu is a great heroine who has her priorities in order and even in the most romantic of shoujo moments her awkwardness is endearing. A great start to the series, Romantic Killer Volume 1 is a great story that flips isekai and romance on its head. I can’t wait for volume 2.

Romantic Killer Volume 1 is available now wherever books are sold, both digitally and physically.