‘Romantic Killer’ Review: A Taste of Romance in the Digital Age
Netflix keeps pushing anime productions into its roster. The medium has become a very welcome addition to Netflix’s offerings, as there is so much content in it that Netflix could probably become an anime-only streaming service, and it would be fine. Anime, like manga, offers a very intense variety of stories, characters, and worlds. On this occasion, we are ready to get inside a world of romance, video games, comedy, and yes, tons of chocolate. Romantic Killer has arrived on Netflix to show us how to fall in love in the digital age.
Romantic Killer is an anime adaptation of the manga written and illustrated by Wataru Momose. The entire manga comprises only four volumes, and it seems like an entire anime season is quite enough to adapt the entire series. The series was one of the first manga to be serialized on Shōnen Jump+ the digital version of the popular magazine, where mangas like Spy x Family, and Kaiju No.8 have also found their home. The anime is produced by DOMERICA, an animation studio that has worked on several projects all over the industry, including Evangelion, and Bakugan.
The series tells the story of Anzy Hoshino, a young high student. However, Anzu is not like the other girls. She is not very feminine, she loves video games, chocolate, and her cat. She seems completely fine and happy to be single and really, she has no interest in anything that screams romance. However, when she starts playing a new dating simulator, the game lame is actually a magical game that changes her world into a dating simulator. Now, Anzu must get out of her comfort zone and play the game of romance if she wants to have any life at all.
Romantic Killer starts very much like any other slice-of-life, or romantic anime series. It places the characters into the most expected of situations and positions, and yet, it also manages to subvert expectations by playing into them and then turning them on their heads. The series really knows how the genre works, and the different setups we see throughout the season are very familiar if you have ever seen a romantic comedy or another romantic anime. The author is clever enough to keep things fresh throughout the entire story and also knows when to end it.
Romantic Killer is also quite a funny series. Anzu is very much like many girls living right now in the world. The character is a reflection of a woman that really has no interest in anything romantic, but just the life she has chosen for herself. She wants video games, chocolate, and her cat, and she is very much content with that. This type of character has been linked mostly to the male gender, but it is a fact that women and people of other genders also fall into the template.
The conflict in the series arises from the fact that Anzu’s world of happiness is literally destroyed by this magic entity called Riri. Riri is adamant that something is missing in Anzu’s life, and that thing is romance. Riri is the real villain of the show. When the story starts, you could say that Anzu is one of the happiest characters you have ever seen. But when Riri appears and forces her conventions of life upon poor Anzu, then everything is thrown into the ground, and now Anzu must recover the happiness she has lost.
Although the series is quite funny and there are jokes almost every second, the series proposes a very interesting conversation. Must a person that has found happiness adapt to the social conventions just because that is what “normal” people do? The series suggests that unless you’re hurting someone or yourself, then you can do whatever you want with your life. The choice is yours. And yet, the many social conventions that exist in today’s society tell you that you must act and do things in a certain way.
Of course, the topic might be too complex for a single anime story to answer it, but the fact that the author is giving us all this food for thought through their very silly story is quite an accomplishment. In terms of animation, the series is very standard. However, the implementation of CGI throughout the episodes is quite effective and really enhances the story at every step. CGI is a controversial tool in today’s anime industry, but DOMERICA really knows how to work with it.
In the end, Romantic Killer is more than just another romantic anime. It tells a story that is worth watching and even discussing. Anzu is an excellent protagonist, and you learn to love her and support her very easily. The series might not be a home run in terms of visuals, but it doesn’t need to be. What is there in terms of animation is quite solid. Romantic Killer will make you think about life while also making you laugh out loud at all the crazy situations Anzu gets into.