“After being chased down and driven to the brink of death by a mysterious man with a tattoo on his face, Chateau's left with more questions than answers. But when her assailant tells her Ryang-Ha's to blame for the attack, she can't help but wonder about her fellow assassin's past. Meanwhile, Ryang-Ha recalls the betrayal that set all this in motion…” (Yen Press)
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Romance marked by bloody violence, “Love of Kill” first introduced the unlikely couple of Chateau and Ryang-Ha as two assassins on opposite ends of the job. The frantic pace of the inaugural volume meant that there was little room to delve into the origins of either assassins, resulting in a quick-fire flirtatious romance where lines are shouted between gunshots and fisticuffs. Admittedly light on plot, the first volume showcased Fe's ability to combine action, comedy and romance under pronounced visual direction, giving readers reason to be excited for what may come next. Thankfully, Fe gives room for the narrative to expand while still capitalizing on the various elements that made the first volume spectacularly explosive.
Notably, the action sequences come highlighted by wonderful frenetic movement that imbue shootouts and brawls with realistic weight – each swing, shot or explosion feels meticulously crafted and hard hitting. Consequently, Fe resonates a love of spy fiction in knowing the importance extends beyond the plot to necessitate sleek action sequences to appease fans of the genre. Conversely, during moments of dialogue his subjects stay, mostly, calm and collected with an heir of superiority that you would expect from globe trotting assassins. Certainly, the greatest draw will be for readers with interest in noir and espionage, but one of the title's most charming attributes lies in indulging in the mischievous wit of its creator.
Essentially, one of the greatest comedic aspects comes through how Fe represents his work to the reader, interjecting himself in-between chapters with silly observations. Furthermore, there is a clever break in the fourth wall framing the book, avoiding spoiling this clever device, Fe relates how they got the ‘shot' for each cover playing the role of jester for his own release. Not necessarily adding to the narrative, these little deviations give the series a sense of personality, as engaging as the story itself. Certainly, the title feels so heavily tied to the creator's personality that it is of equal interest to see his observations on his work evolve as the series continues.
Elements of romance still seem rather light, and readers looking for a traditional tryst may not vibe with how the relationship is developing. The chemistry between the two leads is there, but Chateau's, understandable, lack of trust in Ryang-Ha is going to take time to develop into something meaningful (if it happens at all). Regardless, the elements of romance come from a playful flirtation that finds its way into every point of the book without intruding or dominating the tone. It will be interesting to see if this ever becomes a more dominate part of the narrative, but until then, it is the perfect framing device for various plot points.
As the reader learns more about the background of both characters, there is a deeper sense of mystery and lore building up within these two volumes. Still not entirely clear how both came to become assassins, it is obvious that the story is building up towards a deeper revelation and potential commitment to the relationship that, for now, is a constant tease. In addition, the third volume ends on a shocking cliffhanger that shows Fe willing to explore the grittiness inherent in classic spy-fiction.
Overall, “Love of Kill” is a hard boiled, fast paced action/romance title captured by a charismatic story teller. it feels unique despite relying heavily on homages to classic tropes. Set for an adaptation sometime in 2022, anime and manga fans would benefit from getting a head start on the series – certainly has potential to be a standout in whatever season it drops.
