28/07/2021: 7 manga about assassins

The title says it all! We had a suspicion that the last post about series with nice, clean art wouldn't do too well - it really was just a barebones list of manga, so we decided to get this one ready to go right after so you wouldn't feel shortchanged. (We do care!) Here's a bunch of manga about assassins, because it's arguably one of the sexiest and most exciting professions. The genre's also got a very diverse range of stories to tell: some of these series are vicious and frightening, but others can be funny and relaxing to read as well. We've included a little bit of both so you can find something that suits you.

1) The Fable

This is a slice-of-life action comedy about a legendary hitman and his “sister” who’s his getaway driver. Their boss makes them take a year-long vacation in Osaka and they have to try to live like normal people, but they get into a lot of trouble when they’re dragged into yakuza conflicts and the complexities of everyday living like finding employment, making friends and raising a pet. The art is outstanding and there's a lot of action and comedy to keep you entertained. There's a really good live-action adaptation of it as well so you should try it out.

2) DEATHCO

This is an episodic series following the Guild, consisting of assassins who lead everyday lives when not “working” so they wear interesting costumes when undertaking their hits. The central character is this strange girl, known only as DEATHCO, who’s very good at killing but very little else. In this series, there’s a lot of action so you can appreciate the acrobatic moves and dynamic motion in a lot of the action sequences. There are also many distinctive designs for the costumes, such as a trio of cheerleader-themed killers who use acrobatics to deliver fatal strikes. The interesting thing is that there is such a crazy variety of designs because many of these characters are disposable, which means that the writer had to come up with so many designs. It’s pretty cool.

3) Kanako’s Life as an Assassin

A very cute comedy about a depressed OL who becomes an assassin due to her ability to disappear very well. The drawings are extremely cute and so are the puns, which usually involve some kind of animal. It’s also very fun to see the OL use her skills to kill deserving targets like an abusive boyfriend or a pervert. However, the one thing I didn’t like was the love triangle set up between her, her ex-classmate who’s a detective on her trail, and her fellow assassin. I didn’t like the fellow assassin because I hate “cool guy” characters!

4) Gunslinger Girl

An action-packed series about young girls who are crippled or horrifically ill and get taken over by the government and modified into androids to undertake assassination missions to kill terrorists. The action and violence are very intense and the guns they use are very well drawn. It’s also a bit of a tearjerker but the action really is top-notch! The anime adaptation was very popular and is really worth watching.

5) Kyou kara Hitman

A salaryman ends up impersonating a legendary hitman who’s just passed away and is forced to keep working with the hitman’s assistant and reluctantly take on the hits. It’s an action comedy with a lot of adult content and some sexual violence but it’s mostly focused on the action. A bit of a brainless series to waste some time on every now and then. This one also has a great live-action adaptation.

6) Freesia

A revenge-for-hire series. It’s very dreary and depressing but the art is very mature and impactful.

7) The Scum of Good and Evil

A similar concept. Two guys take on revenge jobs for clients to torture and kill the people who did wrong to the clients. The targets are all assholes and deserve their fate so it’s a bit fun to see them get their comeuppance. However, the violence is extreme and usually involves mutilation and gory messes so be warned! This is emphasized by the outstanding artwork. It’s not just brainless violence though – it’s very emotional and really manages to bring across the feelings of trauma and sorrow, even though the series has a lighthearted moment every now and then. I really like this! (Lots of nudity – but it’s not pornographic because it’s either a bad thing that happened or some bad guy getting what’s coming to him.)

8) Lady Snowblood

An epic period revenge drama about a beautiful girl born to a wronged prisoner who’s on a revenge mission to kill all the people responsible for her mother’s fate. It’s very violent and there’s a lot of sexual content. It was written long ago – 70s/80s – and is reminiscent of a classic exploitation movie from the period. Worth a read!