A Shojo Fantasy Meets Reality in Viz’s Romantic Killer

I love discovering new manga and there is a variety of series for all types of readers. When seeking out manga I decided to check out Volume One of Romantic Killer by Wataru Momose. Here are my thoughts on this manga from Shojo Beat!

Synopsis: Anzu must play along in this altered reality before she can return to her normal life, so she begrudgingly makes friends with Tsukasa Kazuki. He, unfortunately, happens to be one of the hottest and most popular guys at school, and what’s worse, she realizes that he might not even be that bad of a person!

Review: If you’re looking for a fresh romantic comedy that is guaranteed to be full of laughs then you should check out Romantic Killer. Readers follow the story of Anzu who is obsessed with living in a fantasy world and is constantly trying to escape from reality. Rather than getting caught up with school drama and boys, she would rather spend her days playing otome games. When she gets trapped in a game of an alternate reality with a magical guide will she be able to resist falling into the role of the main character of a shojo manga?

This is a manga that really speaks to shojo genre readers like me. As a long-time reader of shojo manga (especially Shojo Beat) titles, I love stories that can embrace the genre while also adding their own uniqueness. Reading this manga felt similar to an isekai-style story except in this one the female lead is still living in reality with touches of magic. While Anzu would love to experience her own shojo story she is solely disinterested in real-life romance and prefers the fake (gaming) ones. Watching her and the magical imp trying to one-up each other is entertaining and adds to the comedic parts of the story.

The best part of this manga is how much it pokes fun at the silliest shojo tropes in the best way. From ending up in forced proximity living situations to having to share an umbrella in the rain, this first volume has no shortage of these scenes. It’s funny and it made me laugh out loud many times. Anzu has a bright and quirky personality making her a likable main character that readers can get invested in. On top of her budding new friendship with Kazuki she also has to deal with lots of changes and romance constantly being thrown her way.

The artwork reflects the story and gives the manga that sparkly shojo touch and adds depth to each character. The advanced copy I received was in full color and it only enhanced my reading experience. I am curious to see how Anzu will navigate the new romantic relationships in her life in future volumes. Romantic Killer is a great debut series from Momose!

Final Verdict:

This is a recommended read for readers who love a good rom-com and light-hearted manga read. Romantic Killer Volume One gets a 4 out of 5 stars rating from me!

Romantic Killer Volume One releases in stores on October 4, 2022. The anime adaptation of this series is set to premiere on October 27th on Netflix. Mark your calendars!

Check out the teaser trailer here:

 

*I received this manga from Viz Media in exchange for a fair and honest review.

 

About Rachel Moulden

Rachel is a fandom nerd who loves to create new stories. Outside of Fandom Spotlite you can find her writing books, chatting about all things pop culture related, and gushing about all things bookish on her book blog, Life of a Female Bibliophile. When Rachel is not busy writing you can find her jamming out to anime OSTs, indulging in a good cup of coffee, or watching too many K-Dramas. Check out her middle-grade debut novel (Lost Love: My First Boyfriend) available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. You can follow her on Twitter at @bibliophilelyfe and Instagram at @lifeofafemalebibliophile.

View all posts by Rachel Moulden

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