Shojo is understandably renowned for cute romances that are tailored specifically for teenage girls, but a dark and bloody anime called Love of Kill proves that the demographic can also be just like their shonen counterparts and possibly even like seinen. In fact, it would be very difficult for Love of Kill to not have at least a little bit of violence, just taking the specific trades of both protagonists into account. Song Ryang-ha is a hit man and Chateau Dankworth is a bounty hunter, and, of course, both of them meet in the bloody aftermath of a successful mission (i.e. murdered targets).
Of course, Love of Kill still features romantic moments like the vast majority of shojo do. In fact, the entire story is driven by Ryang-ha’s unreciprocated fondness for and borderline unhealthy obsession with Chateau.
However, it’s Ryang-ha’s unsettling treatment of Chateau that ironically makes Love of Kill even less like most shojo, though the anime does make a conscientious effort to portray these interactions as innocuous as possible to resonate more with the targeted demographic. Chateau’s sometimes comical reactions and anger markings somewhat succeed in minimizing the seriousness of his transgressions against her. Clearly, it’s both the violence and questionable way in which Ryang-ha treats Chateau that make Love of Kill‘s classification as a shojo perplexing.
Love of Kill’s Shocking Amount of Violence Is Complemented By Well Executed Mystery and Suspense
Based on the manga by Fe; produced by Platinum Vision
What’s especially striking is how Ryang-ha and Chateau’s past lives are connected by bloodshed beyond their similar professions. The source of this connection, however, is kept a secret until the very end, which is the third distinguishing factor of this enigmatic series. Love of Kill is equally a mystery as it is a romance and suspense anime. Viewers are slowly presented with clues and flashbacks that eventually add some context to the situation, as is the case with most mysteries.
It’s particularly artful, however, that all the violence culminates in the fallout of Chateau and Ryang-ha’s first meeting long ago, allowing their past to come in bloody full circle.
When taking the usual tone of shojo series, it’s even more ironic that the particularly violent nature of how Ryang-ha and Chateau really first met actually explains why the truth is hidden from viewers. For even though the tale is mostly from the perspective of Chateau, she is somehow left in the dark.
Luckily, the journey to reach that revelation is riveting, as one might expect from a suspense. The more Chateau gets swept up into Ryang-ha’s orbit, the more danger she subsequently faces. As their lives start to become entangled in a bloody amalgamated mess, cars tumble into ravines in epic chases, characters get shot point-blank, and others are stabbed in the neck. It’s particularly artful, however, that all the violence culminates in the fallout of Chateau and Ryang-ha’s first meeting long ago, allowing their past to come in bloody full circle.
For those who are understandably put off by Ryang-ha’s interactions with Chateau, skeptical viewers can rest assured that the answer to this mystery, at the very least, partially redeems his character. In fact, his devotion to her is almost admirable when taking the full story into account. This, alone, should peak the interest of those who have yet to see Love of Kill, which is currently streaming on Crunchyroll. That is, if the prospect of a bloody and violent shojo isn’t enough of a draw.
