Romantic Killer

Romantic Killer
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Anzu Hoshino (front) and Tsukasa Kazuki (back)
ロマンティック・キラー (Romantikku Kirā)
Genre	Romantic comedy Comedy drama
Manga
Written by	Wataru Momose
Published by	Shueisha
English publisher	NA: Viz Media
Imprint	Jump Comics+
Magazine	Shōnen Jump+
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	July 30, 2019 – June 2, 2020
Volumes	4
Original net animation
Directed by	Kazuya Ichikawa
Written by	Sayuri Ōba Hiroko Fukuda
Music by	Ryo Kawasaki Tomoyuki Kono
Studio	DOMERICA
Licensed by	Netflix
Released	October 27, 2022
Runtime	24–31 minutes
Episodes	12

Romantic Killer (Japanese: ロマンティック・キラー, Hepburn: Romantikku Kirā) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Wataru Momose. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ website from July 2019 to June 2020, with its chapters collected in four tankōbon volumes.

An original net animation (ONA) series adaptation produced by DOMERICA was released on Netflix in October 2022.

Plot

One day, a wizard claiming to be a "love cupid" named Riri appears before Anzu Hoshino, a high school girl who has no interest in romance outside of video game characters. The world where Riri comes from is founded on giving dreams and hopes to children, and collecting their pure hearts as energy in return. Due to declining birthrate assumed by the decrease in romance opportunities between men and women, Riri is sent to assist Anzu in experiencing real life romance with a pool of "ikemen" for her to choose from. Despite Anzu's rejection due to her zero interest in pursuing real-life romance, Riri confiscated her "three greatest desires", video games, chocolate, and her cat, Momohiki, and conspired a series of events to make Anzu encounter shōjo manga-esque situations, leaving her with no choice. Anzu decided to play along with Riri's "game", but hopes to make Riri give up and release their "hostages" by avoiding all the romance-possible situations with all of her might so she can go back to her normal life. Along the way, Anzu establishes genuine connections with the romantic candidates, and has to navigate their feelings - and her desire to protect them from Riri's schemes - with increased difficulty.

Characters

Anzu Hoshino (星野 杏子, Hoshino Anzu)

Voiced by: Rie Takahashi (Japanese); Deneen Melody (English)

The protagonist who bears the "anti-heroine" attribute. A high school first year who claims her three great desires are video games, cats (especially her pet Momohiki), and chocolate. She has no interest in real life romance and has been counter-measuring all the shōjo manga-esque situations conspired by Riri. She is logical, blunt, and very caring person who can't leave her friends when they're in trouble. She cares little for how strangers perceive her, and will always stay true to her internal sense of right and wrong. She is well known for her bushy red hair and her love of cat-themed clothes. Her biggest fear is cockroaches.

Riri/Rio (リリ/リオ)

Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu (Japanese); Courtney Lin (English)

A mascot-type wizard who was sent to assist Anzu in pursuing romance. They appear to be cunning and manipulative; resorting to anything possible just so Anzu can encounter shōjo manga-like situations. They can shapeshift into a human girl, keeping the name Riri, or a boy, going by Rio. They claim either to be Anzu's "cousin", and often use either of these forms to spur Anzu along or spark jealousy between candidates. It is revealed that they never ever once manipulated any of the boys' feelings, and the only memory manipulation had been making Junta believe he had already gotten back in touch with Anzu. As such, the boys' affections toward Anzu had always been real. After violating their work policy, Riri was replaced by another wizard named Kate to assist Anzu, but Anzu brought them back by adding Riri as a romance candidate after Riri revealed their wish to stay by her side.

Tsukasa Kazuki (香月 司, Kazuki Tsukasa)

Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara (Japanese); Jason Griffith (English)

A cold and reserved boy who is Anzu's first romance candidate. He is popular among women due to his good looks but tends to avoid them, rejecting any romantic proposals outright. He meets Anzu in a meet cute where she accidentally bumps into him and breaks his phone. Due to Riri's meddling, his house is flooded and he has to live with Anzu early in the story. It is later revealed that before transferring schools he was a warm and caring person who could "befriend anyone", indicating that his cold appearance is a facade. His personality changed drastically after being repeatedly stalked by an older woman he had helped once, to the point where he was forced to transfer from his house and school to be away from her and his strict father who blamed him for the situation. He then became lonely and distant after living alone. In an effort to distance himself from women's attention, he often wears hats in public and experiences panic attacks if left alone with them due to traumatic memories. He finally realizes his hidden feelings for Anzu after she helps him many times, considering her to be his savior.

Junta Hayami (速水 純太, Hayami Junta)

Voiced by: Gakuto Kajiwara (Japanese); Aleks Le (English)

The "childhood friend" that Riri set up for Anzu. Anzu originally believed him to be a random hot guy brainwashed by Riri, but it is later revealed that he is in fact a childhood friend of Anzu whom she called "Tonta" who looked completely different back then, and that his feelings for Anzu are genuine. Tonta was shy, heavy-set, and found it difficult to make friends before he met Anzu and bonded with her over the fictional video game Cat Ranger. He has grown very tall and muscular, and is known as the "rookie baseball star" at his school. It is later revealed that he had picked up baseball and changed himself after overhearing Anzu say that she would like to date an "athletic guy who can beat the boss." Anzu is aware of his feelings for her, and acts oblivious to hide it from him. He is sincere and somewhat cowardly, also hiding from cockroaches like Anzu, but is not afraid to physically confront anyone who hurts his friends.

Hijiri Koganei (小金井 聖, Koganei Hijiri)

Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae (Japanese); Kellen Goff (English)

A wealthy boy who is not in touch with the lives of "peasants", also set up by Riri for Anzu. He meets Anzu in a twist on a classic anime meet cute, where she is running late to school and is hit by his car. He takes her on a date for compensation, assuming she got hit on purpose, and is shocked when she rejects him. He is not used to having girls reject him so he tries to woo Anzu by buying her off. After being called out further by Anzu, he tries to navigate common life by getting a job at the convenience store that Anzu works at and getting his own money. Knowing how much Hijiri was used to getting what he wanted, his father had transferred him from his former private school so that he could learn to fend for himself. It is shown that he too gradually developed a romantic interest in Anzu, as well as a hot and cold "tsundere" personality.

Tsuchiya (土屋, Tsuchiya)

Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda (Japanese); Matthew David Rudd (English)

Hijiri Koganei's chauffeur who cares for him deeply. He offers romantic advice to Hijiri, and at times appears as a joke romance candidate, considered equally handsome to the candidates. He can appear by Hijiri's side at the click of a finger, and gets emotional when Hijiri expresses gratitude to him. He genuinely appreciates Anzu's presence in Hijiri's life, and considers her to be a very good influence on him. Unfortunately, because of the number of girls who have flung themselves in front of his car to get to Hijiri, he is on a watch list.

Saki Takamine (高峯 咲姫, Takamine Saki)

Voiced by: Manaka Iwami (Japanese); Jenny Yokobori (English)

Anzu's best female friend at school. She treasures her bond with Anzu as Anzu had defended her during her difficult time in middle school. She met Anzu when she was shoved down by a jealous school bully, and Anzu forced the bully to apologize. Since then, she has come to rely on Anzu to save her, and wants to support Anzu in her own way. Like Tsukasa, she is very popular, and has had to deal with unwanted advances from those around her. In particular, in middle school, she dated a seemingly kind senior classmate after being asked out by him everyday. At first he acts like the perfect gentleman, but attempted to force himself on her when they were alone. He attempted to spread rumors about her to the school to cover his actions, but Anzu confronts him. Because of the courage Anzu has given her, she has become someone not to be messed with, and is unafraid of shooting lecherous comments down, countering them with equally personal questions. She finds about Anzu living with Tsukasa and Junta and promises to keep it a secret.

Makoto Oda (織田 真斗, Oda Makoto)

Voiced by: Hiro Shimono (Japanese); Ryan Colt Levy (English)

Tsukasa Kazuki's easygoing and reliable friend. He is somewhat air-headed and oblivious, but because of his kind personality, Tsukasa can let his guard down around him. He is puzzled by Tsukasa's cold attitude to girls, and often apologizes on his friend's behalf. Before Anzu, Makoto was Tsukasa's only friend at this new school. He has older sisters who are boorish and slovenly around his house, which has made him less interested in having a dating life. He admires Junta for his athleticism and handsomeness, fawning over how cool Junta must be. When Saki was uncomfortable after seeing her middle school abuser at a Summer Festival, Makoto was able to read the signs and swoop Saki away by the hand.

Arisa Kazuki (香月 愛里紗, Kazuki Arisa)

Voiced by: Marina Inoue (Japanese); Gilli Messer (English)

Tsukasa Kazuki's kind older sister. Her and Tsukasa are both very attractive, becoming a pair of siblings that are "blindingly beautiful." She first encounters Anzu when Anzu is harassed after spilling a stranger's coffee. She comes to Anzu's rescue, and when she sees Anzu and her brother together, she immediately sees potential for their relationship. She is very supportive of her younger brother, as she has protected him from the past from their father, and Tsukasa's stalker. She is protective of Tsukasa, and is thankful that Anzu is by Tsukasa's side. She tends to tease Anzu and Tsukasa, although she is not overly pushy considering Tsukasa's past.

Yukana Kishi (岸 優花菜, Kishi Yukana)

Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa (Japanese); Jesse Valinsky (English)

Tsukasa Kazuki's unstable stalker. She is a young woman in her twenties who was bullied at her workplace. Because she was outcast, she was "saved" by Tsukasa when he helped her up after she fell, and gave her bag back to her. This later becomes his greatest regret. She exhibits many yandere stalking tendencies, such as waiting for Tsukasa before and after school, sending him packages under false names, and even drugging him so they can be alone in his room. She also hacks his online accounts to frame their relationship as romantic. This tarnishes Tsukasa's reputation, and forces him to move away, but she finds him through the background of a candid social media photo. Tsukasa's mother, Arisa, and Anzu are all "horrible" in her eyes, as they try to tear "their love" apart. She assaults Anzu, but gets arrested. Yukana is sent to a medical facility when Hijiri uses his family connections to put a stop to her Uncle bribing the authorities. Even hospitalized, she is fixated on Tsukasa, and the only way to stop her is for Riri to wipe her memories. Once wiped, the threat seems to disappear, but Riri's co-worker Cupid, Kate, has assigned Yukana as their client in a cliffhanger ending.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Wataru Momose, Romantic Killer was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ website from July 30, 2019, to June 2, 2020. The first tankōbon volume was released on December 4, 2019. The second to fourth volumes were released digitally on March 4, August 4, and September 4, 2020; the volumes were released in print on October 4, 2022.

In February 2022, Viz Media announced that they licensed the series for English publication.

It is also being released in English on the app and website Manga Plus by Shueisha.

Volumes

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
1	December 4, 2019	978-4-08-882164-1	October 4, 2022	978-1-9747-3469-6
2	March 4, 2020 (digital) October 4, 2022 (print)	978-4-08-883326-2	January 3, 2023	978-1-9747-3507-5
3	August 4, 2020 (digital) October 4, 2022 (print)	978-4-08-883327-9	April 4, 2023	978-1-9747-3508-2
4	September 4, 2020 (digital) October 4, 2022 (print)	978-4-08-883328-6	July 4, 2023	978-1-9747-3509-9

Anime

In August 2022, the Shōnen Jump+ website announced that the series would be adapted into an original net animation. It is produced by DOMERICA and directed by Kazuya Ichikawa, with Sayuri Ōba and Hiroko Fukuda overseeing the scripts, Arisa Matsuura designing the characters, and Ryo Kawasaki and Tomoyuki Kono composing the music. The series was released on Netflix on October 27, 2022. The opening theme is "ROMA☆KiRA" by YURiKA, while the ending theme is ""Romantic Love ~Renai Shimasen ka?☆~ (Won't You Fall in Love)" by Mikako Komatsu.

Episodes

No.	Title	Original air date
1	"Why Is There So Much Legalese in Magic?" Transliteration: "Naze mahou ni wa sonnani ooku no houritsu yougo ga aru no desu ka?" (Japanese: なぜ魔法にはそんなに多くの法律用語があるのですか?)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
First year high schooler Anzu has only three loves; video games, chocolate, and her pet cat Momohiki. One day, a Love Cupid or "wizard" named Riri appears with the news that, to combat Japan's declining birth rates, wizards from the magic realm will help young people with no romantic experience find love. Anzu's daily life will now be filled with attractive guys and romantic scenarios until she chooses a boyfriend, and so she won't try to avoid them, Riri confiscates her three greatest desires. They take all her games and chocolate and use magic to prevent her from acquiring more. Then, to ensure her parents don't get in the way, Riri has them transferred to America for work and Momohiki sent away with them. Anzu is infuriated and swears to spite Riri by avoiding all romance as the "Romantic Killer" until Riri quits and returns her life to normal. Almost immediately, Anzu accidentally runs into Tsukasa, a popular hot guy from her school. She has repeated embarrassing interactions with him, but is put off by his reserved, aloof personality. At home, Anzu is bored without games and, when scared by a cockroach, leaves the house to sulk in a park. Caught in the rain, Anzu is spotted by Tsukasa passing by with an umbrella.
2	"It's Time for Children to Go to Sleep" Transliteration: "Kodomo tachi ga neru jikan desu" (Japanese: 子供たちが寝る時間です)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Despite trying to ignore signs of impending romance, Anzu is convinced to share Tsukasa's umbrella. After explaining about the cockroach, Tsukasa offers to kill it for her and a comical hunt for the cockroach ends with Anzu accidentally sitting on Tsukasa, but the cockroach is killed and they become friendly. Tsukasa finds the rain has become a typhoon, trapping him at Anzu's house overnight, which Anzu confirms is Riri's doing. Riri demands Anzu dazzle Tsukasa with her wifely cooking, so she spitefully serves cheap cup ramen for lunch, and after her bath deliberately wears her most unflattering pajamas which can never inspire romance. Deciding to play board games, Riri causes Anzu to get all the bad cards so Tsukasa wins. Anzu burns dinner but with Tsukasa's help they finish and even prepare bentos for school. Anzu realizes Tsukasa might not be so aloof after all but stops herself before she develops feelings. Disappointed, Riri uses magic to make Anzu fall asleep first in the living room. Anzu dreams she is holding Momohiki, so when Tsukasa tries to wake her she grabs his hand and refuses to let go. Tsukasa accepts he is stuck for the night and realizes he hasn't had that much fun in a long time.
3	"My Life Has Become a Dating Sim" Transliteration: "Watashi no jinsei wa date sim ni nari mashi ta" (Japanese: 私の人生はデートシムになりました)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Anzu is mortified when she awakens in Tsukasa's lap. Tsukasa goes home but returns, explaining the typhoon flooded his apartment; Anzu suspects Riri again. At school, a teacher mistakenly reveals to Tsukasa's fans, Rena and Yukika, that Tsukasa and Anzu know each other and they insist on accompanying her to meet Tsukasa. Tsukasa is so annoyed he leaves with Anzu and forbids Rena and Yukika from following. He explains that girls like Rena, who constantly seek his attention when he is uninterested in dating, are tedious so he prefers to spend time with Anzu. Anzu realizes if Tsukasa isn't interested in dating she can be his friend without risking romance. Due to Riri's interference, there are no available apartments anywhere, causing Tsukasa to ask to live with Anzu temporarily. Anzu is furious Riri so expertly manipulated them but agrees so Tsukasa won't become homeless. On their first day together, Anzu sees Tsukasa is also helpful and a hard worker. Riri reappears to remind Anzu dating sims include multiple men, so to kick-start her romantic life, it is time for the next level. At that moment, another hot guy knocks on Anzu's door: a forgotten childhood friend.
4	"The Childhood Friend is Easy Mode" Transliteration: "Osananajimi wa easy mode desu" (Japanese: 幼なじみはイージーモードです)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Anzu has no memories of Junta, the new guy claiming to be a childhood friend, and concludes Riri has planted fake memories in his mind of a childhood crush on Anzu. Riri insists Junta is the easy mode option, and if Anzu wishes to win the game quickly, all she needs to do is accept his feelings. Anzu is forced to play along with the fake friendship to avoid hurting or confusing Junta. They encounter Anzu's friend, Saki, and confirm everyone at school has false memories of her and Junta being friends. Rena tries to talk to Tsukasa again. He bluntly tells her to go away, angering her. Tsukasa and Junta worry about comparing to each other; Junta is the school's baseball prodigy and Tsukasa excels at academics. Due to mixing up their bentos, Anzu ends up eating lunch with Tsukasa and his friend Makoto. Seeing this, Rena later interrogates Anzu about her relationship with Tsukasa. When Anzu confirms it is not romantic, she insists Anzu help set her up with Tsukasa. Knowing Tsukasa dislikes Rena, Anzu refuses. Before Rena can retaliate, a strange girl appears, claiming to be Anzu's cousin, and tricks Rena into leaving through her overly energetic personality and invasive questions about Rena's breasts. Anzu then realizes the girl is actually Riri in magical disguise.
5	"You're More Troublesome in Flesh and Blood" Transliteration: "Anata wa niku to chi de motto yakkai desu" (Japanese: あなたは肉と血でもっと厄介です)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
After Tsukasa thanks Anzu for telling Rena off, Riri introduces herself again as Anzu's cousin and invites Junta to Anzu's house. Over dinner, Junta is despondent after learning Tsukasa can cook. Riri tries to suggest Junta also live with them, so Anzu steals Riri's wand. The two wrestle over it until Riri drops it in dog poo, rendering it temporarily powerless. Tsukasa reassures Junta he has no interest in dating anyone. After Junta goes home, Tsukasa shares with Anzu that he is unused to family dinners, leading her to suspect he probably lived alone due to a complicated relationship with his parents. The next morning, more of Tsukasa's fans notice him walking to school with Anzu, but she claims their homes are just close to each other. As Tsukasa has work after school, Anzu goes home and, without her games, goes to bed early. An underwear thief then breaks into the house but is scared by Anzu's demonic rage, and a passing Junta catches the thief for the police. Junta's mother, unaware Tsukasa already lives with her, insists Junta live with Anzu to protect her, which Anzu's parents quickly agree to. Anzu is furious upon realizing Riri has successfully manipulated the event to her living with two attractive guys at the same time.
6	"A "Reincarnated-in-Another-World" Date" Transliteration: "`I sekai tensei' dēto" (Japanese: 「異世界転生」デート)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
To limit her contact with both boys at home, Anzu gets a job at a Konbini. Tsukasa asks Anzu to go clothes shopping with him, hoping her presence will deter other women. Riri appears in their human girl guise, insisting Anzu treat the shopping trip like a date or she will confiscate all her cat themed clothing. A furious Anzu reluctantly agrees to wear cute clothes and makeup, which flusters Tsukasa. Determined to resist Riri, Anzu acts as unromantic as possible and buys normal clothes but plans to never wear them. Anzu leaves to use the bathroom and multiple women immediately begin eyeing Tsukasa; he can hear some debating approaching him, and their unwanted attention almost giving him a panic attack. The start of a traumatic flashback is cut short as Anzu's return grounds him. Grateful, Tsukasa finds himself staring at Anzu more than usual and, when she sees a cute cat bracelet, impulsively buys it for her. Junta meets them returning home and is overwhelmed by Anzu in makeup. That night, Riri sees the three have become far too comfortable living together and decides some drama is required to get the romance moving. The next day, Anzu's alarm doesn't go off, and while running late for school she is almost hit by the car of another hot guy; an arrogant rich one.
7	"You Sure Have Your Quirks..." Transliteration: "Anata wa tashika ni anata no kuse o motte imasu..." (Japanese: あなたは確かにあなたの癖を持っています...)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
The rich guy, Hijiri, is so egotistical he believes Anzu caused the car accident to blackmail him into dating her. Upon this realization, Anzu yells at him and leaves. Hijiri is confused since Anzu is the first person uninterested in him, so he decides to make her fall in love with him using her three worldly desires; chocolate, games, and kittens. Riri offers to let Anzu keep the gifts if she gives Hijiri a chance. Insulted, Anzu unexpectedly rejects the gifts, claiming she has no interest in meaningless gifts bought with his parents' money. Hijiri is unexpectedly saddened by this, and the next day, Anzu finds Hijiri employed at the same Konbini where she works. Despite his arrogance, Hijiri actually excels at customer service, and Anzu learns from Tsuchiya, his bodyguard, that her interactions with Hijiri caused a dramatic shift in his personality; since the rejection he has actually been trying to relate to normal people. After receiving his first wage, Hijiri offers to buy her a gift with his own money. Feeling guilty, Anzu can't reject his offer and requests a cheap ice cream. Seeing Hijiri smile, the moment almost becomes romantic, until Anzu slaps herself back to sanity. Returning home, Anzu sees Tsukasa receive a text from a girl named Arisa.
8	"Goose Bumps! I Am a Goose Now" Transliteration: "Torihada! Watashi wa ima gachōdesu" (Japanese: 鳥肌！私は今ガチョウです)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Anzu encounters a stunning woman whose presence flusters her. By chance, this turns out to be Arisa, who is in fact Tsukasa's older sister. Arisa has been worried about Tsukasa's living arrangements, which Anzu still feels guilty about due to Riri's involvement. Arisa explains Tsukasa lives alone because of their father, but she is happy Anzu is making Tsukasa more like his old self. Arisa successfully convinces Tsukasa to continue living with Anzu indefinitely. Riri is disappointed Anzu still has no boyfriend, so they decide they need more research into romance. Riri bribes Anzu to take them on a mock date and transforms into a boy named Rio. During their date at the movies, Tsukasa sees them holding hands, but Rio simply claims he is Anzu's other cousin, human Riri's twin brother. Rio selects a romantic movie but realizes it doesn't actually inspire romance, it just makes girls cry and boys bored. While sharing milkshakes, they encounter Hijiri whom Rio tries to antagonize by pretending to be a rival for Anzu's attention. Anzu angrily drags Rio away to continue with typical date activities. Eventually, Rio decides he has enough research for another scenario and Anzu swears to defeat it. Rio suddenly kisses Anzu on the cheek, flustering her, until she realizes Rio only did it to traumatise Junta who was right behind them.
9	"Ginger Ale is a Force Majeure" Transliteration: "Jinjāēru wa fukakōryoku" (Japanese: ジンジャーエールは不可抗力)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Anzu encounters Amin and Riporin, old friends from middle school. They ask about another friend Anzu had been close to since elementary, a chubby boy named Tonta. Upon her friends recalling his surname, Anzu suddenly remembers Tonta was Junta's nickname, meaning she and Junta really are childhood friends. She simply didn't recognize him due to how much he'd changed over the years. Amin and Riporin invite Anzu and Junta to their school reunion. Anzu is troubled, as Junta being her real childhood friend means his crush on her is real. Riri confirms they never cast a spell to make Junta love her; all they did was help them reunite after years apart. At the reunion, a boy named Ryuya insists on playing games, girls versus boys, with punishments for the losers, but with Anzu's game skills, the boys lose constantly and have to embarrassingly reveal their first crush and buy the girls ice cream. Junta arrives later and Ryuya becomes bitter that he has become handsome and popular. Ryuya quits the reunion but when Anzu chases him he admits Anzu was his first crush, and he was always jealous she was closer to Junta. Anzu is able to turn him down while remaining friends, but Junta is again traumatized when Anzu claims she isn't interested in him either. Despite the rejection, Ryuya is determined to win Anzu's heart.
10	"Other Way Around, Dummy" Transliteration: "Gyaku ni, damī" (Japanese: 逆に、ダミー)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Saki's older brother kicks her out so he can party, forcing Saki to walk to Anzu's house and accidentally discovers she lives with Tsukasa and Junta. She promises to keep their secret and Anzu considers telling her about Riri, but is struck by a painful need to visit the bathroom. Saki tells Tsukasa him living there might be good for Anzu. Riri confirms Anzu's toilet trouble was punishment for attempting to reveal their existence. Saki recalls to herself the moment she met Anzu when she defended her from a bully in middle school. She also recalls an incident when an older student she was dating named Ogawa tried to force himself on her; when he tried to spread rumors about her afterward, Anzu confronted him publicly and exposed his actions. The next day, Riri convinces everyone to attend the summer festival. At the festival, Ryuya meets Tsukasa and, despite his own feelings for Anzu, advises Junta to confess before he misses his chance. Saki encounters Ogawa and freezes in fear as he claims to his friends she is his bitter ex-girlfriend. Makoto senses her fear and makes an excuse to take her away from Ogawa, for which she is grateful. Two random girls take a picture with Tsukasa in the background and post it online. Minutes later the photo is seen by a disturbed woman who is happy to have finally found Tsukasa's location.
11	"Just Tell Me if You Don’t Like It" Transliteration: "Kiniiranai baai wa oshietekudasai" (Japanese: 気に入らない場合は教えてください)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
The woman, Yukana Kishi, approaches Anzu claiming to be Tsukasa's girlfriend. Anzu is suspicious and when Tsukasa sees Yukana, he reacts in fear, so Anzu forces Yukana to leave. After recovering from a panic attack, Tsukasa confirms Yukana is his stalker, and the reason he lived alone was so she couldn't find him. He explains how Yukana began stalking him after a random encounter on the street, but Tsukasa's father accused him of making it up. Yukana began posing as Tsukasa's girlfriend online, even once drugging him to plant cameras in the house and take intimate pictures. Tsukasa's father continued to blame him and began beating him, so his mother and sister helped Tsukasa rent an apartment and transfer schools. With Yukana's return, Arisa moves into Anzu's house too to help her brother. Yukana convinces thugs to attack Anzu, but she is saved by Junta, Ryuya, Tsuchiya, and even Saki's brother, who all responded to texts Anzu never sent them. Riri confirms they sent the texts but rules forbid them doing anything about Yukana, so Anzu angrily drops their wand in dog poo again. Junta reveals to Tsukasa he only began playing baseball because Anzu once said she liked athletic guys, and says he will do anything to protect her. After work, Yukana confronts Anzu in a back alley and attacks her with a knife.
12	"Last Story!?" Transliteration: "Saishū-banashi!?" (Japanese: 最終話!?)	October 27, 2022 (2022-10-27)
Anzu gets a scratch on the forehead from Yukana. Before she can do anymore damage, Tsukasa finds them. The sight of Yukana initially causes him to freeze, but as he sees Anzu bleeding, his desire to protect her outweighs his fear. He rushes in, decrying Yukana's actions. Yukana is arrested, but Tsukasa's father still blames him. Furious, Anzu stands up to him and takes Tsukasa home. Hijiri uses his family connections to ensure Yukana's family can't cover up her crimes once again, so Yukana is imprisoned. Riri once again appears before Anzu as Rio. He confesses his love for her, kissing her forehead and tasking her to never change before simply vanishing. That night, Riri menacingly visits Yukana in her prison cell. News later arrives that Yukana has lost years of memories and has no idea who Tsukasa is, relieving everyone. Anzu's parents return home with games, chocolate, and Momohiki. With her three loves returned, Anzu wonders where Riri went. That night, Tsukasa tells Junta he's fallen in love with Anzu. A wizard named Kate appears before Anzu to replace Riri, but Tsukasa and Junta accidentally see her so Kate and Anzu reveal everything. Kate reveals Riri has been exiled for developing feelings for Anzu and using forbidden magic on Yukana. Anzu blackmails Kate into letting her see Riri, which they're able to convince their higher-ups to allow. With Riri transformed into Rio, Anzu thanks him for making her life better, and asks him what he truly wants. Rio admits he wants to stay with Anzu, so she declares to Kate there is a minuscule chance she could fall for Rio, so by Cupid law, Kate cannot separate potential lovers. Rio is allowed to stay, and Kate is reassigned. Anzu's parents return to America and Tsukasa and Junta continue living with Anzu. Riri announces the Love Cupids have decided Anzu must choose a boyfriend before graduating high school or she will lose her games, chocolate, and Momohiki permanently. Anzu insists she'll neither be forced into love nor let that happen. Meanwhile, Kate seeks out their new assigned human: the amnesiac Yukana.

Reception

The series was the first-place winner of the second of Shueisha's Jump Vertical Scrolling Manga Awards. In 2020, the series ranked 12th in the Next Manga Awards in the web manga category.

External links

• Official website at Shōnen Jump+ (in Japanese)
• Romantic Killer on Manga Plus
• Romantic Killer at IMDb
• Romantic Killer (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Romantic Killer on Netflix