Romantic Killer Vol. 2 brings more hot guys into the mix to tempt Anzu into giving in to Riri’s demands. Our protagonist is still determined to avoid romance because she can’t forget what Riri did to her precious treasures. However, she isn’t unaffected by the circumstances and has been getting closer to the guys little by little.
The last chapter of the previous volume introduced Anzu’s new childhood friend, Junta Hayami. He’s an athletic guy and a big star on the baseball team. Part of a big family, he’s a kind and caring person, to the point Anzu feels like Riri’s ruining his life with the setup. After all, the love he feels is made-up, something like brainwashing.
Meanwhile, Tsukasa is hiding his current situation as someone living in a girl’s house. Considering how popular he is, the misunderstandings will inevitably draw some drama. More accurately, that already happens just by Anzu being close to him now despite how he acts cold to any other girl.
Funnily, the relationship between Junta and Tsukasa isn’t as competitive as one would assume. They may not be friends, but Tsukasa insists he isn’t interested in romance, while Junta doesn’t see himself as worthy. Though they’re getting ever closer to Anzu, it’s probably going to be up to her to break the glacial pace. She has a real chance of fumbling the whole experiment.
However, Riri won’t let things stay that way, even resorting to making a human version. While it may seem like that would imply a downgrade in Riri’s interference opportunities, it’s the exact opposite. Whenever Riri is around in Romantic Killer Vol. 2, chaos ensues as everyone follows their whims.
Concluding our cast additions for volume 2, there’s a new “hot guy.” Hijiri Koganei is a rich boy who goes to school in his limousine and is considered a prince. He acts snob and can even give her the most expensive chocolate, games, and cats. Considering Anzu’s personality, it’s easy to see how much he pisses her off.
Anzu’s relationship with Hijiri offers some good tension in volume 2, but it still feels like the story is a little shallow. Despite the fun character interactions and how Wataru Momose understands the importance of relationships when writing a shojo parody, the story itself feels too convenient, reducing impact.
Just like in volume 1, Romantic Killer Vol. 2‘s art style is inconsistent and a little too bland, though the colorization for the whole volume softens this issue. Anzu’s facial expressions are more varied this time, with extra ugly faces and a wardrobe revision that points to the careful choice of clothes for her and the other characters.
While nothing groundbreaking, Romantic Killer Vol. 2 is a good step up from the previous volume. Beyond the silly antics of the comedy bits, Anzu’s relationship with the hot guys is evolving into deeper bonds. As a result, expectations for the upcoming volumes are that the silly antics continue, but what seems a little too shallow can prove itself more than what it seems. The potential is there.
