Romantic Killer - What We Know So Far

Since the mid-2010s, Netflix has invested heavily in producing and acquiring a wide range of anime content. With another Netflix deal announced in the spring of 2022 to develop even more Japanese animation, the streamer is set to continue providing top-notch content in this genre. The company's efforts to support new and diverse creators have allowed anime fans to see anime that wouldn't usually get the green light — projects that feature mature themes and provocative storytelling. Outside of acquisitions, the network has released original productions such as 2017's "Castlevania," and 2018's LGBTQ-centered "Devilman Crybaby." 

The streamer is set to continue those ideals in the fall of 2022 with the release of "Romantic Killer," which will be an adaptation of Walter Momose's four-volume manga of the same name. Fans are likely wondering whether or not the series will remain faithful to the source material, among other questions. Here is everything we know so far about the upcoming series.

"Romantic Killer" is expected to follow the storylines of the manga it is based upon. The manga series completed a successful two-year duration on the Jump+ app by Shueisha. Netflix has released a summary of the show which lays out the essential plot. Like its source material, "Romantic Killer" will follow the adventures of protagonist Anzu Hoshino (Rie Takahashi), a high school student who ignores the trends of her campus social structure and gets lost in her video games every day.

This all changes when she is greeted by a wizard named Riri (Mikako Komatsu) from a magical realm that recruits her to aid in the decline of the fantasy world's population by participating in a dating simulation game (via AnimeNewsNetwork). The show will take on a romantic comedy angle as Anzu must choose between two different guys that come with polar opposite characteristics. The series' main theme is the yearning for an escape from reality into a fantasy world with the problems that come with living in a fantasy and ignoring reality. With an engaging story and hints of comedy, this anime should please fans of coming-of-age fantasy anime on the platform.

The fact that the story features a reverse harem is also a new take on the typically male-fantasized trope in anime. One Redditor u/InsomniaEmperor points out, "Having the MC be female in a setting like this is refreshing and I can't remember the last time we had a reverse harem."

Netflix is one streamer that likes to take its time in producing a series and allowing its promotion to foster an audience even before naming a release date. One to three-year waits between seasons is not uncommon, as witnessed with the premiere of "Castlevania" Season 3, which came two years after its second season. The streamer can also spring surprises on viewers, such as when it simultaneously announced the existence of "Romantic Killer" and debuted its first teaser trailer on August 23, 2022. 

Along with the drop of the trailer, Netflix also revealed that the series will premiere on Thursday, October 27, 2022 — so just around the corner, for any inpatient anime fans. It is not currently known how many episodes will feature in the series, but based on the streamer's other anime selections, anywhere between four to 10 can generally be expected (per Comicbook).

Along with the announcement of its release date, Netflix Anime also provided a teaser trailer for "Romantic Killer." With a runtime of 53 seconds, the clip provides just enough information pointing to the highlights of the manga, while also giving viewers a thorough look at its lush animation style. The teaser is in Japanese with English subtitles and begins with images of Anzu in her bedroom looking in amazement at RiRi who pops out of her TV screen. The wizard then tells her she has been chosen as a subject for his world's dating experiment. We then see quick cuts of Anzu having to choose between a range of romantic partners orchestrated by RiRi to "make her fall in love."

Although not as graphic as the network's "Beastars," or as heavily rooted in fantasy as something like "Neon Genesis Evangelion," the teaser does go full-on with the comedy, which is also prominent in the official manga trailer as well. This is an anime that may sound like it promises a blood bath between its characters, but the killer pointed out in the title is likely the mess that Anzu makes of her love life that teenagers can easily relate to. All of these questions and more will be answered when Season 1 of "Romantic Killer" drops on October 27 on Netflix.