Happy Kanako's Killer Life Vol. 1

幸せカナコの殺し屋生活 [Shiawase Kanako no Koroshiya Seikatsu] / Happy Kanako's Killer Life #1

by Toshiya Wakabayashi

ブラック企業を満身創痍で退職したOL・西野カナコ。
転職先はまさかの“殺し屋”!?
人殺しなんて無理無理無理無理カタツムリ――――!!
……と思ったら、天性の才能が大開花！

世のため人のため、今日も悪をやっつける――――――――☆

Genres: Manga, Comedy, Comics, Humor, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Slice Of Life

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2019

About the author

WAKABAYASHI Toshiya
Name (in native language): 若林稔弥

Zodiac: Aries

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A full-color manga? You don't see that often.

A manga about assassins? Now that you see all the time.

This one tries to be original by taking a comic bent as Millennial office worker Kanako, a bit of an airhead, quits her old job and stumbles into an interview to be a hitman. Next thing you know she is in blood stepped in so far that should she wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er. Besides, a lot of guys she is assigned to target are misogynistic pieces of crap.

Unfortunately, the first two thirds aren't very funny, especially since Kanako's signature thing is to make one or two stupid animal puns every chapter that are actually illustrated with the animal cited. She says "I'm gonna croak," with a frog on her shoulder or, "I've got the koala-fications," with a peeping marsupial behind her arm. The author or editor is so in love with them they are lifted out and duplicated on the chapter break pages, so you have to see them all twice! Truly painful!

I was ready to write the whole book off, but after seemingly endless pages just riffing on the central concept and dropping those puns, some actual plot developments were tossed in that left me intrigued enough to try at least one more volume. I'll have to see how it go-ose.

(See how annoying that is?)

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an unscrupulous boss causes her to quit, Kanako decides to find a new job alphabetically and ends up in the employ of a gang of assassins. With great benefits and her own shocking aptitude for this kind of work, has Kanako found where she truly belongs?

Since this is the mangaka behind the pure and adorable Tsuredure Children, it does feel like he might have had some stuff he wanted to let out during that series that’s all coming out in this one, which is a slice-of-life tale featuring some deliciously black comedy.

Kanako is wonderful - a put-upon wage slave who finds her true calling somewhat against her will. Her beaten down personality makes her an expert at blending in and despite accidentally killing some people she rapidly finds herself acclimating to it.

In fact, she might take to it too well, as her default response to all of the assholes in society, from the guy harassing a woman with a stroller to the argumentative customer haranguing a cashier is to produce weapons and consider taking them out and she’s not so great at keeping those impulses in check.

So much of this book is just fun, from her small triumphs at becoming a more confident person to her unbridled joy when she turns into an underworld legend. The way they handle her new boss is not exactly novel, but just another example that no matter the job, treating your employees with respect makes all the difference. It’s strange to root for somebody to do well as an assassin, but Kanako is just so likeable.

There are also an ungodly number of animal puns scattered throughout that I imagine were absolute hell for whoever had to translate this, but they do really good work for the most part. A couple are practically inscrutable, but these things happen. Considering the sheer volume it’s impressive they got as many to work as they did.

This book’s consistently funny throughout, though not necessarily a gut buster, which is fine. It did manage one laugh out loud moment from me when it addresses an instance of peril in the title on the page in question with perhaps the most negative sentiment imaginable.

Mostly this is just a great situation comedy about somebody becoming something they thought they weren’t and then getting really into it, while also being totally out of sorts and awkward when dealing with regular people. Her burgeoning relationship with her gruff coworker is also a pretty cute development.

4 stars - charming stuff and I look forward to more. It’s also gorgeously full colour and if you like this sort of semi-bleak humour (despite the sometimes high levels of carnage this is a bloodless affair) and also dumb idiot smug detectives, you’ll be very happy with this.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hapless office employee accidentally takes a job as an assassin, hijinks ensue! I had a lot of fun with this manga, honestly, even though it starts a bit scattered and I quickly had to start ignoring the animal puns. It gels in the second half, and Book 2 was a delight. If you're looking for some wacky slice-of-life about offing misogynistic dudes - which I would not condone in real life, but this is fiction! - then I would recommend checking this out. Kanako is adorable. Not something I ever thought I'd be saying about a fictional assassin, but here we are.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious and maybe a bit creepy manga about a happy-go-lucky girl going assassin and finding out she is actually freaking good at it. I really had fun reading this one though I would have liked some panels to be better done. Sometimes we would be at point x and suddenly jump to point a. Often things wouldn't make sense any more. But I still had fun and I laughed quite a few times. Kanako looks so innocent and shy but in fact she is ruthless, it was great to see the change happening. I also liked seeing the assassin job and see the boss and who else works there.
The colours used and the way Kanako acts makes everything seem cute and bubbly, but really it is quite dark. Haha.
The animal puns got a bit annoying after so many chapters, but I did like them sometimes.
I will be continuing this series.

[deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I very confidently checked out the first 5 volumes of this, and now having read just the first one, I’m very confidently returning all 5 volumes. This is so poorly written and uses the same gags, animal puns, and situations over and over again. Two stars only because I support women assassins.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kanako kind of trips into a career as an assassin after quitting a miserable job with a terrible boss.

At first this manga seemed to be a simpler variation on the idea that "some people deserve to die," similar to Little Shop of Horrors or Death Note, including the idea that the killing can gain a sort of life of its own and slip out of the killer's control. But there's more to it than that, and our somewhat klutzy newbie assassin is also building some self-confidence due to being naturally good at her job (yikes!). She's genuinely trying hard to be a good employee for her boss, and a good co-worker with her sempai-in-murder Sakurai. So she's a typical Japanese pop media protagonist, sort of...

The introduction of a detective on the prowl for the assassin-savant "K" (and who seems to have developed an immediate crush on Kanako) sets us up for the next volume.

Fun, and a little discomfiting at times. The art is clean and deceptively simple.

This is another full-color manga that is quite short, and also costs full price, if the cost factor is of any importance.

I read the Seven Seas translation of this manga in English.

[Hazelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

My second manga. I'm giving this two stars—one star for the colorful and beautiful illustrations and a one-star rating for the story.

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. I was under the impression this is a similar manga to “Spy X Family” based on an internet article I read. Unfortunately, three things bothered me about this manga:

First is, the story fell flat for me because the constant use of “now I'm a hitman” got too overly repetitive for me since it is painfully obvious she's become one, there was no reason to state the obvious.

Second, the senseless killing was too much for my sensitive ass. In my personal opinion, I don't agree with unjust killings. It seems like every other page has someone who gets killed off senselessly. It doesn't sit right with me.

Third, Kanako’s personality bothered me because she constantly apologizes for things, has too many self-deprecating comments, and worries over trivial things. I thought she would be a strong female character I would like, but unfortunately, I wouldn't say I like female characters portrayed this way.

[Corbin · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf. the puns and "humor" gave me an aneurysm

[Snail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga made me laugh and laugh. I adore the art and the pacing of each page is spot on. It didn’t even feel like a yonkoma comic - those usually get a bit stilted after awhile, but this one was so fast paced it didn’t even have a chance to feel slow. I bought it as a Bookwalker ebook (using a coupon from the Seven Seas survey, so it was only about $4 USD after tax! Nice!!) but I like the color art so much I’d consider picking up a physical copy, too. I hope my library buys the series! Though I suppose Kanako isn’t exactly Spy Family…. (fewer morals?) but I thought it was heartwarming and charming.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite kinds of mangas are where there is just someone who is really good and one thing, and even if they are otherwise stupid they have that one thing and they absolutely live for it, and that is what this is

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s lively and different, so I’m happy to continue along for the ride.

[Abigail A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and quick read of a girl who learns how to be an assassin. Its very wholesome and cute, although it feels a bit rushed. it has some slow moments that pull it all together.

[Jessica Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5
Fun concept and a cute art style! The biggest detractor for me is the constant animal puns which are very disconcerting and unnecessary

[Minnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kanako is looking for a job, and ends up getting hired in an assassination group! She quickly gets used to her new job, targeting men who harass women even when she's not getting paid for it. The humor is mostly puns but don't always translate well, still a fun story though!

[Grg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Socially awkward office worker stumbles into a new job as an assassin (murder and puns ensue). Painfully unfunny.

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kanako NIshino has had a pretty miserable life until now. She was relentlessly bullied in school, and once she got a job as an office lady, harassed and belittled every day there. Kanako’s boss bullied her into quitting, and then mocked her for being weak enough to fold under pressure. And where is she going to find a job in this economy?

In this first volume, Kanako hits paydirt almost immediately when she accidentally applies to an assassination firm. They’re surprised someone like her would want a job like that, but the benefit package is unusually good. And the test target is her old boss. Kanako’s a bit hesitant, as she’s never killed before and this was a career path she’d never even considered, but as she remembers how her old boss treated her, Kanako’s finger tightens on the trigger, and it’s a clean kill.

Kanako turns out to be surprisingly good at killing people, and quickly overcomes any qualms or jitters about that she initially had. Her new boss is a reserved man who doesn’t share about himself, but is much more kind than she’s used to and believes in rewarding excellence. We also meet her co-worker Sakurai, a grumpy young man who is skeptical about Kanako’s suitability for the work, but doesn’t let that stop him from teaching her the ropes.

One day, Kanako runs into her one friend from middle school, Kiyomi Yoshioka. Kiyomi was a much more popular and at least on the surface more “together” girl and they mostly became friends due to sitting at adjacent desks, but she remembers Kanako fondly. She’s an elementary school teacher now, and the two get reacquainted.

Kanako’s ability to go unnoticed due to erasing her “presence” and impressive list of kills have caused a legend of the mysterious hitman “K” to spread through the underworld. This reaches the ears of police detectives Takehara and Omori, who decide to reopen the “suicide” case of that first boss by interviewing the employee he’d bullied into quitting, Ms. Nishino. They meet their potential witness only briefly, but Takehara is obviously impressed.

This comedy manga initially appeared online, which allowed the use of full color. Kanako suffers from very low self esteem and due to her painful past is socially awkward. Killing people is the only thing she’s ever been really competent at or praised for. It’s not surprising that she wants to continue a job that makes her feel happy for a change. At some point she picked up the habit of thinking in animal puns, and the art shows imaginary animals (and monsters) when she indulges in this. (A neat feature is that different animals are used for English puns than Japanese, so the artist redraws those bits for the translation.)

She’s said to be rather plain-looking and forgettable, which she can weaponize to vanish in plain sight. This makes the men who are genuinely interested in her as a person rather than a female-shaped target stand out.

Sakurai, an orphan basically raised as an assassin by the head of the agency, is prickly and gloomy, but mostly he’s socially awkward in a different way than Kanako. He can be a jerk, and makes death threats way too often, but hasn’t picked up the casual cruelty that many of the targets indulge in.

Takehara is unusually pure hearted for a police officer; you get the sense that he really did join the force to help people and promote justice and has somehow managed to hold on to his ideals. He is, however, also a dumbass who lets his affection for Kanako blind him to some pretty obvious clues. Omori is both attracted to and frustrated by his personality.

Since this is a comedy with an assassin protagonist, you’re going to have to put up with murder being treated very lightly. Kanako’s victims are all criminals or horrible jerks who “deserve” it, even if death seems perhaps a disproportionate punishment for oh, say, a serial butt-slapper. It sometimes comes off as contrived that so many targets feel comfortable as revealing what horrible people they are in ordinary conversation.

Content note: Lots of murder, sometimes with blood. Bullying, sexual harassment, emotional abuse. Thoughts of suicide.

Overall: Cute art, somewhat disturbing premise played for wholesomeness. Recommended for dark comedy fans.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kanako Nishino is the most free-spirited psychopath known to humankind. A great deal about this young woman is relatable: she's a veteran of soul-crushing office work, she dreads low-stakes social interactions, and she effectively does whatever she's told. Perhaps it's no surprise Nishino stumbles into the trade of professional assassination by mere happenstance. At least, one would think so. Because upon closer observation, she's also a terrible alcoholic, dangerously clumsy with firearms, and frightfully emotionally unstable.

Were HAPPY KANAKO'S KILLER LIFE #1 written or produced for extended western media platforms, few would doubt the project would be classified as anything other than a "dark comedy." Nishino assumes the guise of a master assassin by sheer accident. She quits her day job as a paper-pusher only to be recruited by the criminal underworld. Her introverted disposition, rudimentary internal monologue, and wan-faced indifference toward every job gone wrong with a beer and a slice of pizza lend the manga a wickedly humorous view of people who use violence as a tool or vehicle of idiomatic problem solving.

Nevertheless, Nishida's on task. Whether performing a gutsy no-look shot that takes out the front tire of a car in hot pursuit or sniping a sleezeball from a distant rooftop, this lady's got what it takes and then some.

The protagonist's constant mishandling of her assignments either works in her favor or threatens to screw things up further. Is it a good thing she killed a groper on the train? Not really. But considering she completed the task without being noticed, her grumpy boss is legitimately impressed. Is it a good thing her senior, Sakurai-san, can't locate her during a job? Not really. But if her sneak skills are so good that a veteran killer can't track her, then there's little to complain about.

HAPPY KANAKO'S KILLER LIFE #1 belongs to the contemporary class of Japanese comics typically native to the net and are usually birthed among conceptually quirky and creatively undemanding communities of visually similar content efforts. Sometimes as a rather casually produced yonkoma. Wakabayashi's work seems to match: short, tightly written four-panel pages with minimal cast, minimal character design, and minimal narrative space or flexibility. The comic's humor is somewhat raw (e.g., Nishino is excited to see the stars at night, despite screwing up a kill such that she has to bury a body in the countryside), but the manga's tight format and structure limit the storytelling to brusque, straightforward, and often terrible punchlines.

The author's style of humor is the most difficult facet of the manga to surmount. Bad animal puns and anemic plays on words populate every third page of the book. On many occasions, it's better to skip the tortured language and simply read the text as if it were plainspoken. Many of the jokes are bland (e.g., Nishino lolling her tongue like a frog, "I'm gonna croak!"), others mildly clever (e.g., Nishino finds herself in a pinch, "Are you falcon kidding me?!"), most are a painful stretch (e.g., Nishino imagines a squirrel over her right shoulder, "I've rodent it now!!"), while yet others are completely indecipherable (e.g., a spinosaurus?). Whether the humor arrives by way of lackluster creativity or exceedingly evangelical translation efforts on the part of the publisher, or a pale combination of the two, the result is ill-fitting.

The title's weak art and excruciatingly bad animal puns may not factor for many readers whose threshold of quality manga isn't so high. In such a case, HAPPY KANAKO'S KILLER LIFE #1 might be viewed as a rather obtuse title born from the oddest corners of the manga universe. But the comic does show promise. The protagonist has numerous personal, emotional hang-ups and is horrible at lying to her mother. She sucks at actual conflict resolution and is constantly working to improve her self-esteem. And yet, despite it all, she's a woman who finds pleasure and purpose in murder. Such is the life of "happy" Kanako.

[Anne Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awkward Kanako is full of self-doubt and has trained herself to be invisible in any social setting. When she quits her job impulsively, she winds up working as a hired assassin and proves to be a natural. A dark premise but the execution (hm.) is pretty light and not really as transgressive as a description of the book would suggest. Instead, we watch Kanako adjust with surprise and happiness to the idea that people put a high value her hard work, recognize she is both talented and committed, and genuinely like her for who she is. She grows more confident and begins standing up for herself and for others.

A word about the guns: actual violence is not often depicted in the manga and while we certainly do see Kanako holding the guns she uses to do her work, the manga doesn't seem to fetishize, linger, or otherwise obsess artistically over these moments--she is understood to be so preternaturally "good" at her work, that she doesn't even have to be looking at her victims, much less her gun. There are lots of silly puns and a four panel format. Despite the extremely dark premise, this really is going to appeal mostly to younger teens with a taste for black comedy. It will simply be up to the individual reader to decide whether they can find the jokes funny.

[DJL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first pick for my local comic store's Manga Book Club, and I can see the appeal for new manga readers or people wanting to test the manga waters. Here are some key traits:

1) Episodic; each page consists of one event happening in Kanako's new work life as an assassin.
2) Short; the manga volume is short, which is helpful for people who are short on reading time.
3) Full Color; not many manga are in full color so graphic novels readers who are used to seeing full color volumes should easily transition to manga from a western graphic novel.

On a personal note, Happy Kanako's Killer Life Vol. 1 was an 'okay' read for me. I found the overall concept amusing though not ground-breaking. Also, the puns using the cute animals was fun at first, but it kind of jarred me out of reading due to the usage of various critters such as "I gotter get outta here" or something similar with an otter over Kanako's shoulder.

I don't think I'll be continuing the series, but new manga readers might enjoy it.

[Dan Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

So did you ever interview for a job and not fully understand what you are interviewing for? Then you get the job only to find out you have signed up to be an assassin? Yes? No? Well, that is exactly Happy Kanoko’s Killer Life. What makes this such an intriguing experience is the unusual tone and how it uses that to anchor the book in irony. This is a book about unaliving people yet it is surgery sweat. Kanoko is learning to become a more complete person by completing the lives of other people. Many of them are bad individuals some though just crossed the wrong people. I struggle to see if there was a larger point here regarding the idea of violence especially considering it skips over that part and never shows it on the page. All the death occurs offscreen or is covered up by lively sound effects. A clear conscience choice makes me curious how all these different ideas will come into play as the book concludes. For now, I am just enjoying it for unabashed irony

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Solid premise, but the main character constantly doing animal puns was really baffling. Like, not only are the puns unfunny, they also feel super tacked on. Why does this character do this? I can excuse some annoying catch phrases/character behavior as long as it makes sense within the narrative, but as a former office worker Kanako has no reason to say these things. I guess it's just a crutch used to make a punchline that otherwise wouldn't be there. Feels like editor interference.

Anyway, the moments that are good are good! The concept of a mild-mannered office worker becoming an assassin and finding joy in her work and becoming more self-confident is fun. I'll read the rest of it and see how it goes. I just wish they could edit out the puns.

(Also: I am sympathetic to translators when they have to work on gag manga with lots of word play, I have nothing but respect for y'all, but there's an 'un-bun-lievable' in here that could have just as easily been 'bun-believable')

[Piggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So although I rated Tsurezure Children as a 5 star, I cannot even say this story is at that level of just pure enjoyment. This story is almost the same tone as a light hearted manga, but tries to portray a dark story with a comic twist that sometimes falls on its head. Take the story with a grain of salt, but there is very little to expect out of the story that you haven't already seen in the first few chapters. Hopefully there's a bigger payout down the road, but the author could be using their characters better.
Although I've been talking trash about this story, I would recommend at least trying the story because it's a very light and easy to digest story that doesn't take a lot to enjoy.

[julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a manga with colored panels in every chapter, not just in the first few pages of a new chapter typically shown in older mangas, which was what got me to purchase this book. As I read it, the plot was clear and concise, and Kanako has an interesting journey of getting used to her new job and self confidence. Many of the characters seem super interesting, along with many of the interactions they have with Kanako. Not to mention the number of animal puns she makes…it truly adds to her character and in each segment I look forward to seeing each pun as a running gag. Looking forward to reading the other volumes, but overall, Volume 1 is amazing! :)

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up completely on a whim. I read the synopsis when the release was announced and thought it sounded interesting, but hadn’t made any decisions to buy it.

I’m glad I did because I love Kanako! I find myself relating to her so much, and I love all her animal idioms. She’s so pure and eager to help. I love when she goes into rage mode.

I don’t even mind that there appears to be setup for a love triangle in the future, because the third wheel is so adorably infatuated with her, at first sight. It’s hilarious.

I’m down to give volume to a buy when it’s released.

[Rebekah May · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was just ok. I liked some of the humour in it and other parts fell flat (there were many random animal puns that came out of nowhere which is just not for me).

There's no plot before chapter 14/15 but it's so short it's easy to read without one. I am intrigued by the plot that did exist at the end but, to be totally honest, I'm not sure whether I care enough to buy another volume.

If you like silly humour, I'd recommend this. If not, you probably won't like it.

[Kate]

Unfortunately I found this to be kinda unreadable: each page is its own self-contained gag (although there is an overarching plot), which broke up the reading experience for me. The main character also makes constant animal pun jokes, which normally I’d love, but I felt like the translator was reaching hard to make them work at least 60% of the time. Too bad! The art is cute.

[Sharakael · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for depth of plot and intricate story arcs, this is not it. But if you're looking for a comedy that will amuse, this fits the bill well.
Kanako's personality is rather exaggerated, but I understand that it needs to be to propel the story forward.
Will keep reading since I like this kind of story.

[Kyisha Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this because I haven't been reading and I wanted to read something light. I am not big on manga and haven't really read many, but I enjoyed this. It was light just like I wanted and entertaining. The art style was also nice to look at and engaging. I do wish it was less predictable and stereotypical, but it worked for a quick story.

[Robert O. Hastings. Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark comedy at its best

Girl quits annoying job. Job search leads her to murder for hire. She finds out she has natural skills for hunting and killing. Her work liberates and excites her. A funny story.

[Flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like there are many reasons why this manga wouldn't appeal to many people, and I was very aware of these elements while reading it. Despite this, it really appealed to my specific tastes and was honestly such a breath of fresh air for me.