Review of Love of Kill

Always a pleasure to see an anime that's a bit more unique in terms of concept and genre. Easy to overlook this one, but I thoroughly enjoyable from the start to the end :) Story - 9/10 For some reason, this isn't tagged as being psychological-themed, which is a bit weird, as there are elements of psychology that play a significant role on the story and how it develops. The story itself a bit like an action-film of the late 00's/ early 10's, which was nice to see (thankfully, not too much like one), with mystery being tied in quite nicely. The storytelling order is a bitchaotic but really good, in that the mysteries are kept alive long enough to be engaging.

Art - 8/10

Probably one of the weaker areas of Koroshi Ai, I'll be honest. Not that the art is bad, but it's quite inconsistent; having some impressively accurate depictions of weapons and vehicles and then at other times, similar things being anatomically strange. On balance though, the art is really good though; character designs are all distinct and memorable. On the art front, it's also worth noting that romance/ comedy elements are executed just as well as the action sequences (Jim and irritated Chateau for example XD). One neat thing that I appreciated about Koroshi Ai is the use artboards for intervals; they're always good to see.

Sound - 10/10

Score in this department is largely driven by, but not entirely limited to the soundtrack. In terms of SFX and sounds used during action sequences, Koroshi Ai does a good job of creating a believable atmosphere throughout.
The areas that Koroshi Ai excelled with in terms of sound, were the music and musical accompaniments. The opening music is one of only a handful which you fall in love with within the first five seconds. Masuda's "Midnight Dancer" reflects the sophistication and energy of the anime and the world that the main characters live in, it also reflects Song's personality and situation perfectly as well. Aside from how well the piece works with the anime, it's also a really good salsa/ big band/ J-Pop piece away from the anime. The ending speaks more to elements of Chateua's personality and provides each episode with a soft and beautiful ending - one that I never really wanted to skip, thanks to Makoto Period.

Character - 8/10

A good range of characters here, including some of the more absurd individuals that one would expect from action media. While there's a healthy dose of organised criminals, they are still some sequences here and there, with interesting civilians, who play more to the romance elements of the story. Needless to say, the main characters are the main attraction of Koroshi Ai, both of whom are heavily shrouded in mystery. Psychology definitely plays a big factor in how Chateau develops throughout the story, which I felt was good to watch and see explained out and referenced as things went along. Song felt a bit like one particular, black-suit-wearing, seemingly un-killable character (Mr Wick) for a while, but the romance elements definitely give his character some unique flair, which I really liked. We also get a good selection of characters that contribute to comedy, drama and action, which is always good to see.

Enjoyment - 9/10

Feels a bit like an action-thriller from yesteryear but does really well in being engaging through the use of drama, psychology and comedy throughout, to help keep things varied. While the action and drama sequences were the mainstay of Koroshi Ai, there were still some genuinely funny moments, even if they're mostly along the same line. I presume that the anime only covers a portion of the manga content, because the ending definitely leaves a feeling of suspense and a story still to be told.

Overall - 9/10

A breath of fresh air, blending a number of genres and themes and exploring them in an engaging way, with thrills, occasional laughter, great music and lovable characters at the heart of it all - well deserving of 9/10 rating in my humble opinion.