Directed by Shinji Ishihira | Original run 1998 – 2001 | |
Studio Anime International Company Genres Drama, Mystery, Crime Fiction Similar Homunculus, Legend of Lemnear, Elementalors, Super Seisyun Brothers, Nekogami Yaoyorozu |
Ichi the Killer (殺し屋1, Koroshiya Ichi) is a seinen manga series written and illustrated by Hideo Yamamoto. The series revolves around Ichi, a psychologically troubled killing machine, and his confrontation with the yakuza of Kabukichō, Shinjuku. The manga was serialized in the Shogakukan magazine Weekly Young Sunday from 1998 to 2001 and has been collected into ten tankōbon volumes in Japan.
Contents

In 2001, the manga was adapted into a live-action film directed by Takashi Miike. An anime original video animation (OVA) titled Ichi the Killer: Episode 0 (殺し屋1 The Animation Episode 0, Koroshiya Ichi The Animation Episode 0) was produced by AIC and released in Japan in 2002. The OVA has been licensed for release in North America and the United Kingdom by Central Park Media and in Australia and New Zealand by Siren Visual. A second live-action film, 1-Ichi, was directed by Masahito Tanno and released in Japan in 2003.

Plot

Using Ichi as a tool, Jii-san plots to kill Anjougumi's Kumichou (leader) and steal his money. With Anjou's death, Anjou's top yakuza, Kakihara, sets out to find his Kumichou's murderer. While Kakihara searches for Ichi, Ichi effortlessly kills off remaining members of the Anjougumi. This continuous cycle of killing and searching leads the two closer together revealing Ichi's psychological manipulation and Kakihara's obsession of pain and torture. When the two finally meet, the two confront their deepest and suppressed desires resulting in Ichi's psychological recovery and Kakihara's demise.
Characters

Manga
The manga has been compiled into ten volumes by Shogakukan. There is also a prequel titled Ichi.
Films

The manga has been adapted into a film of the same name directed by Takashi Miike and the prequel into a film called 1-Ichi by Masato Tanno.
Anime
The manga has also been adapted into an OAV called Koroshiya 1: The Animation Episode 0.
Reception
In his review of the Original Animation Video (OAV), Theron Martin from Anime News Network described the narrative as "perfectly believable," asserting that it effectively establishes the origins of Ichi's lethal tendencies by aligning with "common elements found in the backgrounds of actual killers." While he criticized the animation quality as substandard, he commended the soundtrack's "heavy driving techno themes," highlighting their contribution to the series' edgy mood and tone.