One of Netlfix’s more popular rom-com anime releases, Romantic Killer, won fans over by blending the aesthetics expected from shojo anime while, to the surprise of many, being a shonen series. Momose Wataru, the mangaka behind the original webcomic that inspired the anime had published the series on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ service in 2019 and rapidly gained notoriety, placing first in the second-ever Shueisha Jump Vertical Scrolling Manga Awards. Momose has decided to start serializing their next work, which deviates heavily from the anti-rom-com that put them on the map.
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The upcoming series, titled Saneka no Yomeiri (Saneka’s Marriage), will be hosted on Shonen Jump+ and markets itself as being a romantic comedy set in an old-school Japanese-style home focusing on the story of a young boy and his pet tanuki (raccoon dog). The manga will begin serializing on January 21, 2025. As of writing, there are no additional details regarding how long the manga will run or details about the main characters.
[RELATED: Romantic Killer Anime Debuts Opening Early: Watch]
Previously, Momose’s work has stayed relatively short in form compared to other manga available through Shonen Jump+. Romantic Killer, for example, concluded by having only four collected volumes and running for only one year, from July 2019 to June 2020. Her second series, Me and My Gangster Neighbor, had a similarly paced run, being serialized from October 2022 to October 2023 and also having four collected volumes by the time the final chapter released. Should she keep a similar style for her latest work, Saneka’s Marriage will most likely last for only one year as well.
Momose Wataru’s Writing Style Makes For Great Bite-Sized Love Stories With Open Endings
While some fans of the romance genre appreciate a definitive answer by the end of a series, especially one with multiple suitors, Momose Wataru’s work thrives by giving readers just enough to piece together what they think will happen once the final chapter releases. In the case of Romantic Killer, the manga’s lead, Anzu, considers herself an anti-hero throughout much of the story. While Riri, her magical companion, tries to push her into the adoring arms of one of the many otome game stereotypes they’ve selected for her, Anzu holds strong in her belief that she doesn’t need a romantic partner to be happy. Despite the series giving seemingly obvious nods as to who Anzu might pick once the curtain closes, it remains completely open to reader interpretation.
While this type of ending isn’t for everyone, it is extremely refreshing – especially in a shonen romance series with a female protagonist – to see the leading lady hold firm in her belief that she doesn’t need a partner to feel fulfilled, and while it still ends on a chance for romance to develop later between Anzu and one of her potential suitors, it also leaves the door open for them to just be friends, which is a completely realistic outcome for the types of suitors Riri picks out for Anzu.
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