Happy Kanako's Killer Life
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| Happy Kanako's Killer Life | |
 First tankōbon volume cover | |
| 幸せカナコの殺し屋生活 (Shiawase Kanako no Koroshiya Seikatsu) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Toshiya Wakabayashi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Seikaisha Comics |
| Magazine | Saizensen |
| Original run | April 26, 2019 – present |
| Volumes | 8 |
| Television drama | |
| Directed by | Tsutomu Hanabusa |
| Original network | DMM TV |
| Original run | February 28, 2025 – March 28, 2025 |
| Episodes | 6 |
Happy Kanako's Killer Life (幸せカナコの殺し屋生活, Shiawase Kanako no Koroshiya Seikatsu) is a Japanese four-panel manga series written and illustrated by Toshiya Wakabayashi. It originally began publication as a webcomic published on the author's Pixiv account in October 2018. It later began serialization on Kodansha's Twi4 Twitter account and Saizensen website in April 2019. A live-action television drama adaptation aired from February to March 2025.
Kanako, a former office worker at an advertising agency, decided to quit due to harassment from her boss. She found a new job, but upon interviewing, she discovered it was a company that hired assassins, which made her uneasy. However, she was captivated by the company's reputation and decided to join. As an entrance test, she was ordered to assassinate her former boss. Although she hesitated, thinking she couldn't kill someone, she soon succeeded in the assassination. Having passed the test, her life as an assassin began.
Characters
- Kanako Nishino (西野カナコ, Nishino Kanako)
- Portrayed by: Non[2]
- Sakurai (桜井)
- Portrayed by: Taisuke Fujigaya[2]
- Kazuo Takehara (竹原カズオ, Takehara Kazuo)
- Portrayed by: Yūma Yamato
- Ōmori (大森)
- Portrayed by: Hirona Yamazaki[3]
- Kiyomi Yoshioka (吉岡キヨミ, Yoshioka Kiyomi)
- Portrayed by: Yūka Sugai[3]
- Yakuza boss (ヤクザの組長, Yakuza no Kumichō)
- Portrayed by: Shun Sugata[3]
- Kanako's Mother (カナコの母親, Kanako no Hahaoya)
- Portrayed by: Tae Kimura[3]
- Assassin Company President (殺し屋会社の社長, Koroshi-ya Kaisha no Shachō)
- Portrayed by: Atsuro Watabe[3]
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Toshiya Wakabayashi, Happy Kanako's Killer Life originally began publication as a webcomic on the author's Pixiv account on October 29, 2018.[4] It later began serialization on Kodansha's Twi4 Twitter account and Saizensen website on April 26, 2019.[5] Its chapters have been compiled into eight tankōbon volumes as of October 2025.[6] The series is licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment.[7]
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | North American release date | North American ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 12, 2019[8] | 978-4-06-515710-7 | August 3, 2021[9] | 978-1-64827-798-6 |
| 2 | October 26, 2019[10] | 978-4-06-517534-7 | October 12, 2021[11] | 978-1-64505-960-8 |
| 3 | April 13, 2020[12] | 978-4-06-519411-9 | January 25, 2022[13] | 978-1-64827-377-3 |
| 4 | October 12, 2020[14] | 978-4-06-521286-8 | May 3, 2022[15] | 978-1-63858-223-6 |
| 5 | April 30, 2021[16] | 978-4-06-523197-5 | August 16, 2022[17] | 978-1-63858-560-2 |
| 6 | November 8, 2021[18] | 978-4-06-525818-7 | January 31, 2023[19] | 978-1-63858-891-7 |
| 7 | March 8, 2023[20] | 978-4-06-527760-7 | April 30, 2024[21] | 978-1-68579-566-5 |
| 8 | October 1, 2025[6] | 978-4-06-540400-3 | July 28, 2026[22] | 979-8-89373-306-8 |
Drama
A live-action television drama adaptation was announced on May 7, 2024. The drama is directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa and stars Non and Taisuke Fujigaya in lead roles. It was streamed on DMM TV from February 28 to March 28, 2025, and ran for six episodes.[2][3]
Reception
The series was ranked fifteenth in Honya Club's Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020.[23]