Koroshiya 1

Ichi the Killer
殺し屋1〈イチ〉
Koroshiya Ichi

Manga7.613946 votes10 volumes · 114 chaptersFinished

ActionDramaSuspenseGoreOrganized CrimePsychologicalSeinen

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About this title

Synopsis

Ichi may seem like a spineless weakling—but when the tears start flowing, a terrifying transformation takes place. Driven to his mental breaking point, Ichi becomes an unstoppable force of carnage, unleashing a torrent of violence on his next target. When his destructive path collides with Kakihara, a sadomasochistic yakuza boss with a penchant for pain, it ignites a bloody spiral of chaos, depravity, and unimaginable brutality. (Source: Seven Seas Entertainment)

Publication notes

In 2001, Koroshiya 1 was adapted into a live-action film which was directed by Takashi Miike. The series has been published in English as Ichi the Killer by Seven Seas Entertainment as 2-in-1 omnibus volumes since July 29, 2025. It has been published in Spanish by ECC Comics since February 20, 2015.

Published

Feb 19, 1998 to Apr 5, 2001

Authors

Yamamoto, Hideo

External links

MyAnimeList page Wikipedia Wikipedia

MAL rank: #2412
Members (MAL): 35,256
Favorites (MAL): 939

Related titles

Prequel

Koroshiya 1: Tanjou-hen

Main characters

Masao Kakihara359 fan favorites
External profile
A sadistic and insane man from the pits of hell with only two things on his mind: "who is Ichi" and "where can I find him?"
Hajime Shiroishi106 fan favorites
External profile
On the surface, Shiroishi is just a simple-minded guy who works at a metal shop and enjoys stopping by the red light district. At night Shiroishi becomes Ichi the Killer. When pushed to the brink emotionally, Ichi becomes a sadistic monster capable of ripping men to shreds. At first Ichi only kills when his guardian, Jijii, pushes him to. After awhile, fueled by an insatiable violent perversion, Ichi begins to grow in ways Jijii hadn't dared to hope.
Jijii19 fan favorites
External profile
Jijii is a very short, old man and the leader of a small band of exiles bent on destroying the notorious Anjou gang and making as much money as possible. To do this, he has taken a young man under his wing, whom he calls Ichi. Jijii has implanted false memories in Ichi's mind, which cause him to go psychotic. Jijii, in a sense, had made this cowardly young man into the ultimate killer.