The Journey to Killing You is a Japanese BL series. Broadcasted in 2025, this series is crime and mafia-oriented. Within these themes, there is a quite emotional BL story. I know BL romance developing within the mafia will be a bit cliché. But in the Japanese style, it is an average production in terms of being minimal but showing the psychological development of the characters. Perhaps the drama will be more meaningful for the fans who read the manga it was adapted from.
If I were to give a mini summary of the drama: The owner of the Kirii empire, which has mafia connections, is about to die. A dispute breaks out between his biological son and his adopted son, who are the heirs to succeed him. The biological son, Keito, will hire a hitman to kill the other heir. Continue to this page for more details, comments, and review.
🏳️🌈🇯🇵 Curator’s Recommendation: The Best Japanese BL Catalog
The Journey to Killing You (2025)
The boss of the mafia family is about to die. While lying on his deathbed, his biological son Kirii Keito wants to be the sole heir. For this, he gives a mission to the young Odajima, who works for him and whom he has practically claimed and abused. This mission is to kill the second legal heir who entered the family through adoption. Kataoka is the second legal heir; he must be eliminated.
While fleeing from his family’s assassination attempt, Kataoka takes Odajima with him. Kataoka is unaware of his travel companion’s secret mission. All the psychological warfare and the chaos of their inner worlds between the duo will emerge during this journey.
On the other hand, Keito is impatient to take over the family. Odajima’s difficulty in fulfilling his mission will cause a second hitman to be assigned.
The Inner World of the Characters
The dramatic theme fully emerges with the psychological unraveling of the duo during the journey. Odajima’s inner world is quite complex and dark. In the upcoming episodes, you will witness Odajima’s childhood, his traumas, and his becoming a criminal regarding family relations. Later, he enters Keito’s service with his boyfriend. The death of his boyfriend makes him Keito’s plaything. Keito engages in all kinds of abuse. His final mission is to kill someone. And that person is their rival, Kataoka.
The other main character who develops on the journey and whose inner world you will discover is Kataoka. At first, Odajima is like a property to him, a disposable item. But as the journey progresses, he will get to know his partner. He will feel the love and devotion behind Odajima’s tough exterior. In turn, Odajima will slowly fall in love with this man he is supposed to kill. Odajima also begins to question who is truly evil.
Towards the finale, the tension between the duo and Odajima’s indecision will reach a conclusion. The two will either get out of this family swimming in filth together or sink together.
Series Review and Comments
BL romance sprinkled into mafia and crime themes is one of the most used elements of this genre. Actually, when we look at it, the drama does not bring any novelty as a main theme. The inner worlds of the characters and the psychological tension between them are very impressive. Especially the blank stares and angry states of the character Odajima are very good. As a viewer, it will not bother you.
Being a manga adaptation, the Japanese BL series The Journey to Killing You might have seen a bit more attention. Apart from that, the cinematography and the people they meet during the journey are also successful. The series is actually built entirely on the character Odajima. The first of the aspects to criticize is the main characters’ lack of muscle power. It is an eyesore that almost scrawny characters defeat their opponents in one-on-one combat. The other is that the mafia theme does not fully settle.
Kataoka also changes on the journey. He discovers the inner world of Odajima, whom he initially saw as a plaything, a disposable property. He sees the pure face behind that tough face. Actually, Kataoka is also sick of family business. As a character, he is someone who doesn’t value anyone. But he changes too.
Is the Series Worth Watching?
Yes, if you like Japanese-style minimalist BL stories, watch the series. It will finish quickly. The chemistry and development of the characters are also very good for short episodes. With “flashbacks,” you will also learn the past of the duo, thus you will watch a story with depth. For the viewer who has read the manga, this BL drama will offer a more enjoyable viewing experience. If you know the manga, you can share your comparison with the series in the comments section.
Series Details
The drama is 6 episodes and each episode is 28 minutes long. The mini-series is an adaptation from the manga named “Anata wo Korosu Tabi” (あなたを殺す旅) by author: Asai Sai (浅井西). If you want to read more information and fan fights about the drama, perhaps you would also like to check the MyDramaList page.
Cast and Characters
- Wada Masanari – Kataoka Kinji: As the adopted son, the heir of the family. Generally a ruthless, cynical, and emotionless person. On the journey, he both finds love and decides to walk away from the family’s crimes.
- Takahashi Hiroto – Odajima Ren: The other legal heir of the family and the man of Kirii Keito, who wants to take over the mafia. His goal is to kill Kataoka. But he transforms psychologically during that journey.
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 Japanese BL. A manga adaptation depicting the emotional growth of a young mafia hitman.){kind=link}