Image via Yen Press
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There are a number of anime and manga series that follow villains when they retire or are not pursuing dirty deeds, like The Way of the Househusband and Mr Villain’s Day Off. Yen Press’ The Hitman Stans manga is the latest in the genre. As the title suggests, a former assassin is pursuing more peaceful endeavors. However, this is a bit different than the other two, as the reason he’s stepped down is because of his appreciation for an idol singer, so we’re combining retired villain “action” with a look at a newcomer’s approach to fandom. While it might not be as memorable as something like Sakamoto Days or The Way of the Househusband, it has its own charm.
Editor’s Note: There will be some spoilers for volume 1 of The Hitman Stans manga below.
The Hitman Stans stars an assassin named Owaru Endo who works with the criminal Fujiwara Group organization eliminating enemies or people who are problems for them. He’s nearly supernaturally strong. However, he’s also a fan of a singer named Kaori “Kaorin” Minaboshi in an up and coming idol group called Rosacea. Because of his past, he’s not really aware of normal interactions or fandom activities. As such, the first volume is a balancing act of introducing who he is, how he’s lived, and what it’s like as he starts to dedicate himself to being a Kaorin stan full-time.
The Hitman Stans is a manga series more like Mr Villain’s Day Off than The Way of the House, as it begins with Owaru as an active assassin. He is a villain, and we actually see him on assignment, murdering hordes of the Fujiwara Group’s enemies. This also means we see the conflict he’s dealing with internally when he heads to Rosacea’s shows and attending the meet and greet with Kaorin after. He won’t even shake hands with her, because he considers himself bloodied and “dirty.” We also see that he credits her with bringing “emotion” and “light” to his life and, after an interaction with her suggesting he could just “clean” his hands, he meets with President Hideyoshi Fujiwara to “quit.” Scenes like this, in addition to some other interactions later in the first volume that involve him using his skills, make this a darker sort of tale.
At the same time, there is some levity. While not as humorous of a series such as The Way of the Househusband or slice-of-life like as Mr Villain’s Day Off, The Hitman Stans manga does feature some lighter moments to it. For example, once Owaru does quit being a hitman, we get to see him getting used to ordinary life. He’s always worn certain types of suits, ones customized for his line of work. But what happens when Kaorin gives him a Rosacea shirt at an after-performance meet-and-greet? One event involved buying tickets for photos with the idols. However, his training and code involved never being scene or photographed, so he wouldn’t be identified. We do get funnier scenes that play into his past and the dissonance between his old and new ways of life.
What I do appreciate is that Owaru does feel like a very different protagonist than the leads in similar sorts of manga. He’s more serious in some ways, with the hitman mentality at the forefront, while also being an absolutely dedicated fan who adores appreciates and respects Kaorin. Which is another great point about the series. While we can tell Owaru is probably the singer’s biggest fan, he isn’t a stalker or scary in any way. He genuinely appreciates her talent and who she is as a person. He respects her boundaries. He listens to restrictions put in place for her protection by her bodyguard. So the series never comes across as creepy.
I would say The Hitman Stans manga is a series someone should look into if they enjoyed series like The Way of the Househusband or Mr Villain’s Day Off. The ambiance is very similar, as is the lead. His motivations and personality are a bit different, of course. It also relies more heavily on the world of fandom, so someone into idol culture might get more out of it as well. But it does feel unique enough to bring something new to the concept when compared to other established series.
Volume 1 of The Hitman Stans is available now, and Yen Press will release volume 2 on October 28, 2025.
