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Inee hit it out of the park with Love Bullet, with the first volume of the manga about cupid characters inspiring relationships being a touching and inviting look into an original world and concept. Now the second volume’s available in English and it remains as wonderful an exploration of what life would be like for these individuals who are “in-between,” working on shooting people so they’ll fall in love while also dealing with coworkers also trying to rack up enough karma to perhaps return to their real lives. Seeing how newcomer Koharu deals with friendly faces like Kanna and not-so-welcome ones like Chiyo and Ena makes this latest installment as captivating a read as the first one.
Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers for volume 2 of the Love Bullet manga below.
The first volume of the Love Bullet manga felt dedicated to not only new cupid Koharu getting her footing, but us getting used to the way love and relationships work in the series. As a refresher, it began with her dying as her longtime friend Aki confessed to her. She then awoke as a cupid. A more established veteran named Kanna took her under her wing (literally) and explained that by building up karma by taking assignments and shooting the living with the “love bullets,” she could return to life. The early chapters did a lot of work in setting up the world, some lore, and following Koharu on initial missions.
With this second volume of Love Bullet, it’s more about highlighting the dynamic between the cupid characters, as the relationships can be acrimonious even though there can be common goals due to everyone trying to take missions, complete their own objectives, and get karma. This means Inee focuses on three throughout these latest chapters of the story. There’s the already supportive one between Koharu and Kanna. There’s the sometimes friends, sometimes enemies one between Koharu and Chiyo. Then, once Koharu and Kanna are roped into Chiyo’s mission to get two high school students to fall in love, a more antagonistic one between the trio and Ena comes up.
With Koharu and Kanna, we’re seeing continued growth from the first volume. We already know Kanna’s a kindhearted individual. At least, she seems to be. And she also seems to have Koharu’s best interests at heart. At the outset of this entry, we see her further explaining the karma system. Those points not only get put toward being removed from the system and returning to life, but are used to purchase the ammunition and tools cupids need to accomplish their missions. This also leaves a bit of a breadcrumb trail hinting at what might be going on with Kanna and why she might be so kind to Koharu, as she seems eager to help her get back to life, even sacrificing her own points to assist. It’s pretty good foreshadowing, I’d say!
In the case of the Koharu and Chiyo situation, I love how the second volume of the Love Bullet manga shows how she fits more into a rival position, rather than a true antagonistic force. Yes, she’s the “villain” at the start. But she’s not a true bad guy, even though she does cheat to come out on top for a challenge, and after “winning” the bet is perfectly nice to both of them! She just has a different approach to things and isn’t afraid to be more blunt and even brusque to accomplish her goals. She needed help on her mission to help love bloom on a high school field trip, and did what she needed. Once she does have their assistance, she’s perfectly pleasant and even helpful. It’s a fascinating look at how she is being set up as a true “rival” for Koharu.
As for Ena, it’s interesting how she’s framed in this Love Bullet storyline. Spoilers aside, she’s a very matter-of-fact individual. She does come across as more of an antagonist. Even though circumstances do result in the four talking, her nature and personal objectives feel totally at odds. Considering the other dynamics we’ve seen so far, I feel a bit like she’s the first cupid Koharu encountered in Love Bullet that I might consider a possible enemy due to the initial relationship dynamic. Which I appreciate, since the system Inee sets up does make it seem like that’s not only possible, but potentially even common.
The second volume of the Love Bullet is as strong as the first and gives us a chance to see relationships between cupid characters. As Koharu heads out on a new assignment with both established ally Kanna and individuals where the dynamic is more questionable, the situation lends itself to different sorts of developments between all of them. It really helps with world-building and better understanding cupid society.
Volumes 1 and 2 of the Love Bullet manga are available now via Yen Press, and there’s no release date for volume 3 yet.
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