Family and betrayal often walk hand in hand, but rarely is that tension as cutting as it is in The Journey to Killing You. Adapted from Asai Sai’s manga Anata wo Korosu Tabi, this Japanese BL drama pulls us deep into the world of the yakuza where loyalty, honor, and survival collide.

At its heart is Kataoka Kinji, played by Wada Masanari, a young boss with a strong sense of duty and compassion, beloved by the members under his care. Yet, when political tensions rise within the organization, he’s ordered into hiding. Assigned to protect him is Odajima Ren, portrayed with quiet intensity by Takahashi Hiroto. On the surface, Odajima is Kataoka’s driver and aide, tending to his needs with a cool detachment. But beneath that tsundere mask lies a secret mission: Odajima has been ordered to kill the very man he now shadows.

The first two episodes waste no time drawing viewers into this dangerous, intimate dynamic. What begins as a “life on the run” tale quickly complicates itself with flashbacks that reveal Odajima’s haunted past, a past filled with grief and a lost love he blames Kataoka for. That grief feeds his mission, but at the same time, his closeness to Kataoka sparks conflicting emotions.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I hit play beyond violence, given the title, but what I found was an emotional exploration of family, betrayal, and how love can grow even in darkness. Kataoka and Odajima are bound together by circumstance, by orders, and by secrets neither are fully sharing. And yet, within that web of duty and deception, there’s the possibility of something more.

With only six episodes to tell this story, The Journey to Killing You is setting itself up to be both intricate and heart-wrenching. Guilt, honor, and desire intertwine in a deadly mission that will either end in a tragedy or take us on a journey we least expect.

Either way, I’m here for it.

For a series that doesn’t sugar coat its romance, check out The Journey to Killing You now on GagaOOLala.

Rating- 4 out of 5