In the new Thai series “Mr. Kill,” a cop and a mysterious illustrator work together to find a murderer that is copying the gruesome killings illustrated in a dark manga titled “Nekros.” The prime suspect? The illustrator of Nekros himself.

The first episodes of “Mr. Kill” set the stage for a creepy murder mystery rooted in the world of manga. From an intense frenemy relationship between the leads to a story that’ll keep you suspicious, these are the first impressions and predictions the premiere episodes set in motion.

Warning: spoilers from episodes 1 and 2 ahead!

A killer is on the loose

People are dying, Kim. No, but seriously. People are dying.

With a name like “Mr. Kill,” it feels only fitting that this drama starts with a murder and not just a single murder, but serial killings that are way too gruesome, creative, and detailed not to have a deeper meaning. On the case are police officer Phat (Tee Teeradech Vitheepanich) and his team.

At first, the odd killings and their victims seem random, but a lead from an unexpected source brings up one very important detail: the killings are similar to crimes depicted in an underground, niche manga known as “Nekros.” Anonymously illustrated by a creator nicknamed Mr. Kill, the stories depict grim and twisted murders that are now happening in real life.

Once the framework for the murders has been discovered, their only connection to who might be doing these crimes is the illustrator. With Phat’s determination, it’s only a matter of time before they identify Mr. Kill, and it turns out to be someone no one would initially suspect.

Kay versus Mr. Kill

It’s not long before Phat traces “Nekros” back to manga artist Kay (Dew Jirawat Sutivanichsak). The second main character of this story, Kay, is an illustrator behind the popular romance manga, “Love in the Wind.” Under the pseudonym Mr. Kill, he also wrote “Nekros” in secret. Somehow, Kay and Mr. Kill are the same person, but on paper, they seem like two totally different personalities. It’s truly giving Jekyll and Hyde.

In many ways, Kay looks like your average guy. He’s timid and acts like a recluse, outside of going to the office. At work, he’s mistreated and underpaid by his boss, but he’s nonetheless shown to be kind to his coworkers and his many fans. He appears to love illustrating, but he suffers from severe anxiety and nightmares.

But there are moments when Kay seems like someone else entirely, and the suspicious behavior is hard to ignore. First off, Kay sketches disturbing scenes (maybe it’s just part of the job, maybe just a personal interest, or maybe something more), and it begs the question: Is Mr. Kill an alter ego hidden inside Kay or simply a cool nickname that fits the work?

There are also instances where he wanders through a closed market at night with a hoodie concealing himself, practices smiling in the mirror, keeps a hammer in his bag, and shows up to work with bruises on his arms. Yet he also stops to feed stray cats in an alley. The contrast is seriously confusing. Who is this guy, really? Is he more Kay or is he more Mr. Kill? Maybe things aren’t that black and white.

When word gets out that the killer is copying “Nekros,” Kay immediately burns his paper copies and tries to clear any trace of the manga online. That’s also suspicious. Sometimes he just looks like a scared guy wrapped up in something he never wanted to be involved in, and other times he looks like he’s hiding something.

The hammer in his bag eventually gets an explanation: according to him, he’s tormented by debt collectors, so he carries it around for self-defense. That checks out: debt collectors are shown chasing him down, and it’s already been made clear he isn’t paid fairly. It’s very possible that every other suspicious detail about him simply needs an explanation.

For now, Kay, aka Mr. Kill, is the only viable suspect, at least in Phat’s eyes.

Fiction blurred with reality

What is for certain is that the framework for the murders is undeniably “Nekros,” and all the clues for what will happen next can be found hidden in the pages. Outside of the whole murdering people aspect, it’s a seriously cool premise to start with. It also makes you wonder why this specific manga, why Kay, and why now? There’s got to be a motive, and at this point, any guess is fair game.

There’s a clear potential for bromance

This isn’t quite a BL, but it leans heavily into the hot-and-cold chemistry that develops between Phat and Kay.

Before Kay becomes a suspect, the two meet on more lighthearted terms during Kay’s fan signing event. Phat’s sister is a big fan of Kay’s manga, but she can’t make the event because of an internship interview, so Phat reluctantly goes in her place. One thing leads to another, and the two briefly meet, posing awkwardly for a picture before stealing glances at each other as they part ways.

However, things quickly take a turn from lighthearted to menacing when the link between Mr. Kill, “Nekros,” Kay, and the ongoing serial murders is made. Phat shows up at Kay’s company to investigate, only for all fingers to be pointed at Kay for having a similar art style to Mr. Kill a long time ago. Kay denies it as best as he can, but his nerves show, and Phat picks up that something is off.

The show will keep you guessing

Kay seems like the perfect suspect, and Phat is determined to put someone in jail for these heinous crimes. Once Kay is suspected to be the illustrator behind “Nekros,” Phat and his team start to investigate Kay. They eventually hunt him down and bring him in for interrogation, but it leads to more questions than answers.

Either Kay puts up an amazing acting performance, or he’s really just a stressed and scared guy drawn into a very bad situation. They’re getting nowhere, but soon Kay starts to notice patterns between the murders and his manga: clues that hint at what killing will be done next and to whom.

Phat decides to use Kay’s insight to move the case along, but he isn’t quite convinced yet that Kay isn’t involved. Instead of removing Kay’s handcuffs and letting him go, he cuffs their hands together so they’re forced to stay side by side. It’s the whole “keep your enemies close” scenario, but it’s also most definitely a setup for more bromance.

This murder mystery is shaping up to be a thrilling chase to find the killer, and it doesn’t look like the show is going to make it easy to find out. If Kay isn’t the killer, then he’s probably the best person to help catch the real culprit, so the unlikely team-up between Phat and Kay is a good move.

With Kay’s insight into the manga and the way the killer works, it looks like they’ll be working together despite their differences, but the cops are still very suspicious of Mr. Kill. Granted, at this point, viewers are probably too.

Start watching “Mr. Kill” now:

Watch Now

Asya’s a BL-biased Soompi writer with a love of K-pop and all types of Asian dramas. Some of her favorite shows are “Psychopath Diary,” “Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!,” “Light On Me,” “The Untamed,” “Go Go Squid!,” and “Cherry Magic!“

Currently watching: “After Moving Seats, The Boy Behind Me Has A Crush On Me,” “A Bona Fide Killer,” “Mr. Kill,” “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me,” “Hold On, Harutora-Kun,” “Connecting to You,” “Match Point,” “Don’t Be Too Emotional,” “Be My Player Two,” “Nour,” and “Mr. Fanboy.”
Looking forward to:  “Love Scandal,” “Magic Lover,” and “The Love Matter.”