Kuroha to Nijisuke (Kuroha and Nijisuke) is a manga written by Narita Ryohgo (who is better known for Durarara!! and Baccano!) and drawn by Shiraume Nazuna. Originally planned as a single volume one-shot, the series is now consists of four volumes and has a sequel called Kuroha & Nijisuke: Black Witch’S Divertimento.
The plot follows Yoiyami Kuroha, a beautiful girl blessed by the goddess of fortune at a young age. While most people would associate luck with happiness, however, her life is a series of tragic events masquerading as good luck. Her childhood bully was eaten alive by fire ants and her family won the lottery, only to be killed by jealous relatives. Now a teenager and having been captured by a Yakuza clan, she decides enough is enough and jumps out a window in a suicide attempt. As luck would have it, Murokawa Nijisuke, a boy with suicidally bad luck, happened to be on the ground below and breaks her fall.
The plot of the first volume follows the two in their attempts to evade the Yakuza. The following volumes follow a a separate story following up the events of the first volume.
This manga provides examples of:
- Action Girl: Momo and Midori, who are Professional Killers.
- Big Bad: Hibauru, the yakuza boss who captured and used Kuroha in volume 1. From volume 2 onwards, it seems to be the unnamed pharmaceutical CEO.
- Black Eyes of Evil: Hokuto spots one
◊ in chapter 1 of the Kuroha & Nijisuke: Black Witch’S Divertimento manga, when he’s talking about Nijisuke should put his life on line to protect Kuroha. It seems to be a characteristic of Shinigami, as Minami can also activate it. - Blessed with Suck: Now being blessed by Lady Luck is awesome, no? The ultimate luck Kuroha receives only gives her endless misfortune and suffering.
- Blood Knight: Momo enjoys seems to enjoy her job a lot.
- Born Lucky: Kuroha, to ridiculous extremes. The first time she gambles, she wins hard right in the first turn. She and everyone in her immediate vicinity is effectively immortal as any attempt to kill her backfires with typically lethal results.
- Born Unlucky: Nijisuke, on the other hand, is so unlucky he should have died for a thousand times for now if not for his invincible body, as he's supposed to be dead when his parents committed lover’s suicide.
- Boy Meets Girl: The basic premise of the series.
- Bungled Suicide: Kuroha tries to kill herself twice, but her luck makes succeeding physically impossible.
- Car Fu: Midori kills a man by throwing a motorcycle into his office from across the street.
- Charles Atlas Superpower:
- Aside from his physical invincibility, Nijisuke also has enough muscle strength to break apart a huge water tank in a single punch.
- How much strength would you need to throw a motorbike onto a building’s 3rd floor? Midori, a girl who seems to have ordinary physique, managed that.
- Coat Cape: Hokuto wears his black coat this way.
- Cosmic Plaything: Both Kuroha and Nijisuke, but for opposite reasons.
- Damsel in Distress: Kuroha, while possesses extraordinary luck, has no way to fight on her own, so she needs Nijisuke’s help to escape the yakuza and then her own (mis)fortune.
- Doom Magnet: Almost everyone Kuroha has come into contact with have died horrible deaths, from her bullies, her parents, even Hibauru - the yakuza boss captured her, like she takes away their luck for her own. As such, Nijisuke becomes the only earthling allies she can get as he is used to the misfortune she brings to him and can physically tanks all the things that should kill him.
- Dual Wielding: Momo slashes people left and right with her two blades.
- Face Palm: Hokuto does this after his underling Minami explained why there’s still a spare soul to reincarnate although she let Nijisuke survive.
- Made of Iron: Nijisuke shrugs off getting hit by a truck, crushed by a safe, hooked on a crane operated by a chimpanzee, attacked by fire ants, crushed by a steel beam, and...you get the point. He’s still here, as invincible as ever.
- Otherworldly Communication Failure: The Shinigami get this all the time from the few who can see them, since they hang around the dead and dying to collect their souls.
- From Kujinawa's perspective, there are terrifying monsters nobody else can see that stalk and kill humans.
- When Ai was a child, a man appeared when her parents were killed, and told her that he'd send her to hell if she killed good people. She assumed that he was the world's best assassin.
- Pretty Boy:
- No one would blame you if you mistake Hokuto for a beautiful woman at first with his fine features and long eyelash, to the point he is called “The Princess of the Northern Office” by fellow Shinigami. Minami, his inferior, said the fact out loud even when she is being scolded.Minami (blushing in tears): “I’ll confess so please don’t bring that pretty face any closeeeer!”
- The student council’s clerk Shumei Kujinawa in Kuroha’s school, who is said to be “so cute he almost looks like an elementary schooler” is also qualified, thanks to his big, round eyes and androgynous face.
- No one would blame you if you mistake Hokuto for a beautiful woman at first with his fine features and long eyelash, to the point he is called “The Princess of the Northern Office” by fellow Shinigami. Minami, his inferior, said the fact out loud even when she is being scolded.
- Professional Killer: The Mitsugane sisters, respectively Ai, Midori and Momo.
- Rewatch Bonus: Hokuto and Nijisuke appear to have a close bantering relationship, where Nijisuke reacts to his situations and Hokuto snarks at him. On a second read, it's apparent that Nijisuke never reacts to anything Hokuto says, because he can't see Shinigami.
- Scars Are Forever: There’re 3 scars on Nijisuke’s cheek and a long scar across his face.
- Shinigami: What Hokuto, Nijisuke’s weird company, is revealed to be. And a powerful one of that - he is their chief.
- Shrinking Violet: Despite how intimidating he looks, Nijisuke is so shy he can’t talk to Kuroha after receiving a kiss from her and blushes super hard when admitting that.
- Would Hurt a Child: Minami, while did feel apologetic, didn’t hesitate to tried to kill an infant so that she could accomplish her duty.
- Younger Than They Look:
- Looking at his buffy muscles and stature, no one would think Nijisuke is still a high-schooler. Kuroha even lampshades it.
Kuroha: "Are you really a high school student?"- Midori is a massive, beefy schoolgirl who weighs around 200 kg. She's the youngest of the three assassin sisters; for context, middle sister Momo is in high school. She was implanted with Kuroha's blood and became an immortal monster; in a flashback, she was a small girl.
