Teenage assassins run afoul of the Yakuza in Baby Assassins. Chisato (Takaishi Akari) and Mahiro (Izawa Saori) are a pair of high schoolers who work as highly trained assassins. Upon graduation, their handler tells Chisato and Mahiro that they have to move in together and get part-time jobs to better integrate with society. In addition to the growing pains this causes, the young assassins’ recent executions catch the attention of the Yakuza, particularly Himari (Mone Akitani), the daughter of the local boss.
Baby Assassins is an action-comedy from writer/director Yugo Sakamoto, featuring action choreography by Kensuke Sonomura (John Woo’s Manhunt). The film follows two teenage assassins struggling to establish a cover identity after graduating high school. Chisato can find some success, getting a job at a fetishistic theme restaurant, while the more introverted Mahiro stays home and watches cat videos when she is not out doing jobs. However, when the Yakuza want revenge for recent hits, the two girls have to put aside their differences to hit back.
Marketed as an original film for the new HI-YAH! Martial arts and Asian action movie streaming service, Baby Assassins is at its best during the film’s action scenes. This includes the film’s very entertaining opening sequence, featuring Mahiro fighting off the knife-wielding staff of a convenience store and the film’s climax, where Chisato and Mahiro team up to take out an entire warehouse of Yakuza.
However, the focus for the majority of Baby Assassins is less on the action and more on the strained relationship that develops between Chisato and Mahiro that develops when they are forced to become roommates with each other. Part of this tension stems from the fact that Mahiro is a sociopath and would instead just be killing instead of trying to build a life for herself.
Baby Assassins marks the second collaboration between director Yugo Sakamoto and stars Takaishi Akari and Izawa Saori, with both appearing in Sakamoto’s previous film, The Janitor. These films also see Saori move into acting after working primarily as a stunt performer in films such as Manhunt and Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins.
Overall, Baby Assassins is a few that is at least worth checking out for the entertaining action sequences. However, the film would probably be better if it focused more on the action instead of the growing pains these teenage assassins faced when forced to live in the real world.