Series / Hissatsu

Workers by day, assassins by night. ^note Left to right: Row 1: Fujieda the acupuncturist (Shikakenin), Nenbutsu the bonesetter (Shiokinin series), Mondo the constable (Mondo series). Row 2: Otsuya the troupe leader (Karakuri series), anything-goes Kayo, Hide the craftsman (Shigotonin series). Row 3: Bantokyozan the dancer (Shimainin series), Yuji of the Shamisen (Shigotonin series), Shogoro the magistrate (Revival series)

"Compare good with evil and you'll see that, even though you hate to admit it, evil often wins. Money talks. The weak are always downtrodden. And there are people who repay old scores for them..."

— From Hissatsu!, the 1981 The Film of the Series

The Hissatsu series (必殺シリーズ) is a long running popular Jidaigeki Dorama that started in 1972 and is aired in TV Asahi^note since 1975 — from 1973 to 1975, it was aired in Tokyo Broadcasting System and co-produced by Shochiku, whose Strictly Formula plot deals with a team of assasins-for-hire who cover as run-of-the-mill workers, whose murderous methods usually relate to their day job. Although nominally their missions are done for money, the assassinations usually are done to avenge the disadvantaged, and as the series went on, the targets were explicitly shown as unpunished villains above the law.

The show itself is remembered for the Film Noir-ish cinematography, the Spaghetti Western-themed soundtrack and, and a general anti-heroic tone in comparison to most Jidaigeki shows (although the series gradually softened those features, especially during the latter half).

The show can be roughly divided in two branches: the series starring Mondo Nakamura (which later became the Shigotonin series), and the non-Mondo Nakamura entries which include sub-series as Karakurinin or Shimainin. Both sub-series were mostly aired alternated one from another: while the early literature-based series was the mainline branch (each season followed by one of the early Mondo seasons, which were slightly shorter), the Mondo series' popularity overtook it from the Shiokiya Kagyō-Shiwazanin combo, and mostly relegated alternate series to brief autumn seasons of roughly 13 episodes starting with the Karakurinin entries... With the exception of Hissatsu Uragoroshi, which was supposed to be a return to the early formula.

That said, both series are vaguely linked to each other, since some characters crossed over both sub-series: Mondo Nakamura made cameos on Tasukenin and Kengekinin; inversely, Hanbei and Osei from Hitchū Shigotoya Kagyō appear in the Mondo series (the latter having a starring role on Shōbainin), as do characters from Karakurinin and the whole Shimainin cast in Shigotonin TV specials.

The series has inspired dozens of homages, especially in TV dramas. Some of the manga and anime homages include Sorcerer Hunters, Hell Girl, Knight Hunters, Braiger or Akame ga Kill!. Video games inspired by it include the Tenchu series, Super Robot Wars UX or Hissatsu Urakagyou.

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The franchise includes the following entries:

Mondo Nakamura / Shigotonin series:

Mondo Nakamura series (1973-1978)

• Hissatsu Shiokinin / Samurai Punisher ("Certain-kill Executioners" — 1973, 26 ep.): Essentially a remake of Shikakenin without a novel tie-in, this time starring the Dirty Old Ex-Monk bonesetter Nenbutsu no Tetsu, who by accident ends up forming a team of vengeful assassins made up by the young and idealistic coffinmaker Kannoke no Jo, the pickpocketing girl Teppōdama no Okin, the cheerful spy Ohirome no Hanji, and the supposedly foolish old constable Mondo Nakamura (who will later become the star of the series) — and join forces to clean up the unpunished evil that lurks in Edo, at a reasonable price. The team doesn't always execute their villains, sometimes merely setting for karmic damage.
• Kurayami Shitomenin ("Darkness Killers" — 1974, 27 ep.): Mondo Nakamura from Shiokinin returns (after a brief cameo in Tasukenin Hashiru) and reunites with Teppōdama no Okin and Ohirome no Hanji, to lead a band of killers formed by Mondo's brother-in-laws: a brute stone carver married to Mondo's middle sister (a lustful nun), and a scholar who's married with Mondo's sickly little sister and despises killing but gets involved against his will. Essentially a return to the Hissatsu formula after the brief Tasukenin Hashiru variation.
• Hissatsu Shiokiya Kagyō ("Certain-kill Execution Business" — 1975-76, 28 ep.): The second return of the Mondo Nakamura formula, after a channel change halved Shigotoya Kagyō's high ratings, and clearly cemented him as the star of the series. A jaded Mondo returns to the killing profession after financial problems, and creates a new group of assassins: a cold-hearted hitman/bamboo craftsman who barely cares about the clients' grudges^note played by Masaya Oki, aka Kannoke no Jo in Shiokinin, a mood-swinging mendicant priest, and two spies.
• Hissatsu Shiwazanin ("Certain-kill Wrongdoers" — 1976, 28 ep.): A Darker and Edgier sequel to Shiokiya Kagyō, where an older Mondo has even bigger financial problems after being downgraded to a mere jailer, which amplifies his greed. This time, he creates a new group of greedy assassins which includes a rebellious street performer which strangles people with their own hair cords, a lighthearted but deadly moxibustion therapist, and two spies (one of them, Sutezō, being the only other returning character from Shiokiya Kagyō). The series ends with two members murdered, making Mondo leave the profession... At least, for a short while.
• Shin Hissatsu Shiokinin ("New Certain-kill Executioners" — 1977, 41 ep.): Nenbutsu no Tetsu, the bonesetter from Shiokinin, returns as the main character after a long absence — it turns out that he formed a new team of killers working under a powerful assassins' guild, but his latest target is none other than Mondo Nakamura. After Nenbutsu and Mondo reluctantly join forces again to help the downtrodded, their team becomes the target of the guild's sinister plans.
• Edo Professional · Hissatsu Shōbainin ("Edo Professionals: Certain-kill Businessmen" — 1978, 26 ep.): A sequel to Shin Hissatsu Shiokinin featuring the return of Mondo Nakamura and the spy Shohachi to their old killing ways — as well as the old lady Osei (returning from the non-Nakamura series Shigotoya Kagyō) and a hairdresser named Shinji, who form another team of killers who have a loose association with Nakamura and Shohachi, but fear that Mondo might betray them to keep care of his child and leave the profession once and for all.

Hissatsu Shigotonin series (1979-1987)

• Hissatsu Shigotonin ("Certain-Kill Workers" — 1979-81, 84 ep.): Yet another return to the traditional Hissatsu formula after Uragoroshi, once again starring Mondo Nakamura, who creates yet another organization of killers loosely related to the assassins' guild from Shin Shiokinin. Some of his many allies include Hide the craftsman (played by Kunihiko Mitamura, who turned out to be massively popular amongst women and skyrocketed the series' popularity), the girl spy Kayo^note Played by Ayuwaka Izumi, a veteran in minor roles and Onemu the shrine maiden in Uragoroshi, and the group's second leader Otowa^note Played by Isuzu Yamada, who also played similar leader roles in all the Karakurin series except Keppūhen Given its long duration thanks to Hide's popularity, most of the cast save Mondo Nakamura and Hide were changed roughly at 1/3rd of the show... Although the broadening of the demographic targets caused the definitive Lighter and Softer turn to the franchise and replacing the few moments of moral ambiguity with clear-cut “kanzen choaku” morals.
  • Tokubetsu-hen Hissatsu Shigotonin: Kyōfu no Oshigoto Mito ・ Owari ・ Kii ("Certain-Kill Workers Special Edition: The dreaded big job: Mito, Owari and Kii" — 1981, TV special): A crossover between Shigotonin and the forthcoming Hissatsu Shimainin.
• Shin Hissatsu Shigotonin ("New Certain-Kill Workers" — 1981-82, 55 ep.): A sequel to the popular Shigotonin with the constable Mondo, Hide the craftsman and "anything-goes" Kayo returning, who are begrudgingly joined by another team of assassins: the shamisen makers Oriku^note Basically Otowa from Shigotonin with a different name, even played by Isuzu Yamada and Yuji — the latter becoming even more popular than Hide, and all of them being probably the show's most remembered Ensemble Cast. Much like in Shōbainin, the team is subdivided into the Mondo/Hide/Kayo and the Yuji/Oriku factions, and take targets by themeselves instead of relying in a superior organization like in Shigotonin.
  • Hissatsu Series 10 Shūnenkinen Special: Shigotonin Daishūgō ("10th Anniversary Special: Workers' great gathering" — 1982, TV special): A semi-canon Reunion Show celebrating ten years of the show, and featuring the whole team of Shin Shigotonin, Jo from Shiokinin, Hanbei from Shigotoya Kagyō, the fireworks-maker Tenpyō from Karakurinin, the former leader Shikazo from Shigotonin, and the leader of the assassins' guild from Shin Shiokinin^note Nenbutsu no Tetsu was scheduled to appear, but Tsutomu Yamazaki declined the role. All of them reunite to take targets in Nagasaki, using their old techniques and appropiate BGM.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin III ("Certain-Kill Workers 3" — 1982-83, 38 ep.): The team from Shin Shigotonin reunite to honor their fellow assassins in Shigotonin Daishūgō, but are accidentally joined by the teenage science student Junnosuke Nishi (proficient in using the leyden jar) who idolizes them but has no experience in the killing business.
  • (Maru) Hissatsu Gendai-ban: Mondo no shison ga Kyōto ni Arawareta: Shigotonin VS Bōsōzoku ("Top-Secret Modern Certain-Kill: Mondo's descendants appear in Kyoto: Workers VS Bosozoku" — 1982, TV special): Non-canon special. In a video filmed in 1982 Tokyo supposedly aired live, a group of identical descendants of most of the Shin Shigotonin cast target a group of murderous Bōsōzoku, and try to murder them with their old weapons but find out that modern equivalents might be better. In 1985, it was re-edited as Shinso (Maru) Hissatsu Gendai-ban: Tokyo Roppongi ・ Kyoto Maruyamakoen ・ Osaka Umeda: 3-gen Shigotonin Nama Chūkei ("New Top-Secret Modern Certain Kill: Tokyo's Roppongi, Kyoto's Maruyama Park, Osaka's Umeda: Three Workers' raw broadcast").
• Hissatsu Shigotonin IV ("Certain-Kill Workers 4" — 1983-84, 43 ep.): A sequel to Shigotonin III which shares the same cast, and is otherwise identical. Some of the new features include a female companion for Hide, and a Camp Gay Abhorrent Admirer and new catapult weapon for Junnosuke Nishi.
  • Toshiwasure Hissatsu Special: Shigotonin Ahen Sensō e iku: Tobe! Netsukikyū yo Honkon e ("Year-end party Hissatsu Special: The workers go to the Opium War: Fly! Hot air balloon to Hong Kong" — 1983, TV special): A Hong Kong-born girl goes to Japan to demand the help of the shigotonin, since her Japanese mother has been killed in a Britain-China opium conflict. The shigotonin agreed to help her amidst of the Opium War, traveling there by air balloons.
  • Hissatsu! THE HISSATSU ("Certain-kill! The Hissatsu" — 1984 Movie): A number of former assassins are being killed in Edo, and the shigotonin think that they might be the next on the list. It turns out that the murderers are a gang of former worker-assassins, who ask the shigotonin to join them or die.
  • Hissatsu Shigotonin Gaiden: Mondo, da inana kieitai to tatakau: ōtone Western tsukiyo ("Certain-kill Workers side story: Mondo and The Seventh Cavalry's battle: The innate Western Moonlight" — 1985 TV special): Shigotonin V prequel special. The shigotonin, aided by two new assassins who will be introduced in V, somehow time-travel to The Wild West while working on a case, and end up fighting The Seventh Cavalry.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V ("Certain-Kill Workers 5" — 1985, 26 ep.): A sequel to Shigotonin IV where Mondo, Kayo, Nishi and Oriku return, but the Breakout Characters Hide the Craftsman and Yuji of the Shamisen Shop are changed by the Suspiciously Similar Substitutes Sei the Florist and Ryu of the Braid Shop.
  • Hissatsu! Braun Yakata no Kaibutsu-tachi ("Certain-kill! Monsters of the Braun mansion" — 1985 Movie): The shigotonin are embarked in a mission to enter a mysterious mansion to retrieve the former Shogun's documents, but they are not the only ones behind it. The film is full of modern pop-culture references and cameos — notice how the title refers to the Braun mansion, as in "Braun tube", i. e. television.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V · Gekitou-hen ("Certain-Kill Workers 5: Fierce Fight Edition" — 1985-86, 33 ep.): A sequel to Shigotonin V, this time without the recurring characters Junnosuke and Oriku, and an attempt to return to the show's origins much like its predecessor Hashikakenin by creating a more serious mood, the return of an assassins' guild like in Shin Shiokinin, an alliance with a trio of killers where one of them is inspired by Nenbutsu, and toning down the characters' flashiness (i. e. Ryu of the braid shop is less colorful and his killing techniques are more plausible, and Sei the florist is now a blacksmith who uses tools instead of flower branches).
  • Ataru Toradoshi! Kotoshi mo dai yakushin Hissatsu & Tigers ("Strike in the Year of the Tiger! This year will be the breakthrough of Hissatsu and the Tigers" — 1986 Clip Show): Hanshin Tigers tie-in.
  • Hissatsu! III: Ura kao hyō ka ("Certain Kill! Hidden side and surface" — 1986 Movie): A movie which follows the Darker and Edgier turn of Gekitou-hen, where a group of greedy and corrupt lenderers and accountants want to kill the shigotonin and/or or humiliate them by destroying their supposed daytime business and lives. The three allied killers from Gekitou-hen die in the end, as well as many of the shigotonin's relatives.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V · Senpu-hen ("Certain-Kill Workers 5: Whirlwind Edition" — 1986-1987, 14 ep.): A Lighter and Softer turn after the unsuccessful Gekitou-hen prequel, with only Mondo and Sei returning from it, as well as the now-dentist Junnosuke from Shigotonin III-V, who are joined by a fisherman and a spy.
  • Shinshun Shigotonin Special: Hissatsu Chūshingura ("New Year's Workers special: Certain-Kill Chūshingura" — 1986 TV Special): A retelling of The 47 Ronin tale with the characters from Senpu-hen.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V · Fuun Ryūko-hen ("Certain-Kill Workers 5: Wind-Cloud, Tiger-Dragon edition" — 1987, 19 ep.): Essentially the second half of the Senpu-hen season, now without Junnosuke, as well as the fisherman being replaced for a new Nankin Tamasudare-playing street performer^note The fact that the fisherman, played by the musician Hide Demon, had to leave Senpu-hen for scheduling reasons, is one of the main reasons of the immediate season change. The show's mediocre ratings forced it to be the last true Shigotonin show, save two brief seasons in 1991 and 2009.
  • Hissatsu 4: Urami Harashimasu / Sure Death: Revenge ("Certain-kill 4: Dispelling the grudge" — 1987 Movie): A sendoff for the series for a brief while, best known for being directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Mondo Nakamura returns with some veterans from the Shigotonin series: Hide the craftsman, Nishi the student/dentist, Sei the blacksmith, and Benri-ya Otama the spy from the two last Shigotonin V entries, to uncover a conspiracy where the death of one of Mondo's superiors is carefully covered.

Hissatsu Shigotonin specials (1987-1991)

• Hissatsu Shigotonin Wide: Tairō Goroshi: Shimodako no koroshi-waza - chin play, kō play ("Certain-kill Workers Wide: Tairō's Assassination: Shimoda Port's killing technique - Unusual play, good play" — 1987 TV special): When the first US embassy is being created in Japan by Townsend Harris, both sides agree to make a symbolic baseball match. While Mondo is in charge of training the Japanese baseballers, "anything-goes" Kayo will get her hands dirty for the first time and murder Harris — but the hit is all a trap devised by Ii Naosuke to end with the shigotonin once and for all.
• Hissatsu Wide shinshun hisashiburi! Mondo, yume no hatsu shigoto akunin check!! ("Certain-kill Wide: A long time since the last new year! Mondo dreams about checking the villains in the year's first day of work!" — 1988 TV special): Makoto Fujita, Mondo Nakamura's actor, has an accident in while filming and faints: somehow, he's transported into the world of the shigotonin as if it were real.
• Omatase Hissatsu Wide: Shigotonin VS Hikken Mikagoroshi Gundan: Mondo, keiba de ōana o nerau!? ("Greatly anticipated Certain-Kill Wide: Workers VS Three-day Secret Fist Killers Army: Mondo, will you aim at the horse race's unexpected victor?!" — 1988, TV special): The shigotonin fight against an assassin who uses martial arts (actor/boxer Hidekazu Akai) amidst a horse-betting conspiracy.
• Hissatsu Special · Shinshun ketteiban! Ōoku, Kasuga Notsubone no himitsu: Mondo, rotenburo de hatsu shigoto ("Certain-Kill Special · New Year definitive edition! Notsubone Kasuga from Ōoku's secret: Mondo's first day of work in an open air bath" — 1989 TV special): A parody of the NHK Drama Kasuga no Tsubone starring an Expy of the series' main character, both set within Ōoku, the women's quarters of Edo Castle.
• Hissatsu Special · Haru Ichiban: Shigotonin, Kyōto e iku: Yamiuchi-nin no nazo no shuryō ("Certain-Kill Special · First storm of spring: Workers go to Kyoto: Dark Assassins' mysterious leader" — 1989 TV special): The shigotonin fight against an Evil Counterpart of their team amidst a corruption case in the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
• Hissatsu Special · Aki! Shigotonin VS Shigotonin: Tokugawa naikaku ōyure! Mondo ni Madonna ("Certain-Kill Special · Autumn! Workers vs Workers: Shakeup in the Tokugawa court! Mondo and the Madonna" — 1989, TV special): A politician and former lover of Mondo (inspired by Takato Doi, who managed to get a surprisingly high result for her party in 1989), gets involved in a conspiracy between corrupt politicians.
• Hissatsu Special · Shinshun: Ooabare Shigotonin! Yokohama ijin yashiki no kettō ("Certain-Kill Special · New Year: Workers' rampage! Duel in Yokohama against the foreign residents" — 1990, TV special): A retelling of the fall of the rōshigumi, starring the shigotonin against Kiyokawa Hachirō.
• Hissatsu Special · Haru: Seizoroi shigotonin! Harusame ja, akunin taiji ("Certain-Kill Special · Spring: An array of workers! The spring rain will sweep away the villains" — 1990, TV special): A retelling of the Siebold incident starring the shigotonin... Narrated by the weatherman Toshio Fukui.
• Hissatsu Special · Aki! Shigotonin VS All Edo Keisatsu ("Certain-Kill Special · Autumn! Workers VS all Edo policemen" — 1990 TV special): The shigotonin get involved in a case amidst the Tenpō Reforms, and fight against one of their greatest enemies, the anti-western science magistrate Torii Yōzō.
• Hissatsu Special · Haru: Yonimo fushigina ooshigoto: Mondo to Hide Honkon Makao de ōabare ("Certain-Kill Special · Spring: Extremely wonderful mission: Mondo and Hide's struggle on Hong Kong and Macau" — 1991, TV special): In the modern day, identical descendants of Mondo and Hide meet on a travel tour between Hong Kong and Macau... While, later, they remember an event from 150 years ago where Mondo and Hide went to Macau to fight against an evil dictator.

Hissatsu Shigotonin · Gekitotsu! to Mondo Shisu (1991-1996)

• Hissatsu Shigotonin · Gekitotsu! ("Certain-Kill Workers: Clash!" — 1991-92, 21 ep.): Mondo joins a new group of covert assassins, which are targeted by a highly secretive anti-shigotonin group of hitmen. Later, Hide the Craftsman joins the new shigotonin team after a close friend is murdered by the hitmen.
  • Hissatsu! 5: Ogon no Chi ("Certain-Kill! 5: Golden Blood" — 1991 Movie) The shigotonin are requested to avenge the victims of a gold-carrying ship that was sunken to artificially inflate the economy, but refuse to do it. However, they get involved amidst the merchant war when Masa the Blacksmith's love interest is involved, despite the rest of the shigotonin's concern.
• Hissatsu Special · Shinshun: Senritsu yūkai sa reru, Mondo dō suru? Edo seikai no kuromaku to taiketsu! Junkin no karakuri zashiki ("Certain-Kill Special · New Year: What will Mondo do about the terrible kidnapping? Showdown against Edo's political wire pullers! Pure gold tatami room" — 1992 TV special): The cast of Gekitotsu! get involved in a case where Mondo's wife and mother-in-law are kidnapped.
• Hissatsu! Mondo Shisu ("Certain-kill! Mondo Dies" — 1996 Movie): Mondo, who has a hard time keeping up with the shigotonin lifestyle, discovers a multiple assassination case involving none other than a dead Hokusai and various people related with him, and is helped by Yuji and Hide. The culprit is an old acquaintance of Mondo, and he's prepared a trap that might end with Mondo once and for all.

Hissatsu Shigotonin 2007 and sequels (2007-)

• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2007 (TV special): The affluent concentric Shōgorō Watanabe, the former ninja-turned-picture framer Ryōji, and the pupeteer Genta moonlight as a team of hired killers at night, aided by the non-violent Jōruri narrator Okiku... And a mostly-retired Mondo Nakamura joins them as a mentor, and to lend his position to Shōgorō.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009 (22 ep.): The last TV series as of 2022, and also the last appearence of Mondo Nakamura before his actor's death. The assassin team from 2007 returns, although they are joined by the tailor Ren after Genta's murder in the middle of the series.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2010 (TV special): The shigotonin return, briefly joined by a mysterious card-player, to murder an evil imperial accountant who is making Edo poor by diverting funds from public works to private luxuries.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2012 (TV special): The shigotonin return to fight against an organization of so-called "waste cleaners" with dark intentions.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2013 (TV special): The shigotonin, briefly joined by a lonely errant, return to investigate the case of a mysterious swordsman who only hurts victims but doesn't kill them, a health clinic who seems to be vaguely related to the damages, and the heir of clinic's dying father.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2014 (TV special): Shōgorō Watanabe, Ryōji and Okiku from 2007 are joined by the novice monk Ryu, who is looking to avenge his master's death. The shogunate creates a public organization where people pay to assassin their grudges, just like the shigotonin... However, they seem to be interested in cleaning the town from the shogunate's enemies rather than to help people live better.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2015 (TV special): The shigotonin are joined by a couple of assassins: the tiler Jinpachiro and his wife "Eye mole" Omiya, to solve the case of a couple of villains who manipulate divorced women to join a prostitution ring.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2016 (TV special): The definitive shigotonin team is formed: Shōgorō Watanabe, Ryōji and Okiku from 2007, Ryu from 2014 and Jinpachiro from 2015. A shogunate official reaches the shigotonin's town to restructure it to reduce costs, including Shōgorō's job. However, his true intentions are to run scams through various mobsters and eliminate the opposition.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin (2018, TV special): A revolutionary sect makes terrorist acts and brainwashing through Edo to end with its reckless capitalism and injustice (even seducing the shigotonin Ryu to their side), although, suspiciously, they mostly target rich people, including what they consider as the "money worshipping" shigotonin. The revolutionary leader also has ties with Shōgorō Watanabe's past, especially the death of his parents.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2019 (TV special): A humble merchant who takes jobs like the shigotonin without violence is incredibly well-liked in Edo, although he is being closely monitored by a supposedly nice, generous wealthy merchant who would like to own his business and contacts (i. e. competition): if the opulent merchant doesn't manage it by corrupting the humble merchant into nobility, he'll do it by violence, just like he does without anyone knowing. The shigotonin are also forced to keep their worsening wealth or corrupt themeselves.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2020 (TV special): The concentric Shōgorō Watanabe has a new rival in his work, a brutally efficient anti-fraud judge who severly punishes gangsters and scammers. However, while the gangsters are severely punished and murdered without an opportunity to defend themeselves, the scams keep on coming from teenage criminals who seem to have no connection to the gangster organizations, but are surprisingly organized for their age.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin (2022, TV special): After the concentric Shōgorō Watanabe is criticised for not doing enough to repair a corrupt town, he gets a young assistant to try to make him more competent. At the same time, a mysterious band of teenage is wreaking up havoc in Edo, targeting at the unpunished murders in the town on their own, while the angry citizens do their work for them.

Non-Mondo Nakamura series:

Literature-based series / Shigotoya Kagyō (1972-1975)

• Hissatsu Shikakenin ("Certain-kill Instigators" — 1972-73, 33 ep.): An adaptation of the Shiokinin Fujieda Baian ("Baian Fujieda, the Executioner") novels^note Technically the two were co-developed at the same time, starring the titular acupuncturist (played by Ken Ogata), who moonlights as a hired killer that uses his daytime job's skills to kill efficiently. He's joined by the down-on his luck Rōnin Nishimura Sanai, who cares more about taking care of his family than the samurai lifestyle, and both of them are given covert assassination missions by an elder employent agency member / former assassin (as long as half of the bounty is paid in advance) who leads a web of spies.
  • Hissatsu Shikakenin (1973-74): A movie trilogy featuring close adaptations of the original novels (Hissatsu Shikakenin, Baian Arijigoku and Shunsetsu Shikakebari). Interestingly enough, although they are movie spin-offs of the TV show, none of them features its complete cast: Baian Fujieda and Nishimura Sanai are played by different actors in the first film, Nishimura Sanai's actor plays a very similar character with a different name in the last two films, and the spy Misaki no Senzō doesn't appear in the third film.
• Tasukenin Hashiru ("Running Assistants" — 1973-74, 36 ep.): A former Phantom Thief^note played by So Yamamura, the old leader from Shikakenin creates a company that accepts any kind of job, from fairly mundane things like cleaning up or take care of animals... To, unbeknownst to most people, ones who are legally and morally reprehensible, like killing people. Much like the previous series, the team is formed by an old leader, a ronin, a bald brute, three spies^note Two of them played by Taisaku Akino, who also plays Ohirome no Hanji in Shiokinin/Shitomenin and had an identical role in Shikakenin; and Yumiko Nogawa, Teppōdama no Okin from Shiokinin/Shitomenin and a geisha in Shikakenin, and briefly, Hiroshi Miyauchi, who basically plays himself as one of his Toku roles. A Lighter and Softer twist to the franchise after the show was accused of inspiring a real-life murder, even changing the franchise's name until 1975's Shigotoya Kagyō.
• Hissatsu Hitchū Shigotoya Kagyō ("Certain-kill Targeting Business" — 1975, 26 ep.): A boisterous, womanizing gambling addict who has abandoned any prospect of having a solid future^note "Disingenuous" Hanbei — Ken Ogata, who also played the main character Baian Fujieda of Hissatsu Shikakinin and an amateur scammer ronin, down on their luck, are forced to take outrageous gambles and shady jobs to pay for their vices and debts... Including missions that can end in assassinations. However, neither of them have ever killed anybody, and becoming cold professionals might be harder than expected — although they are helped by their leader Osei, who's also the heiress of a thief's fortune, and an anti-gambling thief/spy.

Hissatsu Karakurinin series (1976-1978)

• Hissatsu Karakurinin ("Certain-kill Mechanists" — 1976, 13 ep.): A return to the "work-for-hire" formula of Tasukenin Hashiru with a heavier dose of Historical Fiction (Happening during the Tenpō famine and the bansha no goku censorship), starring a close-knit family led by the widow of the former head played by the renowned actress Isuzu Yamada (who would later become a staple of the Karakurinin and Shigotonin series), and who includes members such as a pillowmaker^note "Yumeya" Tokijiro, played by Ken Ogata, who also acted as the main characters of Shikakenin and Hitchū Shigotoya Kagyō, a fireworks maker, a super-strong man and a teenage girl. They have no problem to help the weak — and fight against a rival team of assassins, who killed the head of the family and has a close relation with the shogunate''.
• Hissatsu Karakurinin · Keppūhen ("Certain-kill Mechanists: Blood Wind Edition" — 1976-77, 11 ep.): Despite the name, the series shares no relation to any of the other Karakurinin entries. The work is set during the end of the Edo era, where the end of the Tokugawa shogunate is near, and stars Tsuchi Dosaemon^note Played by Tsutomu Yamazaki, aka "Nenbutsu no Tetsu" in both Shiokinin entries. One of the reasons this show was made was to have Yamazaki on the creators' payroll for Shin Shiokinin, a Satsuma-backed spy-assassin who relies on guns instead of other unusual weapons, and joins an Edo-based team of workers that also performs paid assassinations as an alternate job.
• Shin Hissatsu Karakurinin ("New Certain-kill Mechanists" — 1977-78, 13 ep.): A remake of Karakurinin, sharing an almost identical cast under similar roles. This time, they star as a traveling troupe which keeps moving through Japan and once again help the weak (killing their victims with unusually flashy methods), but they are joined by the scholar Takano Chōei (who doesn't hesitate to assassinate, either) and the painter Hiroshige, which gets inspiration from their travels to draw the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
• Hissatsu Karakurinin · Fugaku Hyakkei Koroshitabi ("Certain-kill Mechanists: Murder Travels to the Hundred Views of Mount Fuji" — 1978, 14 ep.): A pseudo-sequel to Shin Hissatsu Karakurinin, although only two characters return under different names. This time, the traveling troupe is joined by a hitman paid by an ukiyo-e publisher ^note Karajuro, played by Masaya Oki, aka "Kannoke no Jo" in Shiokinin and Ichimatu in Shiokiya Kagyō, so that the painter Hokusai can finish his Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.

Tobe! Hissatsu Uragoroshi (1978-1979)

• Tobe! Hissatsu Uragoroshi ("Fly! Certain-kill Uragoroshi" — 1978-79, 23 ep.): A sun-powered ascetic that can hear the dead^note "Sensei", played by Atsuo Nakamura, who also played the street performer Kennosuke Akai in Shiwazanin, an amnesiac assassin, a strong crossdresser, an undead greedy businessman^note "Seiju", played by Shohei Hino, and also is vaguely implied to be Shohachi from Shin Shiokinin/Shōbainin and a poor shrine maiden join forces to assist the unjustly dead’s pleas and avenge them. The thematic change was made as a response to an occultism fad, and despite its attempt to be a non-Mondo mainline series, it was very nearly responsible for the show’s end.

Hissatsu Shimainin series (1981-1982)

• Hissatsu Shimainin ("Certain-Kill Dancers" — 1981, 13 ep.): A Spiritual Sequel to the Karakurinin series, now with a greater emphasis on appealing the newfound female audience after Shigotonin (i. e. mostly women-themed grudges), although this time with the traditional killing fee from the non-Karakurinin entries and a wider scope on traveling not restricted by ukiyo-e themes. Much like Karakurinin, it stars a theatre troupe that travels all around Japan. The show stars Midori Nishizaki, who sang the themes of Shitomenin-Shiwazanin and was a regular guest actress.
• Shin Hissatsu Shimainin ("New Certain-Kill Dancers" — 1982, 13 ep.): A straight sequel from Shimainin, and the only case in a non-Mondo series where the complete cast returns to a sequel.

Non-Hissatsu Shigotonin series / Shigotonin spin-offs (1978-1987)

• Hissatsu Watashinin ("Certain-kill Deliverers" — 1983, 13 ep.): The first non-traveling, non-Mondo show since Keppūhen, since it's set on a small Edo town. The series has an unusual focus on domestic and relationship issues: the leader of the workers' team^note Played by Midori Nishizaki, who also played as the troupe leader in both Shimainin shows owns a clinic and performs abortions, the rest of the team has healthy romantic relations (including two of the workers, who have a stable relationship^note The husband is played by Atsushi Watanabe, i. e. Sutezō in Shiokiya Kagyō-Shiwazanin), and many of the villains are sexual deviants.
• Hissatsu Shikirinin ("Certain-kill Settlers" — 1984, 18 ep.): A series featuring the highly popular Yuji of the shamisen shop from Shin Shigotonin-Shigotonin IV without the rest of the team, as well as most of the cast of the Shimainin series ^note The troupe leader Bandō Kyōzan (Machiko Kyo), the hitman Jinmatsu (Etsushi Takahashi) and the dancer Ohana (Midori Nishizaki) return respectively as the fortuneteller Okuni, the bird-tamer Ryunosuke Torada and the secretary Oshin, who are joined by a hairdresser^note Gannosuke Ashita, who played as The Brute in most of the Karakurinin series, a tailor and a teenage monk, to punish Edo's evildoers. The show has an even bigger focus on referencing modern pop culture than the Shigotonin series, even referencing modern occultism, Professional Wrestling or works like Tarzan, and it was an unsuccessfull attempt to make a non-Shigotonin Yuji Spinoff Sendoff.
• Hissatsu Hashikakenin ("Certain-kill Bridgecrossers" — 1985, 13 ep.): An unsuccessful attempt at returning to the franchise's Darker and Edgier roots through a plot similar to Fugaku Hyakkei Koroshitabi, where a group of killers (starring Masahiko Tsugawa, best known for playing various villains through the series) investigate a dying man's mysterious map that marks 13 targets.
• Hissatsu Masshigura! ("Full-speed Certain-kill!" — 1986, 12 ep.): Another Shigotonin spin-off featuring Hide the craftsman, who wants to rescue a prostitute from an evil army of Mooks and their demonic boss, and travels around Japan with a group of low-ranking samurai and monks to finish his bounties. The plot and action setpieces are influenced by, of all things, Super Mario Bros., and was widely panned as one of the lowest points of the series even by its production staff.
• Hissatsu Kengekinin ("Certain-kill Swordplayers" — 1987, 8 ep.): A Genre Throwback to Jidaigeki Silent Movies, complete with unashamedly Black And White Morality to the point that the heroic trio are first and foremost flashy Phantom Thieves (in the vein of Goemon or Jiraiya) and hired assassins second. Since it doesn't fit with the rest of the series' scope, it was probably a case of the producers having fun, since it was confirmed to be the last show before it was aired.

Hissatsu Shimatsunin / Yuji spin-offs / Chil-Woo (1996-2008)

• Hissatsu Shimatsunin ("Deadly Dealers" — 1997 Movie): A film intended to be the first of many in a movie-themed theme park, although the project was unsucessful and the latter two had to be released in direct-to-video format.
  • Hissatsu Shimatsunin II: Midare saku onna yakusha no yume butai ("Actress' dream stage that blooms in disorder" — 1997 direct-to-video movie)
  • Hissatsu Shimatsunin III: Jigoku ni chitta hanabira ni-mai ("Two petals fall into hell" — 1997 direct-to-video movie)
• Hissatsu! Shamisen-ya Yuji ("Certain-kill! Yuji of the Shamisen shop" — 1999 movie): A Yuji movie spin-off, originally intended as direct-to-video movie that would lead to a new TV series starring Yuji, but ended up as an spectacular box office failure.
• Kyōto Maruhi Shioki-chō ("Kyoto Confidential Punishment Episode" — 1999, TV special): A Setting Update of the Hissatsu series, or, to be more exact, simply one of Yuji of the Shamisen Shop, who is reimagined as a former singer who moonlights as a killer.
  • Kyōto Maruhi Shigotonin ("Kyoto Confidential Worker" — 2001, TV special): A sequel of Kyōto Maruhi Shioki-chō with different names, although it borrows heavily from the unrelated 1980 TV series The Hangman (itself a pseudo-Setting Update of the Hissatsu series).
  • Kyōto Maruhi Shigotonin ("Kyoto Confidential Worker" — 2002, TV special): A sequel of Kyōto Maruhi Shigotonin with the exact same name, now with downplayed references to The Hangman changed to Hissatsu tributes, and once again new names for the characters.
• Choegang Chil-Woo / Hissatsu! Saikyō Chiru ("Chill-Woo, the Strongest" — 2008, 20 ep): A licensed Korean Foreign Remake of the Hissatsu series, starring a young Mondo Expy who forms a band of misfits who moonlight as contracted killers, after his desire to avenge her sister's death.

Complete list of entries:

TV Shows

• Hissatsu Shikakenin — 1972-73, 33 ep.
• Hissatsu Shiokinin (Certain-kill Executioners) / Samurai Punisher — 1973, 26 ep.
• Tasukenin Hashiru (Running Assistants) — 1973-74, 36 ep.
• Kurayami Shitomenin (Darkness Killers) — 1974, 27 ep.
• Hissatsu Hitchū Shigotoya Kagyō (Certain-kill Targeting Business) — 1975, 26 ep.
• Hissatsu Shiokiya Kagyō (Certain-kill Execution Business) — 1975-76, 28 ep.
• Hissatsu Shiwazanin (Certain-kill Wrongdoers) — 1976, 28 ep.
• Hissatsu Karakurinin (Certain-kill Mechanists) — 1976, 13 ep.
• Hissatsu Karakurinin Keppūhen (Certain-kill Mechanists: Blood Wind Edition) — 1976-77, 11 ep.
• Shin Hissatsu Shiokinin (New Certain-kill Executioners) — 1977, 41 ep.
• Shin Hissatsu Karakurinin (New Certain-kill Mechanists) — 1977-78, 13 ep.
• Edo Professional Hissatsu Shōbainin (Edo Professionals: Certain-kill Businessmen) — 1978, 26 ep.
• Hissatsu Karakurinin Fugaku Hyakkei Koroshitabi (Certain-kill Mechanists: Murder travels to the Hundred Views of Mount Fuji) — 1978, 14 ep.
• Tobe! Hissatsu Uragoroshi (Fly! Certain-kill Uragoroshi) — 1978-79, 23 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin (Certain-Kill Workers) — 1979-81, 84 ep
• Hissatsu Shimainin (Certain-Kill Dancers) — 1981, 13 ep.
• Shin Hissatsu Shigotonin (New Certain-Kill Workers) — 1981-82, 55 ep.
• Shin Hissatsu Shimainin (New Certain-Kill Dancers) — 1982, 13 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin III — 1982-83, 38 ep.
• Hissatsu Watashinin (Certain-kill Deliverers) — 1983, 13 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin IV — 1983-84, 43 ep.
• Hissatsu Shikirinin (Certain-kill Settlers) — 1984, 18 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V — 1985, 26 ep.
• Hissastu Hashikakenin (Certain-kill Bridgecrossers) — 1985, 13 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V · Gekitou-hen (Certain-Kill Workers 5: Fierce fight edition) — 1985-86, 33 ep.
• Hissatsu Masshigura! (Full-speed Certain Kill!) — 1986, 12 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V · Senpu-hen (Certain-Kill Workers 5: Whirlwind edition) — 1986-87, 14 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin V · Fuun Ryūko-hen (Certain-Kill Workers 5: Wind-cloud, Tiger-Dragon edition) — 1987, 19 ep.
• Hissatsu Kengekinin (Certain-kill Swordplayers) — 1987, 8 ep.
• Hissatsu Shigotonin · Gekitotsu! (Certain-Kill Workers: Clash!) — 1991-1992, 21 ep.
• Choegang Chil-Woo / Hissatsu! Saikyō Chiru (Chill-Woo, the Strongest) — 2008, 20 ep. Korean remake
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009 — 22 ep.

TV Specials

• Tokubetsu-hen Hissatsu Shigotonin: Kyōfu no Oshigoto Mito ・ Owari ・ Kii (Deadly Workers Special Edition: The dreaded big job: Mito, Owari and Kii) — 1981, Hissatsu Shigotonin special
• Hissatsu Series 10 Shūnenkinen Special: Shigotonin daishūgō (10th Anniversary Special: Workers' great gathering) — 1982, non-canon Shigotonin III prequel
• Maru Hissatsu Gendai-ban: Mondo no shison ga Kyōto ni arawareta: shigotonin VS bōzōzoku (Top-Secret Modern Certain-Kill: Mondo's descendants appear in Kyoto: Workers VS Bosozoku) — 1982, Shigotonin III special
• Toshiwasure Hissatsu Special: Shigotonin Ahen Sensō e iku: Tobe! Netsukikyū yo Honkon e (Year-end party Hissatsu Special: The workers go to the Opium War: Fly! Hot air balloon to Hong Kong) — 1983, Shigotonin IV special
• Hissatsu Shigotonin Gaiden: Mondo, da inana kieitai to tatakau: ōtone Western tsukiyo (Deadly Workers side story: Mondo and The Seventh Cavalry's battle: The innate Western Moonlight) — 1985, Shigotonin V prequel
• Shinso Maru Hissatsu Gendai-ban: Tokyo Roppongi ・ Kyoto Maruyamakoen ・ Osaka Umeda: 3-gen Shigotonin Nama Chūkei (New Top-Secret Modern Certain Kill: Tokyo's Roppongi, Kyoto's Maruyama Park, Osaka's Umeda: Three Workers' raw broadcast) — 1985
• Ataru Toradoshi! Kotoshi mo dai yakushin Hissatsu & Tigers (Strike in the Year of the Tiger! This year will be the breakthrough of Hissatsu and the Tigers) — 1986, Clip Show / Hanshin Tigers tie-in
• Shinshun Shigotonin Special: Hissatsu Chūshingura (New Year's Workers special: Certain-Kill Chūshingura) — 1986, Fuun Ryuko-hen special
• Hissatsu Shigotonin Wide: Tairō Goroshi: Shimodako no koroshi-waza - chin play, kō play (Certain-kill Workers Wide: Tairō's Assassination: Shimoda Port's killing technique - Unusual play, good play) — 1987
• Hissatsu Wide shinshun hisashiburi! Mondo, yume no hatsu shigoto akunin check!! (Certain-kill Wide: A long time since the last new year! Mondo dreams about checking the villains in the year's first day of work!) — 1988
• Omatase Hissatsu Wide: Shigotonin VS Hikken Mikagoroshi Gundan: Mondo, keiba de ōana o nerau!? (Greatly anticipated Certain-Kill Wide: Workers VS Three-day Secret Fist Killers army: Mondo, will you aim at the horse race's unexpected victor?!) — 1988
• Hissatsu Special · Shinshun ketteiban! Ōoku, Kasuga Notsubone no himitsu: Mondo, rotenburo de hatsu shigoto (Certain-Kill Special · New Year definitive edition! Notsubone Kasuga from Ōoku's secret: Mondo's first day of work in an open air bath) — 1989
• Hissatsu Special · Haru Ichiban: Shigotonin, Kyōto e iku: Yamiuchi-nin no nazo no shuryō (Certain-Kill Special · First storm of spring: Workers go to Kyoto: Dark Assassins' mysterious leader) — 1989
• Hissatsu Special · Aki! Shigotonin VS Shigotonin: Tokugawa naikaku ōyure! Mondo ni Madonna (Certain-Kill Special · Autumn! Workers vs Workers: Shakeup in the Tokugawa court! Mondo and the Madonna) — 1989
• Hissatsu Special · Shinshun: Ooabare Shigotonin! Yokohama ijin yashiki no kettō (Certain-Kill Special · New Year: Workers' rampage! Duel in Yokohama against the foreign residents) — 1990
• Hissatsu Special · Haru: Seizoroi shigotonin! Harusame ja, akunin taiji (Certain-Kill Special · Spring: An array of workers! The spring rain will sweep away the villains) — 1990
• Hissatsu Special · Aki! Shigotonin VS All Edo Keisatsu (Certain-Kill Special · Autumn! Workers VS all Edo policemen) — 1990
• Hissatsu Special · Haru: Yonimo fushigina ooshigoto: Mondo to Hide Honkon Makao de ōabare (Certain-Kill Special · Spring: Extremely wonderful mission: Mondo and Hide's struggle on Hong Kong and Macau) — 1991
• Hissatsu Special · Shinshun: Senritsu yūkai sa reru, Mondo dō suru? Edo seikai no kuromaku to taiketsu! Junkin no karakuri zashiki (Certain-Kill Special · New Year: What will Mondo do about the terrible kidnapping? Showdown against Edo's political wire pullers! Pure gold tatami room) — 1992, Gekitou-hen sequel
• Kyōto Maruhi Shioki-chō (Kyoto Secret Files: Executioner's Book) — 1999, Yuji of the Shamisen spin-off / Setting Update
  • Kyōto Maruhi Shigotonin (1) (Kyoto Secret Files: Worker #1) — 2001
  • Kyōto Maruhi Shigotonin (2) (Kyoto Secret Files: Worker #2) — 2002
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2007
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2010
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2012
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2013
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2014
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2015
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2016
• Hissatsu Shigotonin — 2018
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2019
• Hissatsu Shigotonin 2020
• Hissatsu Shigotonin — 2022

Films

Hissatsu Shikakenin series

• Hissatsu Shikakenin — 1973
• Hissatsu Shikakenin: Baian Arijigoku (Baian and the Antlion) — 1973
• Hissatsu Shikakenin: Shunsetsu shikakebari (The spring snow needle device) — 1974

Hissatsu Shigotonin series

• Hissatsu! THE HISSATSU — 1984, Shigotonin IV spin-off
• Hissatsu! Braun Yakata no Kaibutsu-tachi (Monsters of the Braun^note Television, as in Braun tube mansion) — 1985, Shigotonin V spin-off
• Hissatsu! III: Ura kao hyō ka (Hidden side and surface) — 1986, Gekitou-hen sequel
• Hissatsu 4: Urami Harashimasu (Dispelling the grudge) / Sure Death: Revenge — 1987, Fuun Ryuko-ken sequel
• Hissatsu! 5: Ogon no Chi (Golden blood) — 1991, Gekitotsu! spin-off

Post-Shigotonin series

• Hissatsu! Mondo Shisu (Mondo Dies) — 1996
• Hissatsu Shimatsunin (Deadly Dealers) — 1997
  • Hissatsu Shimatsunin II: Midare saku onna yakusha no yume butai (Actress' dream stage that blooms in disorder) — 1997, direct-to-video
  • Hissatsu Shimatsunin III: Jigoku ni chitta hanabira ni-mai (Two petals fall into hell) — 1997, direct-to-video
• Hissatsu! Shamisen-ya Yuji (Yuji of the Shamisen shop) — 1999

Other media

Novels

• Seibei-ryū Gokui -Meiji Dorobō Monogatari- ("Seibei-style Secret: A Meiji thief's story") — 1967 story by Sen Saga, source of Tasukenin Hashiru
• Shikakenin Fujieda Baian ("Baian Fujieda, the instigator") — 1972-1990 novel series by Shōtarō Ikenami, source of the "Hissatsu Shikakenin" TV show and movies
• Hissatsu Yami Doshin ("Certain-kill Dark Constable") — 2001-2006 novel series by Katsuyuki Nakamura
• Shikuminin Hissatsu-Ken ("Devisers' Sword Certain-Kill") — 2004 novel pair by Takahiko Masuda

Manga

• Hissatsu Shiokinin — Adaptation of the 1973 TV series
• Hissatsu Hitchū Shigotoya Kagyō — Adaptation of the 1975 TV series
• Hissatsu Shimatsunin — Adaptation of the 1997 movie
• Hissatsu Shioki Nagaya ("Certain-Kill Execution Tenement House") — Original 1999 manga
• Hissatsu Yami Doshin — Adaptation of the 2001 novel series
• Shin Hissatsu Yami Doshin — Adaptation of the 2001 novel series

Video Games

• Hissatsu Shigotonin — 1990, Famicom
• Hissatsu! —- 1996, Sega Saturn

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The franchise in general provides examples of the following tropes:

• Almighty Janitor: The show's Strictly Formula plot involves middle to low-class craftsmen, merchants, artists and all kind of workers that moonlight as efficient assassins, so it's a given.
• Baseball Episode: The Tairo Goroshi special involves a Japan vs USA baseball match organized by Townsend Harris, and the thwarted conspiracy to kill him. The show itself is loosely associated with the Hanshin Tigers since Tora Motojime, the villain of Shin Hissatsu Shiokinin, was played by a former Tigers player (and didn't hesitate to show his skills).
• Breakout Character
  • Mondo Nakamura from Hissatsu Shikakenin started as a supporting character, but quickly established himself as the face of the series after Shitomenin and Shiokiya Kagyō proved to be more successful than the in-between shows. This turned out to be troublesome at first for the producers, since his role as a deuteragonist, despite being the series' protagonist, made him appear last in the credits — something that his actor complained of, threatening the producers to leave the show if this issue didn't get solved.
  • Hide the Craftsman from Shigotonin saved the series from becoming cancelled to a ratings hit, thanks to bringing a sizable female audience to the series.
  • Musical Assassin Yuji of the Shamisen Shop is the stand-out example, thanks to his rather artistical method of hanging victims. He was so popular that he later got got his own spin-off role, film, and TV specials.
  • Both Hide and Yuji got their own expies as, respectively, Sei the Florist/Blacksmith and Ryu of the Braid Shop. Both characters, while not as popular as their inspirations, were also fairly popular.
• The Bus Came Back: Nenbutsu no Tetsu (of Shiokinin series), who returned to star in a sequel five years later, is probably the most celebrated character to return, since the actor's refusal to return was one of the reasons why the show didn't continue with the same cast. Many other older characters return as minor characters in TV specials.
• Captain Ersatz: Whole casts can be considered copies of other ones (especially when played by the same actor), but Shiokinin's Nenbutsu no Tetsu is probably the character with most copies, since the actor refused to play him more than two times.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Mondo Nakamura's appeal is that he is an old, low-ranking samurai with Limited Advancement Opportunities and a Henpecked Husband in his private life (essentially a feudal Salaryman)... But he's also in secret an efficient assassin that gains reasonable profit from it.
• Darker and Edgier: The show itself is a darker take on the overtly-idealistic Jidaigeki TV shows, although the show has moved to other side of the scale sometimes. Hashikakenin and the first half of Gekitou-hen were attempts to return to the show's roots.
• Five-Man Band
• The Gambler: Shigotoya Kagyō stars a group of workers that also dabble heavily in gambling. In an exceptional case, the show's cast is the only case of assassins without any previous experience.
• Genre Throwback: Hissatsu Kengekinin is one to Jidaigeki silent movies, complete with monochrome filters, vintage special effects and grandiose speech. While it doesn't fit with the series' scope, it was probably a case of the productors having fun, since it was confirmed to be the last show before production.
• Grand Finale: The Mondo Shisu (Mondo Dies) film was one to the series, since it sorta delivers what its title promises... Nevertheless, it was retconned when the show came back in 2007.
• Historical Fiction: The trend started with the Karakurinin subseries, and it's been into a series' staple since Shigotonin.
• Leave No Witnesses: It's supposed to be one of the team's laws in many of the shows, but it usually turns into an excuse to have a new character join the team.
• Lighter and Softer: It was enforced with Tasukenin Hashiru after a murder was accused of imitating the show, but the series left this direction after demonstrating there was no relation with the crime (thus recovering its older fanbase). However, this trope was responsible for saving the show and turning it into a cultural sensation during the eighties.
• Long-Runners: Started in 1972, and hasn't really stopped since then (save for a brief period between 2000 and 2006).
• New Media Are Evil: The show was accused of influencing a man to commit a homicide by strangulation, since the murderer and the victim were supposedly watching the show at the time - needless to say, this pulled back many of the sponsors and the show was almost cancelled. However, it was dismissed when the murderer was offended for the assumption that he could be easily influenced by TV.
• Oddball in the Series: Some of the shows are more experimental, but possibly the biggest examples are Hissatsu Uragoroshi's Paranormal Investigation theme and the retro throwback of Hissatsu Kengekinin.
• Only in It for the Money: The guiding principle of the assassins, but in practice they have more altruistic motivations.
• Paranormal Investigation: Hissatsu Uragoroshi's theme.
• Performer Guise: Frequently used in secondary shows, such as the Karakurinin series.
• Real-World Episode: The TV Special Yume no hatsu shigoto's plot is about Mondo waking up in the filming of an episode.
• Reunion Show: The most notable one is Shigotonin Daishugo, which reunites many starring characters from the show's first ten years.
• Ripped from the Headlines: Comes along with the Denser and Wackier plots of the latter half of the series.
• Same Plot Sequel: Needless to say, the show has certain tropes that repeat time and time again. Of course, this is much more notable in subseries that roughly deal with the same plots.
• Setting Update: The Maru Hissatsu Gendai-ban TV special is about descendants from the Shigotonin series acting in modern-day Japan.
• Spaghetti Western: The show's soundtrack, especially during the first half, is a shameless Ennio Morricone Pastiche, and the characters' anti-heroic tone seems to have been strongly influenced by the genre, too.
• Walking the Earth: The main characters of the Karakurinin series do this, as well as most of the non-Shigotonin series, i. e. the Shimainin series, Shikirinin, Hashikakenin or Masshigura!.
• We Help the Helpless: It's usually the main motive for the main characters' assassination missions, aside from gaining money.
• Weapon-Based Characterization: Part of the appeal of the series is seeing the team of killers' creative ways of dispatching their targets. There are a bunch of archetypes:
  • Improvised Knife: Usually used by The Leader. Some sort of object, usually related to the character's day job, slightly modified as a stabbing tool, which is usually impaled on the victim's nape. The most famous are Baian Fujieda's acupuncturist needles (Shikakenin) and Hide the Craftsman's ornate hairpins (Shigotonin I-IV, Masshigura!)^note The method was also used by the earlier Osei the dancing master in Shobainin and Kyozan Bando of the traveling troupe in Shimainin, but they also include kiseru pipes, yatate brush holders, improvised bamboo skewers, moxibustion needles, a pillow-making spatula, a hairdressing comb, fishing rods, an ascetic's flagpole, hand mirrors, fortuneteller bamboo sticks, a tailor's ruler, flower twigs, popin glass toys, a woven screen, a heart-reaching gimlet or pruning shears^note Kiseru pipe = Heinai Tsuji the assistant, Tasukenin. Yatate brush holder = Mitsugu Itoi the artist, Shitomenin. Bamboo skewers = Ichimatsu the hitman, Shiokiya Kagyō (an unusually creative assassin, since he gets his skewers from any close source and is even able to send them flying by small gadgets like an origami paper crane or toy copters). Moxibustion needles = Mataemon the Moxibustion doctor, Shiwazanin. Pillow spatula = "Dreamer" Tokijiro the pillowmaker, Karakurinin. Hairdressing comb = Shinji the hairdresser, Shobainin. Hand mirror = Sōta the mirror polisher, Watashinin. Fortuneteller stick = Okuni the fortuneteller, tailor ruler = Shinkichi the kimono tailor, both from Shikirinin. Fishing rod = Karajūrō the painting carrier, Karakurinin: Fugaku Hyakkei. Flagpole = Sensei the ascetic, Uragoroshi. Flower twigs = Masa the florist, Shigotonin V. Popin toy = San, Shigotonin V: Gekitou-hen. Nankin Tamasudare = Kagero no Eitaro the street performer, Shigotonin V: Fuun Ryūko-hen. Gimlet = Ryōji the Painter, Shigotonin 2009-2022. Shears = Ryū the novice monk, Shigotonin 2020-2022. Sometimes, genuine weapons are used under this set, such as an okinawan Rochin (Jo the Coffinmaker, Shiokinin — his Expy Masa the Blacksmith, formerly Masa the Florist, uses a very similar weapon in all the Shiokinin V sequels), samurai daggers or a spear/shakujō^note "Has-been samurai" Masakichi in Shigotoya Kagyō, Obasan the shugenja in Uragoroshi, "Knight" Ogin the samurai attendant in Masshigura!, Ryū the novice monk in Shigotonin 2014-2022. Spear = "Lance" Tōkichi the rōnin, Masshigura!, shakujō = "Brisky Bonze" Matsu the priest-entertainer, Kengekikin.
  • Katanas Are Just Better: Almost always used by the constable Mondo Nakamura or his successor Shōgorō Watanabe (post-2007 series), but his role has been filled in some non-Mondo shows by other characters like the rōnin Sanai Nishimura in Shikakenin, the assistant Bunjūrō Nakayama in Tasukenin, the traveling troupe member and Iaijutsu Practitioner Naojiro in the Shimainin series, the Shinto priest "Takamagahara" Ayamaro in Masshigura! (which simply borrows some temple's sword), or Ayatarō the Dual Wielding Karuta dealer from Kengekinin.
  • Bare-Fisted Monk: Usually displayed by The Big Guy. The Genius Bruisers tend to show a precise X-Ray Vision effect, like the bonesetter Nenbutsu no Tetsu's spine-breaking fingers in the Shiokinin series, Murasami no Daikichi the tombstone maker's lethal heart grip in Shitomenin, or Daikichi the laborer's intestine-crushing grip in Watashinin. Other killers with Super-Strength rely on more direct methods, like wrestling moves, pushing out the victims from rooftops, bone-breaking toe kicks, beating and trampling, folding victims in half, fighting in improvising wrestling rings, bludgeoning people with tobacco pipes, crushing the victims' throats, paralysing fingerpokes, or using brass knuckles^note Wrestling = Aburagami no Rikichi, Tasukenin. Rooftop pusher = Ingen the mendicant priest, Shikokiya Kagyō. Toe kicker = Naojirō the pimp, Karakurinin: Keppu-hen. Trampler = Waka the child, Uragoroshi. Victim folder = Samon Nawate the oden vendor, Shigotonin I. Wrestling ring = Kanpei the hairdresser, tobacco pipe bludgeoner = Ryūnosuke Torada the bird dealer, both from Shikirinin. Throat crusher = Ichi, Shigotonin V: Gekitou-hen. Pressure points = "Nutcracker" Zabō the washer, Shigotonin 2013. Brass knuckles = Jinpachirō the Tilemaker, Shigotonin 2015-2019, 2022.
  • Slashed Throat: Mostly associated with a shamisen's plectrum used by the Cool Old Lady (i. e. Ikichi the Geisha House owner in Karakurinin, Otsuya the traveling troupe leader in Shin Karakurinin / Fugaku Hyakkei, Otowa the shamisen player in Shigotonin I and Oriku the shamisen maker in Shin Shigotonin-Shigotonin V; although the Trope Maker was the male artist Mitsugu Itoi in Shitomenin), but sometimes done with a shaving razor, a hand fan, a metal wrist cuff, a diamond ring, or a koto fingerpick^note Shaving razor = "Disingenous" Hanbei the gambler, Shigotoya Kagyō (who stopped using it after real-life barbers' complaints). Hand fan = Osei the dancing teacher in Shobainin, Ni the actor in Shigotonin V: Gekitou-hen. Wrist cuff = Shinmatsu of the traveling troupe, Shimainin. Diamond ring = "Kamaitachi" Shinobi the doctor, Watashinin. Fingerpick = "Tear-mole" Omiya the housewife, Shigotonin 2015.
  • Choke Holds: Associated in most cases with The Lancer. At first the killers strangle with close-range tools like the victim's own hairband/hair, towels, hyōshigi clappers, or a gold thread^note Victim's hair = Kennosuke Akai the street performer, Shiwazanin. Towel = "8-shaku" Tobei the geisha house clerk, Karakurinin. Hyōshigi clappers = Shinmatsu of the traveling troupe, Shin Shimainin. Gold thread = Ryūji the textile dealer, Hashikakenin... But the most popular user by far is Yuji of the Shamisen Shop from Shin Shigotonin-IV / Shikirinin, who used his instrument's strings to hang people from any distance — even getting a very similar Expy with Ryu of the Braid Shop from Shigotonin V-Gekitou-hen, who used the exact same methods but with a textile braid rope. Yuji's method got other expies: "Ropecatcher" Seiji the fireman's grappling hook (Kengekinin), "Karakuri" Genta's puppet snake attached to a cloth (Shigotonin 2007-2009), and Genta's immediate replacement Ren the Tailor who uses a thread attached to a sewing needle (Shigotonin 2009-2013).
  • Improbable Aiming Skills: Less frequent than the rest, but associated with The Smart Guy. Done in multiple ways: with simple guns/rifles, blowing weapons (spit needles, a bowgun-like bird-training whistle), thrown objects (harpoons, roof tiles, steel origami cranes, metal playing cards) or even anachronistic firearms (a one-shot bamboo gun, a portable catapult, a bamboo bazooka or a projectile-shooting smoking pipe)^note Firearms = Tosaemon the spy, needles = Shinnosuke the temple page, both from Karakurinin: Keppu-hen. Bamboo gun = Miyomatsu the tinker, harpoon = Shinigami the evil Gilyak hitman, both from Shin Shiokinin. Portable catapult / bamboo bazooka = Junnosuke Nishi the student / dentist, Shigotonin III-IV / Shigotoning V: Senpu-hen. Bird whistle = Shinkichi the bird trapper, roof tiles = Okura the roofer, both from Hashikakenin. Steel cranes = "Night Crane" Ginpei the ferryman, Shigotonin V: Fuun Ryuko-hen. Smoking pipe gun = Yumeji, Shigotonin: Gekitotsu!. Playing cards = "Karuta" Riki the bouncer, Shigotonin 2010.
  • Improbable Weapon User: Other rare methods of assassination are simply too bizarre to fit on any of the other categories above, such as eaten fireworks, fire blowing, body hypnotism, head-drilling tops, a skull-breaking fishing creel, a Leyden jar, or a poison-filled paintbrush^note Fireworks = "Trapster" Tenpyō, Karakurinin. Fireblowing = Bura Taira, hypnotism = "Storyteller" Shohachi", tops = "Actress" Kogoma, all from the traveling troupe in Shin Karakurinin. Fishing creel = Uzo from the traveling troupe, Karakurinin: Fugaku Hyakkei. Leyden jar = Junnosuke Nishi the student, Shigotonin III. Paintbrush = Ryōji the Painter, Shigotonin 2007. While it's not used as a weapon, the heroes of Kengekinin use an inflatable nebuta-like toad to stun people amidst a ruckus, before disappearing with practical smoke effects.