If 2021’s “Baby Assassins” was a fine start for the titular franchise, this Baby Assassins 2 review finds the sequel to be a textbook example of how to blast through the roof. Bringing its two adorably cute and lethally well-trained anti-heroines back into action for a new battle against financial troubles, workplace bureaucracy, and rivals determined to take their place, “Baby Assassins 2” is all the cutesy, hilarious, action-packed craziness of its predecessor dialed up to 20.
Trailer
Cast
Akari Takaishi and Saori Izawa reprise their roles as professional assassins and devoted friends Chisato Sugimoto and Mahiro Fukagawa, with Joey Iwanaga and Tatsuomi Hamada portraying their rivals Yuri Kamimura and Makoto Kamimura. Junpei Hashino appears as Yuri and Makoto’s advisor Mr. Akagi, with Atom Mizuishi appearing as Tasaka and Tomo Nakai appearing in the role of Mana Miyauchi and Tatsuomi Hamada portraying Makoto Kamimura.
Chisato and Mahiro get more than they expected on their trip to the bank.
Chisato and Mahiro find some new allies on their mission.
Plot
Professional assassins Chisato and Mahiro have hit a rough patch in their lives. After discovering they’re far behind on their insurance dues to their assassin union, along with owing four years worth of an unpaid gym membership fee they forgot about, the duo’s effort to pay off the debt by the incoming deadline goes south when the bank is overtaken by robbers. Though Chisato and Mahiro put a stop to the robbers, not only do they fail to make their 3 pm deadline, but their intervention leads to their suspension from the assassin’s union. As Chisato and Mahiro take on local mascot jobs to pay the bills, they find themselves pulled back into their day job’s when they’re target by Yuri and Makoto, fellow assassins from another district. Struggling after a botched job themselves and told that the position of full-time assassins is opened in the union upon their death, Yuri and Makoto have Chisato and Mahiro in their sights, forcing the pair to bend the rules of their suspension in order to live to fight another day.
Action
“Baby Assassins 2” Tops Its Predecessor With Ease
“Baby Assassins” has an interesting point of commonality for Kensuke Sonomura’s “Hydra”, and in that both had a kind of proof-of-concept feel to them, more so in the former’s case due to its short run time. While certainly a full feature on its own terms and with plenty of elaborate action for fans to get into, “Baby Assassins” played in its own way like a pitch of “What if John Wick were two Japanese college girls?” to get a larger vision for its universe going (not unlike the ambitious debut of the original “John Wick”). With two more movies and a streaming series produced in just the four years since, it’s safe to say that pitch has been heeded, and “Baby Assassins 2” exudes an enviable confidence with its leap ahead into the “Baby Assassins” universe and headstrong outdoing of its predecessor. Building on everything laid out in front of it by its predecessor, “Baby Assassins 2” cements its action-comedy-assassin combo as an outstanding formula, made all the better by the chemistry of its two leads.
Mahiro dodges Yuri assault.
Mahiro has Yuri on the ropes!
“Baby Assassins 2” Adds New Elements To Chisato & Mahiro’s Friendship
The pairing of Saori Izawa and Akira Takaishi as Chisato and Mahiro gave “Baby Assassins” its heart, and a big one with the contrast of two kids just entering adulthood who are secretly been two of the deadliest assassins in the world, and even with their skill set, a lot of their immediate goals boil down to just getting by. “Baby Assassins 2” puts Chisato and Mahiro in an all-too-real dilemma of being in massive debt at the worst time and having to scrape by with menial side hustles that test the resolve of their friendship.
Chisato ends up digging the pair even deeper into their hole when a bid to win a street chess game and clear the board for them goes horribly wrong, and that adds the exact amount of friction to their friendship you’d expect. As charming and endearing as Chisato and Mahiro’s friendship is, their shared economic strife is both as relatable as it gets for the average viewer and a plot turn that adds another dimension to how much they value each other even at the worst of times. Of course, in true “Baby Assassins” style, it’s not pure doom and gloom in its storytelling, with the measures Chisato and Mahiro have to go to just to make a bank deadline and the fallout when they don’t unfolding in pure comedic and zany fun.
Chisato and Mahiro butt heads while working on their temp gig.
Chisato and Mahiro take a breather after a day’s work.
“Baby Assassins 2” Gets Even More Creative With The Action
While Chisato and Mahiro’s debt and assassin suspension puts them in a tight spot, business is nonetheless booming on the action front in “Baby Assassins 2”, the sequel delivering even more of the gun fu and martial arts of its predecessor. Following the introductory mission of Yuri and Makoto in the movie’s opening, the bank heist that ends up being Chisato and Mahiro’s economic downfall is the first big highlight of the film, the pair easily taking down the robbers and frightening their fellow hostages half to death in an ultimately failed bid to make their 3 pm deadline. “Baby Assassins 2” keeps the action coming a-plenty from there, including the franchise’s smackdown that eventually had to happen of Chisato vs. Mahiro when their frustration with each other at having to work mascot jobs to make ends meet boils over into a brawl of costumed anime characters that only “Baby Assassins” could pull off. Of course, things get a lot more serious when Chisato and Mahiro finally meet Yuri and Makoto and in the movie’s rollicking junk yard showdown of eye-popping gun fu, which in turn leads right into the one-on-one smackdown of Chisato vs Yuri.
Joey Iwanaga Is An Amazing Final Boss In The Wild Final Showdown Of “Baby Assassins 2”!
While his expertise in the art of fight choreography is comprehensive on all levels, Kensuke Sonomura is quickly distinguishing himself as an action director for whom final fights are practically a singular, exalted category in and of themselves, and one which he always hits 10 out of 10. Case in point – the final brawl of “Baby Assassins 2”, a masterpiece of the form in Chisato and Yuri’s one-on-one that by itself would make an excellent jumping on point for newcomers to the “Baby Assassins” franchise. With a powerful blend of poise and kicking skills, Joey Iwanaga nearly steals the movie as the formidable if empathetic final boss Yuri, yet more proof that a hero or heroine is only as great as their villain, and one who really makes the ever-determined Mahiro fight harder than ever.
Chisato and Mahiro get the drop on their enemy.
Mahiro brings her powerful fighting skills to her showdown with Yuri.
Summary
The first “Baby Assassins” may have set the table for the potential of Chisato and Mahiro’s friendship and professional partnership as an exhilarating and fun action-comedy franchise, but “Baby Assassins 2” takes that mandate like a million-dollar bounty and cashes its check before the hallway mark. Akira Takaishi and Saori Izawa are arguably the most engaging and endearing action movie duo in years as Chisato and Mahiro, while “Baby Assassins 2” goes full throttle on topping the action of its predecessor to very successful results. Like “John Wick: Chapter 2” before it, “Baby Assassins 2” builds on its already very strong predecessor to cement itself as a franchise action fans are eager to keep returning to, with two protagonists literally and figuratively killing it at headlining the wild travails of the franchise!
Chisato and Mahiro lock and load for their mission.
Trivia
Saori Izawa also served as Rina Sawayama’s stunt double on “John Wick: Chapter 4”.
Joey Iwanaga is an exponent of karate, taekwondo, and boxing. Some of his other action movie credits include “Enter the Fat Dragon”, “Samurai Fury”, “Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part 1 – The Final”, and Kenji Tanigaki’s 2026 Hong Kong action ensemble “The Furious” alongside Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, Jeeja Yanin, Yayan Ruhian, and Brian Le.
Satoshi Kibe and Yousoke Shibata respectively served as Akira Takaishi and Saori Izawa’s stunt doubles.
Favourite Quotes:
“You’re kidding.” – Chisato and Mahiro in unison as robbers enter the bank they’re trying to pay off their debt in.
Baby Assassins 2 is now available from Well Go USA!
Film rating – 8.5 /10
“Baby Assassins 2” is now available on VOD and Blu-ray, and Well Go USA’s streaming platform Hi-YAH! Have you seen “Baby Assassins 2”? What are your thoughts on Kensuke Sakamoto’s excellent fight choreography? What are some of your favourite Japanese martial arts action movies? Like, share and join in the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter & Instagram. (And don’t forget to pay a visit to KFK’s FU-niverse of movie reviews and exclusive interviews, grab your official KFK gear and subscribe for more action on YouTube, as well!)
