It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior from 1996 to 1998, with its chapters collected in five tankōbon volumes.

It was licensed in North America by Viz Media and serialized in Pulp from 1997 to 2000, while the five collected volumes were released from 1999 to 2002.

Mayo is a professional assassin who is hired by the "Organization" to kill the mother of a young prostitute, Shion.

As Mayo takes pity on Shion and her mother, who offer him more money, the leaders of the Organization pronounce a death sentence on him.

Written by Buronson and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, Strain was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior from 1996 to 1998.