Blade of the Immortal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.
Blade of the Immortal
Cover to Blade of the Immortal vol. 2: Cry of the Worm by Hiroaki Samura
無限の住人
(Mugen no Jūnin)
Genre action, drama
Manga
Authored by Hiroaki Samura
Publisher Japan Kodansha
United States Dark Horse Comics
Brazil Conrad Editora
Germany Ehapa
Poland Egmont
Italy Panini Comics
Serialized in Japan Afternoon
Original run 1994 – present
No. of volumes 19 (currently) [1]

Blade of the Immortal, or 無限の住人 (Mugen-no-Jūnin, literally "Inhabitant of Infinity"), is a Japanese manga series by Hiroaki Samura.[1] The series won the Excellence Prize at the 1997 Japan Media Arts Festival[2] and the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award in 2000 for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material.[3] The series is set in Japan during the mid-Tokugawa Shogunate period, beginning in the 2nd year of the Tenmei era or 1782. Blade of the Immortal is being released in the United States by Dark Horse Comics and is up to 19 volumes. It is serialized in comic-book-sized installments monthly.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Blade of the Immortal follows the deeds of Manji, a skilled warrior who has a decisive advantage: no wound can kill him, except by beheading or rare poison. In the past, his criminal actions led to the death of 100 other samurai (including his sister's husband). He becomes immortal at the hand of a 800-year-old nun named Yaobikuni, and is compelled by the death of his sister to accept the quest that will end his agelessness. He has vowed to make amends by killing 1000 evil men, and until he does Manji will be kept alive by kessen-chu ('sacred bloodworms'), remarkable creatures that allow him to survive nearly any injury and reattach severed limbs even after hours of separation. They work by sacrificing themselves to seal the wound - they're worms that were bred to be as close in their chemical and physical make-up to humans as you can get without being human. They cannot handle regrowth on a large scale, but, for example, can reattach a severed limb or seal a hole in the brain.

Manji crosses paths with a young girl named Asano Rin and promises to help her avenge her parents, who were killed by a cadre of master swordsmen led by Anotsu Kagehisa. Anotsu killed Rin's father and his entire dōjō, making them a family of outcasts. Anotsu's quest is to gather other outcasts and form an extremely powerful new dojo, the Ittō-ryū (a school teaching any technique that wins, no matter how exotic or underhanded), and has started taking over and destroying other dojos.

In addition, another group calling itself the Mugai-ryū has emerged, in opposition to the Ittō-ryū. Its true leadership and motives are initially a mystery, but its methods (any tactics that leads to victory) resemble those of the Ittō-ryū. They try to enlist Manji's help as they seem to want the same thing. Eventually Manji joins but quickly pulls out after he finds out a member, Shira, is way too sadistic for his tastes. After a while Manji finally discovers that the Mugai-ryū work for the government. They are all death row inmates who are allowed to live only if they serve the shogonate. While Manji and Shira quickly grow to hate each other, after Shira runs off, Manji remains on friendly terms with the other members of the group.

[edit] Characters of Blade of the Immortal

[edit] Main characters

  • Manji (卍 Manji?): The immortal referred to in the title. The fallen samurai Manji served the Hatamoto Horii Shigenobu, a local daimyō, enforcing his brutal rule (unknowingly) on the local populace until he found out his lord was corrupt and killed him. For that he was considered an outlaw and hunted down by the same daimyō clan, achieving the nickname "Killer of 100" after the body count. He planned to flee to his sister's house even though she had married an officer of the law, Saitō Tatsumasa. Manji ended up killing his sister's husband out of self-defense when he attacked Manji. His sister witnessed her husband's death at the hands of her brother and went insane, reverting to a child-like mindset. Manji settled down to take care of her. At some point during this time, he met Yaobikuni (her name literally means "nun of eight hundred years"), a mysterious nun, who gave him the kessen-chu, or sacred bloodworms that make him immortal. Despite the obvious advantages of being nearly unkillable, Manji dislikes being immortal. He tries to get Yaobikuni to remove the kessen-chu, finally making a deal with her. He has to kill 1000 bad men, to make up for the 100 good men he killed, if he does this Yaobikuni will rid him of his immortality. It's worth noting, one reason he doesn't like being immortal is he feels it is making his swordmanship rusty, because he doesn't have to be as good to win. After his sister is killed (due to a revenge for his actions) he met Rin, whom he accepted to help since he felt she was very much alike to his deceased sister. He uses many weapons, a good number of which came from defeated opponents. His two short, hooked swords are named Shidō (four paths). His two standard swords are named Imo-no-Kami Tatsumasa (Sister Defender Tatsumasa). His two chained scythes have no name. His double bladed sword-breaker is named Kotengu (Little devil).He first appears in Criminal.
  • Rin Asano (浅野 凛 Asano Rin?): The sole survivor of an Ittō-ryū massacre at Anotsu's hand and heir to her father's sword school, the "Mutenichi-ryū". She has mediocre swordsmanship skills but an intense desire to avenge the brutal death of her family. She hires Manji as her bodyguard in this quest. However, it's not as simple as that - Rin is constantly torn by doubt over the righteousness and validity of her mission. She comes into contact with Anotsu at one point, but his claim that she is becoming more and more like the Ittō-ryū as she progresses down the path of revenge causes her even more doubt. In recent chapters she realized she can't defeat Anotsu. She has found Anotsu again, and is now traveling with him hoping to catch him with his guard down. Anotsu is no fool and is fully aware of what she is doing, despite this he allows her presence. She has since left his company, vowing that she will eventually kill him; yet she will stand back for the time being and watch how the events unfold. It is also worth noting that she kisses a sleeping Manji in the fifteenth volume, Trickster, and has shown on numerous occasions her developing feelings towards him. They are as of now largely unreciprocated. She has two weapons, a Chinese sword named Kutoneshirika which she carries in a Toju (purse-like scabbard of sorts), and a set of small daggers named Ogunchu (Golden Wasps). She first appears in Conquest part 1.

[edit] Ittō-ryū

  • Kagehisa Anotsu (天津 影久 Anotsu Kagehisa?): Leader of the Ittō-ryū. This emotionally cold young man has prodigious skill with the sword, and leads the Ittō-ryū in order to form a dōjō dedicated not to form and rules, but to the simple test of superior lethality. Brought up by an abusive grandfather (a swordsman disgraced by the Asano dōjō), Anotsu is as pragmatic and shrewd as he is deadly. He isn't as inhuman as originally believed, as he even allows Rin to live after she attacks him; he's currently even letting her follow him everywhere. He has two weapons. The first, his main weapon, is a Nepalese-based axe named Kabutsuchi (Head Hammer). The next is his rarely used sword of the same name. It is not much of a backup weapon, as even Rin referred to it as "pathetic" in Last Blood part 4. First appears in Conquest part 1.
  • Taito Magatsu (凶 戴斗 Magatsu Taito?): Among the Ittō-ryū's finest swordsmen. Of peasant origin, he became a swordsman to avenge his sister, who was killed as a child by a samurai. Taito is one of the few swordsmen who has fought Manji and survived. He has also fought by Manji's side as well. He can be considered a kenshi, a swordsman who is not from the samurai class. His lover of sorts, a prostitute named O-ren was killed by Shira. He quit the Ittō-ryū, although he is still friends with Anotsu. He ends up following Manji around due to the fact he knows Shira is after Manji. Although they argue a lot, Manji and Taito have a relatively friendly relationship. In the end Manji allows Taito to find Shira, and despite how much Shira wants to kill Manji, he lets Taito take him. Eventually Shira loses the one hand he had left to Taito and presumably falls to his death. Later concerned by something Shira said, Taito goes to meet up with Anotsu and eventually rejoins the Ittō-ryū. Taito's weapon is a gladius-like triple-sectioned sword named Grand Turk. The main blade is a gladius, the second is a smaller, shorter sword hidden in the handle, the last is a spear-head like dagger hidden within the second blade. The sword is curiously missing a sword guard. First appears in Conquest part 1, first named in Fanatic part 1.
  • Makie Otono-Tachibana (乙橘 槙絵 Otono-Tachibana Makie?): Master swordswoman and in love with Anotsu. Said to be Anotsu's match and saved his life with her deadly abilities when they were children. Born into a samurai family, Makie and her mother were disowned and cast away from the family by her father, Harukawa, when Makie's older brother committed seppuku after Makie was revealed have inherited the family's famed talent and he was unable to defeat her in combat. She initially chose the path of the sword to avenge her mother's disgrace, but ended up becoming a geisha when Anotsu bought her freedom because she neither had the nerve to become a prostitute like her mother nor commit herself completely to becoming a swordfighter because she does not have the nerve to kill when her concentration in battle is broken. Defeats but does not kill Manji, apparently turning her back on Anotsu. Later found living alone, having bound her hand in an attempt to destroy her own skill in combat after her father's humiliating death. As said by Anotsu, she is the only one that can beat him. Her weapon, a double bladed three-section-staff, is named Haru-no-Okina (Old Man of Spring). She conceals her weapon in a hollowed-out shamisen, a mandolin-like instrument. She first appears in Dreamsong Part 1.
  • Sosuke Abayama (阿葉山 宗介 Abayama Sōsuke?): Second-in-command of the Ittō-ryū. An aged swordsman who nevertheless remains one of the Ittō-ryū's most skilled fighters. A skilled political operative, well suited to handling the dōjō's administrative tasks. Uses a dagger/machete-like weapon with a strange hilt.
  • Araya Kawakami (川上 新夜 Kawakami Araya?): An Ittō-ryū swordsman living as a mask-maker. Determined to conceal his past from his son, Renzo, he is also the man who led the rape of Rin's mother. He first appears in On Silent Wings part 1, and is later killed by Manji in On Silent Wings part 6. Renzo then attacks Manji in rage, Manji feigning death. Renzo then makes an assumption his father had a sordid past with Rin at his father's burial, when Rin says, hypothetically, that there are some reasons past incidents shouldn't be brought up, as the blissful ignorance is better than the lifetime of shame.
  • Higa (火瓦 Higa?): Ittō-ryū fighter fascinated by Manji's immortality and determined to somehow steal it from him. His weapon is a Southeast Asian blade named Kamujin (Godblade). A very determined man, after losing both arms he still tries to kill Hyakurin by biting down on her throat. Beheaded by Shinriji as Higa was attempting to kill Hyakurin.
  • Hanada (花田 Hanada?): Cocky Ittō-ryū swordsman who detests the sun. Killed by Manji. Samura stated he originally was supposed to resemble John Lennon but he ended up as "just another otaku dude". His bizarre glasses shape, one rectangular lens and one circular lens, is a possible homage to Spider Jerusalem from the American comic Transmetropolitan.
  • Uruma (宇留間 Uruma?): Composed Ittō-ryū swordsman whose trademark is a chain ending in a barded spike, used for immobilizing his enemy, as well as his large machete-like weapon, Devil's Drumstick. Killed by Manji.
  • Eiku Shizuma (閑馬 永空 Shizuma Eikō?): Immortal swordsman. Gifted with the same blood-worms as Manji, he seeks to gain Manji as an ally to overthrow Anotsu. He said in Cry of the Worm that the kessen-chu were given to him by Yaobikuni during the Muromachi period, which means he is two hundred years old. He first appears in Conquest part 1, is named in Cry of the Worm part 1 and is later killed by Manji in Cry of the Worm part 3.
  • Kuroi Sabato (黒衣 鯖人 Kuroi Sabato?): Skilled pupil of Anotsu Saburō (Anotsu Kagehisa's grandfather) and master Ittō-ryū swordsman. Along with his skills with a sword, Kuroi has several quirks. The name Kuroi Sabato is inspired by the band Black Sabbath. For this reason, Kuroi's poetry appears whenever he does. In addition, Kuroi is so obsessed with ageless beauty that he used taxidermy to preserve the heads of his former wife and Rin's mother, and mounted them on his shoulders. Along with his sword skills, Kuroi uses two shuriken referred to as Karasu, or "The Crow." He first appears in Conquest part 1 and is later killed by Manji in Conquest part 3.
    • Special Note: Kuroi Sabato roughtly translates into Black Sabbath from Japanese. Kuroi is a direct translation to the color black. Sabato when romanized, can be taken as "Sabbath." Black Sabbath is one of Hiroaki Samura's favorite bands.
  • Kinuka (鬼抜 Kinuka?): Honor-driven Ittō-ryū swordsman. Killed by Giichi.
  • Tamasaki: Enraged Ittō-ryū swordsman under Kinuka. Suffers from muscle deterioration brought about by one of Hyakurin's poisons, and thinks of nothing but his revenge on her. Killed by Hyakurin.
  • Saikaya (賽河屋 Saikaya?): Ittō-ryū swordsman living as a doctor, charged with killing Shira and Manji. Mercilessly killed by Shira.
  • Iwami Ginzan: Ittō-ryū swordsman living as a herbalist. Charged with the duty of killing Shira and Manji. Suffers the same fate as Saikaya.
  • Doa Yoshino (吉乃 瞳阿 Yoshino Dōa?): Ittō-ryū swordswoman who is quite small. Her primary weapon is an odd knife which is fashioned from a spearhead. She appears in the later chapters as one of Ittō-ryū's new recruits. Doa always travels with her friend Isaku and the two have developed complementary fighting styles. This usually consists of Doa providing the offense with her speed and dagger, while Isaku provides the defense with his armored arms. Her tendency to jump right into battle with little to no provocation often lands her and Isaku in trouble. She ends up befriending Asano Rin.
  • Isaku Yasonokami (八苑狼 夷作 Yasonōkami Isaku?): Ittō-ryū member of great height (over 1.90 meters/6'2" tall). Unlike most members of the Ittō-ryū, Isaku has no weapons to speak of, instead he wears various piece of armor and tends to act defensively. He is also Doa's best friend and the two always travel together. Isaku often finds himself rescuing Doa, apologizing for her and keeping her from killing others (usually by picking her up and running away). He and Doa have also developed complementary fighting styles, with Isaku acting as the defense and Doa as the offense. He ends up befriending Asano Rin. Is also Christian.

[edit] Mugai-ryū

  • Hyakurin (百淋 Hyakurin?): A female assassin and a lieutenant in the Mugai-ryū. Hyakurin was the wife of an abusive samurai. She later kills her husband to avenge the death of her son by his father's hand. She is then arrested and sentenced to death. Her case came to the attention of Kagimura who subsequently recruited her into Mugai-ryū. Hyakurin's most unique physical trait is her blonde hair, which she maintains by bleaching it with a strong chemical as a compulsive desire to remove bloodstains from it. While her skills with a sword are unremarkable, she has an extensive knowledge of poisons. This knowledge carries over into her choice of weaponry, a collapsable wrist mounted crossbow with poisoned bolts named Burafuma (Little Steps). After volume 11, Beasts, her skills are impeded after having her arm broken. She later becomes pregnant. She first appears in Dark Shadows part 1.
  • Shira (尸良 Shira?): A cold-blooded killer in the Mugai-ryū. He's responsible for the death of Magatsu Taito's close friend, O-Ren. Shira's a sadistic psychopath who derives sexual pleasure in the torture and murder of his victims, particularly young women. After an attempt to ambush Anotsu goes horribly wrong and he tries to take it out on his attackers. He uses the saw-blade side of his sword to hack of some of their limbs, and then tries to rape a prostitute that was with them while cutting her up at the same time. Rin tries to stop him but is slapped away, Manji arrives and manages to take off Shira's hand before he runs off. Following this incident he cuts some flesh from his injured arm, and sharpens the bones into spikes. His hair turns stark white due to the trama he caused himself. He develops an obsession with revenge on Manji which leads to him betraying his Mugai-ryū comrades, causing the death of Shinriji. Later, his quest for revenge against Manji leads to a battle with Taito, who was traveling with Manji specifically so he could find Shira. This battle further cripples him with in the loss of his remaining hand. Recently he's been shown to be imprisoned in the same prison Manji is currently being held in, and has been set parametres/list as to who he shall face before being allowed to fight Manji (this list includes Magatsu). He also states that he has since lost one eye, and has a new 'weapon' of sorts. He uses a ninja-to sword, with a saw edge on one side of the blade. He usually uses the regular side to immobilize opponents by cutting off their legs, and then uses the saw-blade to cut off other parts of the body and cause maximum pain. This sword is named "Hotosogi" or woman shadow eraser. However, there is a second meaning for "Hotosogi" which also fits Shira's sadistic nature; when the kanji for woman and shadow are used together they become vagina. He first appears in Dark Shadows part 2 and is first named in Dark Shadows part 3.
  • Giichi (偽一 Gīchi?): A highly skilled Mugai-ryū killer. Little is known about his past or reasons for being sentenced to death, though it's suggested that it might involve his sick son who suddenly dies. Giichi is also one of the most skilled fighters in the series, having killed a total of 59 Ittō-ryū swordsmen on his own. He uses a unique weapon which resembles an oversized bladed handcuff attached to a length of chain. The weapon, Kanetsura's Mito-no-Kami (Guardian of the Three Paths), was adapted from a thresher or similar farming implement, and allows him to sever or entangle limbs, necks and weapons from a distance. It is hard to block as the handcuff like action will wrap it around what it hits. He first appearance is in Dark Shadows part 1.
  • Shinriji (真理路 Shinriji?): A bumbling Mugai-ryū swordsman. He was apparently a pickpocket and thief prior to joining the Mugai-ryū. After attending a sword school, he worked for a silk merchant. Disgruntled by his low wages, he stole money from the merchant and left. Shinriji intentionally stole 1 ryo less than 10 ryo to avoid the death penalty. Unfortunately for him, they added the money he earned legitimately to the total. He worked most closely with Hyakurin and developed a crush on her, viewing her as a surrogate mother, her blonde hair reminding him of his foreign mother. While he's not highly skilled with a sword, he does have a firm grasp of dimensions as noted by Kinuka, and is implied by Kagimura to have much potential. He first appears in Dark Shadows part 1, and is later killed by Kinuka, but not before taking out four Ittō-ryū. As a sign of respect, Hyakurin cuts her hair and places the tied locks on his gravesite.
  • Makoto (真琴 Makoto?): A former male prostitute, Makoto was recruited to be the group's mole within the Ittō-ryū. During his time in the Ittō-ryū, he served as a page for the senior members often carrying letters and taking care of their weapons during meetings. He was a key player in the massacre which occurred during a feast meant to celebrate the official union of Ittō-ryū with Banshu, slipping poison into the Ittō-ryū's food. He first appears in Dark Shadows part 1 and is later killed by Abayama in Pity.
  • Kagimura Habaki (吐 鉤群 Habaki Kagimura?): The leader of the Shogun's Banshu samurai, the Bangashira, and secret leader of the Mugai-ryū. He simultaneously invites the Ittō-ryū to become an official sword school while directing the Mugai-ryū against it. Kagimura also masterminded and took part in the massacre that occurred during a feast welcoming the Ittō-ryū into the Banshu. Abayama's comments imply that he is incredibly skilled with a sword, as evidenced by his attack on Manji in Trickster, volume 15. He first appears in Dark Shadows part 1.

[edit] Shingyoto-ryū

  • Kensui Ibane (伊羽 研水 Ibane Kensui?): Sensei of the Shingyoto-ryū dōjō in Kaga. A man with a philosophy similar to the Ittō-ryū, he offers Anotsu the dojo in exchange for marrying his foster child, Hisoka. Forced by the bakufu to betray Anotsu. Dead by his own hand.
  • Hisoka Ibane (伊羽 密花 Ibane Hisoka?): Foster daughter of Ibane Kensui. Afflicted with a sickly body and near blindness as a side-effect of the medication she needs to stay alive, she is physically weak but a sensitive and perceptive individual. She marries Anotsu, but almost immediately after he is betrayed by the Shogonate and Kensui. She aids Anotsu in his escape from Kaga. Dead by her own hand.
  • Iriya (入谷 Irīa?): Student of Ibane Kensui and unrequited lover of Ibane Hisoka. Humiliated by Anotsu during a duel of his own design, and seeks vengeance for the deaths of Kensui and Hisoka. Killed by the wounded Anotsu in Last Blood.
  • Kozue (虎杖 Kozue?): Senior student of Ibane Kensui who is largely shown in a humble manner. He does not hold the same feelings of contempt or anger for Anotsu that are principally shared by his fellow students. Killed presumably by Magatsu.

[edit] Other characters

  • Sori (宗理 Sōri?): A high-ranking spy and ninja obsessed with art, driven into political intrigue in order to gain access to European art, which is contraband in that period. Master Sōri has a daughter named Tatsu and is a childhood friend of the Asano clan. Rin goes to him hoping he will be another sword against Ittō-ryū. He refuses to offer any help at first but is soon able to provide Rin with thirty ryō. He later assists Manji after he is injured, and informs him about who is behind the Mugai-ryū. Also hires Magatsu to watch over his daughter while he is away painting, and is later revealed that may have greater interest in Magatsu (to which Manji notes after his conversation with Magatsu in volume 13, Autumn Frost). He first appears in Genius part 1.
  • Yaobikuni (八百比丘尼 Yaobikuni?): As her name implies, she is an eight-hundred-year-old nun. She herself has the kessen-chu and has imparted these blood-worms to both Manji and Shizuma. Yaobikuni finds Rin Asano at the graveyard where Rin's father is buried. After hearing her story, Yaobikuni urges Rin to find the toughest, strongest yojimbo of all: Manji. Yaobikuni is short in stature and has spiral tattoos on her face. She first appears in Criminal.
  • Johnny Gyobutsu (序仁 魚仏 Zīonī Gīobutsu?): Assassin fascinated by western apparel and practices. He poses as a Christian priest, collecting bounties on criminals who confess their sins with a flintlock pistol, marked with the word "Divina" on the barrel. Has the dubious honor of being Manji's first victim to appear in the graphic novel. His first appearance and death both occur in Criminal. His name is a homage to John Lydon's stage name while heading the British punk band Sex Pistols, Johnny Rotten ("Gyobutsu" roughly translates as rotten fish).
  • Shido Hishiyasu (司戸　菱安 Shido Hishīasu?): Leader of the world's baddest ronin gang, the Shinsengumi. After Manji killed his brother "Johnny", Hishiyasu sought revenge by kidnapping Manji's sister, Machi, to use her as bait. When Manji would not submit to a duel, and offered only to fight barehanded, Hishiyasu lets Machi go only to kill her immediately after. He has two pronged swords that have the word "ACID" on the tsuba. After the death of his sister Manji is able to accept his fate and proceeds to kill the entire ronin gang, starting with Shido Hishiyasu. His first appearance and death both occur in Criminal. Like Johnny, he too has his name based on a member of Sex Pistols, bassist Sid Vicious (being Shido's name an almost literal romanization).

[edit] Story Arcs

These refer to the English editions published by Dark Horse Comics. Blade of the Immortal can be (so far) roughly divided into four main storyarcs:

1) Introduction: Volume 1 (Blood of a Thousand) ~ Volume 5 (On Silent Wings, part 2)

In this story arc, the reader is introduced to the main characters, plot, central conflict and overall theme of the series ("documenting the human struggle"). The plot is superficially simple: Manji and Rin wander around Edo, occasionally meeting members of Ittō-ryū on their quest to find Anotsu. However, the bulk of Samura's philosophical ruminations can be found in this introductory story arc, from obsession (Conquest, Genius) duty (Dreamsong) the burden of time (Cry of the Worm) and revenge / redemption (On Silent Wings). Part of Samura's appeal is in not painting his "villains" with black-and-white strokes; even the supposed antagonist Anotsu, who espouses an "end justifies the means" philosophy, elicits sympathy from the reader via his ultimate goal - in that, fighting the widespread corruption of his era and therein fashioning a stronger Japanese society.

2) Mugai-ryū: Volume 6 (Dark Shadows) ~ Volume 9 (The Gathering, part 2)

This story arc introduces the Mugai-ryū, a mysterious sword school intent on hunting down Anotsu Kagehisa. After killing several minor members of Ittō-ryū, Mugai-ryū enlists Manji and Rin to help them track down the elusive Anotsu. The evolution of Samura's style can be seen particularly in this story arc: gone are the elaborate "death murals" and the stronger focus on inking denotes a preference for 'hard' technique in contrast to 'soft' depiction (very little penciling). The first truly despicable villain is also introduced in this story arc, the psychopathic mercenary Shira who delights in blood and torture. The climax of this story arc involves the separation of Manji and Rin, as Rin decides it would be better for her to hunt Anotsu alone; Manji attempts to track her across province borders and ends up in a vicious fight with three Ittō-ryū members.

3) Aftermath / Last Blood: Volume 10 (Secrets) ~ Volume 14 (Last Blood)

The third story arc follows the separate characters as they pursue their various goals: Anotsu to unify his sword school with the remote Shingyoto-ryū in Kaga ; Rin on her quest to locate Anotsu; Manji's recovery from his wounds taken in the previous story arc and, eventually, his search for Rin; Magatsu's hunt for the murderous Shira; the consequences dealt upon Mugai-ryū by the vengeful Ittō-ryū members. By volume 13, Mirror of the Soul, the divergent threads begin to come together and the series (as a whole) reaches a climax with volume 14, Last Blood, wherein most of the principle characters meet and engage in some form of battle. Last Blood also includes the beginning sections of the next and current story arc.

4) Prison: Volume 14 (Last Blood) ~ present

Ongoing in Japan as of December 11th, 2005; currently at least four trade paperback volumes have been published chronicling the latest adventures of Manji and company. Volume 15, Trickster, was released by Dark Horse as of February, 2006. This fourth story arc concerns the events after Last Blood, beginning with a few apparently-random fights that, in consequence, lead Manji to join up with the shogunate in fighting Ittō-ryū. However, the government has a more devious plot, and imprisons Manji for issue after issue of experimentation, hoping to reproduce the effects of the kessen-chu. This story arc has currently reached a climax in Afternoon.

[edit] The Kessen-Chu

A bloodworm (kessen-chu) is an unexplained little worm-like creature, which lives in the bloodstream and tissue in a non-parasitic way. It heals all wounds acquired by its host, replacing the missing tissue and organs with their own bodies as well as reattaching limbs. The only way to kill a bearer of the bloodworms is to use a bloodworm poison, although it has been implied that cutting off their head may suffice if it is not reattached quickly. During his battle with Makie, Manji said the only way to stop him would be to cut off his head. But whether this would kill him or just leave him unable to function is debatable, because in his battle with Eiku Shizuma, Manji cuts off his head after poisoning him with his own sword, and he does not die until after the kessen-satsu (blood worm killer) takes effect. Further adding to the debate were statements in Wizard magazine that Manji could survive a severed head, but it would take at least a year for the blood-worms to regenerate that much tissue. The time in which it takes for regeneration varies: Manji can reattach a limb within seconds and can partially recover from a bullet or stab wound to brain. However the wounds to his head did have a negative effect (incapable of moving his lower body or weaker vision). Apparently, the kessen-chu give immortality to its host and everlasting youth (the host retaining the age he/she had at the time he/she was fed the kessen-chu). It's unknown how to infect a person with the kessen-chu, but Shizuma indicates it takes a lot more than blood to blood contact with someone who's infected. In later chapters the question how to transfer them becomes a major part of the story.

[edit] Weapons in Blade of the Immortal

The weapons found in Blade of the Immortal are largely fictional, most created by Samura, who confesses he has no idea what some of them are supposed to do. Usually, major characters have unique and specialized weapons - hidden crossbows, throwing knives, poisoned blades, and even weapons meant to inflict maximum pain.

Manji himself carries a number of blades - Sukehiro Amatsubaki ("Rain Camellia"), Kotengu ("Little Devil"), Okorobi ("Man Toppler"), Merabi ("Lady Gadfly"), Karasu ("The Crow"), Shidō ("The Four Paths"), Imo-no-Kami Tatsumasa ("Sister Defender Tatsumasa"), a spear-like weapon called Aun, and an unnamed hooked weapon.

Some of Samura's other creations include Giichi's thresher-like throwing blade, known as Kanetsura's Mito-no-Kami ("Guardian of the Three Paths"), which he uses to sever the heads of his enemies, and Anotsu's large Kabutsuchi battle-axe, which was based on an example from Nepal.

[edit] Notes

  • Doseimotsuko, Rengyo: These plants (Dutchman’s Pipe and Forsythia) can alleviate some types of poisoning when boiled and consumed.
  • Ezo: Hokkaido and the other islands north of Japan. At the time, they were still contolled by the indigenous Ainu peoples and were a perilous back door into closed Japan for foreign goods and people.
  • Ittō-ryū: The radical sword school of Kagehisa Anotsu.
  • Kenshi: A swordsman, not necessarily born into the samurai caste.
  • Kessen-chu:: The “sacred bloodworms.” A person infected by them cannot die but feels pain like a mortal.
  • Kessen-satsu: “Bloodworm killer.”
  • Muromachi: The reign of the Ashikaga shogunate in Kyoto, A.D. 1338-1573. The last period of social stability in Japan before two centuries of civil war and the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
  • Mutenichi-ryū: The sword tradition taught by Rin’s father.
  • Ryō: A high-valued coin.
  • Sangin: An official trip to the capital. Daimyo of outlying fiefdoms were required to spend one year in three in Edo, allowing the Shogun to keep them under tight control.
  • Sakura-mochi: A delicacy made from pounded sweet rice paste and cherry-tree leaves.
  • Sanzu-no-Kawa: River of the Dead. Analogous to the River Styx in Greek mythology. Crossed by the dead on their way to the underworld.
  • Satori: The state of intuitive illumination sought by followers of Zen Buddhism; the movement of such enlightenment.
  • Uji: An area near Kyoto.
  • Warabi: An edible plant (bracken or fernbrake).
  • Bekko-ame: A traditional sweet candy.
  • Daimon: "Great Gate" - the great gate to the Asakusa Shrine, a famous landmark in old Edo still in existence today.
  • Hamayumi: A bow accompanying the better-known hakyuyumi good-luck arrows still given out at shrine festivals today.
  • Honjo: A place in central Edo.
  • Kirusute: The right of a samurai to kill a lower-caste person who has offended him.
  • Mon: (1) Literally, "a gate," used to designate all the members that pass the front gate to a dojo; (2) a small unit of money.
  • Yojimbo: A bodyguard.

[edit] Art of Hiroaki Samura

One of the most striking features of "Blade of the Immortal" is its beautiful, realistic artwork. Although Samura stylizes and elongates his human figures to some extent, especially early in the run of the manga, he has a thorough knowledge of anatomy that allows him to create uniquely expressive poses and angles. His unusual use of accurately detailed shots of hands and feet makes them almost as reflective of character and mood as his faces. Atmospheric backgrounds and landscapes round out the look of the manga, which incorporates many panels done in a finished, shaded pencil style rather than in inked line art. His superb drawing skills are shown to their best advantage in these penciled panels.

Enlarge

The integrity of the art was so important to Samura that when Dark Horse Comics licenced the manga for its North American release, Samura requested that they did not "flop" the manga (that is, reversing the image in a mirror so the story could read from left to right). Instead, most of Blade of the Immortal was reproduced by cutting up panels and repasting them on each page in order to be reprinted so it read from left to right.

Samura says that he always wanted to be a manga artist. However, unlike most mangaka, he attended art school for a time and has a classical art education. He disliked oil painting and prefers to work in black and white. He says that he disliked oil painting from the start because of the smell of the paint and employed someone to help himself cheat to get through the course, which he is quite open about in interviews [1] He never completed the course because he got picked up by Afternoon before he graduated to do Blade of the Immortal. He has done a select few special covers however for Blade of the Immortal using oil paint such as the cover for 'Blade of the Immortal #111: Shortcut #5 (of 5)' [2].

[edit] Publication

The original Japanese manga has thus far been collected into 20 volumes (tankōbon) by Kōdansha's Afternoon KC division. The series is still ongoing, and volumes are usually published at the rate of 1 to 2 per year. The English version of the manga is published by Dark Horse Comics.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Blade of the Immortal (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia. Accessed 2006-12-05.
  2. ^ Award Winning Works. Japan Media Arts Plaza. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
  3. ^ Awards. Dark Horse. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../b/l/a/Blade_of_the_Immortal_8c85.html"