Historical violent manga are a dime a dozen, but Shigurui stands heads stacked gloriously atop one another above the rest. The story winds beautifully through its arcs and unfolds with exciting, yet poignant pacing. Yamaguchi's distinct and haunting art style lends gory and brutal weight of tone that is truly unsurpassed in the medium. While it may not be the most recognized manga, it is truly a classic, and required reading for anyone looking for a more grounded and terrifying look into the striking tragedy of the samurai era. This may be one of the most important manga of all time, and maybe one of the most impressive adaptations of a literary work in human history.