Revenge is a topic a lot of philosophers have dwelled on, all with their own view on the topic. Of course not only philosophers thought about this subject: revenge is a common topic in mangas too, even readers themselves may have certainly thought on taking revenge in certain occasions; Blade of the Immortal is no different, though it certainly revolves around it, this manga has in fact much more to offer, allowing the reader to dwell on the topic of revenge, while at the same time enjoying the storyline, the engaging characters and the impressive art style. Sounds promising and well, but why was it so good?

~Story~

The story of Blade of the Immortal starts by introducing Rin Asano, whose parents were murdered by the rising sword school Itto-Ryu, led by Kagehisa Anotsu, whom she swears to take revenge on. Consequently Rin decides to hire Manji, an immortal swordsman who killed 100 "good" people, who swore an oath to kill 1000 "bad people" in order to redeem himself. From here on the story develops, but why where double apostrophes used in the good and bad? This is one splendid characteristic of this manga: Blade of the Immortal narrates and displays the story in such a way that it leaves the reader wondering what the definition of correct justice really is through the variety of characters and political means.

The story proceeds by following Rin and Manji in their quest of finding the leader of the Itto-Ryu, which is full of obstacles, whether it is the Itto-Ryu itself, economic issues or the different attempts of apprehension on Manji. This may seem generic in a way, but it is presented with sudden plot twists and new situations and characters, which keeps the manga fresh and enjoyable.

The plot does not solely revolve around Rin and Manji; in fact, there is big importance laid on the stories revolving around and the Itto-Ryu itself, in order to fully understand the meaning and motives behind the sword school. The political state of affairs of that era is not to he ignored either: these play a very important role in Rin's quest, as well as in the development of the now famous Itto-Ryu school.

One thing that must be highlighted is the amount of gore, dismemberments to be more precise, takes place. There is litterly almost no chapter without a single dismemberment, or so it felt. This may bother some readers, as it becomes pretty ridiculous at some points of the story. Other thing to note is the pacing of the narration: it seems at times unnecessary slow, causing the reader to lose interest.

~Characters~

The cast of characters in Blade of the Immortal is by no means small: beside the two main characters, a good amount of secondary characters are presented and developed, be it the members of the Itto-Ryu, the different political factions and its leaders, the relatives of Rin, all with its unique story, while some undergo some serious character development.

Rin Asano undergoes the biggest changes: as more and more deaths gets on her count, she begins to realize that revenge will only lead to a path of death, which ultimately will end in a vicious circle. It is interesting to see how she grows more and more doubtful about her revenge, as well as how she grows more mature as time passes; she could become quite irritating at times, though it fits well with her age.

The same goes for Manji: he grows from only being a bodyguard to be caring about Rin. Manji's immortality may seem something like a letdown in the begining, though the reader will soon come to realize that the immortality isn't as "overpowered" as it may seem; in fact, Manji's suffering and issues are displayed quite well, leaving the reader to think whether immortality is desired or not.

The development of the secondary characters is satisfying as well. Each has their own conviction/motives, as well as having interesting background stories. It is also interesting to see the interactions with other characters, which often lead to their own development. I personally found myself more engaged in the secondary characters than that of the protagonists.

~Art~

The art of Blade of the Immortal is impressive: though it is sketchy, all the characters are unique in their design, making it easily distinguishable between the cast of characters. The backgrounds are impressive too; it certainly manages to convey how Japan was in that time. The sketchy nature of the art style (like the manga Vagabond, which I can highly recommend) may bother some readers, though I found it quite fitting for the story.

The same could be said about the fighting scenes, very impressive and easy to follow. There is an evolution of art style visible: in the beginning it lacked good shading, but while the story progresses, it really begins to match with the dark atmosphere the manga is trying to transmit.

~Enjoyment~

This manga was overall a very good read, with outstanding side stories and good narrative, matching with the fantastic art style. The manga begins slow, and really comes into its splendor later on, the reason I'd recommend reading on. The amount of gore may be ridiculous at times, but don't let this bother you, as it is a fantastic story with great characters.

Thank you for reading.