Blade of the Immortal

I have heard a lot about how great this manga is, and as a lover of samurai stories, I thought this would quickly become a new favorite of mine. Unfortunately, this was not the case. I found the art was incredibly inconsistent, ranging from very good to just plain awful, sometimes within the same chapter. The story didn't feel very meaningful, in the sense that I never grew to care about anything that was going on, and the characters felt flat. When a character would grow, it was predictable. I try to give every story at least 100 chapters, and that is what I did here. After chapter 100, I dropped it and was disappointed. I'll give it another try in a year or so and see if my opinion changes, but to summarize what it is now, the story felt shallow and the art was pretty bad.

I went in backwards having first seen (and ultimately loving) the 2019 anime adaptation of BOTI before deciding to read the source material. It was an incredible experience going through this story a second time. And surprisingly it felt fresh experiencing it again. I attribute this to the flexibility/advantage in being able to tell the story over hundreds of chapters compared to a few 20+ minute animated episodes. I was able to experience many scenes that weren't adapted in the anime, and therefor was able to get more story details during this second go-around.

What caught me by surprise in experiencing this story again is how attached I became towards many of the villains. I was rooting for the Itto-ryu at points which was fucking bizarre given the shit they were pulling throughout the story. I even started to feel pity for Habaki which was also fucking weird. Samura did an incredible job creating a strong cast of memorable characters and putting them in situations where it was possible to dislike them at one point but then like them in another.

This manga has it all. Beautiful art. Memorable story and characters. Great action. And, a very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend it.

“I just want you to know one thing...I may be the one facing them. I may be the one cutting them down. The one who stands on their graves. But you will be the one that kills them.”

There are a great many stories that revolve around the concept of revenge. A great many writers have written a great many tales about revenge, each expressing their own sentiments towards the topic. Some glorify it, others ridicule it as a fool’s quest and others tell a more sympathetic story. Blade of the Immortal however simply tells it how it is, at no point is the author ever forcing his beliefs onto the story. The writer prefers to allow the reader to reflect on the story themselves and come to their own conclusions. An engaging, exhilarating yet quietly contemplative quest for vengeance, Blade of the Immortal is one of the greatest seinen manga ever created. Allow me to explain to you why I believe this is the case...

The story of Blade of the Immortal centres around the young Rin Asano’s journey to avenge the death of her parents at the hands of a sword school whose influence is growing within Japan: the Itto-ryu. Unable to deny her own powerlessness in the face of her powerful foe she seeks out the skills of a swordsman who has been cursed with immortality. A man known as Manji. He has his own aims and beliefs that make him more than just a simple bodyguard. Throughout the series we watch as Manji acts as a sort of mentor to Rin and we also watch as the relationship between the two changes and develops.

The premise is quite simple, chances are you can think up some series with similar plots, and the mention of immortality may seem a little silly to some but you shouldn’t write this series of just because of that. The story is an amazing journey for both characters and readers; it’s a grim tale of blood, violence and complex yet savage emotions, a story filled with political intrigue and numerous rival factions all gunning at one another. The premise may be basic but it is simply a backdrop for a deep, emotive, memorable and epic quest.

The only criticism I have with the story is that the pacing was a little bad. Initially the story didn’t really grab me and I took a little break from reading. In my opinion the story doesn’t really get into its stride until around about chapter 30, but once the story gets going it is a nonstop rollercoaster of pure awesomeness. Similarly at later parts of the story I feel that certain events were dragged on for a little longer than I would have liked, but this is a very small criticism it must be said.

The thing that really makes the story of Blade of the Immortal so captivating is without a doubt the characters. The cast of Blade of the Immortal is simply amazing. I would go as far as to say that this series has the best cast of characters I have ever come across. Over the course of the series the two main characters, Manji and Rin, go through a tremendous amount of development but that’s only to be expected really. While the development of the two main characters is exquisite, it is the side characters that really make this series extraordinary. With most series you can consider yourself fortunate if even a single character receives a good amount of development but in this series there are about are around 5 or 6 characters that receive just as much development and characterisation as you would expect of a main character. Ironically, on a personal level I was more interested in some of the side characters and their struggles than I was in the main characters (and the two main characters are really amazing). This is really a testament to how well written the characters in this series are.

All of the significant characters in this series receive a great deal of development and with this there is no clear divide between which characters are the ‘good guys’ and which are the ‘bad guys’. They all have their own circumstances, ideals, determination and reasons for fighting and because the author shares the limelight equally between all of the significant players there is truly no telling who will come out on top and during some of the fight sequences it becomes near impossible to determine whether a particular character may win or lose which really makes things genuinely tense.

Personally, I always like to see those badass female characters who know how to hold their own as in anime especially female characters are more often than not just waifu bait. So I just wanted to give this series props for having some of the most awesome female characters I have ever seen in Makie and Hyakurin, that being said I did feel that Rin sometimes came across as being a typical damsel in distress but this was really only in the earlier parts of the story.

This amazing story and these spectacular characters are all presented to us in Hiroaki Samura's fantastic artwork. It is a little difficult for me not to start gushing over his artwork because subjectively speaking this series has the best artwork that I have ever seen. I have always had a preference for old school art as opposed to the more moe art style that is prevalent in modern anime and well Blade of the Immortal is just about the least moe thing you will ever find so it gets a big thumbs up from me.

The artwork is just so perfectly styled and this series has the most well drawn action sequences you will see in any manga. Seriously, the fights in this series are absolutely brutal - blood and limbs are seen flying all over the place. There are so many great fights in this series and the flow of action in the panels makes it easy to follow the action, the fights are ridiculously intense and will have you on the edge of your seat. The scenery art in this series is also worth mentioning. The backgrounds are quite well detailed on the whole and the traditional Japanese landscapes that you will see over the course of the journey are all captured perfectly.

With all this being said, I cannot say that the art style will be to everyone’s taste. If you dislike sketchy artwork and prefer clean drawings then you may not like it. I really like it because it matches my personal preferences but that doesn’t mean everyone will think it’s as great as I do.

Also, as I have already alluded to, this series contains a lot of gore so if that is not your thing then this may not be a series for you. This series really doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to violence but unlike similarly violent manga series, such as Gantz and Akame ga Kill just to name two, this series never gave me the impression that there was just violence for the sake of it or that it was being used for shock value. While this series is very visceral I don’t think that it ever became excessive.

In my opinion this series is the pinnacle of the seinen genre. It is dark and it is brutal but it remains human. With a well constructed and deceptively complex plot, one of the most well fleshed out cast of characters you are likely to find and artwork to die for I cannot recommend this series highly enough to anyone who enjoys seinen manga. Although, if you are looking for or are expecting a story that is actually focused on samurai culture then I would point you in the direction of Lone Wolf and Cub instead. Blade of the Immortal is more focused on telling its own story than it is about what life was like in this time period and the way of the samurai and the all that sort of stuff.

Anyways, I hope you found this review helpful. Any and all feedback is welcomed (unless you are going to criticise me that is).

Disclaimer: this is my favorite manga. Whatever words I’m about to write down will not do it justice.

I like revenge stories. The best thing about them - the good ones, at least - is their deceptive nature; a simple premise that rewards the attentive reader with a whole lot more than the surface level satisfaction of a cool action set piece. Whether it delves into the age-old ‘good or evil?’ narrative angle, the exploration of individual hypocrisy, or anything in between, it is a topic brimming with thematic richness.

Written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura, this particular revenge story follows Manji, a seemingly immortal swordsman who is tasked with the mission of aiding Rin Asano in her quest to get revenge on an up-and-coming sword school responsible for the death of her parents.

Manji and Rin act as the emotional core of the series, and seeing their relationship evolve during the course of the adventure is an absolute joy. Definitely one of the most rewarding character dynamics I’ve seen in a story like this. It is also through their actions that the reader is exposed to most of the story’s key topics. Is there a correct way to atone, or is atonement by itself the correct path? Should a murderer cry murder, or quiet down and live with their ghosts? Is there a moral high ground between two people equally plagued by grief, when one’s grief is a direct consequence of the other’s? Whatever questions it may pose, there are no clear attempts at glorifying or demeaning the subject; Samura wisely chooses to let the reader find their own answers, and the story is all the better for it.

Naturally, Manji and Rin do not carry the story by themselves. As a whole, the cast of characters is of superb quality - possibly the best cast I’ve seen in the medium. It’s especially interesting to spend so much time on the antagonist side(s) of the narrative, to the point where they're very much on par with the protagonists in terms of characterization and development. Upon re-read, I noticed that large stretches of the manga would often go by without an appearance by the titular character - and yet, I was always engaged. Blade of the Immortal is at its best when alternating between different sides of the conflict, and fleshing out different ideas coming from different characters. This allows any one side to have its time in the spotlight, and avoids reader fatigue. And when characters you’d never thought would meet do so, it’s always a moment to treasure - and usually a highlight of the series. Clear stand-outs in my book are Anotsu Kagehisa, Magatsu Taito, Otono-Tachibana Makie and Habaki Kagimura, to name a few.

Now, make no mistake. This is still an action manga. And fortunately, the quality of the action scenes is on par with that of the character work. Trying my best not to gush about this aspect of the series, I’ll say that depicting flow and designing choreography are Hiroaki Samura’s greatest strengths when illustrating action. As a result, most - if not all - fight scenes in Blade of the Immortal are depicted in such a way that they legitimately feel animated. Add to that the sheer variety and creativity in both fighting styles and weapons of choice, and we’re left with a story that seamlessly merges tense political intrigue with over-the-top battle sequences without feeling tonally disjointed. Plus, this is usually where the title of the manga comes into play, as Manji’s immortality adds an entirely new layer to every fight he takes part in. Said immortality is no gimmick, though - it is properly explored during the story, both in and out of combat.

Even so, the one thing that elevates the action scenes - and, really, the entire manga - to masterpiece status is Samura’s artwork. It’s a very unique, sketchy style of drawing that shines brightest during scenes that are heavy in motion. This art style is what allows the battles to flow so well, and also what makes them easy to follow without forgoing detail. Yet it also lays the foundation for the atmosphere during the quieter moments, with beautiful scenery and detailed backgrounds that do a wonderful job at immersing the reader into this fictional version of late 18th-century Japan.

It’s not a perfect ride, though. For all its merits, I think Blade of the Immortal struggles to find stable footing during its initial chapters. Samura chooses to approach the beginning of the story in a more ‘episodic’ fashion, and a few pacing issues can be found as a result. While definitely great, the first 20-or-so chapters aren’t a reflection of what Blade of the Immortal achieves at its greatest heights.

This does mean, however, that there are no noticeable drops in quality once the narrative gets going - quite the opposite. Because the final arc of Blade of the Immortal is, without a doubt, the single best manga arc I’ve ever read. Not only does it raise the bar for the series’ masterful action sequences, but it serves as the perfect culmination of the story’s theming. Calling it a climax would be selling it short.

All of it is capped off by a finale that, while lacking the emotional gut punch I would’ve wanted, I can only describe as bittersweet in the best way possible.

And do you know what else is lacking? The end of this supposed ‘review’ - they’re more rambling thoughts than anything, anyway. Not quite sure how to end those, so I’ll say this: earlier, I bluffed about one thing. This isn’t my favorite manga. It’s my favorite story. And for better or worse, I’m not sure I’ll ever read anything quite as good.

Blade of the Immortal was an interesting series that I decided to pick up after surfing though the Samurai category of the website. This manga heavily entertained me with the journey of Manji and Rin as they set out to accomplish the goal of taking down Anotsu as requested to accomplish vengeance on Rin’s behalf. This introduction of new characters had me continuously caring for them, which eventually brought me to many emotional circumstances while new occurrences took place. I loved this series, and I was intrigued that this manga initially was written from left to right other than the typical manga that I’ve read so far (excluding manwha.) Although I admired this series as a whole, I do believe that there was some part that were dragged, and I personally dislike the ending that came upon this piece, but other than those problems this was still an enjoyable manga for me. I would definitely like the reread, or come to love this series even more than I already do within the future.

I have been reading Blade of the Immortal for a LONG TIME. It is the only manga I buy, the rest I either borrow or just browse online if it has not been released in English. To say I am a big fan of the series is an understatement. Now for those of you that need some guide of why this series is one of the best ever mangas from Japan:

Story:
If you read the synopsis it is pretty much self explanatory what is going on in the series, but what makes it special is the way the story is told and the twist and turns that go along with it. This is not your typical samurai / ninja story with super powers or super jumps, the only story that is similar in awesomeness is Lone Wolf and Cub, which is a masterpiece of storytelling. In BotI the way the fights happen, the character lines, their motives and all this delivered with some amazing art is just almost perfect. Yes, almost, as all amazing things this story as of late have been a bit dragging on or bringing characters that for one reason or another they just don't stick like some of the older ones. The prison story arc took too long and the current storyline is very good, but some of the characters are just lacking, they are awesome, but there is something missing from the magic of older chapters. Still this level of storytelling is way above most of the rubbish generic stuff that you get every other day.

Art:
In a few words, this manga is as much story as it is art, and I mean WOW, the art, the flow of action, the detail or lack of it just complement the story so well that I don't remember any manga that have achieved this (please correct me if I am wrong). The artist (and lately his team) just produce beauty out of decapitations, and similar kinds of gore, it is a treat to just view each manga. There is an artbook out, you may want to get your hands on...

Character:
Hmm, the characters of this manga are just short of amazing. Their backgrounds, their emotional scars, their values, are all laid out in most cases perfectly (except for the latest chapters where it is lacking just a bit). You get Manji which is trying to redeem himself, you get Rin in her quest of vengeance and inner growth that challenges her motives the more she grows, Anotsu which is on a quest to be the best in a time where being such is dangerous, Magatsu a self taught swordfighter that just exhales cool, and the list goes on and on. What is amazing is that in many cases these amazing characters show up for a few chapters and are killed off in amazing ways which most mangas just don't do, you are stuck from beginning to end with a bunch of characters and some cannon fodder comes along to move the action forward. Here you see the characters go and you wonder how the writer will be able to come up with some new cool character and Samura always delivers.

Enjoyment:
I have a big smile on my face every time a new volume or chapter is released, after so many years is still there, nothing else have captured me like this manga.

Overall:
If it were not for the fact that Hiroaki Samura (the creator of BotI) have been slipping on the story (just a bit I should remind you) and that it seems that the story is in its final arc well, I can't recommend it more, it is by far the manga that I have enjoyed the best in my life. I want to say that the Anime unfortunately didn't capture the magic of the manga (only the beginning credits do), they used a horrible music and they couldn't manage to portrait the emotional baggage of each character which is so important to make them believable. Pick the manga up, you will thank me later.

Spoiler-Free review


Prologue

I read the first 2 volumes of blade of the immortal 2 years ago.From the very beginning this seemed to me as a really great story,but as the time went by I almost forgot about it until last year during which I found and bought 8 more volumes.At that point i wanted to get all of them,but i couldnt find them so I finished it in digital form unfortunately.

Story : 9/10

Anyways ,Blade of the immortal is an amazing ,which provides the usual concept of revenge,but in a different manner that makes it look fresh,I'm pretty convinced that there were not any weaknesses in its story ,as it even made me actually understand and like the main antagonist's point of view and got me to even question the main characters' goal.The story is set in Japan during the mid-Tokugawa Shogunate period and follows the cursed samurai Manji, who has to kill 1000 evil men in order to make up for his past mistakes and the young Rin who is the girl that seeks the revenge that was previously mentioned.Also it is really important to mention that there are not bad and good guys as everyone seems to have their beliefs that are fighting for.

Art : 9/10

The art-style was pretty unique,as it differs from the usual art.The pages are well drawn and they are able to express the characters' feelings and depict their movement's speed ,which is really important in my point of view

Characters : 9/10
The characters are really intriguing and most people will think so too ,I believe.All of them have interesting backstories and hopefully they are neither underdeveloped nor forgotten by the ka . Each and every of them make readers form bonds with them ,which is something really remarkable when it comes to a story ,especially to such a long one as Blade of the Immortal.

Enjoyment : 9/10
Well the way I interpret enjoyment is probably the battles the story provides which are really good due to its art and bonds readers have with the characters. There were battles that I was like I do not want either of the two opponents die as I really understand their beliefs and could not decide who was right.The peaceful scenes were also really enjoyable due to the fact that they made you relax from the strong and harsh battlefields that you were shown.In addition those were the times when you met each characters personality even more ,while watching their way of living
Overall : 9/10
Blade of the Immortal is an amazing samurai tale which has to be known by more people than it already does.Its story,art and characters are something that is not easy to forget ,that's why I consider it such a magnificent .

When Rin seeks revenge for the murder/rape of her family by the Itto-Ryu (a rival sword school), she hires Manji, an immortal swordsman, to help her. But things aren't quite that simple. The more Rin sees how her revenge affects the lives of others, and the more she gets to know her enemies, the harder it becomes for her to justify her goals. I think the story's greatest strength is character development, completely blurring the line between "good" and "evil." Seriously. Nearly all the characters are so sympathetic that you end up with nobody to root for or against. It's enough to drive one crazy!

Aside from that the manga has plenty of political intrigue, moral quandaries, drama and, of course, lots and lots of action. Some of the bloodiest fight scenes I've ever seen, and this is coming from someone who reads Berserk! Manji being immortal doesn't make him invincible in battle, on the contrary, it means he goes through a hell lot more punishment than the average fighter. And, on top of that, the artwork is just plain gorgeous.

TL DR; If you can bear gore this one is a must read
(I would recommend listening to "sowulo - SOL (2016) album" with your reading for full experience (fits with it like key and lock) )

story 10/10
I won't tell anything about the story so rest assured.

A Gory samurai age story as the cover implies (as the most of this genre) but:

1- with a bit of science fiction and some medical knowledge.
2- many arcs not long few boring ones
3-many characters so you are not only following a single protagonist but multiple characters so you not get bored
(and easy to follow don't worry).
4-Things become crazier as you read. Sometimes the roller
coaster slows a bit but then you are near a cliff edge of future excitement in the next chapters.
5-Not the typical samurai wisdom and says you won't get like other ones of this type of stories always contain but
a semi-modern modified type you will enjoy.
6-mind blow ending

Character 10/10
Another special about this Gem is the characters..everyone has their up and downtime and None is invincible
The dialogue is impressive and it what I liked most about the series. (as much as the main story of course)
Also, they are easy to follow from their way of speech and the character art.
Every character with a motive, backstory, principles and enough screen (ehm paper) time :D .

Art 9/10
This one is the best I have seen in art but next to Vagabond.
the manga beats Vagabond in every aspect except for the art can't deny it.
Every character is special and art gets better every chapter.
People look real Japanese and that shading is Gold quality.

Enjoyment 10/10
To describe it in one sentence (one more chapter manga and then I will stop)

Overall 10/10
Read the manga with the album mentioned above and It's a whole new experience

Blade of the immortal is a Japanese manga series by Hiroaki Samura. The series is set in Japan during the mid-Tokugawa Shogunate period and follows the cursed samurai Manji, who has to kill 1000 evil men in order to regain his mortality.

Here's what its about :

Manji is an amoral swordsman, who has been cursed with eternal life. He has grown tired of living with all the death he has created. He has no skills other then those of killing, thus he forms a plan to regain his mortality: he shall kill one hundred evil men for each good one he has killed. The old witch who afflicted Manji with immortality agrees to Manji's proposition and Manji is set on his path to kill one thousand evil men. On his journey he meets a young girl, Rin, who has her own vengeance to seek against the sword school whose members slaughtered Rin's family. Rin and Manji journey together, each hoping to find some kind of peace. In their way are many varied enemies. Rin and Manji are almost constantly under attack and must learn to live their lives, avoiding being consumed by revenge.

What caught my eye was the art styles followed by the mangaka in this masterpeice.

Its definitely something else when you compare it with all those other mainstream manga.
If you love to read manga that's got a classic touch to it, this is the one for you.

It follows the charecter designs of all those early 19s manga that's got a niice nostalgic feel to it.

I myself am a fan of old manga and i found this one so similar to vagabond
If you have read it, please feel free to express your opinions in the comments section.

Thanks for reading.

This is one awesome manga. I'm actually not a fan of samurai stuff. I like Sci-fi and fantasy. But the first thing that stunned me here was awesome art.
The clean moves with pen makes an awesome drawing that is stunning and complex at the same time. But yet, in some places you cannot clearly see what is going on. Regarding that, i was amazed with so much violence and blood in this manga. And let's be honnest. This manga has it a lot.
The storyline at the begining seemed nothing special at all, but as you keep reading, the story shapes better, and introduces us with Rin and Manji. Those personallities are total opposite of each other, and that gets them in all sord of disagreement.
I really enjoyed reading this manga, and overall, this is one helluva' peace of art. Just don't read it if you don't have solid stomach for it :)
Good reading ;)

"The greatest part of revenge, isn´t for the person who died. It´s for oneself"

Wow. What an intense ride "Blade of Immortal" was for me. I got interested in the manga throw the 13 episode anime, based on the first 44 chapters. But the anime adaptation didn´t get home to the viewers and the show was cancelled, so I decided to pick up the manga to see what happened to Rin, Manji and Anotsu. If you are a bit sensitive, this manga is certainly not for you. It contains a lot of detailed violence, deaths, blood, gore, torture and rape in a very realistic way (tip see the Seinen tag). To say the least this is a very dark and non-uplifting story. Why I gave it a 10 then? Because even if the story is very dark is very, very good. It´s detailed, well thought through, and has very human and gripping characters. And the art.. WOW. I will give a more detailed version down below of why "Blade" did a such huge impression on me.

Story: 10/10
Revenge story´s isn´t new and are often used as plot base in many mediums. Some are pretty empty, some are good, and then we have the amazing ones. "Blade" definitely belongs to the latter. In a historical and very believable setting we get to follow Rin on her quest of revenge for her brutally murdered parents. To her help she has Manji, the 100-hundred-man-slayer. The ones responsible are a outlawed samurai clan named Ittu-ryu led by Anotsu Kagehisa. Ittu-ryu´s members arn´t happy about how weak and bigoted the art of the sword and war has become in that time and age. So they are on a quest to destroy all dojos that are still practicing old sword techniques and rules, to build a new era with their rules. Rin´s father and mother was murdered for that reason. And Rin´s path for revenge and pursuit of Anutso is far from straight, which makes this story so much more believable and heart gripping to me.
The best part with the story is that it isn´t one sided. We get to know all sides of this revenge and historical drama, and what´s motivates all characters. So what´s first may appear as a very black and white story, soon blurres out to a wide grey area. Actions always gets consequences. The setting, the politics, and the characters and their relationships are all very realistic. I can imagine that that era in Japan was much like the one we are shown (minus immortal humans that is). We get a lot of Japanese history, geographic´s and culture in the story - in an interesting and story filling way. It never felt boring or out of place, it just made the whole scene so much deeper and vivid. It was a hard and unforgiving climate during this era, there small crimes could be a reason for execution, and the strong ruled the weak.

Art: 10/10
I can definitively understand why it took Hiroaki Samura 19 years to finish "Blade". The art is freaking awesome - and original. Each panel are so rich in detail and shadowing, so sometimes it could have been mistaken for a black and white photo. Hiroaki has even taken his times and draw single hairstrands - that´s say something. The character designs are very realistic, characteristic and detailed (no over sized boobs, eyes or unproportional bodies here) - each individual has been given personal memorable traits. I think that made the story so much more believable and hardcore. Facial and body expressions are in most cases flawless - I could really feel their pain, sadness etc. And extra credit for the unreal good fighting panels. No shortcuts taken. Body and weapon movements are so detailed and technical correct, that it out classes most mangas so much it´s not even funny. Some of these panels can be a bit "shadowy", but it´s meant to be so. It showcases the speed of the movement, often without you missing out of what happens. Brilliant. Speaking of the weapons. Wow.. Such detail and variation. Many characters has their own weapons of choice (you can read about the weapons in more detail in a appendix to the manga), which Hiroaki has displayed in a very impressive matter. The backgrounds are a masterpiece in them self. Unbelievable details and shadowing. How often do you feel like you are in a winter landscape in a black and white print? Not often, but here you can almost feel the snow flakes land on your cheek. By far the best art I have seen so far in a manga.

Characters: 10/10
I think I have mentioned that all characters felt very realistic and believable. The way they reasoned, the way they expressed emotions, and the way they acted felt.. in lack of better words.. very human. From unexperienced teenagers to ice cold seriekillers. It made me feel something for all the characters, and many times hard for me to pick sides (ok, in some cases it was pretty clear who you wanted to be sliced up - looking at you Shira). All characters had well developed personalities and character developments. I could really feel what kind of person they were, and the reasons behind their actions. All main and supporting characters are getting detailed backgrounds and own chapters dedicated to them, so most of them is really well fleshed out.

Rin starts out with a very naive idea of how strong she is and how she is gonna get her revenge. Throughout her journey she learns how powerless she is, and she starts to get doubts about her way to get revenge. A lot of people gets hurt in her wake, and that makes her question the pureness of her motives. Most of them all Manji, who gets hurt a lot throughout their journey, much due to her bad choices. Rin´s frequent encounters with Anutso also gives her doubts about if she actually is gonna kill him, a lot of what he says makes a huge impression on her. All those things makes her waver in her rightness and decision to take revenge.

Manji takes it up him self to be Rin´s bodyguard much due to guilt of his little sisters death (Rin resemble his dead sister a lot) and as redemption for all the innocent lives he took. Even due his character dosn´t develop so much, I like him do more fore his personality. Manji is a ruffie with a good heart. He goes out of length to protect Rin and give her revenge. He trains her in fighting skills and the way of the life she chosen. He smokes his pipe and drinks sake, and loves his naps. More then naps he loves sword fights. Always then entering a battle he has this crazy evil happy smile. I love it. Even due he is immortal Manji feels pain. And he is getting a lot of heavy punishment throughout the story - sometimes I was like "come on Hiroaki, give the guy a break". But he takes it all, and goes in to the next battle with the same crazy evil happy smile.

"Blade" has so many interesting and captivating characters. Anotsu (who I really wanted to see dead in the beginning), really grow on you. You get to know his past and the reasons he´s doing things the way he does. It don´t make the things his does right or good, but more understandable. He also feels love and compassion, which are shown mostly in his relationship with Makie. Speaking of Makie. One of the most badass fighters in manga history. She uses a kind of dubble-eged-3-way-split spear, that she can take out a half dojo with in no time at all, with out getting a drop of blood on her. Her fighting scenes are freaking awesome. Makie is one of the characters that moved me the most. Her past and her life is just to sad, and do she is that good at killing she don´t enjoy it at all. She always (battles and otherwise) has this sad face and eyes, that just makes your heart ache. Taito, Hyakurin and Giichi are also all fantastic characters, with fleshed out backgrounds and character developments. Just amazing to follow them throw out the manga. Shira can be the most sick and evil character I ever encountered. He makes many lives a living hell for many of the characters. He is a psychotic sadistic seriekiller, who really enjoys to slowly and painfully kill his victims. If you happen to be a women, rape during does sessions is highly likely. I have never wanted a character dead more then him. Cred to you Hiromaki, you really created a character that evokes feelings of pure hate and disgust.

Enjoyment: 10/10
Even if the story many times grows really, really dark it was awesome. The details in the story (cred for all the research in history, swordsmanship, martial arts and politics), amazing characters and character developments, and the fantastic art made this a lifetime memorable experience for me. Yes, I needed to take some breaks to collect myself after a extra intense sequences, but was soon on it again because I just had to know what was gonna happen next. Not for a moment was it dull, boring or uninteresting for me. I enjoyed all of it in it´s hardcore dark design.

Overall: 10/10
A incredible and fascinating revenge saga, with heavy focus on the characters and whats happen to them. All to it felt original and unique. I could really feel the characters emotions and struggles, they all really gripped me. I gonna buy this and have in my collection for shore. I can really recommend this to you that´s into good revenge story´s with a lot of blood and fighting, emotional rides, and complex and interesting characters. You absolutely won´t regret it.

I'll start with putting it bluntly-
Blade is an Action packed Samurai Manga with gorgeous Art & cool ideas relative to its setting.
So read it ONLY if you find that appealing.

Let's talk in detail now:

An impressive & also one of best things about it, which made it feel like a rich Samurai tale taking place in Edo Period of Japan, is how the story goes to so many different locations & explores quite good amount of concepts relative to that kind of setting. You can very easily notice that this manga has plenty of these little things & ideas which are a bit advanced & smart for just an Action Samurai manga. I also like how you see all 4 seasons throughout the Manga. My fav being Autumn & Winter during 3rd & 4th Act(Last). Last Act being the best one & also taking place during a heavy Snowfall was a joy to watch - something I would like to see in other Manga.

Plot : Story is simple, but it has a pretty good Plotting because of the conflict between multiple characters & factions, all of which have their own very good reasons to go against each other.
Rin & Manji are our 2 Protagonists going after Anotsu Kagehisa, our main Antagonist.
Anotsu's faction itself is being hunted by a special secret faction lead by a man who's antagonist to both Anotsu & our 2 Protagonists & bunch of more characters getting involved in this conflict, good drama etc.

Characters : This is the strongest aspect of the Manga besides the Artwork. Blade has great cast of characters with their own very good reasons & stories for getting involved in this big conflict. And Samura did a great job in characterizing / developing them.
So when they fight among each other you don't want them to be killed & I found myself rooting for a whole lot of them. Also, this manga has Great Female cast. None them are useless or damsels in distress. In fact most skilled fighter is a woman called Makie.
Anotsu Kagehisa is a great antagonist. Take him as "end justifies means" kind of guy. The whole manga was full of his great moments from beginning till end & I was rooting for him to succeed because he had a good ambition & good reasons for achieving it. What made him even more likable is his Love Interest, Makie. Their relationship is quite romantic but it's not emphasized. And it adds another layer to Anotsu's character.

Artwork : It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Blade has probably my top 5 fav Art in all manga that I've seen. It's very good from the beginning but evolves into something stunning in the later half, with some of the best panel flow I've seen, with crazy good choreographed Action Sequences, & one of the best Perspectives shots (probably the best).

Enjoyment : It has a slow start, takes around 30 chapters to get interesting once all the side characters are introduced. But starting from then each Act is better than previous one.
For people who like Samurai setting manga you'll like it a lot once you get past the weak beginning.

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.