Samura's superb art belies the startling violence of his story: Manji, a renegade samurai, cannot die because his body harbors bloodworms that heal every wound. To shake the curse of immortality, he must kill 1,000 evil men. This task gains focus when he teams with Rin, the daughter of a dojo master whose father was slain in front of her; she seeks not only to avenge his death but also to stop his killers from slaughtering the members of the other dojos to consolidate the power of their own school of fighting, Ittō-ryū. Samura fills the pages with baroque villains and and elaborate weapons of his own invention. The early volumes have a punk feel to them, but eventually he settles into a more traditional style.
Volume 1 - 1st printing. "Blood of a Thousand!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #1-6. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. Manji, a ronin warrior of feudal Japan, has been cursed with immortality. Slit his throat or stab him in the heart and mystical worms will force his body to heal. To rid himself of this curse and end his life of misery, he must slay one thousand evil men! His journey begins when a young girl seeks his help in taking revenge on her parents' killers! Softcover, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., 136 pages, B&W. Mature Readers Cover price $14.95.
The Art of Blade of the Immortal
Volume 1 - 2nd and later printings. "Blood of a Thousand!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #1-6. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. Manji, a ronin warrior of feudal Japan, has been cursed with immortality. Slit his throat or stab him in the heart and mystical worms will force his body to heal. To rid himself of this curse and end his life of misery, he must slay one thousand evil men! His journey begins when a young girl seeks his help in taking revenge on her parents' killers! Softcover, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., 136 pages, B&W. Mature Readers Cover price $14.95.
Volume 3 - 1st printing. "Dreamsong!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #12-18. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. Makie is a natural-born killer bred to be a geisha. Splitting her life between servitude and slaughter could lead to an untimely death, so it's time she chooses a path, but her choice could mean trouble for Manji, the immortal samurai. It's round two for the man who gave up his right to die and the woman who gave up her right to dream. And this time, there'll be no winners. Softcover, 208 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $12.95.
Volume 3 - 2nd and later printings. "Dreamsong!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #12-18. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. Makie is a natural-born killer bred to be a geisha. Splitting her life between servitude and slaughter could lead to an untimely death, so it's time she chooses a path, but her choice could mean trouble for Manji, the immortal samurai. It's round two for the man who gave up his right to die and the woman who gave up her right to dream. And this time, there'll be no winners. Softcover, 208 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $12.95.
Volume 4 - 1st printing. "On Silent Wings!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #19-22. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. The immortal samurai, is condemned to a life of combat until he slays a thousand evil men. He works as bodyguard for Rin, a young woman who seeks to avenge her father's murder at the hands of the deadly Kagehisa Onotsu. But even with Manji's instruction, will Rin ever be able to stand against such a powerful and ruthless adversary? And in her consuming quest for vengeance, does she risk becoming like him? Softcover, 176 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $14.95.
Volume 4 - 2nd and later printings. "On Silent Wings!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #19-22. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. The immortal samurai, is condemned to a life of combat until he slays a thousand evil men. He works as bodyguard for Rin, a young woman who seeks to avenge her father's murder at the hands of the deadly Kagehisa Onotsu. But even with Manji's instruction, will Rin ever be able to stand against such a powerful and ruthless adversary? And in her consuming quest for vengeance, does she risk becoming like him? Softcover, 176 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $14.95.
Volume 6 - 1st printing. "Dark Shadows!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #29-34. Story and art by Hiroaki Samura. Anotsu Kagehisa has turned his Ittö-ryü into the most famous sword school in Japan, a dojo of outcasts and eccentrics who've slaughtered their way to the top of Japan's world of the blade. But as the old Japanese saying goes, 'The nail that sticks up gets hammered down,' and now Anotsu must relearn that ancient lesson when he discovers the existence of the Akagi, a mysterious organization formed from the survivors of the many rival sword schools destroyed by the ruthless Ittö-ryü. The Akagi are sworn to vengeance against Anotsu's dojo, but what Anotsu doesn't know is that the Akagi are wooing the immortal samurai, Manji, to join them in their war to exterminate the Ittö-ryü! Softcover, 192 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $14.95.
Volume 6 - 2nd and later printings. "Dark Shadows!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #29-34. Story and art by Hiroaki Samura. Anotsu Kagehisa has turned his Ittö-ryü into the most famous sword school in Japan, a dojo of outcasts and eccentrics who've slaughtered their way to the top of Japan's world of the blade. But as the old Japanese saying goes, 'The nail that sticks up gets hammered down,' and now Anotsu must relearn that ancient lesson when he discovers the existence of the Akagi, a mysterious organization formed from the survivors of the many rival sword schools destroyed by the ruthless Ittö-ryü. The Akagi are sworn to vengeance against Anotsu's dojo, but what Anotsu doesn't know is that the Akagi are wooing the immortal samurai, Manji, to join them in their war to exterminate the Ittö-ryü! Softcover, 192 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $14.95.
Volume 7 - 1st printing. "Heart of Darkness!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #35-42. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. It is said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but couldn't he just be another enemy? Rin and her bodyguard, the immortal swordsman Manji, need to know the answer when they visit the headquarters of the mysterious Akagi assassins - led by the beautiful and deadly Hyakurin - who are out for vengeance against the Itto-Ryu, the rogue sword-school of Anotsu Kagehisa, the man responsible for the murder of Rin's parents. Can Rin and Manji hold to their own course once they've agreed to join forces with the misfit band of killers? Softcover , 240 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $16.95.
Volume 7 - 2nd and later printings. "Heart of Darkness!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #35-42. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. It is said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but couldn't he just be another enemy? Rin and her bodyguard, the immortal swordsman Manji, need to know the answer when they visit the headquarters of the mysterious Akagi assassins - led by the beautiful and deadly Hyakurin - who are out for vengeance against the Itto-Ryu, the rogue sword-school of Anotsu Kagehisa, the man responsible for the murder of Rin's parents. Can Rin and Manji hold to their own course once they've agreed to join forces with the misfit band of killers? Softcover , 240 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $16.95.
Volume 8 - 1st printing. "The Gathering!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #43-50. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. The immortal samurai, Manji, and his charge, Rin have lost their best chance to avenge the death of Rin's parents at the hands of Anotsu Kagehisa's renegade sword school, the deadly Itto-ryu. Manji and Rin's alliance with the mysterious Mugai-ryu assassins has failed, and now for Rin to pursue her parents' killer, she must pass through the Shogun's checkpoints that control the roads out of Edo, a task she must perform without Manji, who is one of the most wanted men in all Japan and she is sure to be detected. When Manji discovers Rin has gone, he faces the impossible choice of storming the checkpoint by force or leaving Rin to face Anotsu and his trained killers alone. And when Rin is falsely named as an accomplice in a savage murder, the stakes are raised ever higher as she faces even greater odds to fulfill her blood oath! Softcover, 208 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $15.95.
Volume 8 - 2nd and later printings. "The Gathering!" Collects Blade of the Immortal (1996-2007) #43-50. Story and Art by Hiroaki Samura. The immortal samurai, Manji, and his charge, Rin have lost their best chance to avenge the death of Rin's parents at the hands of Anotsu Kagehisa's renegade sword school, the deadly Itto-ryu. Manji and Rin's alliance with the mysterious Mugai-ryu assassins has failed, and now for Rin to pursue her parents' killer, she must pass through the Shogun's checkpoints that control the roads out of Edo, a task she must perform without Manji, who is one of the most wanted men in all Japan and she is sure to be detected. When Manji discovers Rin has gone, he faces the impossible choice of storming the checkpoint by force or leaving Rin to face Anotsu and his trained killers alone. And when Rin is falsely named as an accomplice in a savage murder, the stakes are raised ever higher as she faces even greater odds to fulfill her blood oath! Softcover, 208 pages, 5 1/2-in. x 8 1/4-in., B&W. Cover price $15.95. 2ff7e9595c
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