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Reviewed by Adam Volk Samurai epics have long been a main-stay of contemporary manga with countless tales of sword-wielding heroes carving bloody swaths through feudal Japan. The result is that Samurai manga has become a thriving genre unto itself, with everything from Kazuo Koike’s gore-splattered Lone Wolf and Cub, to Stan Sakai’s anthropomorphic Samurai rabbit in Usagi Yojimbo. But perhaps one of the most recognized and ambitious Samurai manga series is none other than Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal. Now on it’s 14th volume in terms of North American publication, the series has become a cult-phenomenon among manga fans and shows no sign of slowing down. It is a remarkable saga that contains all the classic elements of samurai manga: the brooding, unlikely hero; the quest for vengeance and redemption; and the violent, blood-soaked battles that have become a hallmark of the genre. And yet, nowhere is the appeal of Hiroaki Samura’s legendary series more apparent than in its opening chapter: Blade of the Immortal v1: Blood of a Thousand. It is here that readers are first introduced to one of manga’s most popular characters, the seemingly invincible warrior known only as Manji. Unlike the traditional Samurai epics however, Manji is a far cry from the honorable warrior driven by the code of Bushido. Indeed, though he is an incredibly skilled swordsmen, Manji is also immoral, underhanded and entirely self-involved. Yet we learn he is also, for all intents and purposes, virtually immortal. There are no quick answers during the opening pages of the volume, but as the story progresses the reader learns that Manji was once a member of an elite band of swordsmen, that is, until his actions led to the death of 100 noble Samurai, including his sister and her husband. Following this, Manji is confronted by a seemingly ageless witch known as Yaobikuni, who places an incredible curse on him: Manji will find no rest until he has cleansed his soul by slaying 1000 evil men. He is aided in this quest for redemption by creatures known as “Blood Worms”, small, parasitic being that are infused into his body and allow Manji to heal at an extraordinary rate — to the point of even being able to reattach severed limbs. The result is that Manji cannot be killed by conventional means and soon hires himself out as an assassin as he begins his long path towards ending Yaobikuni’s curse. Things however, do not quite go as Manji plans, and before long he stumbles upon a young girl named Asano Rin. Like Manji, Rin is also treading a path of blood and vengeance. The daughter of a master-swordsmen, Rin witnessed her father and his entire dojo massacred by a warrior named Anotsu Kagehisa. Now an outcast, Rin has since dedicated herself to avenging her father’s death and creating the Ittō-ryū, a school of swordsmanship whose only tenant is to win, no matter what technique is employed. Before long, Manji finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of conflicting forces where morality is often in shades of gray, and where enemies are not always entirely clear. The result is an almost sadistically violent, occasionally crude, and utterly magnificent samurai epic. Indeed what makes Blade of the Immortal: Blood of a Thousand such a masterpiece is that it pulls no punches. The series is rife with decapitations, disembowelings and countless other acts of brutality, yet it is also a story driven by characters, and where the intricate plot and motivations of its protagonists takes precedence over the gore. What’s more, Hiroaki Samura’s elegant art work (a combination of traditional inking and pencil work) is both fluid and dynamic, and like the very best manga master-artists, Samura is able to turn something as grotesque as a man being sliced into two, into an almost poetic piece of art. In the end the book is clearly not for everyone. The easily offended or squeamish of stomach would do well to look elsewhere, but for those interested in discovering a series that is both horrifically violent and beautifully written and illustrated, they need look no further than the first chapter in Hiroaki Samura’s magnificent Samurai epic: Blade of the Immortal: Blood of a Thousand. Comment on this review of Blade of the Immortal v1: Blood of a Thousand on the Manga Life Forums. |
7 May 2008
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