BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL TP (2025)

"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! SC, 8x6, 136pg, b&w"

"(W/A) Hiroaki Samura The curse of the bloodworm is what keeps Manji alive - slit his throat or stab him in the heart and those mystical worms will force his body to heal. This immortal curse will not be lifted until Manji has killed one thousand evil men. Manji`s female companion, Rin, finds the treasured sword of her destroyed Mutenichi-ryu dojo (school of swordsmanship). The ronin who has it must have been involved in the destruction of the school - and that means that Manji could be one step closer to ending his curse. If you like ninja action, Hiroaki Samura`s Blade of the Immortal will keep you on edge."

"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."

"by Hiroaki Samura Manji, 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? SC, 5x7, 176pg, b&w"

"by Hiroaki Samura; lettering and retouch by Tomoko Saito In her quest across feudal Japan to avenge the murder of her parents, Rin has seen too much death and agony. When she befriends a young boy, she is horrified to discover that his father is a member of the band of assassins. Weary of blood, Rin now wishes only an apology from the killer, a mask maker whose only desire is to keep his evil past from his son and who will take up the sword again to protect his secret. Collecting issues #3-8 of On Silent Wings. SC, 184pg, b&w"

"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! SC, 192pg, b&w "

"by Hiroaki Samura; produced by Studio Proteus 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? Collecting the eight-issue story arc. SC, 240pg, b&w "

"by Hiroaki Samura; produced by Studio Proteus 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! Collecting issues #1-8 of The Gathering series. SC, 208pg, b&w "

"by Hiroaki Samura; produced by Studio Proteus While the immortal samurai, Manji, has his hands full with a trio of skillful and merciless killers of the renegade Ittö-ryü sword school, Manji's charge, Rin, prepares to make her way through government checkpoints to leave Edo and find Anotsu Kagehisa - lord of the Ittö-ryü and murderer of her parents - and fulfill her quest of vengeance. Unjustly wanted for murder, Rin must try to pass in disguise, but the checkpoint officers are no fools, and she will not pass without a thorough interrogation - and one slip will mean Rin's execution! SC, 216pg, b&w "

"by HIROAKI SAMURA; produced by STUDIO PROTEUS Anotsu Kagehisa, murderous leader of the rogue Ittö-ryü, has journeyed to the mountains far from Edo to the romote Shingyötö-ryü dojo under invitation to bring the sword school under his wing. But instead of a warm welcome, Anotsu finds a dojo full of angry young men who don't want to take orders from an upstart, unless he can proves he's tougher than the best of them! That sits just fine with Anotsu, who has dedicated his life to putting the killing back into Japan's formalized sword schools, but Anotsu suspects that something more than proof of his worthiness lies beneath the challenge. Meanwhile, the immortal swordsman, Manji, is recovering from a battle that left him literally cut to pieces. His charge, Rin, is till nowhere to be found, bound for vengeance against Anotsu, but soon his troubles may become a bit more immediate, troubles that even an immortal may not survive! Collecting issues #58-#65 of the ongoing series. FOR MATURE READERS. On sale June 12. SC, 232pg, b&w "

"by Hiroaki Samura; produced by STUDIO PROTEUS After traveling a long and perilous road together, Rin and her immoral bodyguard, Manji, have become separated, Rin risking life and limb in her pursuit of her family's murderer, the ruthless Anotsu Kagehisa, leader of the outlaw Itto-Ryu sword school. Manji is slowly recovering - and reassembling - after being dismembered by Itto-ryu thugs, and has set off to find Rin. Meanwhile, both friends and enemies are also assembling. Manji's ally, the beautiful assassin Hyakurin has put a lot of Itto-ryu swordsmen under the dirt, but the tides are turned when she falls under the hands of a group of Itto-ryu killers who will go to any length - and spare no agonies - to get her to talk. Collecting issues #66-72 of the ongoing series. FOR MATURE READERS On sale December 18 SC, 192pg, b&w "

"HIROAKI SAMURA MATURE READERS You'd think that Manji, the immortal swordsman, would have dispatched just about every sinister personality in feudal Japan on his mission to slay a thousand evil men. But instead of thinning out the vicious herd, he's only shaken loose the most vicious and depraved. Now, Manji and his pal Magatsu are on the trail of one of the baddest apples in the barrel, Shira, old enemy of Manji-and a one-handed enemy, courtesy of the immortal's blade. But while manji and Magatsu are hunting Shira, the crafty killer has hired a pack of hunters of his own, and if he can't kill Manji, he's hoping for the next best thing: to cut Manji to pieces on a daily basis. Collecting issues#73-#78 of the ongoing series."

"HIROAKI SAMURA (W/A) FOR MATURE READERS Anotsu Kagehisa, master swordsman and leader of the rogue Itto-ryu dojo, has sheathed his blade for the moment to join in marriage with the daughter of a swordmaster whose dojo is to be brought under Onotsus' dark wing. But for a man of action, the formal traditions of feudal Japan can be just as tense and fraught with hidden agendas as the battlefield. And while Anotsu may indulge in a moment of peace, his enemies are not at rest, among them Rin, who has stalked him for years to take revenge for the murder of her parents. Anotsu had best make sure that if he stops to smell the flowers, he doesn't end up losing his head! Collecting issue #81-89 of the ongoing series."

"HIROAKI SAMURA (W/A) Rin has spent countless days chasing the murderer of her parents, and now she has Anotsu Kagehisa where she wants him, but the deathly ill Anotsu is too sick for the honor-bound Rin to strike down. But such is not the case for the students of the Shingyötö-ryü, who are out to avenge the death of their sword master, and they have Rin captured and Anotsu cornered. The spirit of revenge is thick in the air-and about to get thicker as Manji, Rin's immortal bodyguard, finally reunites with his charge as this pot of retribution prepares to boil over. And so Manji's faced with a strange irony-to save Rin, he must cut down the men who are out to kill Anotsu, Manji's sworn enemy!"

"Kidnapped and bound by three Itto-ryü warriors, Rin is unable to warn her bodyguard Manji, the immortal swordsman, that he's heading into a trap. To make matters worse, the Itto-ryü possess a large dose of kessen-satsu, the only poison known to damage Manji's blood and severely cripple his regenerative abilities. And is Mugai-ryü assassin Giichi following Manji in order to help rescue Rin or will he just stick around long enough to finish off any survivors? • 'Blade of the Immortal's image of pre-modern Japan might be filled with anachronism, but it is also gifted with loving detail and interesting perspective.' - VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) FOR MATURE READERS"

"As Rin frets over her bodyguard Manji's disappearance, she is surprised by the arrival of two traveling warriors, the feisty, headstrong Döa Yoshino and her huge, brutish companion, Isaku Yasono-ökami. Rin quickly regrets her decision to let this strange couple stay with her, but her detective work takes priority when she returns to the stronghold of Habaki Kagamura to search for Manji. Meanwhile, Kagimura's medical examiners begin to test the seemingly immortal Manji, who is imprisoned, chained, and a very unwilling toy in their merciless hands! Hiroaki Samura's acclaimed Blade of the Immortal has won awards across the globe, including the Eisner Award in America and the prestigious Media Arts Award of Japan. Intense and audacious, Blade takes period samurai action and deftly combines it with a modernist street idiom to create a style and mood like no other work of graphic fiction. • Dark Horse has sold over 300,000 Blade of the Immortal graphic novels. FOR MATURE READERS"

"Manji, the immortal swordsman, lies imprisoned in the bakufu stronghold of the mysterious Habaki Kagimura. Seeking to impart the life-extending powers of Manji's kessen-chu bloodworms to other humans, Kagimura orders his medical examiners to discover the secrets of Manji's amazing regenerative abilities. Using a series of convicts as live subjects in an increasingly grisly series of twisted experiments, Burando, Kagimura's lead medical examiner, begins to grow more desperate and sickened with each horrifying failure. And through it all, Manji lives, and regenerates, and bides his time for the moment that he can pay back his tormentors . . . limb by limb! Dark, violent, and yet possessing subtle emotional depth, Blade re-invents the traditional period samurai tale by imbuing it with a streetwise modernist sensibility to create an epic tale of incomparable skill and audacious reach. FOR MATURE READERS Blade of the Immortal © 2007 by Hiroaki Samura. All rights reserved. New and adapted artwork and text copyright 2007 Dark Horse Comics, Inc."

"The immortality of the captive Manji is being sorely tested, as the horrifying experiments commanded by Habaki Kagimura in the dungeons below Edo castle continue. One of Kagimura's doctors, Ayame Burando, has already gone half-mad, tormented by the sickening mutilations intended to unlock the secret of passing Manji's amazing regenerative powers to others, and Burando's replacements have upped the ante with their utter incompetence. Meanwhile, Manji's charge, Rin, is desperately trying to find him, but Edo's brutal police are on her trail, and the race is on for Rin to free her immortal bodyguard before she joins him behind bars!"

"Hiroaki Samura (W/A) The time for reconnaissance, planning, and waiting is over! Rin and Döa, desperate to be reunited with their friends (or even reassured that they're alive), take their first bold steps in penetrating Edo Castle's defenses and foiling Kagimura's foul 'immortality' experiments! A trip to an old doctor, a chance encounter with a high-strung peasant, and an appearance by a strange, all-new Itto-ryü warrior combine to make this volume an important series of encounters in persistent Rin's quest to find Manji and Isaku-and in her own growth as a warrior! The 'Badger Hole' is a dank passageway that leads to an underground tunnel system beneath Edo Castle. • Collects Issues #127 to #131 of Blade of the Immortal."

"A massive, 280-page volume brings readers back into the 'Badger Hole' with Rin and Doa, as they make some shocking discoveries and finally find their missing companions! When Rin bumps into Toraemon, the unfortunate assistant to crazy Doc Burando and witness to his disgusting 'immortality experiments,' it seems that breaking Manji free will be a breeze. Not so. Getting Manji out of Edo's nightmarish underground cells and dank tunnel systems will be just as arduous as the ordeal of locating him was! More secrets about fan-favorite Döa's past are revealed, and we get a bittersweet glimpse at her early years traveling with her beloved Isaku. Several old teams are reunited, a mind-blowing battle quickly starts and races us through most of this astonishing volume, and an old villain finally sees some pointed retribution at the hands of one of his prisoners! Let the breakout battle in the 'Demon Lair' begin! "

"A prisoner subjected to Habaki Kagimura and crazy Doc Burando's twisted experiments for far too long, Manji finds himself closer to freedom than ever before-but several colorful villains block his way! While the shogun's executioner matches Manji and Döa's skills, the reborn, powerful Isaku struggles with Asaemon and Kagimura's henchmen. The breakout battle in the tunnels beneath Edo Castle continues! With plenty of mortal enemies to go around, Manji and company are surprised by the appearance of Burando's most horrific kessen-chu success story, just as the already treacherous tunnels begin to flood. Rin tries to remain hopeful, Burando faces the reality of his 'immortality experiments' on Manji, and a monstrous villain makes a return appearance! o Hiroaki Samura's widely acclaimed Blade of the Immortal manga series has won awards across the globe, including the Eisner Award in America, the prestigious Media Arts Award of Japan, and two consecutive British Eagle Awards! o Hiroaki Samura is the creator of the enchanting Ohikkoshi manga anthology-also published by Dark Horse Manga! "

"Hiroaki Samura's latest Blade of the Immortal volume finds Manji and Rin recovering from their harrowing escape out of Edo's underground prisons and finally confronting their odd relationship. Döa and Isaku have something important to announce when Anotsu and the Itto-ryu reunite with their missing members, and Habaki Kagimura faces a death sentence! To atone for his failures and sins, Kagimura has one month to destroy Anotsu and his crew-or Kagimura must commit suicide. With his Mugai-ryu assassins disbanded, Kagimura enlists even stranger felons than before, creating the frightening, new Rokki-dan gang. With his colorful cast expanding, Samura's knack for creating memorable characters and his masterful ability to dovetail multiple plot lines into each other are evident in this new volume, which also packs a powerful surprise ending! o Hiroaki Samura is the creator of the enchanting Ohikkoshi manga anthology-also published by Dark Horse Manga!"

"To atone for the atrocities committed under his watch, Habaki Kagimura is no longer the top general for Edo castle and the shogunate, and he must commit ritual suicide. While his replacement gave the despised Itto-ryu gang a reprieve and an order to leave Edo and remain in exile, Kagimura still has one shot to redeem himself. Desperate and with very little time left, he's assembled his Rokki-dan warriors-with Kagimura's own daughter among their numbers-and he now seeks to hunt down and wipe out the Itto-ryu for good. But in his haste, will he fall for a string of traps planned by Anotsu, their devious leader? Freed and unfazed by his time in Edo's dungeons, Manji searches for his missing limb, and a few old friends return to the pages of this action-filled, epic manga series. Hiroaki Samura's widely acclaimed Blade of the Immortal manga series has won awards across the globe, including the Eisner Award in America, the prestigious Media Arts Award of Japan, and several British Eagle Awards! Samura is the creator of the enchanting Ohikkoshi manga anthology and the hardcover The Art of Blade of the Immortal-also published by Dark Horse Manga! Copyright © 2010 by Hiroaki Samura. All rights reserved. New and adapted artwork and text copyright 2010 Dark Horse Comics, Inc."

"There's going to be a massacre at Edo Castle! While the bitter Kagimura believes that he's sending his forces chasing after Anotsu and the entire Itto-ryu crew, Anotsu fakes them all out and risks his life in one mad dash back to the Edo Castle grounds! What is his strange mission? Also believing that she's still on Anotsu's trail, Rin travels with Manji behind a group of decoy Itto-ryu warriors, whose dreadful soldiers are still lethal without their leader. "

"The showdown that fans have been waiting for begins here, as Manji and Shira finally cross paths! Although he's missing an arm, Manji's mystical healing powers still ensure that he's a formidable opponent-but his greatest foe, the masochistic Shira, has a few depraved tricks up his own sleeves! With Shira deadlier than ever, having had plenty of time to plot twisted revenge schemes, will Manji be able to protect Rin from his deranged nemesis? Plus-an Ittö-ryü warrior dies, in typically dramatic Hiroaki Samura fashion. Samura's widely acclaimed Blade of the Immortal manga series has won awards across the globe, including the Eisner Award in America, the prestigious Media Arts Award of Japan, and multiple British Eagle Awards."

"The vicious battle continues-and a key character meets a grisly end! With the help of some new allies, Manji and Rin may have a fighting chance, but can a wounded and road-weary Magatsu hold his own against an invigorated, freshly armed foe? Hiroaki Samura's spellbinding masterpiece finds several major story lines finally beginning to dovetail! "

"With this epic tale of revenge completed in Japan, now's the time to catch up with Manji, Rin, and your favorite battling groups of anachronistic, enigmatic warriors! Anotsu Kagehisa's Itt?-Ry? crew is splintered and fatigued-as Habaki Kagimura's group of suicidal Rokki-dan soldiers closes in on them! The road to Blade's final volume begins here!"

"Heads and limbs fly as the vicious grudge match between desperate rogue Anotsu and disgraced officer Habaki continues! Three weird Rokki-dan thugs catch up to the fleeing Itt?-Ry? crew-with unexpected results! As this epic manga series nears its final volume, now's time to catch up with Manji, Rin, and your favorite battling groups of anachronistic, freakish warriors!"

"Habaki and his Rokki-dan thugs turn a seemingly innocent harbor into a port of death- killing everyone who's docked there in case they're working with Anotsu's Itto-ryu crew! And when Manji, Rin, and a desperate Anotsu arrive on the scene? This really is the start of Blade's final battle-with only three volumes left! 'Samura's work will thrill you, engage you, and even horrify you like no other artist working in film or print today.'-Geof Darrow"

"The penultimate volume! Disgraced Edo officer Habaki faces the man he's vowed to take down-the rascally Anotsu. While Manji and Rin are forced to battle Habaki's most tenacious, frightening Rokki-dan thug in a grotesque showdown, the enigmatic Makie has to fend off several Edo Castle henchmen at once! o Hiroaki Samura's popular manga series nears its conclusion! 'Samura's work will thrill you, engage you, and even horrify you like no other artist working in film or print today.'-Geof Darrow "

"The harrowing, bone-crunching finale! Disgraced Edo officer Habaki faces the devious Anotsu in a decisive showdown, while Manji, Rin, and only a few others witness the end of an era. Rin's quest concludes with a violent bang-then things get weirder! Hiroaki Samura's final volume overflows with heartbreak and bloodshed!"