Review: BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL

Manji is a samurai, a skilled warrior who carries and uses dozens of bladed weapons. He is also immortal, "condemned to a life of combat until he spills the blood of a thousand evil men." Cursed by an ancient nun and with his body enfused with magical worms which will repair almost any wound (save decapitation), Manji must forefill his destiny of wander the earth forever knowing no peace.

Dark Horse Comics publishes the creation of writer/artist Hiroaki samurai, one of the best known (if mysterious) manga artists in Japan. Rarely making public appearances and never photographed, Hiroaki brings to mind the American comics artists Steve Ditko. Like Hiroaki, Ditko says that he prefers for his work to speak for itself. The work he produces for his best known creation certainly speaks very well.

First published in Japan in the mid-1990s, BLADE tells the tale of Manji as he wonders the country as 'bodyguard' for Rin, who seeks revenge for the death of her parents. The art is the books is deceptively simply in some panels, but Hiroaki demonstrates a masters pen in the full page (and sometimes double page) scenes of Manji in battle. The writing, translated by Dana Lewis and Toren Smith, may strike some folks as odd as it switches from the formal speech of some characters to the street lingo (very contemporary in some aspects) of others. This reflects what Hiroaki intends in his original, so the translators do their best to respect and follow his lead. Once you get used to it it makes sense as the language easily shows the emotions and attitudes of the speakers.

Over a dozen issues of BLADE are already in print and readily available in many bookstores and better comic shops. Here in Queens the popularity of not only this title but manga in general has moved the library system to carry this and other manga translations.

This is different from something along the lines of LONEWOLF & CUB, but if you enjoy manga, especially of the samurai/adventure variety I think you'd be doing yourself a favor by at least checking out an issue. You should start with the first, but their is editorial material in each book which explains the basic plot and things about the style and era in which the story takes place.