Rating: 
Summary: The greatest manga hero ever!
Review: Before you read the rest of the review go out and BUY THIS IMMEDIATELY...YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED! The story revolves around one time bad guy Manji who is immortal. To make up for his sins of killing 100 good guys who were after him (including his sisters husband) he must slay 1000 bad guys!!! On the way he befriends a small girl called Rin and becomes her bodyguard. They are looking for an evil leader called anotsu...however as the story goes on it becomes less clear how evil anotsu is especially with his romance with a geisha swordswoman called makie... Hiroaki samura is truly the master at creating a thought provoking samurai epic manga... His storytelling is interesting and unique and comprises modern american slang as well as olden times speak! The art...what can I say! Although at times gory it is truly beautiful and all the panels are drawn with a loving care. The front covers alone are something to behold... It is very hard to persuade me to part with my dosh on manga books but this does it...adults cartoons indeed!!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite story in a series of great stories.
Review: community-help@amazon.com.I stumbled onto "Blade of the Immortal" translations in comic book format. Attracted by the art, and the unusally deep dialogue between the opponents (as dramatic as Kazou Kioke's "Lone Wolf and Cub", but much more up-to-date in sensibility and subject matter) I immediately began looking for back issues, which was difficult. Many retailers don't seem to order many issues of this book. Fortunately the trade paperbacks started coming out soon after. "Blade of the Immortal" starts off as a fairly typical samurai revenge story, with some unusual horror movie twists. We meet Manji, a guilt-ridden outlaw and expert swordsman, who is cursed with an odd form of immortality. No matter how grievously he is injured, he cannot die. Manji makes a deal with a magical buddhist nun. He will gain the release of death, if he slays 1000 evil men. Soon we meet Rin, a young girl, the daughter of a swordsmanship teacher who witnessed the horrific murder of her parents at the hands of the Itto-Ryu, a renegade sword school. Tortured by nightmares, she seeks revenge, but realizing she has no hope of surviving a direct confrontation with even one Itto-Ryu swordsman, she convinces Manji to serve as her bodyguard and stand in. Taking up Rin's quest seems a perfect confluence of both of their desires: her need to put her parents memory to rest, his to earn his redemption. The stories take you through dramatic encounters with various members of the sword school. All are dangerous swordsmen with unique styles of combat. Some are quite literally monsters. Each has a unique story, an unique reason for having become a renegade, and this becomes the source of much thought provoking drama before, during and after the battles. All are memorable characters, in particular Shimuzu (Book Two: "Cry of the Worm"), a fellow immortal and Maki, a swordswoman forced into prostitution who fights like the wind (Book 3: "Dreamsong"). Harioki Samura has great timing, the panel layouts make the fight scenes breathtaking and exciting. Also wonderful is the developing relationship between Manji and Rin, a kind of older brother, little sister dynamic that lends the book much humor and necessary warmth (given the bloodiness of the battles). Beginning with "Rins Bane" (Book 4) Rin's internal debate about the morality and human costs of her quest, takes center stage, and make this one of the deepest and most interesting books to cross the Pacific in years. There's still plenty of action, and the relationship between Rin and Manji continues to deepen, but it's the debates about the sanity of the bushido code, about memory, about filial duty, and hints of political intrigue to come, that make this book an thought provoking and engrossing read. If you have any taste for the high drama and action, as well as the deeper issues running through comic books like "the Authority", you have to give "Blade" a try. This is the best dramatic manga translation I've read, and it compares favorably with "Lone Wolf & Cub" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion". I really don't think you will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite story in a series of great stories.
Review: community-help@amazon.com. I stumbled onto "Blade of the Immortal" translations in comic book format. Attracted by the art, and the unusally deep dialogue between the opponents (as dramatic as Kazou Kioke's "Lone Wolf and Cub", but much more up-to-date in sensibility and subject matter) I immediately began looking for back issues, which was difficult. Many retailers don't seem to order many issues of this book. Fortunately the trade paperbacks started coming out soon after. "Blade of the Immortal" starts off as a fairly typical samurai revenge story, with some unusual horror movie twists. We meet Manji, a guilt-ridden outlaw and expert swordsman, who is cursed with an odd form of immortality. No matter how grievously he is injured, he cannot die. Manji makes a deal with a magical buddhist nun. He will gain the release of death, if he slays 1000 evil men. Soon we meet Rin, a young girl, the daughter of a swordsmanship teacher who witnessed the horrific murder of her parents at the hands of the Itto-Ryu, a renegade sword school. Tortured by nightmares, she seeks revenge, but realizing she has no hope of surviving a direct confrontation with even one Itto-Ryu swordsman, she convinces Manji to serve as her bodyguard and stand in. Taking up Rin's quest seems a perfect confluence of both of their desires: her need to put her parents memory to rest, his to earn his redemption. The stories take you through dramatic encounters with various members of the sword school. All are dangerous swordsmen with unique styles of combat. Some are quite literally monsters. Each has a unique story, an unique reason for having become a renegade, and this becomes the source of much thought provoking drama before, during and after the battles. All are memorable characters, in particular Shimuzu (Book Two: "Cry of the Worm"), a fellow immortal and Maki, a swordswoman forced into prostitution who fights like the wind (Book 3: "Dreamsong"). Harioki Samura has great timing, the panel layouts make the fight scenes breathtaking and exciting. Also wonderful is the developing relationship between Manji and Rin, a kind of older brother, little sister dynamic that lends the book much humor and necessary warmth (given the bloodiness of the battles). Beginning with "Rins Bane" (Book 4) Rin's internal debate about the morality and human costs of her quest, takes center stage, and make this one of the deepest and most interesting books to cross the Pacific in years. There's still plenty of action, and the relationship between Rin and Manji continues to deepen, but it's the debates about the sanity of the bushido code, about memory, about filial duty, and hints of political intrigue to come, that make this book an thought provoking and engrossing read. If you have any taste for the high drama and action, as well as the deeper issues running through comic books like "the Authority", you have to give "Blade" a try. This is the best dramatic manga translation I've read, and it compares favorably with "Lone Wolf & Cub" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion". I really don't think you will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful dark manga
Review: Hiroaki Samura's masterpiece, Blade of the Immortal, is an absolutely astounding manga. The artwork and character designs are brilliant. I love the way Samura gets you sympathize with many of the villains. In that respect Blade of the Immortal reminds me much of Rurouni Kenshin. One of the strongest (and most tragic) of Kagehisa Anotsu's warriors is also introduced, Makie Otonotachibana. If you enjoyed Blood of a Thousand and Cry of the Worm then you definitely do not want to pass up Dreamsong.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, but not without Glitches
Review: I have read many, many manga series. This, I admit, is one of the best I've read so far. Most mangas are short on plot and storyline, instead relying on overblown sex scenes to attract male audiences (hey, it's true!). Well, Blade of the Immortal: Dreamsong, is full of plot, and for once, i found myself enjoying the manga instead of the pictures. Of course, the art is great in its own way, Just buy it and see!
Rating:
Summary: I love this book
Review: I love this series! I anxiously await ever collection. Dreamsong is one of my favorites volumes. The story seems to depart a little from Rin & Manji to focus on Makie. Makie is quite possibly the finest combatant among the vast array of fighters in 'Immortal'. It's great to find out a woman character could quite easily take out all these posturing, big-headed male characters (Manji included). She's ultra-cool and a nice counterpart to the female character of Rin.
The artwork and pace of storytelling is what initially drew me to this series. It's samurai western at it's finest. Some of the kills i find kind of stoopid - Manji carves up an opponent's head with the stroke-shapes of a swastika (volume 1), but overall, this stuff is high intensity action. My highest praise. Definitely buy these books. It's best to start at the beginning to keep track of every character and event. awesome.....
Rating:
Summary: This is the best stuff!
Review: I love this series! I anxiously await ever collection. Dreamsong is one of my favorites volumes. The story seems to depart a little from Rin & Manji to focus on Makie. Makie is quite possibly the finest combatant among the vast array of fighters in 'Immortal'. It's great to find out a woman character could quite easily take out all these posturing, big-headed male characters (Manji included). She's ultra-cool and a nice counterpart to the female character of Rin.
The artwork and pace of storytelling is what initially drew me to this series. It's samurai western at it's finest. Some of the kills i find kind of stoopid - Manji carves up an opponent's head with the stroke-shapes of a swastika (volume 1), but overall, this stuff is high intensity action. My highest praise. Definitely buy these books. It's best to start at the beginning to keep track of every character and event. awesome.....
Rating:
Summary: This is the best stuff!
Review: I love this series! I anxiously await ever collection. Dreamsong is one of my favorites volumes. The story seems to depart a little from Rin & Manji to focus on Makie. Makie is quite possibly the finest combatant among the vast array of fighters in 'Immortal'. It's great to find out a woman character could quite easily take out all these posturing, big-headed male characters (Manji included). She's ultra-cool and a nice counterpart to the female character of Rin.
The artwork and pace of storytelling is what initially drew me to this series. It's samurai western at it's finest. Some of the kills i find kind of stoopid - Manji carves up an opponent's head with the stroke-shapes of a swastika (volume 1), but overall, this stuff is high intensity action. My highest praise. Definitely buy these books. It's best to start at the beginning to keep track of every character and event. awesome.....
Rating:
Summary: It was a very elaborate, sinister, catchting on book.
Review: I loved this book. It is one of my favorites out today. If you like tales of eerie vampires and slayers, then you have choose the right book. I recomend this book to adults.
Rating:
Summary: ah, the wonders of moral ambiguity
Review: If people say we've outgrown the traditional hero then BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL might be one of the best cases to support that point. If our protagonists Manji and Rin are respectively driven by guilt and revenge how noble is that? If the antagonist Anotsu is motivated by reforming the sword schools of Japan (al beit by destroying them) is that all wrong, isn't he performing a grisly, yet patriotic duty? I've had quibbles with the art, particularly the confusing two-page spreads but by this third book Samura has almost completely dropped it. And even if his female character designs mostly look the same (their faces anyway) he has such a clear grasp of character that you'd never mistake Rin for Makie, for instance, in this story. I won't give any plot points away but the thing that impressed me about this book was when one of the character's makes a surprisingly convincing argument that a prostitute has more honor and concern for humanity than any person weilding a sword. There's an exotic twist on a samurai story.
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