MangaFinished
Mugen no Juunin
Blade of the Immortal
Illustration & Story bySamura, Hiroaki
ActionAdventureDramaSupernaturalHistorical
Published: Jun 25, 1993 to Dec 25, 2012
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#225Global Ranking
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Synopsis
Manji is an infamous swordsman in feudal Japan who is known as the "Hundred Man Killer," as he has killed one hundred innocent men. However, there is something far more frightening than his ominous reputation: the fact that he is immortal. This is the handiwork of eight-hundred-year-old nun Yaobikuni, who placed bloodworms capable of healing almost any wound in Manji's body. To atone for his crimes, Manji resolves to kill one thousand evil men. Yaobikuni agrees to this proposal, saying that if he succeeds, she will undo his curse of immortality. Soon after this promise, Manji meets Rin Asano, a 16-year-old girl who requests Manji's assistance in killing those who slaughtered her parents. Initially reluctant, Manji refuses Rin's desperate plea. However, owing to her evident lack of strength, Manji changes his mind and agrees to protect Rin for four years. With this partnership set in stone, the two embark on a perilous journey of bloodshed, vengeance, and redemption, each to fulfill their own life's cause. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Background Context
Mugen no Juunin won the Excellence Prize at the first Japan Media Arts Festival in 1997. The series was published in English by Dark Horse Comics as Blade of the Immortal in monthly comics issues from June 1, 1996, to November 14, 2007, but was stopped after 131 issues. The publisher also released the manga in 31 volumes from March 1, 1997, to April 1, 2015. The release featured the unusual method of cutting out and rearranging panels, which was done so to have the series read left to right while still appealing to Hiroaki Samura's request of not flipping the pages. Dark Horse Comics republished the series in 3-in-1 omnibus volumes, with the final omnibus containing Shousetsu Mugen no Juunin: Ninjuu Ibun. The first 19 volumes were released in Brazilian Portuguese by Conrad Editora from February 2004 to February 2007; the full series was published by Editora JBC in 2-in-1 omnibus volumes from December 2015 to May 2018.