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Blade of the Immortal (US) #10
Blade of the Immortal, Volume 10: Secrets
Anotsu Kagehisa, murderous leader of the rogue Itto-ryu, has journeyed to the mountains far from Edo to the romote Shingyoto-ryu 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.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
10 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Hiroaki Samura
485 books247 followersHiroaki Samura ( 沙村広明) is a Japanese cartoonist and illustrator. He is best known for writing and illustrating the manga Blade of the Immortal (1993-2012). Among his other manga series Die Wergelder (2011-2018) and Wave, Listen to Me!, the latter serialised since 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 3, 2024
This one shifts the focus to Anotsu Kagehisa, revealing the twisted yet intriguing motivations that drive him. While Manji is bedridden and healing, forming a tentative bond with the sensei and his daughter, Rin continues her rough journey, struggling to get by as she hunts for Anotsu.
The real highlight here is Anotsu’s philosophy and ambition. He justifies his brutal actions as necessary to build a legacy, believing he can eventually reshape history in his favor. By gathering killers and rapists and all the shitty-person-but-great-at-killing outcasts he could find, he’s building power now, planning to balance out the darkness with good deeds later. This volume gives him a depth that makes things chilling while you cannot wait for him and Rin (or Manji) to meet.
Though there’s less direct progress for Rin and Manji, the insight into their enemy’s mind is valuable, adding to the overall stakes of the story. Another solid volume and as always, amazing artwork by Mr. Samura.
"Throughout history, it is those call themselves righteous who destroy their countries.
The real highlight here is Anotsu’s philosophy and ambition. He justifies his brutal actions as necessary to build a legacy, believing he can eventually reshape history in his favor. By gathering killers and rapists and all the shitty-person-but-great-at-killing outcasts he could find, he’s building power now, planning to balance out the darkness with good deeds later. This volume gives him a depth that makes things chilling while you cannot wait for him and Rin (or Manji) to meet.
Though there’s less direct progress for Rin and Manji, the insight into their enemy’s mind is valuable, adding to the overall stakes of the story. Another solid volume and as always, amazing artwork by Mr. Samura.
"Throughout history, it is those call themselves righteous who destroy their countries.
December 15, 2021
Anotsu travels to the mountain dojo that sent for him and is immediately challenged by current students. The sensei there apologies, but unfolds a much larger plan to Anotsu that starts the most contemplative story for him yet.
Hyakurin checks in on Manji, who is still recovering from having most of his limbs removed, at the home of the blood artist Sori from several volumes ago. While Manji is mean to her, the Sori helps him piece together the larger story of she and her group really are. The Mugai-Ryu have a deeper back story and more surprises than expected. There is also a lot of talk about the Tegata that got away. He learns that another traveler is staying at the inn and the surprise guest turns the direction of his story.
Rin is still wandering her way towards Kaga, trying to be braver and smarter and remember all Manji taught her about living outdoors. While bathing in the river to wash off the fleas from a poor inn she stayed at a traveler tries to warn her about leaving her things where anyone can get them. Obviously, her robs her while she's in the water, so it's an expensive lesson. **Far less violence in this volume than just about any other, but this wasn't boring as the plot progression really happened with exposition that was worthwhile.
Hyakurin checks in on Manji, who is still recovering from having most of his limbs removed, at the home of the blood artist Sori from several volumes ago. While Manji is mean to her, the Sori helps him piece together the larger story of she and her group really are. The Mugai-Ryu have a deeper back story and more surprises than expected. There is also a lot of talk about the Tegata that got away. He learns that another traveler is staying at the inn and the surprise guest turns the direction of his story.
Rin is still wandering her way towards Kaga, trying to be braver and smarter and remember all Manji taught her about living outdoors. While bathing in the river to wash off the fleas from a poor inn she stayed at a traveler tries to warn her about leaving her things where anyone can get them. Obviously, her robs her while she's in the water, so it's an expensive lesson. **Far less violence in this volume than just about any other, but this wasn't boring as the plot progression really happened with exposition that was worthwhile.
November 10, 2020
This was my favorite volume of Blade Of The Immortal in a while. The focus on Anotsu Kagehisa's arrival in a new dojo was far more interesting than the main story has been for several volumes. He's a very well-rounded villain with very noble aspirations but unnecessarily violent methods. A lot like Magneto when he's written well.
When we do encounter our protagonists again, we learn a few new things that look like they're actually going to progress the story forward rather than continuing to spin wheels. I like it.
There is also a massive action sequence in this book that is ten times better than any of the action sequences in the previous two volumes. It's clear, you can follow the action, and it's gorgeous.
When we do encounter our protagonists again, we learn a few new things that look like they're actually going to progress the story forward rather than continuing to spin wheels. I like it.
There is also a massive action sequence in this book that is ten times better than any of the action sequences in the previous two volumes. It's clear, you can follow the action, and it's gorgeous.
January 8, 2019
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh you go Taito gettin’ revenge for yo girl. (Also I appreciate the amount of Anotsu we get in this volume)
February 29, 2024
I think I like this Anotsu guy
July 9, 2009
A volume of down-period stories from an arc where Samura was clearly setting up the next phases in life for Manji, Rin and Anotsu. Manji spends almost all of this volume healing in bed; Rin just walks along, hungry.
Only Anotsu's story is particularly interesting, as he reaches the dojo he is to inherit and finds the students set against him and the master with a curious demand before he take over the school. It was teased before, but here Anotsu has clearly risen to protagonist status, with a sympathetic aim and real momentum behind his brutal cause.
His scenes are the most rounded, helping expand his character and role. One scene sees him duel with a student, the art style changing radically into what is almost flip book of his maneuvers. Another scene sees him sit quietly with his potential wife, someone he hadn't met until yesterday.
Only Anotsu's story is particularly interesting, as he reaches the dojo he is to inherit and finds the students set against him and the master with a curious demand before he take over the school. It was teased before, but here Anotsu has clearly risen to protagonist status, with a sympathetic aim and real momentum behind his brutal cause.
His scenes are the most rounded, helping expand his character and role. One scene sees him duel with a student, the art style changing radically into what is almost flip book of his maneuvers. Another scene sees him sit quietly with his potential wife, someone he hadn't met until yesterday.
April 18, 2019
Bit of a filler volume, which unfortunately is really letting it sink in how hard-to-follow I'm finding some of the art.
October 23, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Manji is a ruthless ronin stricken with the curse of immortality. To undo his curse, he must take the lives of a thousand sinners. He's a wandering sword for hire that kills without mercy and hunts down evil warriors all over feudal Japan. He wanders and kills without purpose for quite some time, but his long journey to end his own life takes an unexpected turn when he meets a compassionate young girl named Rin who is seeking revenge for her parents after they were murdered by members of a brutal new sword school called the Itto-ryu. Manji accepts the role of Rin's guardian and their drastically different ideals and personalities begin to change each other in ways neither of them could've foreseen as they clash with one merciless sinner after another.
The story cycles between several groups of samurai warriors each with their own moral codes and objectives. Other than Manji and Rin, there is Anotsu Kagehisa; the leader of the Itto-ryu and his band of rogues that openly defy old traditions as they seek to revolutionize the way of the samurai through force. Hyakurin and her partner Giichi who work as government cutthroats under a faction called the Mugai-ryu along with a serial killer named Shira, and so on. There are also hundreds of assassins, criminal gangs and shady individuals that wish to learn the secrets of Manji's immortality for their own nefarious purposes. With so many vicious people on the loose, it's no surprise that this ends up being one of the most brutal and bloody samurai tales ever told.
Blade of the Immortal makes ultra-violence look like a poetic art form. Blood and limbs fly like scarlet paint. Blades cut through flesh and bone like knives through butter. The use of clever battle poses and finishing techniques against the backdrop of hyper-stylized Edo period art makes for some museum-worthy battle and death scenes.
Despite how glamorized violence and bloodshed is throughout the series, it does not shy away from exploring the aftermath of said violence and how it impacts the psychological state of the characters. A sweet girl like Rin seeks revenge against Anotsu of the Itto-ryu for leading an assault that resulted in the murder of her family and slowly grows accustomed to the constant brutality that the path of revenge leads to. Anotsu himself isn't the one-dimensional evil monster that Rin believes him to be as he is driven by a sense of revenge himself; his revolution against outdated traditions begins only because people he loved were hurt, killed and outcasted by the harsh rules and teachings of the old sword schools. Even those who live through vicarious swindling and assassination such as Hyakurin and her partner Giichi have very traumatic upbringings and take no joy in their work.
We see how violence warps these characters into killing machines and then we see how the violence they inflict on others leads to more tragedy and bloodshed. Whether it be physical, mental or sexual, the violence throughout the series never goes unexplored or unpunished. It somehow manages to be brutally elegant and mature at the same time, the bloody battles are fantastic and the effects it has on the characters is even more so.
What seems to be a cliche samurai revenge story subtly transforms into an exploration of the psychological effects that violence has on many different types of individuals. Some are defined by it, some are bound to it, some love it while others allow themselves to grow from it or be destroyed by it. Violence and revenge are never fully justified nor condemned. It's presented from a very neutral and realistic point of view, allowing you to see it from every angle possible and judge for yourself whether it can be justified or not.
The story is simple, but the webs of conflict between many groups of complex and dangerous characters is where it truly shines. Strong development, elegant violence, moral ambiguity and an unusually modern punk tone in the dialogue and mannerisms of the characters offers a unique way of exploring a feudal-era drama that defies the expectations of a traditional revenge story.
***
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Manji is a ruthless ronin stricken with the curse of immortality. To undo his curse, he must take the lives of a thousand sinners. He's a wandering sword for hire that kills without mercy and hunts down evil warriors all over feudal Japan. He wanders and kills without purpose for quite some time, but his long journey to end his own life takes an unexpected turn when he meets a compassionate young girl named Rin who is seeking revenge for her parents after they were murdered by members of a brutal new sword school called the Itto-ryu. Manji accepts the role of Rin's guardian and their drastically different ideals and personalities begin to change each other in ways neither of them could've foreseen as they clash with one merciless sinner after another.
The story cycles between several groups of samurai warriors each with their own moral codes and objectives. Other than Manji and Rin, there is Anotsu Kagehisa; the leader of the Itto-ryu and his band of rogues that openly defy old traditions as they seek to revolutionize the way of the samurai through force. Hyakurin and her partner Giichi who work as government cutthroats under a faction called the Mugai-ryu along with a serial killer named Shira, and so on. There are also hundreds of assassins, criminal gangs and shady individuals that wish to learn the secrets of Manji's immortality for their own nefarious purposes. With so many vicious people on the loose, it's no surprise that this ends up being one of the most brutal and bloody samurai tales ever told.
Blade of the Immortal makes ultra-violence look like a poetic art form. Blood and limbs fly like scarlet paint. Blades cut through flesh and bone like knives through butter. The use of clever battle poses and finishing techniques against the backdrop of hyper-stylized Edo period art makes for some museum-worthy battle and death scenes.
Despite how glamorized violence and bloodshed is throughout the series, it does not shy away from exploring the aftermath of said violence and how it impacts the psychological state of the characters. A sweet girl like Rin seeks revenge against Anotsu of the Itto-ryu for leading an assault that resulted in the murder of her family and slowly grows accustomed to the constant brutality that the path of revenge leads to. Anotsu himself isn't the one-dimensional evil monster that Rin believes him to be as he is driven by a sense of revenge himself; his revolution against outdated traditions begins only because people he loved were hurt, killed and outcasted by the harsh rules and teachings of the old sword schools. Even those who live through vicarious swindling and assassination such as Hyakurin and her partner Giichi have very traumatic upbringings and take no joy in their work.
We see how violence warps these characters into killing machines and then we see how the violence they inflict on others leads to more tragedy and bloodshed. Whether it be physical, mental or sexual, the violence throughout the series never goes unexplored or unpunished. It somehow manages to be brutally elegant and mature at the same time, the bloody battles are fantastic and the effects it has on the characters is even more so.
What seems to be a cliche samurai revenge story subtly transforms into an exploration of the psychological effects that violence has on many different types of individuals. Some are defined by it, some are bound to it, some love it while others allow themselves to grow from it or be destroyed by it. Violence and revenge are never fully justified nor condemned. It's presented from a very neutral and realistic point of view, allowing you to see it from every angle possible and judge for yourself whether it can be justified or not.
The story is simple, but the webs of conflict between many groups of complex and dangerous characters is where it truly shines. Strong development, elegant violence, moral ambiguity and an unusually modern punk tone in the dialogue and mannerisms of the characters offers a unique way of exploring a feudal-era drama that defies the expectations of a traditional revenge story.
***
My Social Media
My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
My Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/michael_sor...
My Wattpad Account: https://www.wattpad.com/user/Michael-...
My Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/SorbelloHorror
My Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/michael.sorb...
May 7, 2022
(Zero spoiler review for the deluxe edition collecting this volume) 4.5/5
Again I'm bestowed with the honour of writing the first review for this amazing series, and I would suggest reading my earlier review for greater context. Whilst this one would likely be my least favourite of the four so far. Evidently I still greatly enjoyed it, owing to the near perfect score, a few of my major gripes crept into this one, although said infringements were far less frequent or frustrating than the admittedly small number of other manga I've read. Overly long fight scenes with little dialogue or ability to discern what is happening would be the major culprit, although we focus less on the two main protagonists here, and instead, verge off to flesh out some of the secondary characters only casually featured or referenced in the earlier books. Now, given how long this series runs for (were not even halfway yet) this is clearly a cunning and calculated move, it's just that the execution here was a little hit and miss. And to have my favourite character barely feature throughout the majority of these three volumes was a tad disappointing. That said, quite a bit of the secondary character groundwork laid here will hopefully pay off with some very intriguing plots on the horizon. Plot armour for some characters became just a little toot hick in this one also, with several characters now able to sustain mortal wounds, often multiple mortal wounds, and yet survive. This will be an unfortunate blight on this series should this continue, as this severely impacts upon the investment during critical moments. If we've seen the character live through just about anything, why be worried when they are in danger.
I've strangely focused on a few of the downsides, but overall this was still a mostly excellent addition to the BotI storyline. It both started out and ended very strongly. It just went a little missing in the middle, there. I'm still psyched as hell for volume five. Just gotta put on my patient pants and breathe... 4.5/5
OmniBen.
Again I'm bestowed with the honour of writing the first review for this amazing series, and I would suggest reading my earlier review for greater context. Whilst this one would likely be my least favourite of the four so far. Evidently I still greatly enjoyed it, owing to the near perfect score, a few of my major gripes crept into this one, although said infringements were far less frequent or frustrating than the admittedly small number of other manga I've read. Overly long fight scenes with little dialogue or ability to discern what is happening would be the major culprit, although we focus less on the two main protagonists here, and instead, verge off to flesh out some of the secondary characters only casually featured or referenced in the earlier books. Now, given how long this series runs for (were not even halfway yet) this is clearly a cunning and calculated move, it's just that the execution here was a little hit and miss. And to have my favourite character barely feature throughout the majority of these three volumes was a tad disappointing. That said, quite a bit of the secondary character groundwork laid here will hopefully pay off with some very intriguing plots on the horizon. Plot armour for some characters became just a little toot hick in this one also, with several characters now able to sustain mortal wounds, often multiple mortal wounds, and yet survive. This will be an unfortunate blight on this series should this continue, as this severely impacts upon the investment during critical moments. If we've seen the character live through just about anything, why be worried when they are in danger.
I've strangely focused on a few of the downsides, but overall this was still a mostly excellent addition to the BotI storyline. It both started out and ended very strongly. It just went a little missing in the middle, there. I'm still psyched as hell for volume five. Just gotta put on my patient pants and breathe... 4.5/5
OmniBen.
August 20, 2021
The artwork in this volume is just gorgeous. Especially the fight sequences. I found myself studying each detail. Absolutely beautiful. Gotta love when he does full pages where there is nothing but the drawing itself...those are breathtaking❤.
September 25, 2017
Las conversaciones entre hombres y mujeres de la Espada del Inmortal son lo puto mejor del mundo.
January 1, 2018
Good volume.
August 9, 2018
Ok manga....Overall story💩1/10 But on the plus side pretty decent samurai/Feudal japan type manga with lots of Explicit Violence(Heads,ears and other body parts flying all over the place)👌😅💀👂👃💕💕
March 24, 2020
7.5/10
October 6, 2023
Really good opening.
February 18, 2025
A bit of a slower paced volume this time but still solid and it progresses the story along.
July 9, 2025
Magatsu and Manji together. I wonder if Anotsu thinks so much about marrying with that woman because of Makie.
Want to read
September 26, 2025to-read
September 17, 2018
[REVIEW FOR THE SERIES...]
Blade of the Immortal (Vol. 1-31)
Blade of the Immortal (Japanese: 無限の住人 Hepburn: Mugen no Jūnin, lit. "The Inhabitant of Infinity") is a Japanese seinen manga series by Hiroaki Samura. The series is set in Japan during the mid-Tokugawa Shogunate period and follows the samurai Manji, cursed with eternal life, who now has to kill 1000 evil men in order to regain his mortality. The series ran from 1993 to 2012, and has garnered itself quite a fan following and now has several animated and movie adaptions.
The Blade of the Immortal series is perhaps one of my top favorite manga series of all time and I’ve read a lot of manga in my life. I’m still not completely sure what it is about this series that worked for me; all I know is it did. The truth is it is a very dark, violent, historical manga with elements of fantasy and mysticism. Much of it involves very gritty and gory sword fighting scenes and super fascinating cast of characters, heroes, villains and all shades in between. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, if you manage push past the first few chapters, which can be very confusing honestly. Once you get into the meat of it though, it becomes enthralling, disturbing and even emotional. And the art...well it’s exquisite and only improves as you continue through the volumes... Check it.
WOW. Epic no? So this is Manji, our cursed yet extremely skilled samurai hero (anti-hero?) who is on a quest to kill 1000 evil men in oder to relieve himself of this curse and die peacefully. So it all starts when he is the cause of the death of 100 good samurai, due to his criminal actions, and is cursed to immortality, (by means of "sacred bloodworms" (血仙蟲 kessen-chū) that allow him to survive nearly every injury and even reattach dismembered limbs, by a 800-year-old nun. After a tragic turn of events he then vows to make amends for his sins that will allow his curse to be ended. This dark endeavor for redemption causes him much sorrow and suffering, but Manji always manages to persevere. His life only gets more complicated, however, when he meets Rin.
Manji later crosses paths with a young girl, named Asano Rin, and promises to help her avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by the mysterious and evil Anotsu Kagehisa. Anotsu killed Rin's father and his entire dōjō, making them a family of outcasts. Anotsu's quest is to gather other outcasts and form an extremely powerful new dojo, the Ittō-ryū (a school teaching any technique that wins, no matter how exotic or underhanded), and has started taking over and destroying other dojos, and threatens to defy the honorable system of the samurai realm.
Manji and Rin team up together to hunt down the savage Anotsu, which leads them on a perilous adventure, down a simultaneous path of revenge and redemption. I love the platonic dynamic between Manji and Rin. This series is a wonderfully thought out read, amazing illustrated and filled to the brim with action, excitement, mystery, and suspense and of course, a load of violent sword fighting scenes. There are a series of other interesting characters that I will not go into in this review, but suffice it to say, Blade of the Immortal is a read to remember. I highly recommend this to seinen manga fans, but not to the squeamish or faint of heart. This is a very graphic series.
[OFFICIAL RATING: 4.8 STARS]
May 27, 2018
After the events in the ninth volume,
The Gathering II
, Hiroaki Samura's somewhat unorthodox samurai manga with fantastical elements and dialogue which mixes old style with anachronistic slang takes another by placing much of the narrative focus on Anotsu Kagehisha (of the Ittō-Ryū) and his going on a visit to another sword school, the Shingyōtō-ryū Shinanjo (another sword school). Meanwhile, Manji is resting and healing with Master Sōri and his daughter; Rin is on the road on her own. This volume also sees Manji once again meeting Magatsu Taito, now looking for the vile Shira who killed his love.
All in all, this another fine instalment, with a very nice build-up.
All in all, this another fine instalment, with a very nice build-up.
September 7, 2013
Still love it. Everyone is resting and recouping. The bad guys are getting a little more sympathetic.
The great writing makes it through the translation.
The great writing makes it through the translation.
October 12, 2025
6/10
Worst volume yet
Worst volume yet
April 13, 2017
ေနာက္ပိုင္းတစ္မ်ိဳးႀကီးျဖစ္သြား
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