Blade of the Immortal is an acclaimed manga series written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura. The series is set in Edo-era Japan during the 18th century, and follows Manji, a samurai who is secretly cursed with immortality. Manji and his companion Rin set out to avenge Rin's parents' death at the hands of a powerful sword school and its leader, Anotsu Kagehisa.
The first chapter of Blade of the Immortal introduces the reader to Manji and Rin's characters as they travel towards Shingyōji temple. In their journey, they come across a group of brigands that Manji quickly defeats before introducing himself and Rin. Afterwards, Manji decides to take Rin to Shingyōji to find more information about Anotsu Kagehisa.
In the second chapter, Manji and Rin have reached Shingyōji and meet the Abbot. The Abbot tells them that an old friend of his, Yamagiri Kurei, has ties to Anotsu Kagehisa. The Abbot also mentions that Kurei may have information on where Anotsu is. Manji and Rin set out to find Kurei.
In the third chapter, Manji and Rin reach Kurei's residence and confront him. However, they discover that Kurei is being held captive by Anotsu's crew and they must fight their way to save him. After successfully defeating the criminal group, Manji and Rin save Kurei and learn from him that Anotsu's current location is unknown.
The fourth chapter finds Manji and Rin in the city Edo, where they run into a group of swordsmen that call themselves "The Mugai-Ryu." The Mugai-Ryu are a group of swordsmen who are hunting Anotsu Kagehisa and claim to be protectors of justice. After a successful bout against the Mugai-Ryu, Manji allies himself with them, and together they go out to find Anotsu.
In the fifth chapter, Manji and the Mugai-Ryu have tracked down Anotsu's headquarter. Here, Manji and the Mugai-Ryu must fight against an incredibly large and powerful group of Anotsu's followers before they are able to face off against him. In the end, Manji and the Mugai-Ryu defeat Anotsu and learn from him that he had been searching for the legendary weapon, the “Devil’s Sword.”
The sixth chapter finds Manji and the Mugai-Ryu searching for the Devil’s Sword. They eventually come across a swordsmith called Mur monster Oshima who knows the whereabouts of the sword. After facing off against the Mur monster Oshima and his gang, Manji forms an alliance with him and they soon set off to find the Devil’s Sword.
The seventh chapter of Blade of the Immortal is a thrilling conclusion to Manji and Rin's journey. After Gooze gathers his forces of 12,000 criminals to oppose Manji and the Mugai-Ryu, the group manages to defeat them and take the Devil’s Sword. In the end, Manji is able to break the curse on himself and to free himself from the burden of immortality, while Rin passes on her wish to avenge her parents to a new generation of Mugai-Ryu swordsmen.
Blade of the Immortal is a powerful story about vengeance, justice, courage, loyalty, and acceptance. Through Manji and Rin's entwined journey, readers gain insight into the human heart and its ability to overcome adversity. The characters' struggles provide readers with an emotional rollercoaster, exploring difficult themes while deepening the readers' perspective on life.
