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Blade of the Immortal: Will The Series EVER End??
dreaming_today
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
It is already difficult finding others who have read this manga series, but if you have not started, any time is a great opportunity to get into it from the very beginning, with "Blood of a Thousand." I think it is the only manga out on the popular market that has a very poetic yet realistic visual style, as well as a narrative structure that really makes each volume feel like a self-contained one-shot while always pushing forth the overall storyline.
And that brings me to the question of, "Where might the series take itself?" When introduced to the protagonist Manji, we understand he is immortal until he takes the lives of one thousand evil men, thus seeming to lay out a simple narrative potential: The anti-hero Manji will find himself in various situations where he kills men, eventually adding up to a thousand. So far, though, I am on volume 17 of the series, each volume being between 180 and 210+ pages, and he may have killed only about 20, possibly 30 men so far. That's not very many, and I am not expecting him to begin killing off hundreds of men suddenly.
With the overarching stories of Rin and Anotsu running the course with Manji's personal mission to off one thousand evil men, how do you think the series will end? Will Manji EVENTUALLY kill off a thousand, bringing the story to its conclusion? Or will the series end with Rin's story instead, and Manji perhaps just leaving his mission incomplete?
Even if you are not familiar with the series, any speculation is welcome and fun, hee hee! Thank you! ^_^
And that brings me to the question of, "Where might the series take itself?" When introduced to the protagonist Manji, we understand he is immortal until he takes the lives of one thousand evil men, thus seeming to lay out a simple narrative potential: The anti-hero Manji will find himself in various situations where he kills men, eventually adding up to a thousand. So far, though, I am on volume 17 of the series, each volume being between 180 and 210+ pages, and he may have killed only about 20, possibly 30 men so far. That's not very many, and I am not expecting him to begin killing off hundreds of men suddenly.
With the overarching stories of Rin and Anotsu running the course with Manji's personal mission to off one thousand evil men, how do you think the series will end? Will Manji EVENTUALLY kill off a thousand, bringing the story to its conclusion? Or will the series end with Rin's story instead, and Manji perhaps just leaving his mission incomplete?
Even if you are not familiar with the series, any speculation is welcome and fun, hee hee! Thank you! ^_^
"True experience is learning to love what you fear and hate."
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
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I think the series is coming to a head.
Also the anime coming this spring is going to suck so many cocks.
As to where the story is going its hard to say, I think that Manji's 'kill a thousand evil men' quest has been sidetracked in favour of helping Rin, so I suspect that the series may end with Rin's desire for revenge being satisfied in one way or another.
I've yet to see any shots of the anime so I remain cautiously optimistic. Are there any floating about?
However, I do love this series and am always tempted to start reading again, but I know I'll get to the end, get pissed and stop reading again. I think this book would make someone that "hates" manga and only reads super-heroes start reading manga.
As for the anime, the production team behind it is of...dubious quality and I think that's why Furu thinks that. I know I don't have too much faith in it. I'll watch it, but I doubt it'll be pretty.
One series I have been wanting to start reading is "Vagabond." That one I think might be complete now, so it'll help out with those of us who hate those long wait times, ha ha ha... I remember "Blade of the Immortal" was down to one volume each February, and it lagged that way for about two, maybe three years. THAT was pain, ahh haaa.... ><;;
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-23/blade-of-the-immortal-tv-anime-confirmed-for-summer
I really hope this turns out well, ha ha haa.... =p
PS. Here is the official site for the anime.
http://mugen.kc.kodansha.co.jp/
The art looks really clean and vibrant, but that already departs from those lighter, less complete lines in SAMURA-san's style. Still hoping it turns out well, ha ha ha... =p
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
There is no way the anime can live up to the manga in a visual sense. Maybe the story department will carry it.
Right, I agree. I really look forward to seeing things in motion and the colors are looking wonderful, but the style will not be able to match that lofty depth of the manga. If I am indeed moving back to Japan this summer, it seems like I'll find out soon enough how it is, ha haa...
One thing I am wondering about now: I am not sure if the manga has finished or is near completion in Japan, but if not, then what does that mean for the anime version? I felt that "Rurouni Kenshin" anime was ruined when the studio decided to continue on in their own way, diverging from the path of the manga because it was not yet finished. It is still interesting to treat the final season of the "Kenshin" anime sort of as an "Elseworlds" look at the characters and storylines, but I would much rather see the Jinchu arc play out animated than what they ended up doing.
I hope that doesn't say anything about how the "Blade of the Immortal" anime will go, eeeee...
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
I'm going to have to ask you to not make posts like this here.
Oh, you know, a LOT goes on, actually. The series uses its time to create depth in the characters while the narrative pushes along, sometimes at a very fast pace, while at times observing more "quiet" moments in order to establish more character depth. Two whole volumes, the "On Silent Wings" arc, continued the story of Rin tracking down the Itto-ryu, but the point was really fleshing out more of Rin's internal conflicts about seeking revenge, and bringing about issues of moral relativity, whether killing someone for your own end justifies the act at all.
It's very good, actually. You should check it out when you get a chance. It is DEFINITELY dissimilar from other popular/mainstream manga on the market today, mm. ^_^
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
Edit for more OT: KVW said this could make someone who isn't into manga read manga, how many issues are currently out? I might pick em up if there is a good chunk of the story available.
Oh, that is because I am just used to italicizing most words that are in Japanese, mm. No other reason, really.
As for how many issues, I am not sure, but there are 18 trade paperback volumes released so far, each one containing about six issues. I am pretty sure the single-issue comics released are a little further down the road in the story compared to the TPB's, but I usually just get the TPB releases.
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
Are they really just solo stories, ala lone wolf and cub, where they're a little insight from reading from the start, but you can jump in anywhere?
Should I go dig mine out?
That being said I'll flip through the odd copy at the store when I see it. Seems to have stayed consistant art wise thus far (from a passive fans pov).
Oh, it is one long story that just flows on, instead of the more episodic structure of "Lone Wolf and Cub," or most other manga in general. However, you probably could read one of the earlier volumes and not miss TOO much, picking up details as you read along. I actually read the second volume through the fourth before ever reading the first one, mainly due to accessibility. I could figure out the characters and storyline just fine, but then reading the first volume was like getting a big shocking dose of backstory, since there were certain things alluded to that I WOULD have known about had I started from the first volume, but because I didn't, it had an interesting impact on me. Pretty neat, hee hee hee... =D
But yes, if you just read certain parts out of random volumes, it probably would not make sense, because it does not have the same kind of detached narrative structure that something like "Lone Wolf and Cub" has.
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
That is not even close to Blade of the Immortal.
The last adaptation of an action series they did, Tsubasa Chronicle, was notable for erasing any violence from the manga to the point where the villain's henchmen were made into robots.
I'm not holding my breath.
Ohh, nooo.... That is EXACTLY what I was telling my friend I was afraid of, just over-using panning shots, as I notice is a common trait in less-developed/more generic anime. Ahh, nuts... I hope it doesn't turn out that way.
I wish it was MAD HOUSE doing the animation, or WATANABE Shinichiro directing or something. From what I know of the production, I am quite anxious, ha haa... At least the voice actor who did the voice of Mugen from "Samurai Champloo" will be doing Magatsu's voice. Though I had always thought he would have fit more for Manji, I still look forward to hearing Magatsu, ha ha. = )
"It's always sunny after a rainy day."
Hah! Fat chance! Still going. Still no end in sight.
At least now the story and characters and plot has transformed into something that COULD end. Yeah, the end is nowhere in sight, but it's imaginable now. I enjoy the characters, so I keep reading.
Also, Berserk first premiered in 1988! Late 80's! 20 Years!