Well, what can I say.
3000, let alone 300, is barely enough words to do this brilliant manga
fair coverage. I'll begin with the art, which is the first thing that
strikes you when you read Blade of the Immortal.
The artwork is nothing short of stunning. Samura brings scenes to
life with his unique sketch style and you will often find yourself
staring at one page for awhile as you absorb all the intricate detail.
The fight scenes depict a fair amount of gore but I couldn't imagine
BOTI without it. The fights themselves could possibly hold the answer
to the 'Samurai V Mecha' debate with the characters ingenious sword
techniques and cunning maneuvers.
So what of the story? Although the title suggests the story revolves
around the immortal protagonist, Manji, it is through Rin, a young
woman who Manji agrees to protect, which the story focusses upon.
The theme is of revenge. With the aid of her bodyguard, Rin seeks
to avenge the murder of her parents at the hands of a rival sword
school. At ten graphic novels the story continues to run strong and
only now are we beginning to see several plots emerge along with the
main story.
Samura skilfully manages to make even the most minor character deep
and realistic to the extent that each appears to be a vibrant thread
of the complex tapestry that is BOTI.
BOTI has managed to convert several of my friends who were firmly
opposed to manga, such is its brilliance and the waiting list to read
the latest graphic novel (I buy them as soon as they are available
here) rivals that of the NHS'.
10/10 - I used to believe that there was no such thing as a '10/10'
score, but BOTI is worthy of the highest score
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