Samurai stories hit close to home with many people, more often than not, because they feature cool, sword-wielding warriors who almost always fight for a cause that’s far greater than themselves. Samurai tales are about love, resilience, friendship, and a strong moral code — they’re the pinnacle of real-life shounen protagonists, and their stories reflect that perfectly. Andalthough Ninja content has taken the lead in terms of popularityin the anime and manga community, it still doesn’t have the strength in numbers. The Samurai culture is one of the most represented and widely covered subjects in the industry. The best part is, that the industry has so many good samurai manga out there, it’s really hard to go for one ‘signature’ one that could represent the entire trope.
That said, there are several well-known samurai manga that most anime and manga fans are probably already familiar with. But then, there are also some that play on all sorts of wild themes and come up with the oddest, most intense premises ever. That’s exactly why it’s tough to pick just a few ‘good ones’ — each one has its own unique flavor that makes it stand out.
Other Genre(s)
Action, Post-Apocalyptic
Afro Samuraiis a 1998 doujinshi manga that was later turned into a mini-anime. Itshighly unconventional setting and plotmade it one of the most popular anime of its time and was even picked up for a full-length movie. Despite being old and self-published, the manga itself has some fairly unique themes that were far ahead of its times.Afro Samurai’spremise combines post-apocalyptic, historical, and traditional samurai themes and somehow comes up with a very good series.
Afro Samurai was only a child when he witnessed his father, the number one samurai of their time, killed by an assassin and replaced as the strongest. He grew up with an intense rage in him and vowed to get his revenge against the man who took away his entire childhood. Now, as an adult, he’s a well-known and feared samurai who’s out into the wilds, seeking the assassin who took his father’s Number 1 headband. Unfortunately, in their world, killing and being killed aren’t as easy as they come. As the samurai with the number two headband, he basically has a bounty on his head that makes him an open target to any and every ruthless assassin in his vicinity — so, it’s essentially him against the entire world.
2003
Action, Drama, Gore
Samurai tales, as mentioned before, usually consist of pretty heartfelt themes of brotherhood, honor, and discipline. However,Shiguruiis a 2003 historical samurai manga that dives deeply into the unspoken ‘bad side’ of the subject and touches upon topics like rivalry, desperation, and brutality.
It’sset in 16th-century feudal Japanand revolves around the martial arts tournaments that were popular during that time. The premise of the story is about how the feudal lord of the time, Tadanaga Tokugawa, passed an absolutely ruthless rule that replaced all the wooden and dummy weapons from the tournament with real swords. The main plot follows the to-the-death battle between two severely battle-injured samurai with a very dark combined history and very deep-rooted resentment for each other. That said,Shiguruidelves into some extremely dark themes that should be approached with caution.
1994
Action, Drama
A good samurai manga that perfectly captures multiple aspects of the culture,including comedy and romance, while also keeping the gravity of it intact, is hard to come across.Rurouni Kenshin,an older manga from 1994 set in Japan’s Meiji Era of the 1800s, does all of this flawlesslyand essentially delves into the story of a samurai who has had enough of taking lives.
Kenshin Himura used to be a fearsome samurai with a dark past tied to his other name. Once known as Battosai Himura, he was a ruthless killer with countless lives on his conscience. But now that the war is over, Kenshin realizes the weight of his action and decides to turn a new leaf completely. He disowns his ‘killer’ persona, unsharpens his blade, and sets out to find his new calling. Along the way, he finds new friends, demons from his past, and even love.
1970
Action, Historical
The phrase “standing the test of time” is literally never going to be more appropriate in any other context than talking about the 1970 samurai mangaLone Wolf and Cub. It’s one of the oldest manga on this list and is still the best action manga the world has ever seen. It has amazing art, themost emotionally forward story, and exceptionally complex themes surrounding human morality and love.
While it is ‘just another revenge’ story — it’s one of the few that actually holds a lot of weight and reasoning for the path its main characters eventually take, no matter how vile or morally wrong. It follows the story of the Tokugawa shogunate chief executioner, Ittou Ogami, as he tries to navigate around being wrongfully accused of treason only to find his wife and family murdered brutally, save for his son. Ogami is now vindictive and is willing to go to any length to get back at the people who’ve ruined his life — even if it means bringing his infant son into the mix.
1993
Action, Adventure, Drama, Supernatural
When done right, blending supernatural elements, fantasy, history, adventure, and action can create something truly remarkable.Blade of the Immortal, a 1993 manga,follows an immortal samurai on a quest for vengeance(not his own though) and stands out as a highly regarded classic in the samurai genre.
Blade of the Immortalfollows the story of a samurai with a bloody past, who is on a path of retribution, trying to atone for all the lives he has taken. Manji, an immortal swordsman, received his everlasting life not as a reward, but as a curse for his bloodthirsty ways.To make it up to the gods, he promises to kill a thousand men with pasts that are anything but clean. However, his plans are disrupted when he encounters a 16-year-old girl named Rin, who begs him to take her under his wing and help her avenge her parents' brutal murder.
1967
Dark Fantasy, Horror, Action
Given how important samurai are in Japanese culture, it’s no surprise that many of the classics on this list are older works.Dororois another classic that’s recently made a comeback, thanks to its well-received 2019 anime remake. First released in 1967, the manga has always been praised for its veryemotionally charged storyline and historical vibe.
Dororofollows the story of a strange rogue samurai who suffers from an odd curse that leaves him limbless and organless. to figure out why he is the way he is, Hyakkimaru sets out on a journey to retrace his steps, only to uncover the horrific events that led to his current existence. Now, driven by a burning desire for revenge, he’s determined to get back at the demons from his past — even if it means sacrificing the last remnants of his humanity.
1998
Action, Adventure, Drama
Vagabondis a manga that’s easily regardedas one of the best manga ever madeand for good reason. It’s a masterpiece that captures the rawest forms of human emotion through not only its powerful storytelling but also some of the best artwork the industry has ever seen — only rivaling the likes ofBerserkand such. The one factor that adds even more depth to it is the fact that it’s actually based on a real-life Japanese swordsman known as Miyamoto Musashi, and follows a loose and fictional retelling of his life as a vagabond.
The story revolves around a man who gets falsely accused of killing his best friend and has to be on the run for it. Shinmen Takezou is an unruly, loud, and unlikeable samurai who doesn’t hold the best reputation with the people around him. Both he and his best friend had enlisted in the war in an attempt to rebuild their shattered reputations, only to suffer loss and separation. Now, with the burden of the murder accusation weighing on him, Takezou must navigate this harsh new reality and confront the challenges ahead as he learns to grow from his pain and guilt.
