The Legend of Kamui

The Legend of Kamui, published by Eclipse and Viz from 1987 to 1988, adapts Sanpei Shirato’s classic ninja epic for an English-language audience across 36 issues. With translations and adaptations by Satoru Fujii and Toren Smith, and art by 岡本鉄二, Akame Productions, and Stan Sakai, this series brings a gritty, historically grounded tale of a lone ninja’s rebellion against feudal oppression to Western readers. It stands as a key early bridge between Japanese manga and American comics, preserving Shirato’s uncompromising vision while introducing a generation to the depth of samurai storytelling.