Takemitsu Zamurai - A Samurai Manga Masterpiece
Written by Eifuku Issei who apart from his job as a mangaka is also a Buddhist priest, and drawn the legendary Taiyo Matsumoto [from Ping Pong and Tekkon Kinkreet fame], Takemitsu Zamurai was a manga series that began in 2006 and ended in 2010 and shares the story of the ronin, Senou Souichiro.
The plot centres around Senou who moves to the capital city of Edo after his days of being a samurai in Shinano, now known as Nagano, a prefecture further up north. Unlike the typical character of a samurai, where traits of stoicism are prevalent, Senou is shown to be fascinated with his life in the city and has a childlike wonder towards daily life and happenings in Edo, however, he is still also shown to possess the characteristic of being drawn to fighting and seeking out strong martial artists.
An incredibly strong point of the manga is the art style. Like other works drawn by Taiyo Matsumoto, the art of Takemitsu Zamurai is vastly different from how manga is traditionally drawn, with panels lined with thick brushstrokes and a liberal use of watercolour, the art feels minimal but at the same time incredibly complex too.
For a different and unique perspective on the samurai genre, definitely read Takemitsu Zamurai.
