Samurai Crusader

Samurai Crusader
First tankōbon volume cover
王立院雲丸の生涯
(Ōritsuin Kumomaru no Shōgai)
GenreAdventure, historical[1]
Manga
Written byOji Hiroi
Illustrated byRyoichi Ikegami
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
ImprintShōnen Sunday Comics Special
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Sunday
English magazine
Original runJuly 3, 1991 – March 11, 1992
Volumes3

Samurai Crusader: The Kumomaru Chronicles (Japanese: 王立院雲丸の生涯, Hepburn: Ōritsuin Kumomaru no Shōgai) is a Japanese manga series written by Oji Hiroi and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. It was serialized in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday from July 1991 to March 1992, with its chapters collected in three tankōbon volumes. In North America, the manga was licensed by Viz Media, which serialized it in their Manga Vizion magazine in 1995.

Plot

The story follows Kumomaru, a Japanese samurai who travels to Europe during the 1930s and becomes embroiled in a plot to steal the legendary Japanese sword Kusanagi. While in Europe, Kumomaru befriends Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso and attempts to stop Major General Kamishima and his Nazi allies from conquering China.

Publication

Samurai Crusader is written by Oji Hiroi and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. It was serialized in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday from July 3, 1991, to March 11, 1992.[2] Shogakukan collected its chapters in three tankōbon volumes, released between February and May 1992.[3][4] Media Factory re-released the manga in two bunkoban volumes on April 5 and May 2, 2003.[5][6] Media Factory released a complete edition on December 22, 2006.[7]

In North America, the series was licensed by Viz Media, which serialized it in their magazine Manga Vizion in 1995.[8] Viz Media published the three volumes of the series between August 5, 1996, and December 6, 1997.[9][10]

Volumes

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 February 1992[3]978-4-09-123701-9August 5, 1996[9]978-1-56931-130-1
2 April 1992[11]978-4-09-123702-6April 5, 1997[12]978-1-56931-164-6
3 May 1992[4]978-4-09-123703-3December 6, 1997[10]978-1-56931-236-0

Reception

In Manga: The Complete Guide, Jason Thompson praised the series as a historical adventure blending Indiana Jones-style action with 1980s Hong Kong cinema. He highlighted Ryoichi Ikegami's detailed artwork and restrained tone compared to his more graphic works like Crying Freeman and Offered.[1] Katherine Dacey (The Manga Critic) commended Ikegami's intricate backgrounds and character designs, but criticized the stiff dialogue. She noted the series retained the action and drama of Crying Freeman and Wounded Man without their explicit content.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b Thompson, Jason (July 3, 2012). Manga: The Complete Guide (Kindle). Del Rey Books. pp. 1057–1058. ISBN 978-0-345-53944-1.
  2. ^ 週刊少年サンデー 王立院雲丸の生涯 昭和雄雲録(池上遼一 ／ 広井王子) (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  3. ^ a b 王立院雲丸の生涯 其ノ壱. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  4. ^ a b 王立院雲丸の生涯 其ノ参. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  5. ^ 王立院雲丸の生涯 １ (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  6. ^ 王立院雲丸の生涯 ２ (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  7. ^ 王立院雲丸の生涯 (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. ^ Sevakis, Justin (January 4, 2016). "Why Did Shonen Jump Succeed In America? - Answerman". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Oji, Hiroi (1996). Samurai Crusader: Kumomaru Chronicles. Viz Media. ISBN 1569311307.
  10. ^ a b Oji, Hiroi; Ikegami, Ryoichi (1997). Samurai Crusader: Sunrise Over Shanghai. Viz Media. ISBN 1569312362.
  11. ^ 王立院雲丸の生涯 其ノ弐. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  12. ^ Oji, Hiroi (1997). Samurai Crusader: Way of the Dragon. Viz Media. ISBN 1569311641.
  13. ^ Dacey, Katherine (July 9, 2011). "The Best Manga You're Not Reading: Samurai Crusader". The Manga Critic. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
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