Kamui (manga series)

Kamui (カムイ) is a manga series written and drawn by Sanpei Shirato. Set in feudal Japan, it tells the story of a low-born ninja who has fled his clan. The series combines historical adventure with social commentary and themes of oppression and rebellion that reflect Shirato's Marxist convictions.

The original series, Kamui Den (カムイ伝), ran from December 1964 to July 1971 in the monthly gekiga magazine Garo. The sequel titled Ninpū Kamui Gaiden (カムイ外伝) ran from 1965 to 1967 in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Another Kamui title, Kamui Den Dai 2 Bu, ran from 1982 to 1987 in Big Comic.

In 1987, two volumes of the second series became one of the first manga titles to be published in the United States (by Eclipse Comics and Viz Comics), as The Legend of Kamui. The Viz edition featured lettering and retouching by Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai.

Adaptations

The manga was adapted into an anime series Kamui the Ninja (1969) and a live-action film Kamui Gaiden (2009).

References