Basilisk: Kouga Ninpouchou (Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls)

The Kouga Manjidani and the Iga Tsubagakure ninja clans have been sworn enemies for centuries, with only the Hanzo Hattori truce maintaining a tenuous peace between the two families. But years later, when former shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa faces a dispute to determine which of his two grandsons shall succeed their father, he decides to settle the matter through a proxy war. Selected to represent the respective candidates, the Kouga and Iga send 10 of their best fighters into a deadly battle, with the winning party deciding the rightful successor. Thus, the truce is revoked and the ruthless bloodshed begins.

But not all approve the truce's end. Gennosuke of Kouga and Oboro of Iga were to be married in hopes of ensuring lasting peace. However, unlike typical arranged marriages, they were already deeply in love. As preparations for the war ensue, Gennosuke questions his loyalties while Oboro refuses to fight. Fueled by their reawakened feud, will the two clans be consumed by hatred, or have their destinies changed by genuine love?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Basilisk: Kouga Ninpouchou is an adaptation of the 1958 historical fantasy novel Kouga Ninpouchou. It won the 2004 Kodansha Manga Award for general manga. Masaki Segawa used real images for the manga's backgrounds, superimposing his hand-drawn characters over them. Each chapter was named after the number of ninjas alive on each side.

The manga was published in English as Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls by Del Ray Manga from May 30, 2006, to May 29, 2007. In the UK, Tanoshimi released the series under the same title from August 3, 2006, to June 7, 2007. It was also published in German by Heyne; in Italian and Portuguese by Panini Comics; in French by Kurokawa; in Spanish by Editorial Ivrea.

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Characters

Kouga, Gennosuke

Main

Iga, Oboro

Main

Yakushiji, Tenzen

Main

Hotarubi

Supporting

Muroga, Hyouma

Supporting

Kisaragi, Saemon

Supporting

Yashamaru

Supporting

Akeginu

Supporting

Chikuma, Koshirou

Supporting

Kisaragi, Okoi

Supporting

Reviews

May 12, 2022

JEREmias1

Recommended

°English Version°

Masaki Segawa's Basilisk is a pure and simple ninja manga. It portrays a confrontation between two clans united by mutual hatred for generations, but also united by love.
A story that has the same ninja essence, going unnoticed and fighting from the shadows.

The best thing about Basilisk is its characters, each one is important and they all have the same chance to live or die. Although there are a couple of protagonists, the manga does not marry any of them and anyone can kill anyone just like that. Fast and without suffering, slow and sad.

This is what is sought in history and makes it so ...

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Aug 5, 2016

WolfCladInBlack

Recommended

Manga Review: Basilisk (also known as ‘Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scroll’)
Genre: Romance, Tragedy, Action, Supernatural, Historical, Adult
Writer: Masaki Segawa
Director: Fumitomo Kizaki
Publisher: Kodansha
No. of Chapters/Issues/Volumes: 34/34/05
Original Run: February 2003 – July 2004
Anime Television Series -
No. of Episodes: 24
Runtime: approx 24 minutes per episode
... Original Run: April 12, 2005 –September 20, 2005

Synopsis:
Basilisk is, if you all know about it, the name of a lizard species. Legend has it that if anyone would, even for once, look or peep into the eyes of a legendary titan, King Basilisk, he/she/it would be turned into stone at once. The incidents are somewhat similar to that of the Greek folklore which speaks of Medusa the Gorgon.
The story in the manga is picturised in a similar manner. There are two main characters in the series namely, Gennosuke Kouga and Oboro from the Iga Ninja Clan.
These two ninja clans, the Iga and the Kouga are supposed to be the sworn enemies of each other since the beginning of the time, despite the fact that they derive their origin from the same blood. A peace treaty has been made between the two clans by the well known Historical Figure, Hattori Hanzou, with the co-operation of the then Shogun in the 16th Century A.D., which is later, broken down by the clan leaders, who end up killing each other in the very first chapter. A scroll is given to each ninja clan which contains a list of the TOP 10 warriors appointed by the clan leaders, each from the Iga and the Kouga, who possess unique skills which make them more terrific than the normal foot soldiers. After the leaders kill each other, they strike out each other’s name from the scroll with their own blood and perish. Thus begins the battle between the two clans as the peace treaty has been broken, which means the Kouga and the Iga are free to kill each other. :D Sounds funny I know…
Meanwhile, the ‘would be leader’ of the Iga, Oboro is in love with Gennosuke Kouga, who were supposed to get married in the near future. I won’t say anything further and provide spoilers. Read the Manga to know more. It is indeed a cool one with a fair Storyline (It is an irony-filled Love story actually).
I’ll give the story a rating of 8/10.

Character Illustration & Artworks:
There are only a handful of characters in the entire Manga. The List Includes:
Iga Tsubagakure Group Leader, Iga no Ogen; Yashamaru; Oboro; Azuki Rousai; Mino-Nanki; Hotaru Bi; Amayo Jingoro; Akeginu; Yakushiji Tenzen; Chikuma Koshiro
Kouga Manji Daini Group Leader, Kouga Danjo; Kazamachi Shougen; Kouga Gennosuke; Udono Josuke; Jimushi Juube; Muroga Hyoma; Kasumi Gyobu; Asaragi Saemon; Kagero; Okoi (Asaragi Saemon’s Little Sister)
I’ve named them in order of their Appearances in the Manga. I’ll give a rating of 10/10 for the character designing, as all the characters are illustrated perfectly as per their special Ninja Skills.
The artwork is also good, as it is in all the manga. So, 10/10.

Dialogues:
Well, the dialogues are well-written, but there are a few situations where it appears that the story is following a slow pace. So, you must not get impatient.
A rating of 6/10 for the dialogues/script.

Overall Rating: 8.7/10

WARNING: The Basilisk Manga is a terribly great one but it is full of MATURE CONTENT. So, watch the Anime/ Read the Manga, on your own risk. It is strictly meant for people above 18. Rating is ‘A’. Soft-hearted people, stay away from it as it has a lot of violence and blood as well. The Anime Series is Totally Based on the Manga. There is no change in the story and the Scenes…

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Jan 17, 2012

arichan20

Recommended

Basilisk is a manga that reveals honor, loyalty, cleverness and abilities of the ancient ninjas, with some awesome and unique power in each character. It has a fantastic story which shows love can overcome anything, but the path the couple have to follow is a bloody and hard way.

The first thing I like about Basilisk is story. It shows you an old Japan, where samurais and specially ninja still exist. Even if they had to serve to their lord, they have feelings and ulterior motives to keep in their sides and fight. The love of the msin characters maintains strong and pure, althought the ...

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'Basilisk: Kouga Ninpouchou' Receives Sequel Series

An official website has opened on Wednesday announcing that the Basilisk series will receive a sequel manga and an accompanying TV anime adaptation titled Basilisk: ...read more

Jul 19, 2017 3:41 AM by removed-user | Discuss (42 comments)

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Poll: Basilisk Chapter 34 Discussion VARIAchan - Nov 4, 2009	11 replies	by linkmax1412 »» Jun 5, 2024 11:19 PM
Poll: Basilisk Chapter 1 Discussion accela - May 7, 2008	7 replies	by removed-user »» Oct 15, 2021 10:02 AM
Poll: Basilisk Chapter 33 Discussion VARIAchan - Nov 4, 2009	6 replies	by VTOtaku »» Jan 31, 2021 11:23 PM
Poll: Basilisk Chapter 32 Discussion VARIAchan - Nov 4, 2009	3 replies	by VTOtaku »» Jan 31, 2021 11:13 PM
Poll: Basilisk Chapter 31 Discussion VARIAchan - Nov 4, 2009	4 replies	by VTOtaku »» Jan 31, 2021 11:05 PM

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