If you liked
Berserk
|
...then you might like
Shigurui
|
While there is nothing else quite on the scale or depth of Berserk out there, I would say that Shigurui is to samurai manga what Berserk is to fantasy manga. It is dark, gory, immersive, and hypnotic. The tournament that kicks off the manga description is mainly a set up for the "how we got here" story. The manga itself is about the rivalry and then enmity between two swordsmen, rendered epic and high stakes, because each pushes himself beyond the limits of what you would think possible. There is betrayal, murder, sex and body horror. There are some very apt observations about feudal culture, recreating an oppressive atmosphere that lingers with you for a while, even after you have taken your eyes off the page. The pacing does dip after a particular point, introducing a couple of characters which go nowhere because their story was to have been explored in a sequel, but then picks back up within a volume or so. The ending is very closely linked to characterization, but not esoterically so, you will be able to link the dots as to why characters end up behaving as they do. And the best part - it is a completed series.