Blade of the Immortal #3

The second part of the "Conquest" arc finds Hiroaki Samura's brutal samurai world in full, visceral form — the cover presents a young woman clutching several needles between her fingers, her red garment splattered with blood against a stark white background. It's a striking, quietly intense image that captures the series' blend of delicate artistry and unflinching violence perfectly. Dark Horse's manga line was delivering something genuinely singular in 1996, and this issue is a fine example of why Blade of the Immortal stood apart.