Blade of the Immortal #5

Hiroaki Samura's painterly cover for *On Silent Wings II* says everything about the series' brooding heart: the scarred, wild-haired warrior Manji cradles a young woman — her kimono sleeve marked with intricate crimson patterns — against a dark, swirling background that pulses with menace. It's a striking image of rough protection and quiet vulnerability, rendered with the kind of atmospheric detail that made *Blade of the Immortal* one of the most visually distinctive manga reaching Western readers in 2000. Dark Horse's fifth collected volume continues to make a strong case that Samura belongs in any conversation about the finest artists working in the medium.