Blade of the Immortal #85

The haunting close-up on this cover — a battle-worn figure with one striking red eye, dark hair swept dramatically behind him — immediately signals that Hiroaki Samura's art is operating at full intensity. Published by Dark Horse in 2003, this issue opens "Mirror of the Soul," a three-part arc that promises the kind of psychological depth the series is known for. Samura's painted cover work here is quietly stunning, capturing both weariness and barely contained tension in a single face.