# Blade of the Immortal (2019)

> A cursed, immortal samurai wanders feudal Japan slaying wicked men in hope of finally dying.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/78002

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 24
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, action, drama
- Network: Prime Video
- Cast: Houko Kuwashima, Ayane Sakura, Kenjiro Tsuda, Ako Mayama, Nozomu Sasaki, Shinya Fukumatsu, Masato Obara, Chikahiro Kobayashi
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10778040/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: graphic
- Tone: bleak, visceral, melancholic, brooding, contemplative

## What critics say

Audiences rate the anime positively, praising its violent action and the faithful adaptation of the source manga's brooding samurai tale.

## Synopsis

Blade of the Immortal (2019-2020) is a Japanese animated seinen action drama series produced by LIDENFILMS and released on Prime Video, adapted from the manga of the same name. Its protagonist is the crass, ruthless samurai Manji, voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda, who cannot die after being cursed with immortality by the nun Yobikuni, voiced by Ako Mayama. Manji, weary of his ageless life, is bound to slay one thousand evil men to lift the curse, and the engine of the show is his wandering through feudal Japan, where each episode brings a new wicked foe, a new bloody duel and a new set of allies or enemies to face. Voice performances from Ayane Sakura as Rin Asano and Houko Kuwashima as Makie Otono-Tachibana add emotional anchors to the grim journey. The single season runs 24 episodes, each around twenty-four minutes, making it a self-contained limited run rather than a continuing serial with open arcs. The series carries a brutal, melancholic and visceral register, with graphic swordplay, weary reflection and a yearning for release. Fans of Lone Wolf and Cub, Berserk and Samurai Champloo will find resonance in its blend of violent samurai action and bleak introspection.

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