Most Popular Books by Kazuo Koike

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

The bloody road to hell ends here! The final confrontation between the Lone Wolf rōnin Ōgami Ittō and Retsudō Yagyū is finally at hand, as the two ultimate swordsmen face off in a titanic struggle for the ages to settle their scores once and for all--and determine the fate of the Lone Wolf''s Cub, little Daigoro! Created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub has sold over a million copies of its first Dark Horse English-language editions, and this acclaimed masterpiece of graphic fiction comes to an epic conclusion in this larger-format, value-priced omnibus edition. The acclaimed classic by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima with cover by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley was an Eisner and Harvey Award winner and sold over one million copies of the original Dark Horse series!

The Shogun''s executioner has received many strange last requests from those about to lose their head, some stranger than others. A woman condemned for murder wants her locks severed by the killing blade to be given to a lost love. An old man asks that his own decapitation follow that of his prized chrysanthemum, and that his executioner grow another from its cuttings. And elsewhere, the woman who once stole the weapons of samurai policemen is asked to serve as a cop herself to use her own unique skills to help solve a puzzling murder.

The last of the Kurokuwa ninja--all but wiped out by Ōgami Ittō, the late Lone Wolf--has seen through Mamiya Rinzo''s conspiracy to control the shogun with potent drugs. But when she tries to stop the plot, she finds herself being used as a pawn in Rinzo''s final assault on rogue swordsman Togo Shigekata, Togo''s young "cub" Daigoro--and on his own renegade daughter! Kazuo Koike''s Lone Wolf and Cub is an acclaimed masterpiece of graphic fiction, and New Lone Wolf and Cub is the long-awaited sequel to this groundbreaking manga. Illustrated by Hideki Mori and translated by Dana Lewis.

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

In this final volume of the series, Lone Wolf and Cub finally reach their destination and all of Edo awaits the outcome of the final encounter between Ogami Itto and Yagyu Retsudo.

Two slaves free themselves from a slave ship, one a Japanese man, the other an African American. After escaping they find themselves on the shore of Edo-era Japan, a society with a strong caste system, isolated from the world. How will the Japanese people perceive this giant black man, how will they survive? But first things first, how will they get these shackles off their feet? Fans of Kazuo Koike know how he loves to turn out a sensational samurai-era yarn with a certain sense of chauvinist violence and pulpy sexiness, and Color of Rage is by no means a slacker in these categories. Drafted by pin-up artist and mangaka Seisaku Kano, Color of Rage features plenty of action, fighting, blood, sexiness, and more fighting.

Kazuo Koike''s samurai epic is a tour de force of graphic fiction, and Lone Wolf and Cub Gallery Edition features selections of the late Goseki Kojima''s spectacular illustration reproduced at original size on heavy-stock art paper to preserve the work in detail as it exists today, as close as one can come to owning these rarest of artworks. Including in its entirety the final titanic clash between Ogami Ittō and Yagyu Retsudo. this deluxe volume is must for collectors and for enthusiasts of the finest comic art ever created. Reproduced from high-resolution scans at original size from the original art created over forty years ago! Accompanied by corresponding reproductions in English. Lone Wolf & Cub is an internationally acclaimed classic of graphic fiction.

This volume of Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima''s rich series finds Ieyasu both fighting for his life and looking to the future. First, a couple of eerie and mysterious ninja try to take his life, but find themselves foiled by the increasingly able ninja Hattori Hanzo. And then a nation''s tribes face off and spin through intrigue and tactical webworks, all while fascinatingly dark ninja politics weave subtext and sexy action throughout the masterly drafted pages.

It''s not easy being Hattori Hanzo. If he''s not teaching the young and upcoming shogun how to love, then he''s either behind the scenes teaching Ieyasu how not to die in case of a momentary lapse of protection. Or he might be in the shadows making sure Ieyasu''s leadership is effective by any means necessary. In this quasi-historical tale from the masters of Japanese samurai culture, Path of the Assassin shows a side of feudal japan that entertains with action as well as political drama.

As Samurai Executioner continues in its own world of crime and punishment, honor and bushido, we are beginning to learn more about the characters and situations involved in Edo-era justice. We learn about Kubikiri Asa, the shogun''s decapitator, and his stoic, joyless existence, with stories of his childhood and their impact on his present life. We also learn more about the peace officers of the era, such as Catcher Kasajiro, the charming young man who uses a hooked rope and a chained cudgel with such great skill.

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

A master ninja''s duty is to protect the boy who would grow up to become Shogun and unify Japan.

Relates the adventures of Kubikiri Asa, known as the Decapitator Asaemon, who was responsible for testing the swords for the shogun.

A master ninja''s duty is to protect the boy who would grow up to become Shogun and unify Japan.

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

If Art of War tactics and ninjitsu arts pique your interest, Path of The Assassin is the quasi historical samurai manga you''ve been waiting for! From the legendary comics creators Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima of Lone Wolf and Cub fame comes the story of Japan''s greatest shogun and his rise to power through the battles and intrigues of his late teens. Central to the story is a young ninja who must go to great lengths in order to secure victory for the boy who would become the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Based loosely on fabled tales of the age, Path of the Assassin is an exciting and sexy series.

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

Lone Wolf and Cub chronicles the story of Ogami Ittō, the shōgun''s executioner who uses a dōtanuki battle sword. Disgraced by false accusations from the Yagyū clan, he is forced to take the path of the assassin. Along with his three-year-old son, Daigorō, they seek revenge on the Yagyū clan and are known as "Lone Wolf and Cub".

Aided by a female yakuza leader, Ogami Itto and his young son Daigoro continue towards Edo, and later the Yagyu clan offers an immense reward for the death of the Lone Wolf and his Cub, leaving them unable to trust anyone.

Fighting for survival against Ushikudonki ninja, Tōgō Shigekata is unaware that a warship sails north to ensure he will never reach Edo Castle. But Tōgō''s charge, young Daigoro, has been trained by the swordmaster and will for the first time demonstrate his skills in combat . . . and draw his first blood! Created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub has sold over a million copies of its first Dark Horse English-language editions, and this acclaimed masterpiece of graphic fiction is now available in larger format, value-priced editions.

Ogami Itto, the Lone Wolf, and his nemesis, Yagyu Retsudo, lie dead on the field of their titanic duel. Ogami''s young son, Daigoro, will not leave his father side, and none dare help the child, none save Togo Shigetada, a samurai on a desperate and deadly mission of his own!

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time in America. An epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- over 7000 pages -- Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami in Japan) is acknowledged worldwide for the brilliant writing of series creator Kazuo Koike and the groundbreaking cinematic visuals of the late Goseki Kojima, creating unforgettable imagery of stark beauty, kinetic fury, and visceral thematic power that influenced a generation of visual storytellers both in Japan and in the West. Don''t miss this monumental monthly release, twenty-eight volumes, with each collection approximately 300 pages! This volume includes the following stories: Son for Hire, Sword for Hire A Father Knows His Child''s Heart, as Only a Child Can Know His Father''s From North to South, From East to West Baby Cart on the River Styx Suio School Zanbato Waiting for the Rains Eight Gates of Deceit Wings to the Birds, Fangs to the Beast The Assassin''s Road

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

Lone Wolf and Cub chronicles the story of Ogami Ittō, the shōgun''s executioner who uses a dōtanuki battle sword. Disgraced by false accusations from the Yagyū clan, he is forced to take the path of the assassin. Along with his three-year-old son, Daigorō, they seek revenge on the Yagyū clan and are known as "Lone Wolf and Cub".

Holy hand grenades! Edo is flooded, and by flooded, we mean crazy-flooded. Bridges are crumbling, rivers are washing past retaining walls, and everything in Edo is floating away, including our vengeful ronin, his foe, and his little boy. In an ironic show of samurai respect, little Cub Daigoro gets saved by the conniving Retsudo Yagyu. And proving he can lend a hand, too, Lone Wolf Ogami pulls someone to safety as well -- but maybe he should have let him drown. Eventually, the two opposing master swordsmen dry off and go head to head in a sword fight of a thousand stances and couple of days length. This seems like it could be the deciding bout between the two, unless that nasty, Abeno Kaii gets in the way, and he seems to do that a lot lately.

Koike and Kojima''s tale of how the ninja Hattori Hanzo helped Tokugawa Ieyasu become the shogun who united Japan is in its fifteenth and final volume. All of the action, suspense, political intrigue, and love will come to an end. But before Ieyasu can claim his position, there will be much misery, murder, and tragedy on this already blood-soaked road. The path to the shogunate is a long and arduous journey, made easier by such a vassal as Hattori Hanzo, but in this last volume of Path of the Assassin, Koike and Kojima will tell us just how difficult that journey can be. "Instead of the many stories of the episodic Samurai Assassin, Koike and Kojima are unfolding a huge story arc, with comparable artfulness." -Booklist

The six paths and four lives are split asunder, as Itto Ogami and Daigoro become separated in one of this series'' most powerful stories to date! The Lone Wolf''s arch-enemy, Yagyu Retsudo, pursues Ogami to retrieve the secret letter stolen from him, only to watch dozens of his men fall victim to the Lone Wolf''s hungry sword! But Yagyu drives father and son apart as they tumble down a cliff and must survive on their own! Little Daigoro must begin his honorable search for his father. But with Yagyu''s henchmen hunting high and low for the Lone Wolf and his cub, the net drags closer and the danger wraps tighter, but the blood flows ever freely... This volume contains the following stories: The Yagyu Letter The Tears of Daigoro The Fisherwoman''s Love Drifting Shadows Straw Boy

Lone Wolf and Cub chronicles the story of Ogami Ittō, the shōgun''s executioner who uses a dōtanuki battle sword. Disgraced by false accusations from the Yagyū clan, he is forced to take the path of the assassin. Along with his three-year-old son, Daigorō, they seek revenge on the Yagyū clan and are known as "Lone Wolf and Cub".

Cult leader Naiji Kumaga is poised for a hostile takeover of Japan. He has the tools--1000 submachine guns in a land with few firearms--but needs expert hands to wield them, and the assassins of the 108 Dragons definitely have what it takes. Kumaga''s plan: capture the Dragons'' leader, Crying Freeman, and replace him with a trained double. Snatching the world''s deadliest killer is a tall order, but maybe not too tall for the merciless giant, Tohgoku Oshu! • Long out-of-print in America, the Dark Horse edition of Crying Freeman is the first English translation of the title in the original Japanese format!

What exactly needs to be said in solicitation copy for the VERY LAST VOLUME OF LONE WOLF AND CUB? It''s the moment you''ve all been waiting years and years to read. It''s the end of the long path the ronin father and son have been on since the boy''s birth. Through unimaginable violence and bad weather, across hundreds of miles of blood-soaked roadbeds, over years of tragedy and anguish, to this final still-epic story, Itto and Daigoro have kept us holding on to what little hope exists in a world where honor is all but forgotten and warriors are obsolete. It''s a bloody battle all the way to the finish, with dramatic twists and turns right up to the final page. Stay with us as we conclude the translation of what will always be considered one of the finest examples of comic-book mastery ever created, Lone Wolf and Cub. This volume contains the following stories: Corpse Tree Flute and Wave The Lotus Throne Empty Stirrups Arms

From the pen of Kazuo Koike, of Lone Wolf and Cub fame, comes Lady Snowblood, the manga that eventually would become an inspiration for director Quentin Tarantino''s Kill Bill blockbuster films. A story of pure vengeance, Lady Snowblood tells the tale of a daughter born of a singular purpose, to avenge the death of her family at the hands of a gang of thugs, a purpose woven into her soul from the time of her gestation.

Once the loyal and respected retainer of the shogun and now a discraced exile, master swordsman Ogami Itto travels a path of vengeance with his young son, Daigoro. As the authors of the honorable Itto’s fall, the Yagyu clan will stop at nothing to bury their secret treachery, and Itto will stop at nothing to bury the Yagyu! Created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub has sold over a million copies of its first Dark Horse English-language editions, and this acclaimed masterpiece of graphic fiction is now available in larger format, value-priced editions.

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time. Lone Wolf and Cub is an epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- a 17th century story of a disgraced Shogun''s executioner wandering the country as an assassin.

Ninjas, samurai, hot lovin'', political intrigue, and gold! Path of the Assassin has it all in spades! Hanzo, the heroic ninja for the future shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, has been in some tight situations before, but nothing like the trap set for him by a ninja from a competing warlord''s clan! And to settle this trickery, a sexy battle of wits and weapons. Meanwhile, Tokugawa is moving across the battlefield on his way to Japan''s future. Path of the Assassin is a pinnacle in (Lone Wolf and Cub creators) Koike and Kojima''s fantastic and seemingly unending stable of awesome samurai manga. And as usual, these works don''t wane as they draw toward their final volumes!

The epic journey of Ogami Itto and Daigoro continues in this stunning volume! A female yakuza and her band are ordered to catch Lone Wolf and Cub, but the authorities aren''t counting on a woman''s heart. Meanwhile, the Yagyu have called in Japan''s most deadly bounty hunters, and offer an even greater reward — can the Lone Wolf trust anyone around him, when the lure of wealth tempts even seemingly harmless peasant folk? And with Daigoro feverish and near death''s door, can Lone Wolf and Cub make it through a winter gale to safety? This volume contains the following stories: To a Tomorrow That Never Comes Bounty Demons The Will of the Fang When the Wolf Comes Life in Death

"Parental advisory, explicit content"--Cover, p. [1].