Most Popular Books by Kazuo Koike

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".

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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".

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.

This volume of Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima''s rich series finds Ieyasu both fighting for his life and looking the 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 nationn''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.

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!

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.

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

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 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

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

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

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

For the past fourteen volumes Hanzo''s long walk down the tightrope of political intrigue and human melodrama has been bloody, dramatic, and awe inspiring. Every page filled with the densely researched and poignant delivery you''ve come to expect from the godfathers of samurai manga. Lone Wolf and Cub creators Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, experts ofgekiga samurai manga, deliver the penultimate volume of Path of the Assassin.

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

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

This volume contains five powerful, classic tales of the assassin Itto Ogami, the Lone Wolf, as he continues his journey to hell. The Yagyu clan, fearful of the growing legend surrounding Lone Wolf, has decided to protect itself by sending its own assassin after him, and later pit the greatest swordsman of a rival clan against him. Also, Lone Wolf must face the leader of a bounty-hunting gang who seeks revenge against Ogami for slaying his young lord years ago, and a master gunsmith who values the art of warfare above all else and will change his life forever. Don''t miss a single volume of the acclaimed epic series that belongs on every bookshelf: Lone Wolf and Cub. This volume contains the following stories: Trail Markers Executioner''s Hill Black Wind Decapitator Asemon The Guns of Sakai

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

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.

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".

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 mortal enemy of our ronin hero, Retsudo Yagyu has been imprisoned in Edo castle by the shogun. It seems the conniving poisoner, Abeno Kaii, has exposed the Yagyu letter! And Yagyu''s jailer is none other than the poisoner himself, determined to feed Retsudo the dose that will end his life in a pit of dishonor. But Yagu has spies even in Edo caslte, and a message is sent to his "grass," members of the clan hiding in secret, living as normal townspeople throughout Japan. It is up to them to give their lives in this final hour of desperate need. Meanwhile, Itto Ogami is living in a shack and training his little boy for the day when he must protect the battlefield with his own little hands. Still, two swords remain in this field of death, awaiting the two hands that will draw them from the soil and bring us closer to the end of our tale.

Yagyu Retsudo''s failure to stop Ōgami Ittō, has brought an ultimatum from the Shōogun: kill the Lone Wolf or face execution. But Yagyu will not go forth empty handed. To aid his cause, the Shogun places the Firewatchers--his own elite bodyguards--under Yagyu''s command! 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.

The roads of feudal Japan are rife with brigands ready to separate travelers from their purses. For Ogami Itto and his infant son, the road is even more treacherous, as agents of the shogun and the assassins of Yagyu Retsudo dog their every step. But each step on the bloody road brings the Lone Wolf and his Cub ever closer to Yagyu... and to vengeance! 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.

Yagyu Retsudo will stop at nothing to kill Itto Ogami--even sending his last child and only daughter to kill the Lone Wolf while keeping the vendetta quiet. And if his daughter can''t finish the job quietly, Retsudo is prepared to take his feud public and offer a reward for Itto that should have every bounty hunter, ronin, and peasant out for Itto''s head! 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.

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.

The #1-selling graphic-novel sensation continues! The Lone Wolf and his cub, father and son, are separated by the hatred of the Yagyu -- and the path to togetherness is lined with blood and honor. As Ogami continues his search for little Daigoro, he must battle deadly Yagyu assassins and aspiring, cocky samurai. He prepares to give them a taste of his blade... Meanwhile, Daigoro visits a crazed old woman living under a bridge, and teaches her a valuable lesson. In these and other stories in this volume, Lone Wolf and Cub continue to unlock the mystery of the Yagyu, one step closer to the truth behind his quest for vengeance. Prepare for more legendary action, in a handy size that fits in your back pocket! This volume contains the following stories: Talisman of Hades Ailing Star Thirteen Strings A Poem for the Grave

The legend of Lone Wolf and Cub continues to grow in this latest chapter of Koike and Kojima''s epic samurai masterpiece chronicling the wanderings of Japan''s deadliest assassin, Itto Ogami, and his infant son, Daigoro. In this volume, Ogami takes on the most dangerous killer of the countryside, foils the plans of a deceptive gambling troupe, tricks an evil lord into exposing his weak underbelly, and pits himself against the Shogun''s dangerous and deadly Kurokawa ninja! Drawing extensively from Sun Tzu''s The Art of War, and featuring the saddest puppy-dog story ever published, this must-have volume is packed with action and emotion. This volume contains the following stories: Lanterns for the Dead Deer Chaser Hunger Town The Soldier is the Castle One Stone Bridge

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!

Path of the Assassin, called Hanzo no Mon in Japan, is the story of Hattori Hanzo, the fabled master ninja whose duty it was to protect Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu was the shogun who would unite Japan into one great nation. But before he could do that, he had to grow up and learn how to love the ladies! As the secret caretaker of such an influential future leader, not only does Hanzo use vast and varied ninja talents, but in living closely with Ieyasu, he forms a close friendship with the young shogun. • Published in original Japanese format and unretouched which keeps the art intact. • This is a fifteen-volume story starring the legendary ninja and Kill Bill reference Hattori Hanzo. • Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory. FOR MATURE READERS

Hooooo doggy! The tension is getting so thick, a dotanuki wielded by the strongest samurai would have a hard time cutting through it! Just two more volumes left until one of the world''s most classic pieces of comic-book literature reaches its exciting and emotional conclusion. Two swords remain planted in the ground, awaiting the final duel between the conniving Retsudo and the vengeful Itto, and little Daigoro guards the two blades with his life. Indeed, his life is threatened when a stampede of villagers escaping a burning village almost plow him into the dirt. Impressed townfolk decide to stop and help him, staying for a while on the same beach. For once, Daigoro experiences the joy of being a child, playing with the other children, but that peace won''t last long. Yaygu Retsudo, imprisoned in the castle of the shögun, deceives his way to freedom and commands the very last members of the Yagyu ninja to kill Itto! But knowing swords alone won''t kill him, Yagyu sends a strange and fascinating weapon to the battlefield, the exploding ninja! This volume contains the following stories: To Protect and Defend For Whom to Die Way of the Warrior, Way of Man Battle''s Eve Grass that Never Flowers

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".

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