History Manga / KamuiDen

* A second series of KamuiGaiden was serialized from 1982 to 1987 in Big Comic. This is also the version of Kamui best known to western audiences who had a chance to read it in English through Viz Media's translation, "The Legend of Kamui." The move to the Big Comic periodical also marked a shift to more adult-oriented content.
* Finally, the second series of Manga/KamuiDen ran from 1988 to 2000 in Big Comic. It picks up more or less where the original series had left off back in 1971.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Kokemaru does not hesitate to use violence in the service of what he see as a just cause.

* The Original [[Manga KamuiDen]], hereafter referred to as "the first series" was serialized in Garo from 1964 to 1971.
* From the original [[Manga KamuiDen]] came the more youth-friendly spinoff, KamuiGaiden, which ran in Shonen Sunday from 1965 to 1967 and was thus concurrent with the main series. It discarded the huge cast and increasingly Byzantine plotlines of the original series to focus on the adventures of the protagonist, Kamui.
* A second series of KamuiGaiden was serialized from 1982 to 1987 in Big Comic. This is also the version of Kamui best known to western audiences who had a chance to read it in English through Viz Media's translation.
* Finally, the second series of [[Manga KamuiDen]] ran from 1988 to 2000 in Big Comic. It picks up more or less where the original series had left off in 1971.

* The Original [[Manga: KamuiDen]], hereafter referred to as "the first series" was serialized in Garo from 1964 to 1971.
* From the original [[Manga: KamuiDen]] came the more youth-friendly spinoff, [[KamuiGaiden]], which ran in Shonen Sunday from 1965 to 1967 and was thus concurrent with the main series. It discarded the huge cast and increasingly Byzantine plotlines of the original series to focus on the adventures of the protagonist, Kamui.

* Finally, the second series of [[Manga: KamuiDen]] ran from 1988 to 2000 in Big Comic. It picks up more or less where the original series had left off in 1971.

* AnachronismStew: Largely averted, though for such a rigorously researched historical piece, it's surprisingly not above having Yumeya Shichibei wield a revolver in 17th century Japan.

* ArtEvolution: Due in part to its length (6000 pages, give or take), the first series changes considerably over time. The early issues have a cartoony, almost Tezuka-esque look, while the later ones look more like the realistic art style of the second series. Interestingly, the style took another dramtic shift for the third series--also the first part of what came to be called KamuiGaiden--marking a return to a simpler, more stylized approach.

** MyMasterRightOrWrong: True of countless samurai who are serving an oppresive regime in Hioki (though they are not necessarily bad people).

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: While the original series generally eshcews supernatural elements, some of the ninja techniques require suspension of disbelief. This is partly justified in that historical ninja encouraged the belief that they possessed mystical or even magical powers. Of course, the 70s anime version has the hero fighting witches and monsters, marking a very different atitude toward realism.

* {{Seppuku}} Happens from time to time but notable averted with [[spoiler: Ryunoshin's father, who opts to go down fighting, instead becoming a case of OffWithHisHead.]]

* WouldntHurtAChild: This trope is not so much subverted as hung drawn and quartered. In the wake of the peasant uprisings, small children are executed alongside their families.

* ArtEvolution: Due in part to its length (6000 pages, give or take), the first series changes considerably over time. The early issues have a cartoony, Tezuka-esque look, while the later ones look more like the realistic art style of the second series. Interestingly, the style took another dramtic shift for the third series--also the first part of what came to be called KamuiGaiden--marking a return to a simpler, more stylized approach.

* ContinuityLockout: Another consequence of the series' massive length. Even reading through the entire series attentively, it's possible to miss or forget important details.

depicting characters of various social backgrounds and the challenges they face. The first series also included a heady dose of Marxist ideology which was present to a lesser extent (or simply not included) in later iterations. This leads to some confusion about the relation of the first series with later ones, such the better known spin-off/sequel KamuiGaiden. First appearing in the underground magazine Garo in 1964, Kamui-den is also a good example of the {{Gekiga}} style of manga devised by Tatsumi Yoshihiro in the late 50s. Oh, and the original series has never been translated into English.

* BadAssBoast: After experiencing a [[DespairEventHorizon personal tragedy]], Matsubayashi Kenpu reminds his comrades that they "have a rendevous with the god of death."

* AnachronismStew: For such a rigorously researched historical piece, it's surprisingly not above having Yumeya Shichibei wield a revolver in 17th century Japan.

* ContinuityKnod: A nice one in the second series, in which Ryunoshin is shown tending to the graves of [[spoiler: his father, mentor Sasa Ikkaku, and Atena.]] Doubles as the character's reveal.

** The phrase "ippiki okami" is as emblematic in Japanese culture as "lone wolf" is in English. the motif would factor even more prominently in [[Manga/LoneWolfAndCub another well know gekiga title]] years later.

* BadAssBoast: After enduring a DespairEventHorizon, Matsubayashi Kenpu reminds his comrades that they "have a rendevous with the god of death."

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The fate of the 2009 movie version of KamuiGaiden, which was based on Shirato's own reboot of a spin-off of the original Manga/KamuiDen. To begin with, the 80s reboot largely dispensed with the original's themes of class struggle and institutional discrimination. This made the franchise more accesible, but robbed it of much of its depth. So, the story had already been watered down when filmakers decided to {{Bowdlerise}} it for the screen. In summary: a sanitized adaptation of a reboot of a spinoff of a subversive classic. Needless to say, not much of that subversiveness made it into the film.
* CallBack: A nice one in the second series, in which Ryunoshin is shown tending to the graves of [[spoiler: his father, mentor Sasa Ikkaku, and Atena.]] Doubles as the character's reveal.

* ContinuityLockout: Another consequence of the series' massive length. Even reading through the entire series attentively, it's possible to miss or forget important details.

* KillEmAll: The title page of the penultimate issue [[gleefully displays the heads of three major sympathetic characters post-exceution]]...and it doesn't end there.

* SingleStrokeBattle: Any fight involving Kamui's "kasumi-giri" is likely this. Also of note is Matsubayashi Kenpu's fight with a marauding duelist. [[spolier: He severs both of the man's legs with a single draw and cut.]]

* WomenInRefrigerators: Played depressingly straight.

* AnimalMotifs: Used to great effect. Both the first and the second series begin with extended sequences depicting animal behaviour in the wild (wolves and monkeys, respectively. The workings of animal communities are shown to mirror human society. Also, the title character Kamui shares his name with a white wolf who is an outcast from his pack.

* SceneryPorn: Shirato is addept at drawing landscapes and doesn't skimp on the mountain panoramas.

* EyepatchOfPower: Worn by various characters throughout the series. In a partial subversion of the trope, Ryunoshin wears an eyepatch as part of a disguise during his stint as a guerilla leader.

* AdaptationDecay: The 2009 film version of KamuiGaiden was based on Shirato's own reboot of a spin-off of the original series. To begin with, the 80s reboot largely dispensed with the original's themes of class struggle and institutional discrimination and lost a lot of its depth in the process. The story had already been watered down when the filmakers decided to {{Bowdlerise}} it for the screen. In summary, a sanitized adaptation of a reboot of a spinoff of a subversive classic. Needless to say, not much of that subversiveness made it into the film.

* AdaptationDecay: The 2009 film version of Kamui Gaiden was based on Shirato's own reboot of a spin-off of the original series. To begin with, the 80s reboot largely dispensed with the original's themes of class struggle and institutional discrimination and lost a lot of its depth in the process. The story had already been watered down when the filmakers decided to {{Bowdlerise}} it for the screen. In summary, a sanitized adaptation of a reboot of a spinoff of a subversive classic. Needless to say, not much of that subversiveness made it into the film.

** The 80s reboot of KamuiGaiden has Sugaru. Her clothes are torn during here establishing sequence in the first issue and she winds up spending most of the time with her breasts exposed. This doesn't make it into the film version.

* AdaptationDecay: In fairness, the 2009 film version of Kamui Gaiden was based on the watered-down second part of Kamui's follow up series. As a rule, media that were based on KamuiGaiden, like the 70s Anime of the same name, were much lighter in tone than the original series.

* AnyoneCanDie: The majority of named characters introduced in the first series don't live to see the end of it. Seriously, even the sadistic likes of ASongOfIceAndFire and BloodMeridian can barely compete.

* FriendToAllLivingThings: At various times, Kamui is shown befriending wolves, dogs, and flacons.
* HandicappedBadass: Minazuki Ukon, who loses his foot in the very first issue, but remains a formidable fighter. Likewise, Ryunoshin loses the pinky and ring finger from his left hand--critical for wielding a Japanese sword--in a duel. He works tirelessly to develop a fighting style that compensates for this handicap.

* DespairEventHorizon: Inverted to an extent with Mine, whose death galvanizes both Shosuke and Ryunoshin to action. Played very straight with [[spoiler: Atena, after Sasa Ikkaku's death and Minazuki Ukon after Atena's death.]]

* MadeOfIron: Burly peasant, Kogemaru.

* RapeAsDrama: Constant, and nowhere more so than in the case of poor poor Mine.

* StuffedIntoTheFridge: Mine again, though to Sanpei's credit, he has the main characters remember her several thousand pages after she's been killed off in the early volumes.

* TomboyPrincess: Noblewoman Nishiki Sayaka, complete with blatant lesbian overtones.

* WorkingClassHero: Given the author's background as a proletarian activist, it's no surptise to find salt of the earth types like Shosuke, Gon, and Kogemaru being given a very sympathetic treatment.

* ContinuityLockout: Another consequence of the series' massive length. Even reading through the entire series attentively, it's possible to miss of forget important details.

* DoorStopper: Thankfully, it hasn't happened yet, but any attempt to publish a series as a single tome would result in a book that was namy thousand pages long.

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: While the original series generally eshcews supernatural elements, some of the ninja techniques require suspension of disbelief. This is partly justified in that historical ninja encouraged the belief that they possessed mystical or even magical powers. Of course, the 70s manga version has the hero fighting witches and monsters, marking a very different atitude toward realism.

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: While the original series generally eshcews supernatural elements, some of the ninja techniques require suspension of disbelief. This is partly justified in that historical ninja encouraged the belief they possessed mystical or even magical powers. Of course, the 70s manga version has the hero fighting witches and monsters, marking a very different atitude toward realism.

* ContinuityLockout: Another consequence of the series massive length. Even reading through the entire series attentively, it's possible to miss of forget important details.

* DisproportionateRevenge: Minazkui Ukon, on discovering the body of [[spoiler: Atena, who has been brutally hacked to death by peasants, picks up her naginata and proceeds to slaughter scores of them.]]

* KatanasAreJustBetter: Erm, not really. While there's plenty of fancy swordwork in the series, characters with access to firearms make good use of them.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: the despised feudal lord who raped Mine and hacked up her body out of spite is ambushed by Sasa Ikkaku while his retainers are carrying his litter across a stream. Long story short: he takes a katana up the rectum.]]

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: While the original series generally eshcews supernatural elements, some of the ninja techniques require suspension of disbelief. This is partly justified in that historical ninja encouraged the belief they possessed mystical or even magical powers.

* OffWithHisHead: Constant.