Left to right: Rei, Asumi, Kami and Shia.
Swords Of Edo is an OEL Manga written by AJTilley
, the founder of Dharker Studio, and drawn by Bokurac. It is the companion piece to Sword Of Asumi.
The manga began as a Kickstarter for the development of Volume 1. Thanks to a post by MegaTokyo, the Kickstarter got more pledges on it's last day. A digital Kinetic Novel adaptation of Edo was released in April 2021.
Set in an Alternate Japan, the series follows it's four main heroines, Shia, Kami, Asumi and Rei, who are members of the Justicars.
This manga provides examples of:
- Alternate History: The Shogunate never fell in the the Swords of Edo universe but the Imperial family were assassinated. With no Emperor, the elective title Lord Regent was created who serves as the country's figurehead. However it's not a nice place. See Crapsack World.
- Amazon Brigade: Almost all members of the Justicars.
- Black-and-Gray Morality: The Justicars may be Knight Templars but are at least "better" than the corrupt and evil groups in Japan.
- Cliffhanger: Issue 1. Rei and Shia discovers the rebel noble they were supposed to assassinate is gone and their HQ is not responding to their calls.
- Clothing Damage: Apparently it takes one hit for clothes to explode in Issue 1. This got flak from the readers which the author promises to reduce it.
- Crapsack World: The nobility are constantly fighting for land and power, the commoners are treated like crap, corruption and assassinations are common and the only "Good" force in the land are a group of Knight Templars.
- Ecchi: In the Visual Novel game.
- End of an Age: Japan's isolation and the long rule of the nobility is about to end due to the civil war.
- From Bad to Worse: By the time series begins, there's a civil war between the Pro-Lord Regent and Anti-Lord Regent forces. And the people are also starting rise up against the nobility.
- Gun Kata: Practiced by the members of the Gun Kata Agency.
- Hidden Elf Village: Japan never open up to the world and never became the economic powerhouse it was during the 20th century.
- Knight Templar: The Justicars will uphold justice and kill anyone they see is a threat to the realm.
- Schizo Tech:
- Samurais fight side by side with modern gunmen.
- Rei is seen with a very high tech motorbike with radar.
- Super-Deformed: The Chibi Wars chapters.
