The Return of the Genius Farmer

This book is very captivating! I love this writer’s imagination and the story she is creating. Fantastic book!

Not only is this story captivating and immersive, but I fell in love with the characters. I can’t wait to read what this author has for us next!

Shigurui is one of the greatest works I've ever read, a manga that successfully explores the characters' minds and develops abstract themes through its stunning art. A drama capable of evoking the deepest human emotions. Moreover, it offers sharp critiques of feudal Japan's hierarchical society. Every page of this masterpiece is a work of art.  

Art (10/10)  
The most striking aspect of this manga is its art, which not only depicts human bodies with extreme realism and detail but also masterfully visualizes abstract, philosophical, and psychological concepts.  

Characters (10/10)  
The main characters are profound; each has their own reasons for being who they are, and the author expertly delves into their psychology. They each possess their own fighting style, which evolves throughout the story in a way that is truly beautiful to witness.  

Plot (7/10)  
The plot is critical, fluid, and mature, functioning well up to a certain point. The issue arises when several characters are introduced towards the end and are left underdeveloped, lacking consistent presence or growth.  

<p>

Starts out fairly absurd with a wild portrayal of a senile teacher, exaggerated characterizations, and "typically shonen" battles and techniques. As it nears the end, though, the extravagant elements begin to fade away, revealing the heart of the story as a tragic tale about obsession and duty. It truly finds its footing as it moves toward the conclusion, and it makes me wish it had toned down a bit earlier to give more significance to the initial events. I suspect I might be one of the few who feels this way, though.

Most of the characters aside from the two leads (including their female love interests) are much less developed. Some of them have a "hero of another story" vibe, likely because they featured more prominently in the novel Shigurui is based on, while others feel more like caricatures. Some viewers may enjoy that, along with the more outlandish tone of the earlier parts of the series, as mentioned before. For me, Kogan was a sticking point. The master of the dojo where both leads are students, Kogan and his quirks play a significant role in the series, but he often doesn't feel much more "real" than someone like Yujiro Hanma from BAKI. If he had been more human, I believe it would have enriched the dynamic between him and his students, and their interactions with each other. Someone like Logan Roy from SUCCESSION is what I have in mind.

The art is very impressive, particularly in the later parts. Yamaguchi employs a lot of nudity, literal and metaphorical, which always invites reflection, I think. It's not just for fanservice and can often be quite unsettling. The aim is to delve into the "core" of the characters, what's happening "inside" them, but after the tenth time, it loses its impact. The landscapes are a standout feature. The intricate castles and cities of the Tokugawa era shine brightly. Personally, I thought the characters were decent, but not outstanding, both in design and rendering. The action is well-executed and makes it clear what's happening at any given moment, which is something many combat series struggle with.

This manga came as a huge surprise to me. After reading dozens of manga, I was searching for something more mature, a story that doesn't shy away from depicting blood and truly shows just how brutal a sword fight can be.

Shigurui takes you on a journey back to a time when honor and tradition were all that mattered. Nothing is held back from the reader as the characters fight, laugh, and engage in explicit content.

It's not overly long but incredibly addictive. Please stick with it beyond the first two chapters; after that, you'll find yourself deeply immersed in the plot.

I'm not going to write an extensive and detailed review because English isn't my first language (and I can't express my opinions clearly), I haven't finished it yet, and I'm not really good at writing reviews.  
The story revolves around Irako Seigen and Fujiki Gennosuke, two swordsmen (samurai) who learned their fighting style at the Kogan dojo (though I'm not sure if it's a dojo or something else). The two had a rivalry, and one day, one of them (Irako) was expelled from the dojo and became blind on the same day. After this, we see how the rivalry between the two is resolved (I won't say more about the story itself to avoid spoilers).  

===Art: 9===  
The art is ASTONISHING when it comes to anatomy. The mangaka excels at drawing muscles (the illustrator's knowledge of anatomy is evident), and the gore, which is very prominent in the manga, is incredibly well-done. The body dynamics are also excellent, though it occasionally falters when it comes to faces. Sometimes, the faces of certain characters look a bit strange or deformed. The manga's semi-realistic drawing style is incredible in my opinion.  

===Story: 8===  
Well, as someone who is not well-versed in Japanese history, I struggled to fully grasp some events. Sometimes it mentioned "X year of Kan'ei" or something similar, but I didn't really understand it. Aside from that, the story is quite cool, with remarkable events involving the characters and no major flaws (in my opinion).  

===Characters: 7===  
I think this is where it has the most flaws. I couldn't really connect with the characters (I mean like feeling empathy for them or sharing emotions with them) because I don't think they were developed well enough so far. Additionally, it's odd for the writer to introduce many characters only to kill them off a few pages later, but this also adds an element of unpredictability, making things happen when we least expect them. The only character I connected with is Kitsuki Gannosuke because we're shown all his suffering and why he became the way he is (even though he's still enigmatic, I feel pity for him).  

====Overall: 8====  
The manga is pretty good. It successfully immerses us in a samurai atmosphere. The art is astonishing, and the artist's skill is evident, especially in the detailed and "anatomically surprising" gore. The fights are enjoyable because the manga is unpredictable, leaving readers curious about how they will end after following the characters involved. Another interesting aspect is that we can fully understand the importance of events. For example, sometimes in other stories, we're introduced to threats whose significance and impact aren't clear, like the final villain in *Wednesday*. When they appear, we might think, "Okay, but what can they do? What do they threaten? How powerful are they?" and they're defeated quickly. That doesn't happen here. Every time a character fights, we fully grasp their threat and danger, such as when (spoiler??) ||Ushimata-dono appears during Fujiki's revenge and starts killing everyone. Since he did that, we knew exactly how problematic he could be||. However, I believe the manga could benefit from fully three-dimensional characters to make readers share feelings with them and become even more immersed in the story. Still, it's an engaging read. That's it.  

<p>

Mod Edit: This review may contain spoilers.  

_Shigurui_ revolves around power—its acquisition, cultivation, and sabotage. Power manifests in casual assassinations, marauding bands of murderers, offhand executions of random ronin, the social influence of giving poor etiquette advice, the restriction of a demon warrior within a rigid hierarchy, and the seductive allure of beautiful women. It's less about demonstrating the amorality of power and more about showcasing its corrupting nature—the *immorality* of power. Once obtained, power will inevitably be misused for myriad reasons: bloodlust, sexual desire, entertainment, pride, advertising, money, "reasons of state," and beyond.  

There is scarcely a male character who can be deemed good. Despite identifying with the "heroic" protagonist, we must acknowledge him as a blood-soaked murderer who kills for trivial reasons such as anger or obedience to his master—a fact driven home by the story's conclusion. We might sympathize with Seigen due to his egalitarian ideals and the persecution he endures before exacting revenge, but he is introduced through acts of cruelty, undone by his hubris, manipulative and deceitful in his actions, and responsible for killing his first master. (I focus on male characters because the women are largely disempowered pawns, subjected rather than active participants.) The elegance of the martial arts depicted is overshadowed by their horrific purpose, all encapsulated in a sharp critique of the politics that enable and perpetuate such violence. This isn't a romanticized portrayal of bushido or unwavering loyalty; instead, it highlights inherent flaws and the inevitability of serving an unworthy lord who cannot simply be quietly disposed of or tortured to death as justice demands.  

The cumulative effect is profoundly bleak. There are no meaningful ideals. Teaching martial arts merely creates living weapons. Everyone exploits one another. All men perish, and even if they triumph over their enemies, they succumb to old age and decline. Men themselves are fragile amalgamations of muscles and organs, indistinguishable when spilled. Even the strongest warrior can be felled by a stumble or a single strike, rendering their accomplishments meaningless. Reading it over three days left me unusually nihilistic and materialistic by the end.  

The artwork is consistently superb, almost extravagant, with exceptional shading and intricate details. By the finale, I found myself pausing simply to admire depictions of wood grain and castle architecture.  

Some narrative techniques work effectively in manga, like presenting (without commentary or visual distinction) potential scenarios or outcomes before snapping back to the present—characters experience numerous deaths before actually meeting their end ("The Way of the Samurai is found in death. Daily meditation on inevitable death should be practiced").  

The manga concludes abruptly, leaving several arcs unresolved, including those involving the toad-man and futanari storyline, while the pacifist _Rurouni Kenshin_-style swordsman remains unexplored despite recurring in minor roles. It ends within a few pages: Seigen is killed, stumbles back victorious to claim his reward, only to discover Mei dead. A final scene shows them walking together in civilian clothes. The End. I'm still uncertain what this ending signifies—logically, he'd commit suicide since he has nothing left to live for after carrying out vengeance against Seigen, but nothing shown confirms this theory, nor does the first volume's foreshadowing establish it clearly. Oh well.

SUCH A GREAT MANGA!  

This review contains a little bit of spoilers!  

First of all, I want to say that this manga is not your typical fairy tale. It's all about tragedy, drama, gore, and violence. This manga tells the story of downfalls. In a way, it's an incredibly realistic work too. It effectively portrays the mindset of people during that era. Additionally, none of the characters are 'morally' good. Each one has done something bad due to their ambitions, such as seizing power, an extreme sense of loyalty, honor, and pride. There are characters who have killed their mother, lover, and teacher for these reasons. However, the interesting part is that we can't truly hate these characters. The circumstances pushed them to commit these actions. In a way, they are victims of that hierarchical society and their own ambitions. And while reading this manga, you can see a critique of this system.  

So, if you're looking for sweet, wholesome, fairy-tale moments, this manga is definitely not for you. If you enjoy historical, dramatic, tragic, and seinen genres, then you may like it. This manga isn't for everyone, that's for sure!  

My only negative comment about this manga would be the filler chapters. There are some really unnecessary fillers in the second half.  

Also, let's not forget the art. The art is absolutely stunning. Very detailed and beautiful. There are scenes where characters are depicted as tigers, dragons, bulls, and frogs. I loved those symbolic illustrations.