Does ‘Ninja Kamui’ Have a Manga? Kind Of!
If you found yourself getting invested in the story of Higan from Ninja Kamui, then you’re probably still waiting for the next episodes to come out. Like any good anime viewer, you’re wondering if the anime is based on any manga so you can start reading.
Good news: There is a manga. The Legend of Kamui (1999) by Sanpei Shirato tells a story about Kamui, an ex-ninja who falls in love with a civilian woman in an idyllic fishing village. But their story takes a turn for the worst once Kamui’s past starts haunting him. But unlike the anime, the manga takes place in feudal Japan. There are no evil corporations or tech billionaires to be dealt with here.
That’s not to say feudal lords were easy to outrun those days, but if Kamui had Joe’s disguise tech, he would’ve lived in peace for a long time with the love of his life. Ninja Kamui takes place in a modern setting, and we’re shipped all the way to the US countryside, where Higan and his family have fled. It took quite some time for his clan to find him and, subsequently, murder his family.
If you were looking for a manga that would scratch your craving for the next episode of the anime, you’ll have to give up on that dream. The anime deviates from its source material in the story, and rather than running away, the protagonist is actively seeking the ones responsible for his family’s slaughter. Additionally, the fight scenes in the manga pale in gore compared to the adaptation. Just watch the John Wick series if you’re missing Higan’s creative ways of putting people to sleep on a regular weekday
(featured image: Adult Swim)
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