“In many ways, the ‘Prison Arc’ is the pinnacle of Hiroaki Samura’s attempt to push Blade of the Immortal past mere samurai action into the realm of pure art. From its anti-dramatic structure to its role reversals (Rin does the rescuing) and increasingly sophisticated pencil art, his ambition informs every aspect of the story.”—Anime News Network
“Few artists draw samurai manga as well as Hiroaki Samura, whose pages are packed with photorealistic detail while remaining fluid, dynamic, and human.”—OtakuUSA
“Samura’s work will thrill you, engage you, and even horrify you like no other artist working in film or print today.”—Geof Darrow
“Samura’s stark black-and-white drawings combine precision and a gritty, gestural line in riveting, powerfully expressive illustrations . . . Readers will be drawn into this epic tale, even when there are moments they would prefer to look away.”—Publishers Weekly