Takemitsuzamurai

{{Infobox animanga/Header

|image = Takemitsuzamurai.jpg

|caption = First volume cover

|ja_kanji = 竹光侍

|ja_romaji =

|genre = Historical{{cite web|last=Kosaka|first=Kris|title=A dark, bittersweet childhood becomes a manga masterpiece|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/11/26/books/book-reviews/dark-bittersweet-childhood-becomes-manga-masterpiece/|publisher=The Japan Times|access-date=July 29, 2018|date=November 26, 2016|quote=[The] historical manga “Takemitsu Zamurai,” which traces the life of a masterless samurai in feudal Japan.|archive-date=July 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730050249/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/11/26/books/book-reviews/dark-bittersweet-childhood-becomes-manga-masterpiece/|url-status=live}}

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Print

|type = manga

|author = Issei Eifuku

|illustrator = Taiyō Matsumoto

|publisher = Shogakukan

|publisher_en =

|demographic = Seinen

|imprint =

|magazine = Big Comic Spirits

|magazine_en =

|published =

|first = 2006

|last = 2010

|volumes = 8

|volume_list =

}}

{{Nihongo|Takemitsuzamurai or Takemitsu Zamurai|竹光侍||{{lit.|"Bamboo Sword Samurai"}}}} is a Japanese historical samurai manga series written by Issei Eifuku and illustrated by Taiyō Matsumoto. It was published in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits seinen manga magazine, with its chapters collected in eight wideban volumes.

Plot

Takemitsu Zamurai follows the story of masterless samurai Senō Sōichirō.{{Cite news|url=https://mangaplanet.jp/taiyo-matsumoto-30th-anniversary-exhibit/|title=Taiyō Matsumoto's ~30th Anniversary Exhibit~Event Report - Manga Planet|date=2018-07-18|work=Manga Planet|access-date=2018-07-19|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719113741/https://mangaplanet.jp/taiyo-matsumoto-30th-anniversary-exhibit/|url-status=dead}}

Publication

Takemitsu Zamurai is written by Issei Eifuku and illustrated by Taiyō Matsumoto. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 2006 to 2010.{{cite web|script-title=ja:スピ「創魂」にたがみよしひさ。大洋「竹光侍」最終回|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/29042|website=Natalie|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|date=March 15, 2010|archive-date=January 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111172627/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/29042|url-status=live}} Shogakukan collected its chapters in eight wideban volumes, released from December 15, 2006, to April 28, 2010.

The manga was licensed in Spain by Glénat{{cite web|url=http://www.manga-news.com/index.php/serie-vo/Takemitsu-Zamurai-vo|title=Takemitsu Zamurai vo|access-date=30 July 2014|work=manga-news.com|language=fr|archive-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808042629/http://www.manga-news.com/index.php/serie-vo/Takemitsu-Zamurai-vo|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.deculture.es/2011/10/21/la-situacion-de-takemitsu-zamurai-en-glenat/|title=La situación de 'Takemitsu Zamurai' con Glénat|author=chibisake|date=21 October 2011|access-date=30 July 2014|work=Deculture|language=es|archive-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808035404/http://www.deculture.es/2011/10/21/la-situacion-de-takemitsu-zamurai-en-glenat/|url-status=live}} and in France by Kana.{{Cite web|title=Samourai Bambou (le) - Manga série|url=https://www.manga-news.com/index.php/serie/Samourai-Bambou-le|access-date=2023-07-16|website=manga-news.com|language=fr|archive-date=July 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716105043/https://www.manga-news.com/index.php/serie/Samourai-Bambou-le|url-status=live}}

=Volumes=

{{Graphic novel list/header

|OneLanguage = yes

|Language = Japanese

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =1

|OriginalRelDate =December 15, 2006{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍１|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091810342|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225307/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091810342|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-181034-2

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =2

|OriginalRelDate =May 30, 2007{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍２|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091813206|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225318/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091813206|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-181320-6

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =3

|OriginalRelDate =October 30, 2007{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍３|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091815880|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225320/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091815880|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-181588-0

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =4

|OriginalRelDate =March 28, 2008{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍４|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091818485|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225323/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091818485|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-181848-5

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =5

|OriginalRelDate =September 30, 2008{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍５|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091821904|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225326/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091821904|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-182190-4

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =6

|OriginalRelDate =April 30, 2009{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍６|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091824769|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225343/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091824769|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-182476-9

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =7

|OriginalRelDate =October 30, 2009{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍７|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091827364|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225344/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091827364|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-182736-4

|ChapterList =

}}

{{Graphic novel list

|VolumeNumber =8

|OriginalRelDate =April 28, 2010{{cite web|script-title=ja:竹光侍８|url=https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091831194|publisher=Shogakukan|access-date=January 8, 2021|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201111225520/https://comics.shogakukan.co.jp/book?isbn=9784091831194|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

|OriginalISBN =978-4-09-183119-4

|ChapterList =

}}

Reception

Takemitsu Zamurai won the Excellence Prize in the Manga Division at the 11th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-12-04/coo-gurren-lagann-kafka-win-media-arts-awards|title=Coo, Gurren-Lagann, 'Kafka' Win Media Arts Awards|date=4 December 2007|access-date=30 July 2014|work=Anime News Network|archive-date=July 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710000813/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-12-04/coo-gurren-lagann-kafka-win-media-arts-awards|url-status=live}} It also won the Grand Prize at the 15th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-02/15th-tezuka-osamu-cultural-prize-winners-announced|title=15th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Winners Announced|date=2 May 2011|access-date=30 July 2014|work=Anime News Network|archive-date=June 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615020650/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-02/15th-tezuka-osamu-cultural-prize-winners-announced|url-status=live}} It was nominated for Best Comic at the 2012 Angoulême International Comics Festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-12-07/drifting-life-st-young-men-more-nominated-at-france-angouleme|title=Drifting Life, St. Young Men, More Nominated at France's Angoulême|date=7 December 2011|access-date=30 July 2014|work=Anime News Network|archive-date=September 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917064831/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-12-07/drifting-life-st-young-men-more-nominated-at-france-angouleme|url-status=live}}

Manga critic Natsume Fusanosuke calls the series a "fascinating work" and understands it less as a manga and more as an example of jidaimono, a genre of classic popular novels with historical themes.{{Cite journal|last=Furanosuke|first=Natsume|date=September 20, 2021|title=Making it Just in Time: Author-Creator Matsumoto Taiyō|url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1160&context=wll_fac|journal=The Comics Journal|access-date=July 24, 2023|archive-date=July 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724203420/https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1160&context=wll_fac|url-status=live}}