As the feared assassin of the Bakumatsu, Himura Kenshin killed in the name of the new era. As the rurouni of Meiji, he wielded a sakabatô to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, all along holding true to his vow to never take another life. Now Kenshin's fight with Enishi has entered its final stage, as has his quest for atonement. Will another life be required to complete the circle? The road of redemption has been a long one for the world-weary swordsman, but now that Kenshin has found the will to live, can he muster the strength to survive? Find out in the final, unforgettable volume of Nobuhiro Watsuki's international manga sensation, Rurouni Kenshin. Exclusive double-sided poster inside! -- VIZ Media

One hundred and forty years ago in Kyoto, with he coming of the American "Black Ships," there arose a warrior who, felling men with his bloodstained blade, gained the name Hitokiri, manslayer! His killer blade helped close the turbulent Bakumatsu era and slashed open the progressive age known as Meiji. Then he vanished, and with the flow of years, became legend. -- VIZ Media

Change your perspective: get BIG Packed with action, romance and historical intrigue, Rurouni Kenshin is one of the most beloved and popular manga series worldwide. Set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, it tells the saga of Himura Kenshin, once an assassin of ferocious power, now a humble rurouni, a wandering swordsman fighting to protect the honor of those in need. A Collection of Volumes 4 - 6! Shinomori Aoshi was once the leader of Edo Castle's elite guard, the Oniwanbanshū. When the shōgunate was overthrown, Aoshi and his men were deprived of both home and purpose. All that's left to them now are their fighting skills, which they've put to service as a mercenary guard for the industrialist Takeda Kanryū. However much sympathy Kenshin might feel for the Oniwanbanshū, he's sworn to stop Kanryū's corrupt plans. But in order to do so, he'll have to defeat Aoshi, a shinobi prodigy and master of a deadly twin-sword style. Later, Isurugi Raijūta, a swordsman of incredible strength and ferocity, requests Kenshin's aid in reforming Japan's swordsmanship schools, to save them from their decline in the modern age. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raijūta's ideals, he's disturbed by his increasingly brutal methods. Sanosuke runs into some trouble of his own when he's reunited with a member of the Sekihō Army--the doomed civilian-run unit that they both served in during the revolution--who's determined to exact revenge from the Meiji government.

Once upon a time, one had to read Japanese in order to enjoy manga. Today manga has become a global phenomenon, attracting audiences in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. The style has become so popular, in fact, that in the US and UK publishers are appropriating the manga style in a variety of print material, resulting in the birth of harlequin mangas which combine popular romance fiction titles with manga aesthetics. Comic publishers such as Dark Horse and DC Comics are translating Japanese "classics", like Akira, into English. And of course it wasn't long before Shakespeare received the manga treatment. So what is manga? Manga roughly translates as "whimsical pictures" and its long history can be traced all the way back to picture books of eighteenth century Japan. Today, it comes in two basic forms: anthology magazines (such as Shukan Shonen Jampu) that contain several serials and manga 'books' (tankobon) that collect long-running serials from the anthologies and reprint them in one volume. The anthologies contain several serials, generally appear weekly and are so thick, up to 800 pages, that they are colloquially known as phone books. Sold at newspaper stands and in convenience stores, they often attract crowds of people who gather to read their favorite magazine. Containing sections addressing the manga industry on an international scale, the different genres, formats and artists, as well the fans themselves, Manga: An Anthology of Global and Cultural Perspectives is an important collection of essays by an international cast of scholars, experts, and fans, and provides a one-stop resource for all those who want to learn more about manga, as well as for anybody teaching a course on the subject.