His heart was filled with reverence, and he was filled with endless fantasies. Pulling out his sword, Qin Wentian moved like the wind, while the men moved like horses and the golden gecko moved like horses. In the early part of the last century, in the vast void between Jupiter and Mars, a space wormhole had appeared by chance. After more than a hundred years of diffusion, on March 31, 2027, it finally encompassed the Earth. Due to the rapid increase in density of spiritual energy, the life on Earth, which was accustomed to the barren environment, inevitably underwent drastic evolution. Most people had either lost their life or turned into zombies, and only a small portion of the evolved humans struggled to survive in a world filled with zombies ... Of course, since it was a disaster, the surviving humans, while struggling to survive, also gained the chance to evolve and become stronger. Earth's humans, who were at the edge of the barren land of the universe, slowly gained the possibility to integrate into the universe's family. Close]

An expert on samurai history paints a vivid, multi-faceted portrait of feudal Japan and Miyamoto Musashi—the legendary swordsman who wrote the classic martial arts treatise, The Book of Five Rings Born in 1584, Miyamoto Musashi was the legendary samurai known throughout the world as a master swordsman, spiritual seeker, and author of the classic book on strategy, The Book of Five Rings. Over 350 years after his death, Musashi and his legacy still fascinate readers worldwide, inspiring artists, authors, and filmmakers. In The Lone Samurai, respected translator and expert on samurai culture William Scott Wilson presents both a vivid account of a fascinating period in feudal Japan and a portrait of the courageous, iconoclastic samurai who wrestled with philosophical and spiritual ideas that are as relevant today as they were in his time. For Musashi, the way of the martial arts was about mastery of the mind rather than simply technical prowess—and it is this path to mastery that is the core teaching in his Book of Five Rings. This special volume includes supplemental material on Musashi’s legacy as a martial arts icon, his impact on literature and film, and the influence of his Book of Five Rings.

A young man is transformed into a barbarian fighter in this adventure from “one of the leading masters of epic fantasy” (Publishers Weekly). Wallie Smith can feel the pain. He goes to the hospital and remembers the doctors and the commotion, but when he wakes up it all seems like a dream. However, if that was a dream, how do you explain waking up in another body and in another world? Little Wallie finds himself in the physique of a barbarian swordsman, accompanied by both an eccentric priest babbling about the Goddess and a voluptuous slave girl. Is this a rude awakening or a dream come true? What in the world will Wallie do now that he has found himself stranded in a strange realm? Well, it just so happens that the Goddess is in need of a swordsman. It will not be easy, but if he succeeds he will have everything he wants. If he does not, things could get ugly. Wallie is reluctant but sees his chance. If only he had the faintest clue as to the adventure he is about to unleash! If only he could imagine the forces that will be out to vanquish him!

Since its inception in 1933, Toho Co., Ltd., Japan's most famous movie production company and distributor, has produced and/or distributed some of the most notable films ever to come out of Asia, including Seven Samurai, Godzilla, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, Kwaidan, Woman in the Dunes, Ran, Shall We Dance?, Ringu, and Spirited Away. While the western world often defines Toho by its iconic classics, which include the Godzilla franchise and many of the greatest films of the legendary director Akira Kurosawa and actor Toshiro Mifune, these pictures represent but a tiny fraction of Toho's rich history. The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography provides a complete picture of every Toho feature the Japanese studio produced and released—as well as foreign films that it distributed—during its first 75 years. Presented chronologically, each entry in the filmography includes, where applicable, the original Japanese title, a direct translation of that title, the film's international, U.S. release, and alternate titles; production credits, including each film's producers, director, screenwriters, cinematographers, art directors, and composers, among others; casts with character names; production companies, technical specs, running times, and release dates; U.S. release data including distributor, whether the film was released subtitled or dubbed, and alternate versions; domestic and international awards; and plot synopses.

~“A MUST READ.”—Keri Arthur Only one thing can wound a body of steel and melt a heart of ice… For fans of Laurel K. Hamilton and Shana Abe.... Walker, an earth shaman, has dedicated his life to the annihilation of the demon warriors who destroyed his desert tribe. As the lone survivor of the massacre, he atones by wreaking vengeance as a lethal mercenary. But his latest captive is a daring and new kind of challenge. She is the assassin Mehcredi, forced to work alongside Walker as penance for her crimes. Abandoned as a child, Mehcredi has no concept of human relationships, no reserve, no fears, and she boldly walks through Walker’s barriers as if they were mist. Embarking on a journey of naked revenge—and pure ecstasy—they will discover pleasures once alien to them both. But in their shadow is the most powerful and reviled demon warrior of them all—the Necromancer. He’s vowed to destroy Walker and Mehcredi once and forever, even if he must hold the entire world ransom to do it.

Like leaves circling a maelstrom, Ogami Ittō and his mortal enemy, Yagyū Retsudō, are drawn inexorably by currents of vengeance toward their final confrontation. As torrential rains pound Edo, Yagyu's forces race to find Ittō before a boatload of explosives provides the Lone Wolf the means to destroy the Yagyu, once and for all! Created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub has sold over a million copies of its first Dark Horse English-language editions, and this acclaimed masterpiece of graphic fiction is now available in larger format, value-priced editions.