is a Japanese
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
series created by writer
Kazuo Koike
was a prolific Japanese manga writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''seinen'' manga, notably ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (with Goseki Kojima, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' ...
and artist
Goseki Kojima
was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''.
Biography
Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
. It was serialized in
Futabasha
is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in , Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Futabasha is known for its manga works, and its 1967 magazine Manga Action first conceived of the manga category, decades before the other major companies tested th ...
's
manga magazine ''
Weekly Manga Action
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Futabasha. It is currently published twice a month, on the first and third Thursday. The magazine was originally formed as and began publishing weekly from July 7, 1967. It is considered the f ...
'' from September 1970 to April 1976, with its chapters collected in 28 ' volumes. The story was adapted into six films starring
Tomisaburo Wakayama
, born Masaru Okumura (奥村 勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samurai films.Stout ...
, four plays, and a television series starring
Kinnosuke Yorozuya, and is widely recognized as an important and influential work.
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' chronicles the story of Ogami Ittō, the ''
shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...
''s executioner who uses a
dōtanuki battle sword. Disgraced by false accusations from the
Yagyū clan
The were a family of ''daimyōs'' (feudal lords) with lands just outside Nara, Nara, Nara, who became the heads of one of Japan's greatest schools of swordsmanship, Yagyū Shinkage-ryū. The Yagyū were also Kenjutsu teachers to the Tokugawa sh ...
, he is forced to take the path of the assassin. Along with his three-year-old son, Daigorō, they seek revenge on the Yagyū clan and are known as "Lone Wolf and Cub".
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' is considered to be among the most influential manga ever created.
It has been cited as the origin for the trope of a man protecting a child on a journey across a dangerous landscape. This is known as the Lone Wolf and Cub trope or genre, which has since inspired numerous books, comics, films, television shows and video games.
Plot
Ogami Ittō, formidable warrior and a master of the ''
suiō-ryū
is a style of classical Japanese swordsmanship. It was founded by Mima Yoichizaemon Kagenobu at the end of the Sengoku period. The style specialises in iaijutsu but other arts, such as jōjutsu, naginatajutsu and kusarigamajutsu are practised as ...
'' swordsmanship, serves as the ''Kogi Kaishakunin'' (the Shōgun's executioner), a position of high power in the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.
The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...
during the 1700s. Along with the
oniwaban
The or was a group of government-employed undercover agents (''onmitsu''), established by the 8th Tokugawa ''shōgun'', Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684–1751). They were under the direct command of the shōgun and were in charge of assassination of ...
and the assassins, Ogami Ittō is responsible for enforcing the will of the ''
shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...
'' over the ''
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...
s'' (lesser domain lords). For those samurai and lords ordered to commit ''
seppuku
, also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...
'', the ''Kogi Kaishakunin'' assists their deaths by decapitating them to relieve the agony of disembowelment; in this role, he is entitled and empowered to wear the hollyhock
crest of the Tokugawa clan, in effect acting in place of the ''shōgun''.
After Ogami Ittō's wife Azami gives birth to their son, Daigorō, Ogami Ittō returns to find her and all of their household brutally murdered, with only the newborn Daigorō surviving. The supposed culprits are three former retainers of an abolished clan, avenging the execution of their lord by Ogami Ittō. However, the entire matter was planned by Yagyū Retsudō, leader of the Ura-Yagyū ''(Shadow
Yagyu)'' clan, in order to seize Ogami's post as part of a masterplan to control the three key positions of power: the spy system, the official assassins and the Shogunate Decapitator. During the initial incursion, an ''
ihai
A spirit tablet, memorial tablet, or ancestral tablet is a placard that people used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. The name of the deity or the past ancestor is usually inscribed onto the tablet. Wit ...
'' (funeral tablet) with the ''shōgun''s crest on it was placed inside the Ogami family shrine, signifying a supposed wish for the shogun's death. When the tablet is "discovered" during the murder investigation, its presence condemns Ittō as a traitor and thus he is forced to forfeit his post and is sentenced, along with Daigorō, to commit ''seppuku''.
The one-year-old Daigorō is given a choice by his father: a ball or a sword. If Daigorō chose the ball, his father would kill him to send Daigorō to be with his mother; however, the child crawls toward the sword and reaches for its hilt; this assigns him the path of a ''
rōnin
In feudal Japan to early modern Japan (1185–1868), a ''rōnin'' ( ; , , 'drifter' or 'wandering man', ) was a samurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family or clan. A samurai became a ''rō ...
''. Refusing to kill themselves and fighting free from their house imprisonment, father and son begin wandering the country as "demons"—the assassin-for-hire team that becomes known as "Lone Wolf and Cub", vowing to destroy the Yagyū clan to avenge Azami's death and Ittō's disgrace.
On ''meifumadō'' ("The Road to
Hell
In religion and folklore, hell is a location or state in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history sometimes depict hells as eternal destinations, such as Christianity and I ...
"), the cursed journey for vengeance, Ogami Ittō and Daigorō experience numerous adventures. They encounter (and slay) all of Yagyū Retsudō's children (both
legitimate and illegitimate) along with the entire Kurokuwa ninja clan, eventually facing Retsudō himself. When Retsudō and the Yagyū clan are unable to kill Ittō, the shogunate officially proclaims him and Daigorō outlaws with a price on their heads, authorizing all clans to try and arrest/kill them and permitting anyone to go after them for the bounty. The last duel between Ogami Ittō and Yagyū Retsudō runs 178 pages—one of the longest single fight-scenes ever published in a manga.
Toward the end of their journey, Ogami Ittō's ''
dōtanuki'' sword is surreptitiously tampered with and damaged by a supposed sword-polisher who is really an elite ''kusa'' ("Grass" ninja) of the Yagyū clan. When Ittō is finally attacked by the last of the ''kusa'', the sword breaks and Ittō receives wounds that are ultimately fatal. Deadlocked in mid-battle with Retsudō, Ittō's spirit leaves his body after years of fatigue and bloodshed, unable to destroy his longtime enemy and ending his path of ''meifumadō''.
The story finishes with Daigorō taking up Retsudō's broken spear and charging in fury. Retsudō opens his arms, disregarding all defense, and allows Daigorō to drive the spear into his body. Embracing Daigorō with tears, Retsudō names him "grandson of my heart", closing the cycle of vengeance and hatred between the clans and concluding the epic.
Many of the stories are written in a non-chronological order, revealing different parts of the narrative at different times. For example, Ogami's betrayal is not revealed until the end of the first volume, after many stories have already passed.
Creation and conception
In crafting a weakness for his protagonist (in order to make the story interesting), writer
Kazuo Koike
was a prolific Japanese manga writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''seinen'' manga, notably ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (with Goseki Kojima, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' ...
was inspired by the legendary
Sigurd
Sigurd ( ) or Siegfried (Middle High German: ''Sîvrit'') is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon — known in Nordic tradition as Fafnir () — and who was later murdered. In the Nordic countries, he is referred t ...
, who is made invulnerable by bathing in a dragon's blood—except for where a leaf shields part of his back and retains his mortality. The character of Daigorō was created to satisfy this need.
[''Kazuo Koike on Lone Wolf and Cub'' (2016). '']The Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home video, home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films". A "sister company" of art film, arth ...
''.
Koike stated in an interview that he crafted the manga to be based upon the characters themselves and that the "essential tension between
ttō'simperative to meet these challenges while keeping his son with him on the journey" drove the story.
According to Koike, "Having two characters as foils of each other is what sets things in motion" and that "If you have a strong character, the storyline will develop naturally, on its own."
Less than a year after the manga's debut,
Tomisaburo Wakayama
, born Masaru Okumura (奥村 勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samurai films.Stout ...
came to Koike to propose starring in the films, to which he immediately agreed.
According to Koike, he knew from the beginning that being killers themselves, both Ogami and Retsudō must die at the end, while Daigorō should survive. Both the producers of the 1970s television series and magazine publisher opposed this, so he had to end his story in his way "without their permission".
Characters
* —The shogun's executioner, Ittō decides to avenge the death of his wife, and to restore his clan.
* —The son of Ittō and Azami, Daigorō becomes a stronger warrior as the story progresses.
* —The leader of the Shadow Yagyū clan, Retsudō tries everything in his power to ensure that Ittō dies.
* —The shogun's food taster and a master of poisons; originally ordered to assist Retsudō in disposing of Ittō, Tanomo dishonorably tries to kill Ittō, Daigorō and Retsudō in order to seize power for himself. In the original TV series, his character was introduced in Episode 13 of the third series, "Moon of Desire".
Media
Manga
Japan
Written by
Kazuo Koike
was a prolific Japanese manga writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''seinen'' manga, notably ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (with Goseki Kojima, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' ...
and illustrated by
Goseki Kojima
was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''.
Biography
Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' was serialized in
Futabasha
is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in , Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Futabasha is known for its manga works, and its 1967 magazine Manga Action first conceived of the manga category, decades before the other major companies tested th ...
's
manga magazine ''
Weekly Manga Action
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Futabasha. It is currently published twice a month, on the first and third Thursday. The magazine was originally formed as and began publishing weekly from July 7, 1967. It is considered the f ...
''. Its first installment was published on September 10, 1970. The series finished with the 145th installment published on April 1, 1976. Futabasha collected its chapters in 28 volumes, published from May 1972 to May 1976. When ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' was first released in
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
in 1970, it became wildly popular for its powerful, epic
samurai
The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
story and its stark and gruesome depiction of violence during
Tokugawa era
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
Japan. As of October 2006, the manga had sold 8.3 million copies in Japan, and 11.8 million worldwide.
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' is one of the most highly regarded manga due to its epic scope, detailed historical accuracy, masterful artwork and nostalgic yet brutally frank recollection of the
bushido
is a Samurai moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle. Its origins date back to the Kamakura period, but it was formalized in the Edo period (1603–1868). There are multiple types of bushido which evolved significantl ...
ethos. The story spans 28 volumes of manga, with over 300 pages each (totaling over 8,700 pages in all). Many of the panels of the series are depictions of nature, historical locations in Japan, and traditional activities. A couple of years into the series, a story depicts the fate of Yamada Asaemon, the main character of ''
Samurai Executioner'', also created by Koike and
Kojima
Kojima, Ko-jima, may refer to:
People
* Kojima (surname)
Places
* Kojima District, Okayama, Japan
* Kojima Village, Matsumae, Hokkaido, Japan
* Kojima Domain, Suruga Province, Honshu, Japan; an Edo-period domain
Islands
* Kōjima, an island ...
. One reviewer notes that Asaemon looks different in this appearance, apparently due to Ogami Ittō having been designed so similarly to the original Asaemon.
North America
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' was initially released in North America in a translated English edition by
First Comics
First Comics is an American comic book publisher that was active from 1983 to 1991 and then from 2011 to present (stylized as 1First Comics), known for titles like '' American Flagg!'', '' Grimjack'', ''Nexus'', ''Badger'', '' Dreadstar'', and '' ...
in 1987. The monthly series of comic-book-sized issues featured covers by
Frank Miller
Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American comic book artist, comic book writer, and screenwriter known for his comic book stories and graphic novels such as his run on ''Daredevil'', for which he created the character Elektra, and ...
,
Bill Sienkiewicz
Boleslav William Felix Robert Sienkiewicz ( ; ; born May 3, 1958) is an American artist known for his work in comic books—particularly for Marvel Comics' ''The New Mutants (comic book), The New Mutants'', ''Moon Knight,'' and ''Elektra: Assassi ...
,
Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner (born October 9, 1961) is an American comics artist and writer who is best known as the creator of the series ''Mage (comics), Mage'' and ''Grendel (comics), Grendel''.
Early life, family and education
Matt Wagner's childhood was spe ...
,
Mike Ploog
Michael G. Ploog (; born July 13, 1940 or 1942) is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for films.
In comics, Ploog is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' 1970s ''Man-Thing'' and '' The Monster of Frankenstein ...
, and Ray Lago. Sales were initially strong but fell sharply as the company went into a general decline. First Comics shut down in 1991 without completing the series, publishing less than a third of the total series over 45 issues.
Starting in September 2000,
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...
began to release an English translation of the full series in 28 smaller-sized trade paperback volumes with longer page-counts (from 260 to over 300 pages), similar to the volumes published in Japan. Dark Horse completed the presentation of the entire series, fully translated, with the publication of the 28th volume in December 2002. Dark Horse reused all of Miller's covers from the First Comics edition, as well as several done by Sienkiewicz, and commissioned Wagner,
Guy Davis, and
Vince Locke
Vincent Locke () is an American comic book artist known for his work on '' Deadworld'' and ''A History of Violence'' and for his ultraviolent album covers for death metal band Cannibal Corpse.
Biography
Locke began work in 1986 illustrating '' ...
to produce new covers for several volumes of the collections. In October 2012, Dark Horse completed the release of all 28 volumes in digital format, as part of their "
Dark Horse Digital" online service.
Volumes
Dark Horse Omnibus collected editions

Starting in May 2013, Dark Horse began publishing their translated editions of ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' in value-priced Omnibus editions.
Partial volumes collected in Omnibus form are marked with an asterisk (*).
Sequels and follow-up series
In 2002, a "reimagined" version of the story, ''Lone Wolf 2100'', was created by writer Mike Kennedy and artist Francisco Ruiz Velasco with Koike's indirect involvement. The story was a
post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction are genres of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astronom ...
take on the tale with several differences, such as a female cub and a worldwide setting: Daisy Ogami, daughter of a renowned scientist, and Itto, her father's cybernetic bodyguard and Daisy's subsequent protector, attempt to escape from the Cygnat Owari Corporation's schemes.
Dark Horse announced at the 2006
New York Comic Con
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to comics, Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, Film, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. With an attendance of 200,00 ...
that they had licensed ''
New Lone Wolf and Cub'', Kazuo Koike and
Hideki Mori's follow-up to ''Lone Wolf and Cub'', starring Ogami Itto's son Daigoro, the famous child in the baby cart. In this new series, which picks up immediately after the climactic battle of the original series, the bodies of Ogami Itto and Yagyu Retsudo are left lying on the beach with Daigoro left alone standing over his father's body (since no one, for political reasons, dares to bury either body or take charge of Daigoro). A bearded samurai, Tōgō Shigetada of the Satsuma clan and master of the ''
Jigen-ryū
Jigen-ryū (示現流 lit: ''sudden revelation style'') is a traditional school ('' koryū'') of Japanese martial arts founded in the late 16th century by Tōgō Chūi (1560–1643), a.k.a. Tōgō Shigekata, in Satsuma Province, now Kagoshima p ...
'' style of swordsmanship (based on the actual historical personage Tōgō Shigetaka, creator of ''Jigen-ryū''), wanders onto the battlefield and assists Daigoro with the
cremation
Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a corpse through Combustion, burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India, Nepal, and ...
/funeral of Ogami Itto and Yagyu Retsudo. Tōgō, who is on a training journey and also carries a ''dotanuki'' sword similar to Ogami's (and crafted by the same swordsmith), then assumes guardianship of Daigoro, including retrieving the baby cart and teaching/training Daigoro in ''Jigen-ryū''.
The two soon become enmeshed in a plot by the Shogunate conceived by the ruthless
Matsudaira Nobutsuna
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the early Edo period, who ruled the Kawagoe Domain. First serving Tokugawa Iemitsu as a page, Nobutsuna was renowned for his sagacity. He was named a rōjū in 1633. Nobutsuna led the shogunal forces to their final ...
and spearheaded by his chief henchman
Mamiya Rinzō
was a Japanese Exploration, explorer of the late Edo period. He is best known for his exploration of Karafuto, now known as Sakhalin. He mapped areas of northeast Asia then unknown to Japanese.
Biography
Mamiya was born in 1775 in Tsukuba Dist ...
(also based on an actual historical character) to topple the Satsuma clan and assume control of that fiefdom's great wealth, using Tōgō as an unwitting pawn. When Tōgō discovers that he has been tricked and used, he and Daigoro embark on the road of ''meifumado'' in a quest to kill the Shogun (which would force Matsudaira out into the open). However, Rinzō, who is not only a master of disguise but also Matsudaira's natural son, may have an even more devious plan of his own, including subverting the Shogun's own ninja and using
opium
Opium (also known as poppy tears, or Lachryma papaveris) is the dried latex obtained from the seed Capsule (fruit), capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid mor ...
to ensnare and enslave the Shogun himself. This series also introduces non-Japanese characters into the plotlines. Dark Horse began publishing the follow-up series, ''New Lone Wolf and Cub'', in June 2014; the eleventh and last volume was released in December 2016.
A second sequel series, titled (, ), was serialized in s manga magazine ''Jin'' from January 20, 2007, until the magazine's last issue, released on May 21, 2008.
The series resumed on s online manga magazine ''Katana'' on April 14, 2009, and finished on July 20, 2010. Five volumes were released by Koike Shoin from July 27, 2007, to September 28, 2012. This series has not currently been translated into English.
Films
A total of six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama as Ogami Ittō and Tomikawa Akihiro as Daigoro were produced based on the manga. They are also known as the ''Sword of Vengeance'' series, based on the English-language title of the first film, and later as the ''Baby Cart'' series, because young Daigoro travels in a baby carriage pushed by his father.
The first three films, directed by Kenji Misumi, were released in 1972 and produced by
Shintaro Katsu
was a Japanese actor, singer, and filmmaker. He is known for starring in the ''Akumyo'' series, the ''Hoodlum Soldier'' series, and the ''Zatoichi'' series.
Life and career
Born Toshio Okumura (奥村 利夫 ''Okumura Toshio'') on 29 Novemb ...
, Wakayama's brother and the star of the 26-part ''
Zatoichi
is a fictional character created by Japanese novelist Kan Shimozawa. He is an itinerant blind masseur and swordsman of Japan's late Edo period (1830s and 1840s). He first appeared in the 1948 essay ''Zatoichi Monogatari'', part of Shimozawa's '' ...
'' film series. The next three films were produced by Wakayama himself and directed by
Buichi Saitō
was a Japanese film director from Saitama Prefecture. His representative works included '' Wataridori series'' starring Akira Kobayashi, ''Farewell to Southern Tosa''(1959) and ''Gazing at Love and Death''(1964). Saitō often worked with Akira K ...
,
Kenji Misumi
(2 March 1921 – 24 September 1975) was a Japanese film director. He created film series such as ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' and the initial film in the long-running ''Zatoichi'' series, and also directed ''Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice'', starri ...
, and Yoshiyuki Kuroda, released in 1972, 1973, and 1974, respectively. Wakayama quit making the films after the popular television series began to air.
''
Shogun Assassin'' (1980) is an English language compilation for the American audience, edited mainly from the second film, with 11 minutes of footage from the first. Also, the third film, ''
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades'' was re-released on DVD in the US under the name ''
Shogun Assassin 2: Lightning Swords of Death''.
In 1992 the story was again adapted for film, ''
Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict'' also known as ''Handful of Sand'' or ''A Child's Hand Reaches Up'' (''
Kozure Ōkami: Sono Chiisaki te ni'', literally ''In That Little Hand''), directed by
Akira Inoue and starring
Masakazu Tamura as Ogami Itto.
In addition to the six original films (and ''Shogun Assassin'' in 1980), various
television movie
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
s have aired in connection with the
television series
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
as pilots, compilations or originals. These include several starring
Kinnosuke Yorozuya (see section ''Television series''), in 1989 a TV movie called ''Lone Wolf With Child: An Assassin on the Road to Hell'' better known as ''Baby Cart In Purgatory'' where
Hideki Takahashi
is a Japanese people, Japanese actor. Born in Kisarazu, Chiba near Tokyo, he attended Ichikawa Gakuen and later Nihon University.
Career
Takahashi made his debut with Nikkatsu Corporation, Nikkatsu and acted in youth-oriented films. Takahashi ma ...
plays Ogami Ittō and
Tomisaburo Wakayama
, born Masaru Okumura (奥村 勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samurai films.Stout ...
co-stars as Retsudo Yagyu.
Hollywood remake
In the 2000s,
Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American Filmmaking, filmmaker. His films are noted for their surreal, dramatic, and often disturbing elements, frequently in the form of psychological realism. His accolades include a Golden Lion ...
attempted to get an official Hollywood version of ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' off the ground, but could not secure the rights.
In March 2012,
Justin Lin
Justin Lin (, born October 11, 1971) is a Taiwanese Americans, Taiwanese-American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. His films have grossed over $3 billion USD worldwide . He is best known for his directorial work on ...
was announced as the director on an American version of ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. In June 2016, it was announced that producer
Steven Paul
Steven Paul (born May 16, 1959) is an American independent filmmaker, actor, and talent manager. He is the chairman, founder and CEO of Crystal Sky Pictures.
Life and career
Paul was born in New York City. His mother, Dorothy Koster Paul, was ...
had acquired the rights, and in October 2017, it was announced that
Andrew Kevin Walker was writing the script.
Television series
Two full-fledged television series based on the manga have been broadcast to date.
The first, ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (''Kozure Ōkami''), was produced in a typical
jidaigeki
is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. Literally meaning "historical drama, period dramas", it refers to stories that take place before the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
''Jidaigeki'' show the lives of the samurai, farmers, crafts ...
format and broadcast for three seasons from 1973 to 1976, each episode 45 minutes long. Season one originally aired 27 episodes, but the original 2nd episode "Gomune Oyuki (Oyuki of the Gomune)" was subsequently deleted from all rebroadcasts in Japan and VHS and DVD releases; the reasons why this episode has been excluded are currently unclear. Seasons two and three ran for 26 episodes each.
Kinnosuke Yorozuya played Ogami Ittō, and later reprised the role in a 1984 TV movie; Daigoro was played by Katzutaka Nishikawa in the first two seasons and by Takumi Satô in the final season.
The series was co-produced by Union Motion Picture Co, Ltd. (
ユニオン映画) and Studio Ship (
スタジオシップ), a company formed by manga author Kazuo Koike, and originally aired on
Nippon TV
JOAX-DTV (channel 4), branded as (NTV) or Nippon TV, is a Japanese television station serving the Kantō region as the flagship station of the Nippon News Network and the Nippon Television Network System, owned and operated by the , a sub ...
in Japan. It was subsequently broadcast in the United States as ''The Fugitive Samurai'' in the original Japanese with English subtitles, and released for the Toronto, Canada market by CFMT-TV (now
OMNI 1) in the original Japanese with English subtitles as ''The Iron Samurai''. It has also been aired in Germany dubbed in German, in Italy dubbed in Italian; around 1980, a Portuguese dub was aired in Brazil as ''O Samurai Fugitivo (The Fugitive Samurai)'' on TVS, actually SBT, and in Spanish, as ''El Samurai Fugitivo'' on the American Spanish TV station Univision.
The first season was released on DVD in Japan on December 20, 2006, apparently without subtitles. Twelve of the first 13 episodes were released on DVD in Germany as ''Kozure Okami'', with audio in Japanese and German. In the U.S.,
Media Blasters
Media Blasters, sometimes abbreviated as MB, is an American entertainment company that was founded by John Sirabella in 1997 and is based in New York City. It is in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American mar ...
released the first season on DVD on April 29, 2008, under its
Tokyo Shock
Media Blasters, sometimes abbreviated as MB, is an American entertainment company that was founded by John Sirabella in 1997 and is based in New York City. It is in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American mar ...
Label, containing the original Japanese with English subtitles. All of these releases excluded the deleted-from-distribution second episode "Gomune Oyuki".
The latest television series, also titled ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (''Kozure Ōkami''), aired from 2002 to 2004 in
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
on
TV Asahi
JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as , and better known as , is a Japanese television station serving the Kanto region as the flagship station of the All-Nippon News Network. It is owned-and-operated by the a subsidiary of , itself controlled by ...
with
Kin'ya Kitaōji in the role of Ogami Ittō and Tsubasa Kobayashi as Daigoro. This series has not yet been made commercially available on DVD or Blu-ray; however, beginning in September 2023 English-subtitled episodes began being uploaded to the YouTube website, courtesy of the "Samurai vs. Ninja" YouTube Channel, and currently all three seasons of the series have been uploaded.
Games
In 1987,
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
manufacturer
Nichibutsu
was a Japanese video game developer and publisher headquartered in Kita, Osaka. In the past they had also manufactured and sold yachts.
The main video game brand of the company was Nichibutsu (日物、ニチブツ), with adult video games ( ...
released a
beat 'em up
A beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in Side-scrolling video game, scrolling, 2D c ...
arcade video game
An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-oper ...
based on the series, named ''Kozure Ōkami'' in Japan
and ''Samurai Assassin'' overseas. Players guide Ogami Itto through an army of assassins while carrying his infant son on his back. A baby cart powerup enables Ookami to mow down enemies with blasts of fire. The game was only released in arcades.
In 1989,
Mayfair Games
Mayfair Games was an American publisher of board game, board, card game, card, and roleplaying games that also licensed German-style board game, Euro-style board games to publish them in English. The company licensed worldwide English-language pub ...
published ''Lone Wolf and Cub Game'', a board game designed by Matthew Costello based on the franchise. GM Magazine reviewed the game, highlighting the illustrations, well-written encounters, and sturdy components; however, the reviewer found that the basic rules and limited options made for a dull experience on repeat plays.
In the 2001
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
video game ''
Final Fantasy X
is a 2001 role-playing video game developed and published by Square (video game company), Square for PlayStation 2. The tenth main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series, it is the first game in the series to feature fully 3D computer gra ...
'' by
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...
, there is an
aeon
The word aeon , also spelled eon (in American and Australian English), originally meant "life", "vital force" or "being", "generation" or "a period of time", though it tended to be translated as "age" in the sense of "ages", "forever", "timele ...
named Yojimbo, a being the summoner
Yuna
Yuna may refer to:
Places
* Yuna, Western Australia
*Yuna River, Dominican Republic
People
*Yuna Kagesaki (born 1973), Japanese manga artist
* Song Yoon-ah (born 1973), South Korean actress
*Yuna Ito (born 1983), American-Japanese singer
*Yuna ...
can summon to battle, along with his dog Daigoro. He must be paid the game's form of money to use attacks varying in strength and weapon. With his design resembling that of Ancient Japanese designs, his worker-employer relationship with Yuna, the aesthetic with his weaponry and mannerisms, and the name of his dog, many elements from Ittō were used to design this summon.
In 2012, a
pachinko
is a mechanical game originating in Japan that is used as an arcade game, and much more frequently for gambling. Pachinko fills a niche in Gambling in Japan, Japanese gambling comparable to that of the slot machine in the West as a form of l ...
game adaptation called ''Kozure Ōkami'' was released in Japan.
Library requests
By 1990, many libraries understood the rise of graphic novels as a medium. Many were advised to purchase copies of various graphic novels to keep up public demand, listing many popular publications. One of the most prominent graphic novels listed was ''Lone Wolf and Cub,'' focusing on the Japanese elements in the storytelling. They would continue to add the volumes of the graphic novel well into 2003. Musician
Thundercat includes a song of the same name on the EP
The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam.
Influence
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' is considered to be among the most influential manga ever created, having inspired numerous artists, animators and filmmakers across the world,
as well as creating the "Lone Wolf and Cub" trope.
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' has influenced American comics, notably Frank Miller in his ''
Sin City
''Sin City'' is a series of neo-noir Comic book, comics by American comic book writer-artist Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in ''Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special'' (April 1991), and continued in ''Dark Horse Prese ...
'' and ''
Ronin'' series. Other examples of artists inspired by it include filmmakers such as
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese culture, Chinese and Culture of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cultures, including Chinese opera, storytelling a ...
's
John Woo
John Woo Yu-sen ( zh, t= ; born 22 September 1946) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong film director known as a highly influential figure in the action film genre. The recipient of various accolades, including a Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Award ...
when he produced ''
Heroes Shed No Tears'' (1986), American
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
artists such as
Justin Jordan
Justin Jordan (born 1978) is an American comics writer. He is known for co-creating (with artist Tradd Moore) '' The Strange Talent of Luther Strode'' and its two sequels (published by Image Comics), and for writing 22 issues of '' Green Lanter ...
and
Mike Kennedy, and animators such as Russia's
Genndy Tartakovsky
Gennady Borisovich "Genndy" Tartakovsky (; born January 17, 1970) is a Soviet-born American animation, animator, screenwriter, film producer, and film director, director. He is best known as the creator of various animated television series on ...
.
Indian comic-book writer
Suhas Sundar
Suhas is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Suhas (Telugu actor) (born 1990), Indian actor
* Suhas (born 1981), Indian politician
* Suhas Biswas (1924–1957), Indian Air Force officer
* Suhas Diggavi, American electrical engine ...
acknowledged that he drew some inspiration from ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' to create his ''
Odayan'' comic book series.
Homages to ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' have appeared in many works. Examples include a 1973 television commercial for Momoya chansai seasoning,
episode 77 of the anime series ''
Urusei Yatsura
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from September 1978 to February 1987. Its 366 individual chapters were collected in 34 ''tankōbon'' volum ...
'' (1983), ''
Samurai Champloo
is a 2004 Japanese historical adventure anime television series. The debut television production of studio Manglobe, the 26-episode series aired from May 2004 to March 2005. It was first partially broadcast on Fuji TV, then had a complete a ...
'' episode 22 (2005), ''
Gintama
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2003 to September 2018, later in '' Jump Giga'' from December 2018 ...
'' episode six (2006), the third season of ''
Crayon Shin-chan Gaiden'' (2017) subtitled "Kazokukure Ōkami" ("Lone Wolf and Family"), ''
Busō Shōjo Machiavellism'' episode six (2017), ''
Hug! Pretty Cure
, also known as ''Hugtto! PreCure'', is a Japanese magical girl anime television series produced by Toei Animation. It is the fifteenth series in the ''Pretty Cure'' franchise, released to in commemoration of its 15th anniversary. It is direct ...
'' episode 44 (2018), and ''
Rick and Morty: The Anime'' episode "Samurai & Shogun" (2020).
Lone Wolf and Cub trope
''Lone Wolf and Cub'' has been cited as the origin for the narrative trope/genre where a man, skilled in violence, protects a child on a journey across a dangerous landscape.
Known as the Lone Wolf and Cub trope or genre, it has since been used in numerous works, with examples including films such as ''
Léon: The Professional'' (1994), ''
The Road
''The Road'' is a 2006 post-apocalyptic novel by American writer Cormac McCarthy. The book details the grueling journey of a father and his young son over several months across a landscape blasted by an unspecified cataclysm that has destroyed ...
'' (2009) and ''
Logan
Logan may refer to:
Places
* Mount Logan (disambiguation)
Australia
* Logan (Queensland electoral district), an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
* Logan, Victoria, small locality near St. Arnaud
* Logan City, local gove ...
'' (2017), television shows such as ''
Stranger Things
''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...
'' and ''
Game of Thrones
''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...
'', and media franchises such as ''
The Witcher
''The Witcher'' (, ) is a series of 9 fantasy novels and 15 short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The series revolves around the eponymous witcher, Geralt of Rivia. Witchers are monster hunters given superhuman abilities for the ...
'' and ''
The Last of Us
''The Last of Us'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Players control Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States ...
''.
An early example of the trope that predates ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' itself is
Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka (, born , ''Tezuka Osamu'', – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist and animator. Considered to be among the greatest and most influential cartoonists of all time, his prolific output, pioneering techniques an ...
's 1960s samurai manga and
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
series ''
Dororo
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka's childhood memory of his friends pronouncing as ''dororo'' inspired the title of the series. ''Dororo'' was first serialized in Shogakukan's '' ...
''. The samurai anime film ''
Sword of the Stranger
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed tip ...
'' (2007) has been described as "Lone Wolf and Cub" meets ''
Rurouni Kenshin
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The story begins in 1878, the 11th year of the Meiji era in Japan, and follows a former assassin of the Bakumatsu, known as Hitokiri Battosai. After his work against ...
''. There are also variations of the Lone Wolf and Cub trope involving a mother and daughter, with examples including films such as ''
Birds of Prey
Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...
'' (2020) and ''
Gunpowder Milkshake
''Gunpowder Milkshake'' is a 2021 action thriller film directed by Navot Papushado, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ehud Lavski. The film stars Karen Gillan as a young hitwoman who must team up with her estranged mother (Lena Headey) and her fo ...
'' (2021).
Other female variations of the trope include the films ''
Gloria
Gloria may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music
* Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise
* Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise
** Gloria (Handel)
** Gloria (Jenkins ...
'' (1980) and ''
Aliens
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, a lifeform with ext ...
'' (1986).
Novelist
Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins (born March 3, 1948) is an American mystery writer, noted for his graphic literature. His work has been published in several formats, such as his '' Ms. Tree'' series and his '' Road to Perdition'' series was the basis for a fi ...
acknowledged the influence of ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' on his graphic novel ''
Road to Perdition'' (1998). In an interview to the BBC, Collins declared that "''Road to Perdition'' is 'an unabashed homage' to ''Lone Wolf and Cub''". In turn, writer
Neil Druckmann
Neil Druckmann (; born December5, 1978) is an Israeli–American writer, creative director, designer, and programmer. He is the studio head and head of creative of the video game developer Naughty Dog, and is best known for his work on the g ...
cited ''Road to Perdition'' as a direct influence on ''
The Last of Us
''The Last of Us'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Players control Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States ...
'' video game (2013) and
television show
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...
(2023);
''The Last of Us'' actor
Pedro Pascal
José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal (; born April 2, 1975) is a Chilean and American actor. After nearly two decades of taking small roles on stage and television, Pascal had his breakthrough role, breakout role as Oberyn Martell in the Game of Thr ...
cited ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' as the origin of the trope of a man protecting a child on a journey across a dangerous landscape.
"
Wolf and Cub" is an episode from the first season of the TV series ''
Person of Interest
"Person of interest" is a term used by law enforcement in the United States, Canada, and other countries when identifying someone possibly involved in a criminal investigation who has not been arrested or formally accused of a crime. It has no leg ...
''; the title is assumed to be inspired by ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Themes of vengeance and being a rōnin are interspersed throughout the episode.
Episode 20 of the fifth season of the television series ''
Bob's Burgers
''Bob's Burgers'' is an American animated sitcom created by Loren Bouchard for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is centered on the Belcher family—parents Bob Belcher, Bob and Linda Belcher, Linda and their three children, Tina Belcher, Tina, G ...
'', "
Hawk & Chick", is a parody inspired by ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. A follow-up episode, "The Hawkening: Look Who's Hawking Now!" from the show's
tenth season, features a missing scene that parallels the suppressed episode of the 1973 ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' TV series.
The ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' streaming series ''
The Mandalorian
''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise and begins five years after the events of the fil ...
'' has a premise influenced by ''Lone Wolf and Cub'', with
the titular character guarding
an alien child from various threats. The ''Mandalorian'' spin-off series ''
The Book of Boba Fett
''The Book of Boba Fett'' is an American space Western television miniseries created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the ''Star Wars'' franchise and a spin-off from '' The Mandalorian'', taking place in the same ...
'' includes a scene modeled on Daigorō's choice between ball and sword as depicted in ''
Sword of Vengeance''. ''
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
'' also uses a variation of the trope.
The Lone Wolf and Cub trope has also been used in numerous video games. Examples include the adaptation ''Kozure Ōkami'' (1987),
''
Hanjuku Hero 4'' (2005) by
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...
,
''
The Witcher
''The Witcher'' (, ) is a series of 9 fantasy novels and 15 short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The series revolves around the eponymous witcher, Geralt of Rivia. Witchers are monster hunters given superhuman abilities for the ...
'' series,
Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
's ''The Last of Us''
and ''
God of War
A war god in mythology associated with war, combat, or bloodshed. They occur commonly in polytheism, polytheistic religions.
Unlike most gods and goddesses in polytheistic religions, monotheistic deities have traditionally been portrayed in their ...
'' (2018),
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese video game designer. Regarded as one of the pioneering auteurs of video games, he developed a strong passion for film and literature during his childhood and adolescence, which in turn has had a significant influence on his game ...
's ''
Death Stranding
''Death Stranding'' is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Kojima Productions and originally published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the first game from director Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions after their split from Konam ...
'' (2019), and
FromSoftware
FromSoftware, Inc. is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. Founded by Naotoshi Zin on November 1, 1986 as a business software developer, the company released their first video game, '' King's Field'', for the PlayStation in 1994. Its s ...
's ''
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice'' (2019).
Reception
In February 2001, ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' won the best comic reprint at the 2000 Squiddy Awards, The manga received multiple award at Annual
Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be a successor to the Kirby Awards, which wer ...
, In 2001, 2002 and 2003, it won three awards for "Best American Edition of Foreign Material" and in April 2002, at the 15th Annual Harvey Awards, the manga won the "Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work". in July 2001, the ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' manga won an
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred ...
in the category of
Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material and at the 2004 Eisner Awards category, it received as one of the Hall of Fame title.
References
External links
Dark Horse Comics: ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' manga*
''Samurai and Son: The Lone Wolf and Cub Saga''an essay by
Patrick Macias
Patrick Macias (born 1972) is an American author and co-author of several titles on pop culture fandom, specifically relating to Japanese culture and culture in America. Macias is also a correspondent for NHK World Television show ''Tokyo Eye' ...
at the
Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films". A "sister company" of arthouse film distributo ...
*
{{Manga Action
Anime and manga about revenge
Adventure anime and manga
Dark Horse Comics titles
Eisner Award winners
Epic anime and manga
Harvey Award winners
Fiction set in 18th-century Edo period
First Comics titles
Futabasha manga
Gekiga
Japanese film series
Kazuo Koike
Manga adapted into films
Samurai in anime and manga
Seinen manga