The Sword of Shibito

The Sword of Shibito
Cover of the first Japanese volume
しびとの剣
(Shibito no Ken)
GenreFantasy
Manga
Written byHideyuki Kikuchi
Illustrated byMissile Kakurai
Published byGentosha
English publisher
MagazineComic Birz
Original run1999 – 2002
Volumes8
Manga
The New Sword of Shibito (新 しびとの剣)
Written byHideyuki Kikuchi
Illustrated byShiro Ohno
Published byGentosha
Original run2003 – 2004
Volumes2

The Sword of Shibito (Japanese: しびとの剣, Hepburn: Shibito no Ken) is a manga series written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Missile Kakurai (加倉井ミサイル). It was serialized in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Comic Birz from 1998 until 2002.[1][2] Originally, the series was released by Schola, however, the company went bankrupt in 1999.[3] The Sword of Shibito was also licensed in English by Central Park Media and in French by 12 Bis.[4]

The manga takes place in the Edo period of Japan.[5]

Characters

Saezuki Shibitei (冴月紫靡帝)
Resurrected from eternal slumber during the Sengoku period, Shibitei is the central figure of the saga. Initially emotionless and amnesiac, he gradually regains his memories and seeks to reshape history as a ruler.
Kinzō (金蔵)
A wandering medicine merchant who accompanies Shibitei in the early volumes. He serves as a guide and caretaker, helping Shibitei navigate the world while lacking human thought.
Yurihime (百合姫)
Shibitei’s fated partner. Her presence is key to his emotional awakening. She vanishes with him into the flames at the end of the original saga, only to reappear in the sequel.
Ranken (蘭剣)
A manipulative puppeteer who revives historical figures using mechanical sorcery. He orchestrates schemes to eliminate Shibitei, including the resurrection of Oda Nobunaga.
Oda Nobunaga (織田信長)
Revived as a demonic entity by Ranken’s sorcery. He becomes a major antagonist and engages in a climactic battle with Shibitei.
Takeda Shingen (武田信玄)
A powerful warlord who hosts Shibitei in Kai Province. In the sequel, he returns as a demonic adversary, confronting Shibitei once more.
Tobi Katō (飛び加藤)
A legendary ninja who joins Shibitei in the sequel series to help quell the chaos of the Sengoku era.
Sarutobi Sasuke (猿飛佐助)
Another ninja companion introduced in the sequel. He fights alongside Shibitei against supernatural threats.
Katagiri (片桐)
A wandering ronin who receives a promised land from Shibitei. He travels with a group of children and parts ways with Shibitei in Volume 5.
Two Monks (二人の僧)
Mysterious figures who obstruct Shibitei’s journey. Their true identities are revealed during a pivotal confrontation.

Media

Original Series

Originally, the series was published by Schola, however, the company went bankrupt in 1999,[6] publishing only one volume,[3] Gentosha began to publish the series from then on in Comic Birz.[7][8]

# Original release date ISBN
1 16 September 1998[9][8][7] ISBN 978-4796297417 (Scholar)
ISBN 978-4789781398 (Gentosha)
2 29 July 1999[9][10][11] ISBN 978-4789781404
3 29 January 2000[12][9][13] ISBN 978-4789782258
4 29 August 2000[9][14][15] ISBN 978-4789782913
5 27 February 2001[9][16][17] ISBN 978-4789783408
6 29 August 2001[9][18][19] ISBN 978-4789783743
7 23 March 2002[9][20][21] ISBN 978-4344800410
8 21 November 2002[22][9][23] ISBN 978-4344801561

The New Sword of Shibito

A sequel series titled The New Sword of Shibito (新 しびとの剣, Shin Shibito no Ken) was released by Gentosha and serialised in Comic Birz.

Vol. Release date ISBN
1 August 24, 2003[24] ISBN 9784344802629
2 March 24, 2004[25] ISBN 9784344803800

Reception

Mania.com's Jarred Pine criticises the manga for its art, which is "a horrible mess".[26] Animefringe's authors agreed and noted that "the cover art looks great and you get two pages in the manga that look excellent so it’s upsetting to see this".[27]

References

  1. ^ "Sabre de Shibito (le) ( KAKURAI Missile KIKUCHI Hideyuki )" (in French). Manga news. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  2. ^ しびとの剣 1 (スコラSC) (in Japanese). ASIN 4796297413.
  3. ^ a b "しびとの剣 1 (スコラSC)". Amazon JP.
  4. ^ "Le Sabre de Shibito 2 / Editions 12bis" (in French). 12 bis. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  5. ^ Thompson, Jason. Manga: The Complete Guide. — Del Rey, 2007. — P. 165. — ISBN 978-0-345-48590-8
  6. ^ "スコラ　事業停止、事後処理を弁護士に一任 負債35億円". web.archive.org. Retrieved 30 September 2025. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ a b "しびとの剣 1 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  8. ^ a b しびとの剣 (1) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h "菊地秀行コミックリスト" (in Japanese). 魔界都市＜新宿＞. Archived from the original on 27 September 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  10. ^ "しびとの剣 2 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  11. ^ しびとの剣 (2) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  12. ^ しびとの剣 (3) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  13. ^ "しびとの剣 3 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  14. ^ しびとの剣 (4) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  15. ^ "しびとの剣 4 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  16. ^ しびとの剣 (5) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  17. ^ "しびとの剣 5 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  18. ^ しびとの剣 (6) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  19. ^ "しびとの剣 6 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  20. ^ "しびとの剣 7 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  21. ^ しびとの剣 (7) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  22. ^ しびとの剣 (8) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  23. ^ "しびとの剣 8 (バーズコミックス)" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  24. ^ 新 しびとの剣 (1) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  25. ^ 新 しびとの剣 (2) - 幻冬舎コミックス.
  26. ^ "Sword of Shibito Vol. #01 - Mania.com". Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  27. ^ Janet Crocker; Adam Arnold; Shannon Fay; Maria Lin; Joe Luscik; Megan Sutton. (April 2005). "Manga Shorts. The Sword of Shibito Vol. 1". Animefringe. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
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