Basilisk: Kouga Ninpouchou
Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls

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°English Version°

Masaki Segawa's Basilisk is a pure and simple ninja manga. It portrays a confrontation between two clans united by mutual hatred for generations, but also united by love.
A story that has the same ninja essence, going unnoticed and fighting from the shadows.

The best thing about Basilisk is its characters, each one is important and they all have the same chance to live or die. Although there are a couple of protagonists, the manga does not marry any of them and anyone can kill anyone just like that. Fast and without suffering, slow and sad.

This is what is sought in history and makes it so ... good.
Here the ninjas are just pawns to move without any importance, or a resource willing to sacrifice. The whole story unfolds with the sense of being "hidden", a silent war for the benefit of others.

In 34 chapters, Basilisk created a beautiful story full of death and twisted love.
In the end the two things are similar and what was destined to happen in the past will happen again and will be destined to happen in the future. A peace marked by blood and forgotten sacrifices.

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°Versión en español°

Basilisk de Masaki Segawa es un manga de ninjas puro y duro. Retrata un enfrentamiento entre dos clanes unidos por el odio mutuo durante generaciones, pero también los une el amor.
Una historia que tiene la misma esencia ninja, pasando desapercibidos y luchando desde las sombras.

Lo mejor de Basilisk son sus personajes, cada uno es importante y todos tienen la misma posibilidad de vivir o morir. Si bien hay un par de protagonistas, el manga no se casa con ninguno y cualquiera puede matar a cualquiera así sin más. Rápido y sin sufrir, lento y triste.

Esto es lo que se busca en la historia y lo hace tan bueno.
Aquí los ninjas son solo peones a mover sin importancia alguna, o un recurso dispuesto a sacrificar. Toda la historia se desarrolla con el sentido de estar "escondida", una guerra silenciosa para el beneficio de otros.

En 34 capítulos, Basilisk creo una historia hermosa llena de muerte y amor retorcido.
Al final las dos cosas son similares y lo que estuvo destinado a pasar en el pasado, volverá a pasar y estará destinado a pasar en el futuro. Una paz marcada de sangre y sacrificios olvidados.

Manga Review: Basilisk (also known as ‘Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scroll’)
Genre: Romance, Tragedy, Action, Supernatural, Historical, Adult
Writer: Masaki Segawa
Director: Fumitomo Kizaki
Publisher: Kodansha
No. of Chapters/Issues/Volumes: 34/34/05
Original Run: February 2003 – July 2004
Anime Television Series -
No. of Episodes: 24
Runtime: approx 24 minutes per episode
... Original Run: April 12, 2005 –September 20, 2005

Synopsis:
Basilisk is, if you all know about it, the name of a lizard species. Legend has it that if anyone would, even for once, look or peep into the eyes of a legendary titan, King Basilisk, he/she/it would be turned into stone at once. The incidents are somewhat similar to that of the Greek folklore which speaks of Medusa the Gorgon.
The story in the manga is picturised in a similar manner. There are two main characters in the series namely, Gennosuke Kouga and Oboro from the Iga Ninja Clan.
These two ninja clans, the Iga and the Kouga are supposed to be the sworn enemies of each other since the beginning of the time, despite the fact that they derive their origin from the same blood. A peace treaty has been made between the two clans by the well known Historical Figure, Hattori Hanzou, with the co-operation of the then Shogun in the 16th Century A.D., which is later, broken down by the clan leaders, who end up killing each other in the very first chapter. A scroll is given to each ninja clan which contains a list of the TOP 10 warriors appointed by the clan leaders, each from the Iga and the Kouga, who possess unique skills which make them more terrific than the normal foot soldiers. After the leaders kill each other, they strike out each other’s name from the scroll with their own blood and perish. Thus begins the battle between the two clans as the peace treaty has been broken, which means the Kouga and the Iga are free to kill each other. :D Sounds funny I know…
Meanwhile, the ‘would be leader’ of the Iga, Oboro is in love with Gennosuke Kouga, who were supposed to get married in the near future. I won’t say anything further and provide spoilers. Read the Manga to know more. It is indeed a cool one with a fair Storyline (It is an irony-filled Love story actually).
I’ll give the story a rating of 8/10.

Character Illustration & Artworks:
There are only a handful of characters in the entire Manga. The List Includes:
Iga Tsubagakure Group Leader, Iga no Ogen; Yashamaru; Oboro; Azuki Rousai; Mino-Nanki; Hotaru Bi; Amayo Jingoro; Akeginu; Yakushiji Tenzen; Chikuma Koshiro
Kouga Manji Daini Group Leader, Kouga Danjo; Kazamachi Shougen; Kouga Gennosuke; Udono Josuke; Jimushi Juube; Muroga Hyoma; Kasumi Gyobu; Asaragi Saemon; Kagero; Okoi (Asaragi Saemon’s Little Sister)
I’ve named them in order of their Appearances in the Manga. I’ll give a rating of 10/10 for the character designing, as all the characters are illustrated perfectly as per their special Ninja Skills.
The artwork is also good, as it is in all the manga. So, 10/10.

Dialogues:
Well, the dialogues are well-written, but there are a few situations where it appears that the story is following a slow pace. So, you must not get impatient.
A rating of 6/10 for the dialogues/script.

Overall Rating: 8.7/10

WARNING: The Basilisk Manga is a terribly great one but it is full of MATURE CONTENT. So, watch the Anime/ Read the Manga, on your own risk. It is strictly meant for people above 18. Rating is ‘A’. Soft-hearted people, stay away from it as it has a lot of violence and blood as well. The Anime Series is Totally Based on the Manga. There is no change in the story and the Scenes…

Basilisk is a manga that reveals honor, loyalty, cleverness and abilities of the ancient ninjas, with some awesome and unique power in each character. It has a fantastic story which shows love can overcome anything, but the path the couple have to follow is a bloody and hard way.

The first thing I like about Basilisk is story. It shows you an old Japan, where samurais and specially ninja still exist. Even if they had to serve to their lord, they have feelings and ulterior motives to keep in their sides and fight. The love of the msin characters maintains strong and pure, althought the ... others want to stain it and sometimes they have to make difficult decision between love and loyalty. Even though the story is not anything beyond normal, each character has a different development in the story that makes it more complicated and scheming.

About graphics, it's a very good seinen art. Even though. I'm not affectionate to seinen, this manga makes me feel captivated with the battle scenes and the gore scenes. They really impact you and the backgrouund is very well done They really makes the quick and running action of ninjas stand out.

To conclude, this manga has many doses of action, gore, supernatural powers, scheming and crude story. If you like ninja with high amounts of crude action, this manga is one of the best choice for you.