History Manga / Shigurui

* CrapsackWorld: Edo Japan is depicted as an unjust society where tyranny and cruelty are rampant. An obviously depraved and bloodthirsty man like Tadanaga can rape and murder his subjects with impunity because he's the daimyo of Surugua and brother of the shogun, and he only gets his comuppance after his actions threaten the shogunate itself. Inflexible codes of behavior enforced by the constant threat of violence force people to obey even insane or evil leaders, and these same codes frequently scapegoat or punish people for things that aren't really their fault. The code of the samurai demands DisproportionateRetribution for any slight, and the CycleOfRevenge ensures that everyone keeps killing each other forever. The schools of martial arts often behave like groups of thugs. It's NoWomansLand, where women have hardly any rights and are made victims of sexual and other kinds of abuse. Love, compassion, and life itself are fleeting; only the horrors of death and suffering remain constant.

** Any student of Kogan-ryuu in honor-bound to maim the person who dares to insult their style or master in their presence. When Fujiki spars with Shuuzaburou's spear student Inomata Shingo, he uses his wooden sword to amputate all four fingers from Shingo's left hand because the over-enthusiastic youth had carelessly blurted out that Irako Seigen made his name by defeating the renowned Kogan school. He was about to "beautify" Shingo's face as well, before Shuuzaburou intervened and rebuked him.

* WhatTheHellHero: Fujiki are you really [[spoiler: just going to sit there as [[BrokenBird Mie]] is about to be raped]]? [[JustFollowingOrders Yes, you are]]. Resident {{JerkAss}} [[EvenEvilHasStandards Ira]][[VillainWithGoodPublicity ko]] [[MagnificentBastard Seigen]] is the only one to [[BatmanGambit oppose this]].

* WorldOfBadass: This version of Edo Japan is crawling with legendary swordsmen and freaks of nature.

* AdaptationExpansion: Of the first chapter (of twelve) from ''Suruga-Jō Gozen Jiai'', with small parts from the ''[[{{Sequel}} Bukon Emaki]]'' novel. However, the manga covers the backstory from the fourth chapter (Kutsuki Gannosuke vs Sasahara Shuuzaburou, featuring the Funaki dojo and the Sasahara clan) and features the main character from the third chapter (Tsukioka Yukinosuke), hinting that the author [[LeftHanging was going to cover more duels from the novel]].

* CombatPragmatist: Irako, who instinctively makes the move necessary to save his own life, going so far as to [[spoiler: stab through the bones in his right foot to use his [[FinishingMove ultimate technique]] and then using the cut to remove the restriction on said attack]]. Fujiki is also forced to think outside the box in order to come up with ways to counter Irako, and eventually [[spoiler: in the match at Sunpu Castle he wins by throwing his sacred ''daito'' at Iku, closing in on Irako during the distraction, and using Irako's own ''shoto'' to carve open his torso]].

** Also implied to be the reason why [[spoiler:Mie commits honorable suicide following Gennosuke's win. Her life was defined by men who blindy follow the will of their lords and masters. When she finally found some kinship in Gennosuke after he begins to grow out of his extreme loyalty, ultimately his final act to Irako (who, while finding him dispicable, sees him as a WorthyOpponent) is reluctantly beheading him under Tadanaga's orders. Witnessing this is what makes Mie go over the edge.]]

** The final duel is classic dramatic irony, where the audience knows things the characters do not. [[spoiler:The spectators see the duel as a farce between two horribly injured warriors, since the one-armed man dropped his sword and the blind man missed his swing. The audience and duelists understand that Fujiki purposefully threw his sword at Oku, who was Irako's eyes, to trick Irako into striking too early.]]

* CombatPragmatist: Irako, who instinctively makes the move necessary to save his own life, going so far as to [[spoiler: stab through the bones in his right foot to use his [[FinishingMove ultimate technique]] and then using the cut to remove the restriction on said attack]]. Fujiki is also forced to think outside the box in order to come up with ways to counter Irako, and eventually [[spoiler: in the match at Sunpu Castle he wins by throwing away his ''daito'' once it longer proves useful, closing in on Irako, and using Irako's own ''shoto'' to carve open his torso]].

* AmazonianBeauty: Chika Funaki is highly muscular and strong enough to lift a horse over her shoulders, yet she is also a gorgeous beauty and desired as well as admired by the students. Unfortunately for her, the toad-like [[Gonk Gannosuke]] and insane Tadanaga are also drawn to that beauty, and won't take "no" for an answer. She also has some unusual genitalia that she doesn't want people to know about.

* AmazonianBeauty: Chika Funaki is highly muscular and strong enough to lift a horse over her shoulders, yet she is also a gorgeous beauty and desired as well as admired by the students. Unfortunately for her, Gannosuke and Tadanaga are also drawn to that beauty, and won't take "no" for an answer. She also has some unusual genitalia that she doesn't want people to know about.

* BreastAttack; [[spoiler: Iku got this treatment for cheating on her cruel lover Kogan. Later, under duress, she burns her own breast instead of Irako's manhood with a hot iron]].

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: One of the flashbacks [[spoiler:after Mie develops an eating disorder]] shows her being force-fed a liver by Kogan to encourage her health...except the scene has him forcefully grabbing her from behind while she's in the nude, and the liver is vaguely phallic shaped. by the end, her blank, emotionless stare is on par with a rape victim's.

* DramaticIrony: When Chika protests Gannosuke joining the pool of potential suitors, her father initially defends the latter's right to attempt, saying that every human should get the opportunity to change their life around at least once in their lives. This, on the topic of her unavoidable betrothal to whoever succeeds the test and a denial of Chika's own desperate appeal to not be wed.

* DramaticIrony: When Chika protests Gannosuke joining the pool of potential suitors, her father initially defends the latter's right to attempt, saying that all men should get the opportunity to change their life around at least once in their lives. This, on the topic of her unavoidable betrothal to whoever succeeds the test and a denial of Chika's own desperate appeal to not be wed.

** Yamazaki, the bug-eyed student of Kogan Ryuu, delivers one to two samurai in a bar, similarly pulverising their heads with his bare hands when he overhears them disparaging his fencing school.

* NoWomansLand: Played with. Shigurui is a very misogynistic setting where women are treated as little more than property or bargaining chips. However, the setting is extremely cruel towards men as well since it's a world where MightMakesRight.

* AntiClimax: In-universe, this is what the first round of the tournament at Sunpu Castle feels like to the spectators. Whereas the manga shows its readers the whole epic backstory behind Gennosuke and Irako's grudge, and reveals the true genius and willpower hidden in their techniques, all that the audience at Sunpu Castle are able to percieve is [[spoiler:a WimpFight between a blind man who misses his swing, and a one-armed man who feebly drops his long sword and kills the other man with a short blade, thus ending the fight in a few seconds.]]

** As a pretty close retelling of ''Suruga-Jō Gozen Jiai'', we learn from its source that [[spoiler:Gennosuke eventually gets to the finals and dies later]], so it's a no-brainer who actually wins the duel between him snd Irako.

** Fujiki and Irako each recieve a famous sword to use in their duel at Sunpu Castle: [[spoiler:Fujiki wins by throwing his cursed sword away, defeating Irako with the short blade, while Irako's supposedly peerless sword fails him by breaking under Fujiki's BladeLock]].

** Despite being an era littered with rigid fixation on ''bushido'' and fealty to their betters, ultimately the one who ends up succeeding the Kogan-ryuu style and lives comparitively worse for wear is [[spoiler:the one person who betrayed Kogan by "confirming" Irako's side of his murder and sold the rights to teach it in Edo. By contrast, everyone else who either tried to stick to the rules dies with nothing left to their name.]]

** The mysterious murderer hacking up all of the top ranking members of the Kogan-ryuu school had yet to be found, so they planned on making one of their men into the culprit to save face. Two dead students later, the whole thing was blamed on (...).

* AntiClimax: In-universe, the first round of the tournament. Where the audience gets to see yeard of buildup and toil to get where Orako and Gennosuke are at present, all the audience gets to see is [[spoiler:a blind limp and a man with one arm tussling for a few minutes before the latter kills the former with one strike]].

** Toranaga crucifies a servant boy and uses him as an archery target for the crime of accidentally treading on the hem of his robes.

** When Irako says that Toranaga's ape couldn't compare to Fujiki as an opponent, Toranaga draws his sword and commands Irako to draw. This forces Irako to either disobey a direct order from the great lord, or to violate the rule that no one is to draw a weapon in Sunpu castle on pain of death. He [[TakeAThirdOption takes a third option]] by refusing to draw his sword and flattering Toranaga's belief that he should be shogun instead of Iemitsu.

** All of the daimyo who are invited to spectate at Toranaga's tournament with real swords at Sunpu Castle have to choose between angering the dreaded lord of Suruga, or participating in an event that the shogunate will surely view as treasonous. At least one of the daimyo who attends ends up having his lands confiscated.
** At the end of the duel between Fujiki and Irako at Sunpu Castle, [[spoiler:Toranaga's official commands Fujiki to cut off Irako's head so it can be stuck on a pike, telling him that if he truly is a samurai then he must obey his lord. Gennosuke is nauseated at the idea of disrespecting the corpse of his WorthyOpponent, and will lose his self-respect if he does it, but if he refuses then his name is mud: at best he and Mie will be ostracised by society all over again, and at worst they might be put to death. He takes the path of obedience, and it leads to a DownerEnding that was perhaps inevitable in hindsight]].

* TheScapegoat: In the time leading up to the tournament at Sunpu Castle, Sasahara Shuuzaburou has twenty-two ronin staying at his estate, including one Urita Niemon and his pregnant wife, Kaya. Sasahara's supervisor, Sone Masatomo, is being pressured to find a spy for the shogun whom Tadanaga is convinced must be lurking at Sunpu. This spy may not even exist, but Tadanaga cannot be reasoned with, and he's bound to take their heads unless they find somebody to take the fall. Therefore, Sone randomly picks a name from the list of Sasahara's guests and commands him to make Urita the spy. [[spoiler:At first Sasahara refuses, but after Sone reminds him whom his spear belongs to, he reluctantly returns to his estate and uses his tongue-cutting spear to kill Niemon, Kaya, and their unborn child before they have a chance to know what hit them]].

* DespairEventHorizon: Supposedly the cause of Iwamoto Kogan's madness after his betrayal by Yagyu. [[spoiler: While Munenori recommended Kogan for an interview with the imperial bureaucracy, he knew that Toyotomi Hideyoshi, by then the Retired Regent, also had six fingers. By telling Kogan to hide his sixth finger, the interviewer will naturally take Kogan's attempt to hide said finger to be an insult to Hideyoshi.]]

* ForegoneConclusion: Historically, Tadanaga committed seppuku just after the death of his father shogun Hidetada, this after Iemitsu (his Shogun and brother) stripped him of all possessions and offices. Here, the same thing happens, but the series purports to show the ''real'' reason why Tadanaga was condemned.
* GenreThrowback: This series, both visually and story-wise, brings to mind old JidaiGeki manga like Manga/LoneWolfAndCub.

** When Kogan consults Gonzaemon on which of his star pupils--Fujiki or Irako--is stronger and more worthy of marrying Mie and continuing the Kogan lineage, Gonza makes the mistake of endorsing Fujiki "out of respect for Mie-dono". Kogan is so offended by the suggestion that he should consider Mie's feelings at all in this decision that he used his sword to give Gonza a GlasgowGrin.

The series contains very little dialogue, instead using its stunning artwork along with some well-placed narration to get the message across. The result is a powerful juxtaposition of beauty and brutality, which makes for a searing indictment of Tokugawa society and the inhumanity required by the code of the samurai. Graphic depictions of nudity, sex, violence, and gore make this a definite adults-only read.

-->''As everything in this world is but a sham, death is the only sincerity.''
-->--Poem quoted in ''Literature/TheHagakure''

''Shigurui'' (シグルイ, "death frenzy") is a JidaiGeki martial arts drama manga based on part of Nanjou Norio's historical novel ''Suruga-Jō Gozen Jiai'' (mainly the first chapter); the manga itself is illustrated and co-written by Yamuguchi Takayuki. In 2007, Creator/{{Madhouse}} made a [[TwelveEpisodeAnime 12-episode anime]] directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki and written by Seishi Minakami.

!!Examples:

* AttemptedRape: Mie has to deal with this a couple times - once from her crazy father, and again when her crazy father orders all his students to hold her down so Irako can impregnate her. Irako declines.