Because I read Blade of the Immortal? The title reminded me of BoTI right away, because I have called Manji a zombie samurai in the past (http://sub-divided.livejournal.com/51096.html). I read your review before I read the story, so I can't say for sure whether I'd have recognized it on my own, but the odds I good I would have. There were at two panels that pinged right away: the one where you see the top of Samurai Zombie's head as he's coming out of the ground, and the one where he's standing with one hand on his hip.
Hold on, I'll read through again with commentary.
1. The author's sentences amuse me. He seems fond... of short phrases....and exclamations! There's a kind of poetry in them actually, at least until you stumble across an incorrect verb tense.
2. "Mantra" is spelled "Mantera."
3. Why do this guy's expressions not match his dialogue?
4. This is the first familiar-looking panel. The samurai zombie is coming out of the grave -- that's Manji, right?
5. Hmm, the flashback scene where the mantera-chanter is standing over a man in an alleyway who he's just killed to avenge Samurai Zombie -- do I recognize that dead body?
6. The action commentary is a nice touch, very classic samurai manga-esque. The scene accompanying the line "Seiji grabs the hand," though...that leaping figure...
7. Okay, I can't be sure about any of the others, but I KNOW the pose on the next page. I'd have known it even if you hadn't said anything. The Samurai Zombie is standing full page with his hand on his hip, looking away into the page. That's Manji. In fact, that's Manji from the first volume
no subject
Hold on, I'll read through again with commentary.
1. The author's sentences amuse me. He seems fond... of short phrases....and exclamations! There's a kind of poetry in them actually, at least until you stumble across an incorrect verb tense.
2. "Mantra" is spelled "Mantera."
3. Why do this guy's expressions not match his dialogue?
4. This is the first familiar-looking panel. The samurai zombie is coming out of the grave -- that's Manji, right?
5. Hmm, the flashback scene where the mantera-chanter is standing over a man in an alleyway who he's just killed to avenge Samurai Zombie -- do I recognize that dead body?
6. The action commentary is a nice touch, very classic samurai manga-esque. The scene accompanying the line "Seiji grabs the hand," though...that leaping figure...
7. Okay, I can't be sure about any of the others, but I KNOW the pose on the next page. I'd have known it even if you hadn't said anything. The Samurai Zombie is standing full page with his hand on his hip, looking away into the page. That's Manji. In fact, that's Manji from the first volume
*off to look up*
on page 20 of the third chapter.