Y- Jū -M - Yagyū Ninpōchō #1

Yagyū Ninpōchō, serialized beginning in the late 1990s, serves as a manga adaptation of Fūtarō Yamada's classic 1964 historical fantasy novel. The story is a seminal work of the ninja genre, depicting the brutal quest of the Yagyū clan to defeat seven master swordsmen who possess supernatural abilities. It captures the tension of the Edo period by blending historical figures like Yagyū Jūbei with dark, fantastical elements characteristic of Yamada's writing.

The manga adaptation was illustrated by Masaki Segawa, whose distinctively fluid and atmospheric art style brought the visceral combat of the original novel to life. Segawa’s work on this series was noted for its dramatic compositions and heavy use of shadows, which heightened the gruesome and eerie tone of the narrative. The series was well-received for its faithfulness to the source material's intensity and helped solidify Segawa's reputation for adapting complex, high-stakes period dramas.