From The Dollar Bin: Path Of The Assassin Volume 1

At the height of manga popularity a few years ago, companies like Dark Horse Comics were licensing and translating some of the most popular manga from overseas. This  is one of those series.

Path Of The Assassin is the story of Hanzo Shingen who has used his gifts to turn himself into an  old man in order to infiltrate an enemy camp. This group is run by a female named Tsukibue who is one of the leaders of the enemy camp.

It's a testament to the writing skills of Koike that I was able to understand the story despite not reading the prior volumes.

This is a manga for adults due to strong violence, and adult situations. I was really drawn to Tsukibue's character. She has extraordinary power for a women during the time period but sadly she is often forced to have sex with her leader.

It's fascinating how Shingen manipulaes her, yet there is also some genuine connection between them. This volume completes an arc in Shingen's story but leaves you wanting more.