Samurai Gun #7 | Scary Monsters pg.9 | Young Jump | Studio Egg

Samurai Gun is a historical action manga created, written, and illustrated by Kazuhiro Kumagai.

The story is set in a turbulent version of late feudal Japan, where a bizarre, steampunk-esque technological system has developed. It depicts the battles of a clandestine superhuman group known as the ‘Samurai Gun’, warriors equipped with firearms rather than traditional swords. Although called samurai, their tactics and mobility resemble those of covert operatives or ninja-like fighters more than classical samurai.

Rather than being a simple action story, the series has more of a spy thriller feel, set at the dawn of industrialization, where society is in disorder and the ruling powers are oppressive.

Both the manga and the anime blend historical elements with action and political intrigue, portraying a world in which the ruling powers use violence, fear, and repression to maintain control. The narrative is much darker and more morally ambiguous than many traditional samurai tales.

In 2004, Samurai Gun was adapted into a 13-episode anime television series produced by Studio Egg.

Samurai Gun remains Kumagai’s most recognized work internationally, due in part to its anime adaptation and its distinctive blend of samurai aesthetics with early industrial weaponry and gritty action.

Kazuhiro Kumagai is a Japanese manga artist best known for creating the historical action series Samurai Gun and its sequel Samurai Gun Gekkō. He has also worked as an artist on other projects such as Monte Cristo and マイティジャック The Shadow Force.

Kumagai began his career in the manga industry as an assistant to Nonki Miyasu, a Japanese manga artist known for his work in adult and seinen manga.

His most prominent work, Samurai Gun, was serialized in three of Shueisha’s seinen magazines from 1997 to 2002: Weekly Young Jump, Young Jump Zōkan Mankaku, and Bessatsu Young Jump, and was collected in seven tankōbon volumes. Its sequel, Samurai Gun Gekkō, was serialized in Ultra Jump from 2000 to 2003 and was collected in four tankōbon volumes. Both series reflect Kumagai’s interest in blending historical drama with intense action.

In July 2019, Kumagai suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, which resulted in paralysis of his right side, including his dominant right arm. He was hospitalized through the end of that year, and this health crisis has significantly affected his ability to work.