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Dark Horse to Release Omnibus Edition of Blade of the Immortal Manga (Updated)

Dark Horse Comics revealed at its panel at San Diego Comic Con on Friday that it will release an omnibus edition of Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal manga. Editor Philip Simon noted that Dark Horse has not yet set a date for the release.

Each omnibus volume of the manga will include three original volumes, and each volume will retail for US$19.99. The final omnibus volume will include Junichi Ohsako's Blade of the Immortal: Legend of the Sword Demon novel. Dark Horse originally published the novel in 2009.

Simon noted at the panel that the first omnibus volume will "probably" use the cover from the original version's second volume "Cry of the Worm" (pictured at right).

Samura ended Blade of the Immortal in 2012 after 19 years of serialization. Dark Horse released the 31st and final volume in North America in March.

The manga follows Manji, a ronin warrior in feudal Japan who has been cursed with immortality. To end his life, he must slay 1,000 enemies. On his journey, Manji meets Rin, a young woman who is on a quest to avenge the murder of her parents. Manji agrees to help Rin, and the two begin to travel together.

The manga inspired a television anime in 2008, and Media Blasters released it in English.

Update: Simon confirmed with ANN that the omnibus will keep the left-to-right format of the original individual volumes. Simon also confirmed that the omnibus volumes will be the same size as the original volumes, "due to concerns that the artwork may moire if made bigger."