“Volume 1”
March 1997
"To end his eternal suffering, he must slay one thousand enemies!" Manji, a ronin warrior of feudal Japan, has been cursed with immortality. To rid himself of this curse and end his life of misery, he must slay one thousand evil men! His quest begins when a young girl seeks his help in taking revenge on her parents' killers . . . and his quest won't end until the blood of a thousand has spilled! General Notes Although they aren't named in this volume, Taito and Eiku make their first appearances here among the men Kagehisa brings with him to kill Takayuki. Some of the other men do not have distinctive enough appearances that match to any other character's that later show up but Taito and Eiku's looks are quite unique and of the unnamed characters they are shown most prominently. They are both named in the next volume (Cry of the Worm). Apart from Anotsu, Kuroi, Taito and Eiku there were four other members of the Ittō-ryū that appeared in various panels. Based on later events in On Silent Wings, it is learned that Araya Kawakami was one of them (the least featured; as he is only seen from behind in a single panel). He can be identified by his long hair and kimono. Another is most likely Higa, who is introduced much later in the series (in The Gathering), as both character's wear the same head covering. — Description from Comic Vine community (comicvine.gamespot.com).
