Gabimaru the Hollow, a ninja of Iwagakure Village known for being cold and emotionless, was set up by his fellow ninja and is now on death row. Tired of killing and betrayal, he wants to die. However, no method of execution works on him because as much as the seemingly apathetic Gabimaru refuses to admit it, he does have a reason to live. He wants to return to his wife, who was the reason why he softened up and failed to be an effective assassin. Thus, he refuses to die.... more>>

Yamada 'Asaemon' Sagiri the Decapitator, a famous executioner, sees this and has a proposal for the ninja. She wants Gabimaru to join an expedition to an island south of Japan in search of the elixir of life in exchange for a full pardon by the Shogunate. However, this island isn't a normal island: it's believed to be Paradise.

However the island is full of mysteries, and the exploring team—consisting of those marked for death—might not be fully prepared to handle them. <<less

The Restarted Series of Previous One ....... more>>

A pervert with great martial arts skills, a klutz of a nun, a dojo master with a bombastic imagination, a volatile code of chivalry, a mentally unstable patient who flippantly gives out internal energy… and so many experts who’re castrated? Hehe—So this is murim?! <<less

Ruri, who's incapable of doing almost anything, has finally landed a part-time job in a cafe run by Buddhist priests. At "Kissako", find some delicious... more>> tea and enlightenment! <<less

The journey to the West was a conspiracy of heaven! After Sutra (Buddhist sacred texts) went missing for more than a decade, Heaven sent its... more>> army to search, in order not to let the Sutra once again fall into the hands of heaven, the journey to West begin again. <<less

The protagonist of the series is the lecherous Satonaka Ikkou, who transforms into a super-monk (being able to perform mass exorcisms) by his lust for... more>> the girls he lives with. He lives in the Saienji Buddhist Temple as a Buddhist priest-in-training together with six other nuns: Amanogawa Haruka, Ikuina Sumi, sisters Sugai Sakura & Hinata, Nambu Chitose and Atouda Yuuko, each of whom represent one of the bosatsu of the six lower realms of the traditional Buddhist cosmology. Chitose is the other main character and has a strange relationship with Ikkou; he seems to be in all the wrong places at all the wrong times, but they really care for each other in all actuality. A side effect of Ikkou using his ultimate power is that immediately afterwards, he turns into an even bigger pervert than he normally is. The series is about Ikkou's self-destructive power and his attempts to control it. <<less

Saint Oniisan is slice-of-life, or divine-life, tale of Jesus and Buddha as they try to experience the modern world: in this case, Japan. The manga places a funny twist on religion, attitudes, culture and customs in Japan through the eyes of Jesus and Buddha.... more>>

You see Jesus and Buddha experiencing Asakusa, public baths, theme parks, and the internet. Throughout the manga, we get a little history of their divine greatness only to see their apparent insignificance in modern Japanese society. Suffice to say, before people can recognize that they’re actually Jesus and Buddha, people think of them as someone who looks like Johnny Depp or a guy with a button on his forehead. For real.

Note: Won the Tezuka Osamu Short story Award in 2009 and it was nominated for the 2nd Manga Taisho Award in 2009. <<less

A story about a demon living and dying in hell -- the life of the 13th generation spirit.

Kaka, an unusually strong girl with a talent for combat, sees it has her duty to protect and assist her caretaker and master Genjou-sama, a kind but frail young priest who nearly died saving her from a tiger. When poisoned water threatens to destroy their village, Genjou-sama leaves for the capital to find a solution. In his absence, demons burn down their formerly peaceful village and transform the villagers placed under Kaka's care into monkeys.... more>>

Kaka flees in a desperate attempt to find Genjou-sama, only to find a haughty powerful spirit is now using his body as a vessel! She learns that the human Emperor has been secretly replaced by the evil Demon King, and that this spirit has come back for one simple purpose: to restore order. The contact he offers is simple. If she accompanies him on his journey to the capital and all goes according to plan, the spirit will give Genjou-sama back, relinquishing the priest's body and retrieving his soul from the underworld. Will Kaka take the risk? <<less

The sequel takes place a few months after the end of the first series. Shinkurou and Suzu have gotten married and settled down as vassals in the employ of the governing family of Ima. Just when they've gotten used to the rhythm of their new, peaceful life, orders come from an influential government official that Shinkurou and Suzu must travel to the capital to meet with him. Along the way, they are beset by robbers and demons, and find they are being followed by a mysterious mononoke in the shape of a little boy?! The two must reunite with old friends, and make some new ones, in order to do battle with the supernatural forces... more>> that continue to plague them!

The story includes an extensive recap of events in the first series with some additions from Shinkurou's perspective. <<less

A story of old myths, an ancient destiny, godly powers... And the young man who's expected to choose whether to be a saint or a... more>> devil while seemingly powerless against the forces that push him towards darkness. <<less

Still remember the Bi Ma Wen with the 72 transformations metamorphoses and great dharma power? Do you still have any recollection of the Marshal Tian... more>> Peng that only knows how to eat and indulge in attractive beauties? General Juan Lian/Curtains?, Golden Cicada, if you can still remember these characters, join them on their path to obtain the sutras, if you can't remember, then begin reading, join them on their magical/mystical journey with all kinds of evil forces! <<less

Osamu Tezuka’s vaunted storytelling genius, consummate skill at visual expression, and warm humanity blossom fully in his epic of Siddhartha’s life and times. Tezuka evidences his profound grasp of the subject by contextualizing the Buddha’s ideas; the emphasis is on movement, action, emotion, and conflict as the prince Siddhartha runs away from home, travels across India, and questions Hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppression. Rather than recommend resignation and impassivity, Tezuka’s Buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life, having compassion for the suffering, and ordering one’s life sensibly. Philosophical segments are threaded into interpersonal situations with ground-breaking visual dynamism by an artist who makes sure never to lose his readers’... more>> attention.

Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. Hermann Hesse’s novel or Bertolucci’s film is comparable in this regard; in fact, Tezuka’s approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew, namely, humor.

Note: Won the Bungei Shunju Manga Award in 1975. Won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material in 2004 and 2005. <<less

Kujaku is a Buddhist monk who specialize in exorcism, devil hunting. He is a member of Ura-Kouya, a secret organization in Japan that specialize in... more>> demon hunting. In the first 3 volumes, Ogino wrote independent short stories about Kujaku's demon hunting. But in volume 4, it evolves into an epic saga against a secret evil organization lead by The Teachers of Eight Leaves. The goal of The Teachers of Eight Leaves is to revive Peacock King and Snake King, and allow them to fight each other to give birth to the ultimate Dark Buddha. <<less

This is one of the best-known titles by Yamagishi Ryouko. It shocked the public immensely when first published, because the story depicted how the legendary regent of Japan, Prince Shoutoku - who supported the spread of Buddhism - fell in love with a man, suffering because of it, and acting on his unrequited love. ... more>>

This is no ordinary BL manga, as its homoerotic theme is the driving force behind a convoluted plot centred on complex characters and depicted in complicated Japanese as representative of the setting. Hi Izuru Tokoro no Tenshi is regarded as a masterpiece in the manga world.

Won the 1983 Kodansha Manga Award for shoujo. <<less

Kokuryuu Kaguya was only a little boy when he witnessed his father murdered by demons. He spent years trying to convince people about what he witnessed, but was dismissed as a traumatized child with an over-active imagination. Now a teenager, Kaguya still remembers what happened.... more>>

One day, Kaguya is struck by a mysterious light and meets a young girl named Mao—a skillful warrior wearing bunny ears—who rescues him from a demons' attack, then demands to know what planet he's from! Kaguya finds himself inducted into a secret organization of other-worldly individuals whose goal is to defend Earth from monstrous invaders. Reborn as a Battle Rabbit, strange powers awaken within Kaguya which allow him to fight these creatures and seek vengeance for his father's death. <<less

Suzu, an ordinary girl who possess extra-ordinary power to summon demons, was left with a flute, the only keepsake of her disappearing 'Father'. In the... more>> flute, dwelt the guardian spirit who responds to her plea in danger. <<less

Ikko's finally home after a long trip at a training temple and everybody is glad to see him. But this sequel has a big twist.... more>> Since Jotoku is gone, Sakura is in charge now, and Kazuki has moved in with Ikko and the rest of the girls at the Saienji Temple! Will Ikko ever survive this kind of life? Follow the unnormal life as a monk in this Ecchi, harem comedy manga sequel of the popular Seinen manga from Japan, Amaenaideyo! It'll make you nosebleed and laugh at the same time. <<less

Religious monks adapted to modern technology and weaponry to combat the threat of demons. Ryuudaiji, a monk who's on a journey to locate and purge... more>> a demon spirit, that is terrorizing a forest which was notorious to be a place where people commit suicide, meets a wolf boy, Tamaki Madoka, and his wolf companion. Things starts to develop between the two after an encounter with a tree demon spirit as Tamaki decides to go to the outside world to learn more about his past. <<less

In Confucian Era 14276, a violent showdown unfolds in the space surrounding Planet Lagra. And with that, the story begins. Unfolding on Earth and in far-off galaxies, in the past, the future, and across dimensions, the curtain has risen on the final war between light and darkness. A great, galactic epic spanning the author’s career begins here!... more>>

Kyomu Senki is made up mainly of four series: “The Tiger of 5000 Light Years” serialized in 1980-82. “Kyomu Senshi Miroku” and “Jaki-oh Bakuretsu”, both of which started serialization in 1987, just a few months apart. Lastly, “Skull Killer Jaki-oh”, a mech series set in the 20th century that originally started in 1990.

Along with the four main series, it also includes four short stories: “New Rashoumon”, “Ninja Arts at Honnou Temple: The Black Magic of Koji Kashin”, “The Strange Living Dimension, Dogura”, and “The Dogura War Chronicles”. <<less

This is a biography of the famous Buddhist monk Ikkyu from the late Hisashi Sakaguchi. Set in 15th century Japan, Ikkyu must learn to live and excel as a monk, despite the fact that his father is the emperor. ... more>>

His intelligence and purity help him succeed, but he continues to get the short end of the stick in life.

Can Ikkyu perservere in his quest for spirituality in spite of everything that is set against him? <<less

Set in the Heian period, A Un is the story of two prominent Buddhist monks: Saichou, who built the Enryaku Temple, and Kuukai, who established... more>> the Mt. Kouya retreat. <<less

The comedy manga follows a part-time late-night convenience store worker named Matsukoma, and the new part-time worker he trains named Tomoharu Nii, nicknamed Nietzsche-sensei. Tomoharu is a university student in the school's Buddhism department. When an angry customer screams at Tomoharu, "Customers are gods!," he replies, "God is dead." The manga follows the part-time worker life of Matsukoma and Tomoharu, the latter of whom continuously baffles his customers and co-workers at the convenience store with his odd ways.[ANN]... more>>

Based on the author's experience working part time in a convenience store. <<less

Recounts how a man grew up to become the pivotal character Koumyou Sanzou, years before the main storyline as seen in .

A story about a sculptor of Buddhist images.

Of Shaman King fame, here's another series by Hiroyuki Takei about a buddha with the 1,000 arms armor. Sennju, an emissary of the buddha Kannon, appears in the human world to find and protect the reincarnation of the buddha Mirokou. The emissary arrives on Earth just in time to save a young girl from being bullied by some rough looking men. Just who is this girl and will she believe that he's a buddha who was sent by Kannon?... more>>

* Also included are three oneshots; two of them are called Death Zero and Itako no Anna.

• Death Zero -

A WWII pilot was shot down and killed, but he still had a promise to keep, that not even death could stop him.

• Itako no Anna -

Anna is an Itako, a priestess who can call upon spirits, learning the trade with her grandmother. One day, they run into a temple to find the master of the temple quarreling with a sword collector over whether the sword may be removed from the temple or not. And she and her grandmother decide to call upon the original owner of the sword and aid the temple master. <<less