Blade of the Immortal -- Dreamsong

Feudal Japan has inspired a host of manga titles, and this series is one of the best I’ve seen in that genre. Makie Otono-Tachibana is a geisha who also happens to be one of the deadliest assassins in Japan. She detests her lot in life, but seeks to kill in an attempt to please her lover. In this book, Makie crosses swords with the immortal ronin Manji. It’s an interesting take on gender roles, duty and vengeance.