Few works managed to overturn my initial impression so well. You see, at the very start Azumi may look like the cliche and tired plot of way too dramatic ninja assassination clans. They are so many of those that you would be excused for thinking this mistake, as I too was. Luckily, rather than a worse copy of Ninja Scrolls, Azumi explores the word of politics and dealing with grief caused by your own second-order effects. Now of course it’s not like the action is neglected. It’s actually very nicely done and in stylish, no overly complicated way, and with perfected flow. It doesn’t insistof itself and it doesn’t aurafarm. It’s clean, it gets to the point and ye it doesn’t feel repetitive at all. And of course, the physical conflict actually keeps on developing the story points and the characters participating.

Thanks to the length we can experience developments that can afford to take time to mold into significance. Despite being a child prodigy and in a very “between rock and hard place” situation, the troubles of protagonist ninja girl are quite human and relatable, with her almost naive and yet early matured mind contrasted against ugliness and hardships of the word. She has her giant cross to bear, but she’s not treated as the “chosen one” savior, despite technically fitting that role in eyes of many of the characters. In fact, in hands of a less skilled author, it would be too easy to mold Azumi into a mary sue character. Thanksfully that’s not what this manga is about.

Despite what looks like overwhelming length, this manga flows insanely well and is really good at wanting you to keep turning the pages. I myself have binged it within few days. I hope that Azumi beats its relative obscurity in the western hemisphere, as it certainly deserves more attention.