Path Of The Assassin, Vol. 14 (v. 14)
Having earned the titular sobriquet, Hattori Hanzo must deal with three beautiful sorceresses dispatched by his target’s son to kill him and his master, Ieyasu, eventual founder of the long Tokugawa shogunate. That challenge met, the historical saga’s finale begins with Hanzo uniting his three wives (and fellow ninjas) under his loving leadership and preparing for the threat represented by the fact that the father of Ieyasu’s heir apparent really isn’t Ieyasu. Sex and political intrigue are bonded so closely that the oddness of presenting so much verbal plot exposition during lovemaking barely registers. Koike and Kojima’s enormous manga maintains its head of steam and its heady steaminess. --Ray Olson