Take out the swords, the gang returns to Chiruran. Mangetsu brings the fifth volume of the adventures of Miburōshi Gumi, the most famous group of samurai turned militia. Still in its infancy, however, splits began to appear. In the previous volume, the members of Miburōshi Gumi were attacked by a formidable assailant whose sword skills stunned the group. Toshizô Hijikata has just identified her and does not believe her eyes: she is a young Western completely lost. Meanwhile, Hajime Saito also faces a surprise attack. The other bretteurs realize that only the presence of a traitor can explain the success of the various attacks. Who would dare betray the group?
Unexpected fighters
This summary shows Chiruran's style: a sword and team story around the Miburôshi Gumi. The reader takes pleasure in blending into a genre manga. Night struggles in front of traditional houses plunge us back into movies or other manga. We discover the terrible secret attack of the poisonous scorpion and we vibrate during the sword fights very well illustrated by Shinya Umemura. However, the Miburōshi Gumi is not a samurai group like Keiji. Chiruran tells the story of a militia war. This is simply a detail but this choice is at the heart of the narrative introducing surprise into the fighting. The militiamen do not respect the code of honour and therefore anything is possible. A fight to the death is interrupted by a bag of horse piss. They certainly have a morality but each one builds it according to his past and present while their enemy is ready to do anything for power. These young fighters spend as much time bickering as they do preparing plans for conquest. Moreover, they cannot be trusted, and with the presence of a traitor, everyone suspects each other. Screenwriter Eiji Hashimoto alternates between gravity and comedy. This fifth volume presents a fratricidal struggle and ends with a drama.
Between shonen and historical narrative
Chiruran is also reminiscent of sports manga. Miburōshi Gumi wants to surpass other gangs and each of his members learns to surpass himself. Eisaburô has progressed by understanding his limitations and Hajime uses the pommel of a sword to deflect an attack. Cartoonist Shinya Umemura is closer to shonen than historical manga. The outfits of fighters are unlikely but also separates the camps. Miburōshi Gumi militiamen have remarkable styles while a villain has the teeth and cape of a vampire. In addition, some young people laugh at death and make fun of others all the time. Another wants to avenge his father. 
This mix of sport and story in Chiruran is reflected in the tensions between the gang members. Each follows a leader but questions his place. Toshizō is as much a tough soldier as a blade as a teenager tenderized by the face of a young girl. The quest for freedom is at the heart of Miburôshi Gumi, a group that wants to emancipate itself from the authorities. Koto is a prisoner of her engagements with a clan of killers. However, the dialogues lack the quality and originality that would make Chiruran a memorable title. With this fifth volume, Chiruran gets a new dan in the combat ladder. Following a tragedy, the Miburôshi Gumi takes depth. Betrayal becomes a new element of unity as a rival gang, Shinsen Gumi, asserts itself and independent fighters are another threat. Future fights to come? You can find on this link the chronicle of the first volume and on another historical manga of the publisher, The Mandala of Fire.
