‘Ao no Miburo’ Shinsengumi Arc Unveils Volume 8 Cover Featuring Yamazaki, Hijikata, and Serizawa

Tsuyoshi Yasuda’s ‘Ao no Miburo’ manga reveals the cover for its eighth Shinsengumi Arc volume through official channels. The artwork centers on Yamazaki Susumu, Hijikata Toshizo, and Serizawa Kamo in dynamic poses amid Kyoto’s turbulent streets. The design highlights Yamazaki’s left-handed sword stance, a detail drawn from historical records of the Shinsengumi’s early recruits.

The volume compiles chapters from Weekly Shōnen Magazine’s recent issues, advancing the narrative through the Serizawa Assassination arc. Yasuda illustrates the trio’s conflicting loyalties within the Miburo group, formed in 1863 as rōnin enforcers for the shogunate. Serizawa’s volatile leadership clashes with Hijikata’s disciplined reforms, setting the stage for internal purges that shaped the unit’s infamous reputation.

Kodansha schedules the release for December 17, 2025, in Japan, with 192 pages priced at 650 yen. The cover employs Yasuda’s signature style, blending fluid action lines with period-accurate attire like haori jackets and uchigatana sheaths. Previous volumes in the arc sold an average of 45,000 copies each within the first week, per Oricon charts.

The Shinsengumi Arc, launched April 24, 2024, follows the original story’s conclusion on April 17. It shifts focus to protagonist Nio’s integration into the group after encountering Okita Soji and Hijikata. Nio witnesses the Miburo’s evolution into the Shinsengumi, including the adoption of their blue uniforms symbolizing loyalty.

This installment delves into Yamazaki’s backstory as a wandering swordsman rejecting his family’s merchant legacy. Historical accounts place him joining in 1863 at age 19, contributing to surveillance operations that earned the group its “blue wolves” moniker. Yasuda incorporates details from the Bakumatsu era, such as the Ikedaya Incident’s aftermath influencing recruitment.

The anime adaptation’s second season, covering the same arc, premieres December 20, 2025, on Tokyo MX. Taku Yashiro voices Yamazaki, joining returning cast like Natsuki Hanae as Nio. Production at CloverWorks utilizes 2D animation for sword fights, employing 300 cels per sequence to capture blade trajectories.

Yasuda, known for ‘DAYS,’ draws from primary sources like the ‘Shinsengumi Chronicles’ for authenticity. The series has spanned 19 volumes total, with English releases by Kodansha USA starting in 2023. Fan translations on platforms like MangaDex accelerated global interest, boosting pre-order figures by 20% for arc volumes.

The cover reveal coincides with promotional art for the stage play at EX Theater Roppongi in April 2025. That production featured 15 actors portraying core members, with sword choreography by historical reenactment experts. Merchandise includes themed haori replicas sold at Kyoto cafes collaborating on the promotion.

‘Ao no Miburo’ explores themes of justice amid chaos, paralleling ‘Rurouni Kenshin’s’ setting. The Shinsengumi disbanded in 1869 after the Boshin War, but Yasuda emphasizes personal motivations over glorified heroism. Volume 8 concludes the assassination subplot, teasing escalations toward the group’s peak under Kondo Isami’s command.