Blade & Bastard

Lore & Background

The story follows Iarumas, an adventurer resurrected from the Temple of Resurrection who has lost all memory of his previous life. He explores a deep labyrinth infested with monsters to recover the bodies of fallen adventurers, hoping to determine if they can be brought back to life before they are reduced to ashes. Though his skills earn him respect, his cold and pragmatic attitude isolates him, and he lives associating almost exclusively with the dead. His existence changes when he meets Garbage, a wild young swordswoman and the sole survivor of a massacred group. Together, they delve deeper into the labyrinth, facing monsters, traps, and the threat of permanent death, searching for clues to Iarumas's past and the truth hidden within the dark maze.

Reader's Guide

Blade & Bastard is significant as a modern light novel adaptation of the classic Wizardry role-playing game series, bringing its dungeon-crawling themes to a new audience. Written by Kumo Kagyu, known for Goblin Slayer, and illustrated by so-bin, known for Overlord, the series leverages established fanbases while offering a distinct narrative focused on resurrection, memory loss, and the recovery of the dead. The series has been commercially successful, with six light novel volumes and eight manga tankōbon volumes published by early 2026. Its expansion into an anime television series, produced by Xingfu and set to premiere in 2027, indicates growing popularity. The series is also notable for its simultaneous digital English publication by J-Novel Club and print release by Yen Press, as well as its North American streaming license by Sentai Filmworks on Hidive. Blade & Bastard represents a cross-media franchise that bridges video game history with contemporary light novel and anime markets.

Did You Know?

• The series is based on the Wizardry role-playing video game series.
• The light novel is written by Kumo Kagyu, author of Goblin Slayer.
• The manga adaptation has been collected into two tankōbon volumes as of early 2024.
• An anime television series adaptation has been announced, but no studio or premiere date has been officially confirmed.