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Yaiba: Samurai Legend (stylized as Y∀IBA) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. It was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday from September 1988 to December 1993, with its chapters collected in 24 volumes. The manga has been licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media.
The story follows Yaiba Kurogane, a samurai boy raised in the forest by his father who ends up returning to city life in Japan. Yaiba encounters a rival swordsman, Takeshi Onimaru, but when the battle just so happens to end in a stalemate, a humiliated Onimaru is lured into malevolence upon stumbling across a magical katana, culminating in his plans to take over the world with an army of demons. This forces Yaiba and his allies to go on a quest to defeat the newly transformed demon lord, while also encountering several figures from Japanese history and mythology along the way.
A 52-episode anime television series adaptation by Pastel aired on TV Tokyo and Television Hokkaido from April 1993 to April 1994. A second anime television series adaptation by Wit Studio aired its first season from April to September 2025. A second season has been announced. The second anime series has been licensed in English by Viz Media.
By May 2024, the manga had over 17 million copies in circulation. In 1993, Yaiba received the 38th Shogakukan Manga Award for the category.
The people that Yaiba meets along his journey to become a true samurai encourage him, train him, or inspire him to greatness, though at heart he is still a child, and his incredible skill with a sword is matched only by his kindness towards his friends. Though he tends to leap before he looks, and his thick-headedness tends to turn potential allies into enemies, his friends soon clobber him, and salvage the situation. This unlikely group embarks on a host of incredible adventures where they meet legendary figures from Japanese history, and finally overcome impossible odds, and put everything on the line, to save the entire planet from Alien invasion.
In October 2024, Viz Media announced at New York Comic Con that it has licensed the manga for English release in North America, with the first volume released in July 2025.
The series' first season aired from April 5 to September 27, 2025, on all NNS affiliate stations, including Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV, airing in tandem with Aoyama's other anime series adaptation, Case Closed, as part of the "Gosho Aoyama Hour" block, with the first three episodes having had early screenings at ten Toho Cinemas locations on March 13. For the first cours, the opening theme song is "Blade", performed by , while the ending theme song is "Pineapple Tart", performed by . For the second cours, the opening theme song is "Blade Kizuna ver", also performed by Blue Encount, while the ending theme song is "Action!", performed by Kairi Yagi.
In September 2025, it was announced that the series will receive a second season, covering the Kaguya story arc.
In October 2024, Viz Media announced at New York Comic Con that it licensed the series. The series is streaming on Netflix in North America, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand, and on Hulu in the United States.
Reviewing the first volume of Viz Media's omnibus edition, Jairus Taylor of Anime News Network awarded the manga a C+, praising its slower pacing compared to the 2025 anime adaptation, which allows for deeper character development. However, Taylor criticized its simplistic plot, dated humor—including uncomfortable sexual harassment gags—and occasionally inconsistent artwork. While acknowledging the anime's visual superiority, Taylor found the manga's charm and classic battle structure made it a worthwhile companion read. Sheena McNeil of Sequential Tart criticized Yaiba for its dated humor and unlikeable protagonist, comparing it unfavorably to Dragon Ball. She found the main character an "annoying brat" and criticized the abrupt villain transformation and the use of misogynistic humor, particularly towards Sayaka. McNeil also questioned its modern republication for teens, citing an instance of sexual assault played for comedy.
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