The Mermaid Saga (Ningyo Saga) was serialized in Shonen Sunday from 1984 until 1987. The series is about a young Japanese fisherman, who five centuries ago ate the flesh of a mermaid's tail and became an immortal. And in order for him to finally rest in peace he must seek a mermaid and eat the flesh once more.

     The series opens with Yuta searching for Cape Nosuri, where it is rumored mermaids dwell. Upon finding Cape Nosuri he is immediately murdered by the old women who live there. But unaware that Yuta is immortal the decrepit residents are quite surprised when he comes back to life and helps their soon-to-be human sacrifice, Mana escape.

     Mana was taken from her village as a child to be nurtured into a beautiful woman whose flesh will give an aged mermaid the gift of youth. But in order for a mermaid to become young again Mana must first become immortal, and must eat the flesh of mermaid's tail. So for the first time in 500 hundred years, Yuta finds himself face to face with an immortal and together, Mana and Yuta, set out to find a cure for their immortality.

     What makes this series unique is that it does not just focus on the travels of Yuta and Mana, but also revisits Yuta's past in full depth stories. The Mermaid Saga is one of those fictional stories that are so well written the reader actually begins to believe the stories to be true.

     The Mermaid Saga was adapted into an OAV mini-series, Ningyo no Mori, 'Mermaid Forest' and Ningyo no Kizo, 'Mermaid's Scar', in 1991 and 1993 receptively. The Mermaid Saga is a dark, violent, innovative manga series. If you love Inu Yasha you will love this story just as much and maybe more.

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