Annie Banks is a Rotten Tomatoes–approved critic, and CBR editor and writer specializing in anime, comics, and superheroes. Their work has also appeared in Collider and The Mary Sue, where they covered pop culture, fandoms, and entertainment trends. A lifelong fan whose love for storytelling began with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Annie blends critical insight with genuine passion for geek culture, from sci-fi to K-pop.
There's good news for Deadpool fans who can't wait for the Merc with a Mouth to make his return.
Written by Sanshiro Kasama and drawn by Hikaru Uesugi, Deadpool: Samurai will end its hiatus and return with new chapters. Before the manga makes its long-awaited return, readers can catch up on Deadpool: Samurai for free.
“Deadpool: Samurai serialization resumes! Serialization resumes starting Thursday, January 15th! To celebrate the resumption, the second season (Chapters 16 through 20) is free to read now until January 15th! Reread and relive Deadpool’s wild antics!" an official post on X from Shonen Jump confirmed.
ComicBook.com has summarized Deadpool: Samurai Chapter 20, which ended in a cliffhanger for years on end. "the Merc With a Mouth was in a life-or-death fight with an alternate reality version of himself. While fighting against another Deadpool would be tough enough on its own, but this new villain was a fusion of both Deadpool and Wolverine.... The last chapter came to a close with Deadpool and his doppelganger squaring off for a titanic fight, so we have to imagine that the next chapter will throw readers into the thick of things," the entertainment publication recounts for those needing to catch up with what happened last in Deadpool: Samurai.
Deadpool: Samurai may be making a print comeback after a few years' time, but Deadpool has been keeping himself relevant across Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman teamed up for Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, which served as an official integration of the 20th Century Fox X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This also marked Jackman's full return as Wolverine since the character's presumed death in Logan.
Marvel Has A History With Anime and Manga
Deadpool: Samurai isn't the first or last time that Marvel has crossed over with anime or manga properties. Earlier collaborations date back to Madhouse's Marvel Anime in 2010, though similar titles such as Marvel Future Avengers and Marvel Disk Wars have also intersected Marvel and anime's popularity. The X-Men were also given their own anime series, Marvel Anime: X-Men, which debuted in 2011. While it's unclear as to what Marvel characters or franchises may be given an anime adaptation yet, there's still every opportunity for new series to arrive.
With comic books and manga sharing similar DNA, it's inevitable that Marvel characters have made the leap into alternative forms of print storytelling. The Marvel Mangaverse first launched in 2000, and since, a fair number of Marvel manga in both English and Japanese have become more commonly seen in print and online. Much like Marvel's other mainline heroes, the X-Men were also set into the spotlight in a manga of their own.
Some may remain hopeful that Deppū may eventually transcend the pages of his titular manga into live-action, or even a stand-alone anime, but for now, they can keep up with his next adventure in new chapters of Deadpool: Samurai.
Deadpool: Samurai returns on Jan. 15. Per Shonen Jump's social media account, the manga's second season (episodes 16-20) is free to read now.
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