Even though it's been 27 years, the greatest manga of all time still longs for an anime adaptation.

Vagabond has a long and storied history as a manga, but no proper anime adaptation has been made of it. Vagabond is a manga written and illustrated by manga artist Takehiko Inoue. It follows the epic journey of Japan's fiercest swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, as he tries to defeat deadly foes while struggling to find inner peace and comprehend the meaning of life. Vagabond begs for an anime adaptation of Takehiko's manga, which has received high praise in the seinen genre for its elevated storytelling and stunning artwork since its 1998 publication. 

Vagabond is far more deserving of a page-to-screen adaptation than the far less popular and lower-quality manga series that have been permitted to claim success as anime series, despite the fact that not all stories in manga translate well to anime. Even though Takehiko hasn't finished the manga yet, everything he's written thus far has the potential to make Vagabond the best anime ever made. 

The Perfect Answer to the Demand for Epic Anime Sagas Is Vagabond.

A global hunger for epic anime sagas demands to be satiated, and the anime industry has seen this desire grow at an unprecedented rate.  Naturally, a truly epic entry into animation would be ideal for Vagabond. Fans now want intense, long-form narratives that make them want to invest in every moment as anime has evolved from a niche form of entertainment to a cultural force of influential storytelling, often influenced by the world around it. The legacy of anime series that devote time to deeper character development and intricate themes is well-established in the industry's never-ending catalog. 

Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga have shown that grittier, tougher, philosophical anime with an epic feel can captivate a fandom while challenging the limits of slow-burn storytelling. While most epic anime are rooted in Japanese tales or pull from Japanese cultural influence, these sagas connect on a global level, transcending the idea of geographical barriers through the sheer love of an intense story alone.  The spectacle of epic anime appeals to fans who are looking for something more than escapism; they want something thrilling with challenging layers. Vagabond has the potential to flourish regardless of the brave studio that bravely adapts it because epic anime are typically regarded as more mature and thematically rich. 

Vagabond has earned the right to be referred to as an epic in the traditional sense, in contrast to other anime epics, which rely on the appeal of unique worlds or fast-paced battles to dominate the anime's presence on screen. Epic anime sink their teeth into personal struggle and introspection — two themes that Vagabond is exceedingly comfortable with.  Generally, fans who gravitate towards more elaborate anime also expect a greater degree of brutality.  Vagabond's manga satisfies the demand for a ripened epic that doesn't restrain itself from leaning into more primal behavior.  The anime industry needs to align with a strong demand for epic anime as the desire for Vagabond-like anime grows. 

Vagabond successfully combines action and philosophy. 

Vagabond successfully strikes a balance between unsettling realism and dynamic battles, making it perhaps the greatest intersection of action and philosophy. Vagabond's hypothetical anime, which serves as a meditation on life and purpose, can curl up to the nuances of being alive while pondering the pain of existence out loud in a visually enhanced manner. Vagabond is, at its core, a warrior's journey that demonstrates Miyamoto Musashi's desperate determination to demonstrate his swordsmanship strength. 

When it comes to protagonists vying for strength, power, or eagerly anticipating their next opponent, the anime landscape of today has a lot to offer. What would allow Vagabond to transcend the baseline of similar anime, though, is its exceptional means of self-reflection.  Vagabond's upcoming anime would be a welcome change from the overabundance of standard anime competing with one another. While any anime could make money by being flashy, not every series can convey the depth of meaning that Vagabond has mastered. The anime adaptation of Vagabond, which champions tonal dynamism, would provide a much-needed new entry into an industry that needs more new titles. 

Vagabond can further elevate already unforgettable sword fights and a deep understanding of self through the innovation of animation.  It's rare for a pitch-perfect manga to even exist, much less to get published, and Vagabond's reputation demands that there's at least one attempt to honor the manga's legacy through a modern-day lens.  When Vagabond begs to be breathed into them through the form of anime, it would be sinful to keep them bound to the pages of print media due to distinct visual storytelling. A hypothetical Vagabond anime would challenge the stagnation of the majority of the industry thus far and contribute to the need for balance in anime. Vagabond's distinct identity and extremely prestigious reputation could give way to a brilliant adaptation with a subdued amount of overwhelming similarity. 

The Unfinished Manga of Vagabond enables the Anime to finally tell the entire story.

Since the Vagabond manga has been on hiatus since 2015, fans are unsure when or if the story will ever reach a satisfactory conclusion. If there is no return for the manga, the story of Vagabond could be fully told through creative freedom in an anime, or mangaka Takehiko Inoue might finally commit to the story's final arcs. The unconfirmed adaptation of Vagabond is still able to closely adhere to its source material while expounding on its excellence through an open-ended lens by completing its momentous storytelling method through an anime. 

Vagabond is impatiently awaiting its narrative closure, and resolving an incomplete manga could satisfy Musashi's journey.  Vagabond teeters on tension despite signs that Musashi has finally found peace. An anime could use a climactic battle to end the saga and live up to the title's legacy. Other unfinished subplots also need resolution if Vagabond ever does see a proper ending, and an anime could elaborate on the captivating world that Takehiko built.

 Since Vagabond is known to be an adaptation of Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, the anime could always draw inspiration from Eiji's final scene. Additionally, Inoue may consult with or collaborate on the anime's creation to ensure that his vision is fully incorporated into every scene. In this situation, Inoue would be able to provide Vagabond with a proper conclusion that would be consistent, satisfying, and well-worth the wait while remaining faithful to the narrative.