Kanno Aya, known for her series Otomen, Blank Slate (Akusaga) and Soul Rescue, did two one-shot volumes about the Shinsengumi. They were published by Hakusensha, having originally run in Hana to Yume.

The first book to come out, Hokusou Shinsengumi, tells the story of the later period of the Shinsengumi, featuring three characters: Nomura Risaburou, Souma Kouze and Hijikata Toshizo. There’s not a lot of stories out there about the Shinsengumi in Hokkaido, so I’m glad she chose to cover this period.

The second book is Kotstsu no Hana, set during an earlier period. This story centers on the relationship between Hijiata and Okita, and the darkness within Okita that threatens their friendship.

While unlicensed in the US, both books were licensed in France by ?ditions Delcourt as a single series, Corps et ?me, which translates to Body and Soul. The name refers to how a samurai would commit himself to his cause, body and soul. I’ve found the translations to be quite good, but please note that in France, honorifics are not included. Please check out our forum topic for tips on buying manga from Europe.

Japanese editions:
Hokusou Shinsengumi ISBN 4592188101
Kotetsu no Hana ISBN 4592188373

French Editions:
Corps et ?me t.1: Voyage au Nord ISBN 9782756015439
Corps et ?me t.2: La Fleur en Acier Gelée ISBN 9782756015446