%20(1).png)
An Interview with Roy and Inaki Miranda about 'Blade Forger'
Roy and Inaki Miranda's Blade Forger, a comic book series where a mystical swordsman changes the world via The Tournament of the Five Rings, has been out for a couple of weeks now. The first issue mixes a variety of themes specifically the blending of fantasy, grimdark and utopia.
I caught up with the Miranda Brothers last week to get their thoughts on Blade Forger and what the subsequent issues will have in store for us.
RELATED: An Interview with Corinna Bechko: "I tend towards Folk Horror Films and Haunted House Novels"
My Kind Of Weird: Would you like to start by telling our readers what Blade Forger is about?
Roy Miranda: I think the simplest way to explain it is through its synopsis.
The discovery of CORUM, a never-before-seen energy source, led to a bloody world war for its control. After years of constant death and destruction, the Lords of the lands agreed to cease fighting and negotiate a truce. From that meeting, the BLADE FORGERS TREATY was born. This treaty established that the exploitation of Corum would be centralized through one single government, led by a neutral Emperor. The Emperor, however, would have to be a BLADE FORGER—a mystical swordsman—and defend the title in a competition known as The Tournament of the Five Rings. Every five years, Blade Forgers from every corner of the Empire fight for the chance to become the next Emperor.
In Issue #1, we follow the story of Owada, a Blade Forger who is the beacon of hope for the underprivileged, willing to enter the tournament to overthrow the current Emperor. But Blade Forger is about much more than mystical swords, ancient powers, and a tournament to become Emperor. It’s a story about faith, the promises we make, and the struggle to confront utopia.
My Kind Of Weird: Blade Forger seems to blend classic warriors, like Conan, with the modern world. Culturally, it feels reminiscent of Japan, with its balance between advanced technology and feudal honor. Can you talk about what influenced that dynamic?
Inaki Miranda: While creating the world of Blade Forger, we were very conscious of feudal Japan and the philosophical ideals of the samurai. Specifically, we drew a lot of inspiration from Japan’s Meiji period—when the country opened itself to the Industrial Revolution and the old world coexisted with the modern one.
We had long conversations about the technological level we wanted for this world until we landed on something more global and complex, inspired by 1940s and 1950s American society. We felt this setting could naturally coexist with a mystical or fantastical element, where ancient traditions were still respected (and feared) and continued to play a decisive role in the imperial power structure.
Additionally—although we don’t explain this fully in Issue #1—there’s a deep mythology in Blade Forger rooted in mystical lands called Gara-Gara. The world of Blade Forger is HUGE.
My Kind Of Weird: Would you say there’s a little bit of He-Man in Owada’s character?
Inaki Miranda: Conceptually, I suppose there’s something there, especially since his sword grants him the ability to summon mystical warriors. Visually though, I’d say the He-Man influence is stronger in his battle kaiser, Taro. I played with a mix of influences for Taro, including He-Man and Ryu from Street Fighter.
As for Owada himself, his look draws more from Kikuchiyo in Seven Samurai, Lion-O from ThunderCats, and… Maradona.
My Kind Of Weird: Something what we don’t often see in stories like this is the political upheaval. Given that Blade Forger depicts a world where power only changes hands when the leader is challenged and defeated, eventually it could feel somewhat fascist—at least from the perspective of an ordinary citizen. What were you hoping to communicate here?
Roy Miranda: I don’t think we’re inventing anything new when it comes to the outcomes of an autocratic system. History has shown us plenty of examples of power struggles and the management of personal interests. But in our case, it’s much more complex and layered. That allowed us to explore the inner conflict between what one must do and what one is willing to sacrifice to achieve it.
But that’s something readers will uncover as the story unfolds.
My Kind Of Weird: What was the inspiration behind Blade Forger? Did it come from another comic book or a different medium?
Inaki Miranda: We were inspired by so many things that it’s hard to explain how they all came together to create this book. It’s been more than 10 years of building, changing, and finding this story. The influence of books, series, and movies has been huge. There’s as much Unforgiven and Game of Thrones in there as there is Pokémon, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Star Wars, Seven Samurai, and Yojimbo.
My Kind Of Weird: There’s a dystopian feel to the comic. Do you see it that way, looking back?
Roy Miranda: No, we’ve never thought of it as a dystopia. It’s a unique world with its own rules.
My Kind Of Weird: There’s a wide spectrum of emotions in this first issue. Are we supposed to love Owada or loathe him?
Roy Miranda: If we answered that, we’d be influencing your reading experience, wouldn’t we? Once you’ve read the first five issues, you tell us!
My Kind Of Weird: Going in, did you have a clear vision of the art style you wanted?
Inaki Miranda: Honestly, I only focus on the emotion I want to convey—whether through composition, backgrounds, facial expressions, body language, or lighting. The “style” is just my style. It’s the thing I wrestle with constantly until my own instincts tell me, “Okay, this is more or less what you were after.” The style is just an approximation of an aspiration.
My Kind Of Weird: What’s it like working with Eva De La Cruz?
Inaki Miranda: Working with Eva is easy and rewarding. We’ve known each other for over 30 years—we studied Fine Arts together and have been collaborating ever since we graduated. We’ve had countless conversations about finding the right artistic finish, and it evolves with every project. She has an incredible sensitivity with color and knows exactly how to work with my linework. She’s an essential part of Blade Forger.
My Kind Of Weird: Owada’s story feels incredibly expansive. Where does it go from here?
Roy Miranda: This book is just the beginning of a much larger journey. We’ve got a tournament that gives any Blade Forger in the Empire the chance to fight for the throne every five years. There are many Blade Forgers in this world and many stories to tell. Owada is just one of them. We can’t tell you where it’s going… but we can promise you won’t be able to predict it. Our advice: sit back and enjoy the ride.
My Kind Of Weird: How has the comic been received so far? Are you getting good feedback?
Inaki Miranda: Issue #1 just came out, so we’ll have to wait to see the feedback. But we’ve been excited about this for over a year, and that feeling’s not going away anytime soon. We believe in BLADE FORGER the same way we believed in WE LIVE.
My Kind Of Weird: Where can people pick up a copy of Blade Forger?
Roy Miranda: Everywhere! Haven’t you reserved your copy at your favorite local comic shop yet? We need to support all those comic book retailers. They’ve been the biggest word-of-mouth champions for the Miranda Brothers. And we’re incredibly grateful to them!