Mermaid Saga(1993)

Ningyo no Kizu

This is Rumiko Takahashi at her darkest, but her trademark humor and romance also pop up in this three-volume series. Legend has it that if a human eats a mermaid's flesh, they will be granted eternal life. But is that a blessing or a curse? Immortal lovers Yuta and Mana travel through Japan and the centuries longing for a normal life. On their journey, they meet others who have consumed the flesh of a mermaid in hope of becoming immortal. But the powerful substance affects each person differently. Yuta and Mana are two of the lucky ones. Others are fated to die or transform into a savage monster, a "lost soul."

(Source: VIZ Media)

Note: This is the second volume of the Mermaid Saga series from the original tankoubon release, which includes the one-shot stories "Mermaid's Dream" (夢の終わり, Yume no Owari) and "The Ash Princess" (舎利姫, Shari-Hime), as well as the two-chapter stories "Mermaid's Promise" (約束の明日, Yakusoku no Ashita) and "Mermaid's Scar" (人魚の傷 前編, Ningyo no Kizu Zenpen).