Happy New Year Everyone! Well, for the first Manga Monday of the new year, we’re continuing with Blade of the Immortal.
Title: Blade of the Immortal, Volume 3 – Dreamsong
Written and Illustrated by Hiroaki Samura
Translated by Dana Lewis and Toren Smith
Published by Kadokawa (Japan) & Dark Horse Comics (USA)
Publication Date: 1999
Available from Amazon.com & RightStuf
The Premise
Kagehisa sends an assassin after Manji & Rin, Maki Otono-Tachibana, the daughter of a samurai, disgraced for being too good with the sword.
High Points
The fights between Maki and Manji are intense. Samura keeps out-doing himself in the fight scenes.
Low Points
Samura is not great at selling Maki as a skilled combatant. While she has a good fight with Manji and she nearly gets the better of him. She makes some major rookie mistakes (which she is called on).
Scores
Originality: I don’t recall seeing the geisha assassin in works from before this (unless they did it in Lady Snowblood or Lone Wolf & Cub). 4/6
Artwork: Artwork is one of the best artists out there for drawing swordfights. 6/6
Story: This is the most time the narrative has given members of the Ittou-Ryuu, and it really helps keep this volume from turning into “Assassin of the Volume”. 4/6
Characterization: Makie is a well fleshed out character, and this volume provides some real needed depth for Kagehisa. I get the impression that if the methods of the Ittou-Ryuu were different, they’d be the heroes. 5/6
Emotional Response: This volume has the first member of the Ittou-Ryuu who, thus far, I didn’t want Manji to kill. 5/6
Flow: 6/6
Overall: This manga is fantastic, and I’m kind of surprised that it doesn’t have more of a following than it does. 5/6
In total, Blade of the Immortal Vol. 3 gets 35/42
Manga Review – Blade of the Immortal Vol. 3: Dreamsong
January 7, 2013 by Alexander Case Blade of the Immortal, manga Manga
Happy New Year Everyone! Well, for the first Manga Monday of the new year, we’re continuing with Blade of the Immortal.
Title: Blade of the Immortal, Volume 3 – Dreamsong
Written and Illustrated by Hiroaki Samura
Translated by Dana Lewis and Toren Smith
Published by Kadokawa (Japan) & Dark Horse Comics (USA)
Publication Date: 1999
Available from Amazon.com & RightStuf
The Premise
Kagehisa sends an assassin after Manji & Rin, Maki Otono-Tachibana, the daughter of a samurai, disgraced for being too good with the sword.
High Points
The fights between Maki and Manji are intense. Samura keeps out-doing himself in the fight scenes.
Low Points
Samura is not great at selling Maki as a skilled combatant. While she has a good fight with Manji and she nearly gets the better of him. She makes some major rookie mistakes (which she is called on).
Scores
Originality: I don’t recall seeing the geisha assassin in works from before this (unless they did it in Lady Snowblood or Lone Wolf & Cub). 4/6
Artwork: Artwork is one of the best artists out there for drawing swordfights. 6/6
Story: This is the most time the narrative has given members of the Ittou-Ryuu, and it really helps keep this volume from turning into “Assassin of the Volume”. 4/6
Characterization: Makie is a well fleshed out character, and this volume provides some real needed depth for Kagehisa. I get the impression that if the methods of the Ittou-Ryuu were different, they’d be the heroes. 5/6
Emotional Response: This volume has the first member of the Ittou-Ryuu who, thus far, I didn’t want Manji to kill. 5/6
Flow: 6/6
Overall: This manga is fantastic, and I’m kind of surprised that it doesn’t have more of a following than it does. 5/6
In total, Blade of the Immortal Vol. 3 gets 35/42