Spotlight Manga: Vagabond MAL Series Information Page: Vagabond MAL Score - 8.71 (by 356 users) Ranked - #14 Popularity #110 For the next week I would like to have a discussion about the series that focuses on the key elements that we here on MAL use to critically rate a manga: Art, Characters, Story, and Enjoyment. I would like everyone to approach this thread as if you were going to write a review and structure your initial post like this: Art - insert rating Characters - insert rating Story - insert rating Enjoyment - insert rating Art - discuss any pros and cons of the art styling used in the series, try to include some specifics. Character - describe any of the things you liked or didn't care for in regards to specific characters in the series etc... If you are having trouble writing up a review or coming up with specific pro's and cons, please don't worry. Just do the best you can with it and if you can only write two or three sentences about any of the 4 elements then that's OK. Not everyone here is currently at a level which will allow them to articulate their thoughts and opinions. After your initial post is made you can feel free to civilly discuss issues of contention. I am sure there will be many opinions expressed here that some of us will disagree upon and criticize and it is for that reason that this entire club exists. So I hope everyone has fun and I am really looking forward to seeing how this discussion will develop. RESULTS OF THE RESURRECTION YOU DECIDE POLL (26/09/2015) Vagabond was inducted into the club Manga list: 88% - Yes: 21 - No: 3 - I haven't read this manga: 40 - Abstained: 4 |
LindleNov 7, 2015 1:08 PM
  |
| Art - 9 What I can say is awesome, really great art there. Characters - 9 Characters personality quite detail, have a significant growth through the story. Well it's based on Samurai Epic, what else I can say about it. Story - 9 Based on Miyamoto Musashi by eiji Yoshikawa with a hmmm quite a bit difference, but really Inoue Takehiko-sama have a good variation on the story which sometimes can be a downside of a history-based manga, but he did a great job there and made the story more interesting one. Enjoyment - 9 Well personally I really like a samurai story, and my favorite character always Miyamoto Musashi, so maybe this biased by my subjective opinion. Well that's all I can say about Vagabond, hope there's someone that can do a better review. |
| This is not a very good manga; it's a generic shounen fighting series dressed up in pretentious clothing. Art - Detailed, rather realistic style. No complaints there, as this is the only great aspect of the manga. 9/10 Characters - Musashi...wants to get stronger! And is a natural born demon! Face got palmed right there. The rest of them made little to no impression on me besides slight annoyance. 6/10 Story - There was no story, just a lot of pointless, if well-drawn, fighting and mediocre to groan-inducing dialogue. 4/10 Enjoyment - 6/10 If it wasn't for the great art and a healthy dose of foolish optimism I would've dropped after volume 2. As it is, I slogged through all 5 volumes I have on hand and was bored the entire time. Dropped. |
 |
| I read up until volume 20 in french and I remember reading in the "Takehiko Inoue's special comments" at the end of volume 6 or 7: Il y a certains mangas qui traitent de sujets d'actualité et qui les détournent pour amener le lecteur à réfléchir ses ces questions qui sont si communes de nos jours. Il y a d'autres mangas qui, pour leur part, ne servent qu'à offrir un bon divertissement au lecteur qui sent le besoin de souffler un peu. Soyons sérieux : le manga que vous tenez entre les mains appartient clairement à la seconde catégorie. Roughly translated, it means that while there are some mangas that are meant to make the reader think about a certain topic, some others are just here to provide a good time to the reader who wants to cool down a bit, and Vagabond falls into the second category. I read up until volume 10 thinking that it was just "a manga to have fun". And this is what it was : it was simply Miyamoto Musashi traveling around Japan in a period where it is common for a youngster to go on a voyage to atone their skills. He visits the various schools around Japan and asks to challenge their most powerful fighter to verify if he really is the most powerful swordsman in Japan and if he isn't, what he is lacking. Yes, the story wasn't very original, but at least, the fighting scenes were well done, didn't drag and were magnificently drawn. Then, I read the Baiken Shishido arc. I was thrilled. I didn't expect such sudden change in the story's identity. Goddamn it, I'm getting some actual substance ! Sure, I wasn't thrilled with the same intensity as when I read, say, the final of the Golden Age in Berserk (Griffith raping Casca in front of Gatz) or the library scene in Monster, but boy, Baiken Shishido's character was absolutely amazing. ... .. . OK, it must just have been a little mislaying, next arc will be the same well-drawn enjoyment from the first volumes. And I get GODDAMN Sasaki Kojiro arc. In three volumes, I was convinced : I'm reading a masterpice. In six volumes, I was even more convinced : Takihiko Inoue is a genius. And when I read Sasaki Kojiro's final battle against Koun, excuse my rude language, but I think I nearly came. I was as thrilled, or even more thrilled than when I read the Griffith raping Casca in front of Gatz scene. This character was so amazing and his development was so intersting and cool at the same time, I found myself stuck between a Gantz-rank and Blade of the Immortal-rank manga. I didn't know what to think. Now I'm stuck at volume 20, very shocked. I'm afraid to read the rest because I fear it wouldn't provide me the same excitement as the Sasaki Kojiro's arc provided. But as things are right now, I think Takehiko Inoue's talent has been shown in an undeniable way, and I'm probably angsting for nothing. I think I'll read the next volumes as soon as possible : this manga has proved me that it is way more than the simple enjoyment it suggested me in the first volumes, and I sure hope that Inoue continues in this fashion. I can't separate this manga's story from its characters, therefore I can't really do a divided review, I apologize. Overall, I'd give this manga a solid 9. Bring on the next volumes. |
They are neither plants nor animals. They differ from other forms of life such as the micro-organisms and the fungi. Instead they resemble the primeval body of life and are generally known as Mushi. Their existence and appearance are unknown to many and only a limited number of humans are aware of them. |
| Art - 9 If I had never read Berserk I'd have easily given this a 10. Every volume is simply a beautiful work of art from end to end. The action is detailed and fluid, the character designs are wonderful, and most important of all it is consistent. Characters - 7 These most of these characters at first seem rather one dimensional but after wading through the story for a while you really get to watch the characters blossom as their history's are fleshed out. Thats not to say that any given one is amazing, but they are all highly identifiable. For me, the level to which I can identify with a character usually directly relates to how well I think they've been designed by the creator. So we arrive at a solid 7 rating. They could be better, but they are certainly enjoyable to watch. Story - 8 I think Windspirit really already did my work for me here. It takes a while to get going but the author's brilliance does shine through from time to time and you can tell that the story he's weaving is truly masterful. Enjoyment - 8 easily an 8, it was rare for me to ever find myself bored while reading this series and that is a rarity in and of itself. Overall - 8 Despite only giving this series an 8, I'll definitely support it with a "Yes" vote in the upcoming poll. |
|
More topics from this board
Sticky: » The End of Critics and ConnoisseursHiroM_ - Dec 31, 2022 |
31 |
by danz
»»
Nov 10, 2023 1:08 AM |
|
» Challenge You Decide: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (Anime) (1/1)HiroM_ - Dec 3, 2022 |
44 |
by 25saix
»»
Dec 30, 2022 3:10 PM |
|
» You Decide: Golden Kamuy 2nd Season (Anime) (12/4)HiroM_ - Dec 2, 2022 |
42 |
by 25saix
»»
Dec 30, 2022 3:10 PM |
|
» Resurrected You Decide: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica (Anime) (12/4)HiroM_ - Dec 2, 2022 |
47 |
by 25saix
»»
Dec 30, 2022 3:09 PM |
|
» Blue N Rescue Mission: Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma (Anime) (12/4)HiroM_ - Dec 3, 2022 |
24 |
by Dramaddict
»»
Dec 28, 2022 6:02 PM |