Kozure Ookami
Lone Wolf & Cub

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There are many anime and manga that can rightly be considered classics for one reason or another. Of these, only a few can surpass this status and truly be considered masterpieces in the purest form (and when I say a few, I mean exactly that). Supreme amongst these titles is a manga that is considered the single most influential piece of literature (and I do not use that word lightly), to come from Japan during the 20th Century.

That manga is Lone Wolf and Cub.

The creation of writer Koike Kazuo and artist Kojima Goseki, the story tells of Ogami Itto, the Kogi Kaishakunin (Shogun's Executioner), during ... the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate. He returns home shortly after the birth of his son, Daigoro, to find his wife and retainers brutally murdered, and himself suddenly named as a traitor who is expected to commit seppuku. Instead, he gives his 1 year old son, the only survivor of the attack, the choice between a ball and a sword. Should his son choose the ball, then he will be sent to his mother's side. Should he choose the sword however, then he will join his father on the road of blood and vengeance, of slaughter and heartless cruelty.

Thus begins the legend of Lone Wolf and Cub.

To say that the story is breathtaking would be an understatement. There are very few words that can truly convey the depth of the individual tales, or the depth of one's emotions as you join Ogami and Daigoro on the road to meifumado (the buddhist hell). This is a work that will evoke almost every emotion you'd care to name, from righteous fury to heartwrenching sorrow, from earnest hope to blind hatred. The complexity and detail of the plot reveal a level of sophistication that many have tried to copy over the decades since its release, but none have managed to better. The episodic format of the series allows the reader a greater degree of accesibility to the story, whilst losing nothing in terms of character development. If anything, the format actually enhances the various roles, with a number of characters being far more "real" in just one appearance than many lead characters in other stories.

The artwork of Kojima Goseki is nothing short of exquisite. The style adopted throughout the series has a certain gritty realism to it, whilst retaining an expressionist form reminiscent of traditional Japanese art. Kojima's simple, yet evocative, style allows for a greater degree of expression than can normally be found in manga, with the characters themselves retaining a feeling a reality. The quality of the artwork, together with Koike's gripping storyline, allows for a suspension of disbelief that is difficult to match by any other series.

The characters are wonderful in their uniqueness, style and personality. Ogami is a truly complex and many layered character. An assasin with a strong sense of nobility, a "demon" who is a loving father and husband, a symbol of hope for some, terror incarnate to many. Daigoro, on the other hand, is how one would expect a child to be, innocent, playful, and with very few cares in the world. One of the most wonderful things about the series is the how it addresses the bond between father and son, and in many stories Ogami bets his life on the strength of this bond. In a very real sense, he is trusting his 3 year old child to "watch his back", and this leads to some truly astounding development between the two, especially at the end of the series, with it's truly awe-inspiring climax.

There are many other characters who appear throughout the series, however the majority will only appear in one story or another. However, this does not impact on their level of realism, as many of the characters with only one appearance possess an enormous amount of depth from the start.

In the case of Lone Wolf and Cub, enjoyment is purely a specualtive term. The level of realism in the series is breathtaking, and the various action sequences will often leave you speechless, with the most exhilerating being the 178 panel sequence (you'll know it when you read it) - possibly the longest fight ever portrayed in manga. The scope of the series is of epic proportions, with each panel searing white-hot across one's mind, and unlike many other long running series, this never gets old or stale. I first read this back in 1989, and 20 years later I still get chills whenever I pick it up again. This is a series that you will find yourself re-reading for years to come.

This masterwork of the storyteller's art has had incredible and lasting influence both inside and outside of Japan. As well as spawning 7 movies and various TV movies, the series has also been adapted into two TV series and four plays. In terms manga and anime, one need look no further than Rurouni Kenshin, Hokuto no Ken, Black Jack, Vampire Hunter D, Mushishi, etc. In addition to this, the influence on Western media has been just as great. Comics and novels such as Sin City, Cable, The Road, Ronin, Road to Perdition and Waylander all pay homage to the series, with additional references being found everywhere from Final Fantasy and Samurai Jack, to Usagi Yojimbo and Kill Bill.

Lone Wolf and Cub is a work that has truly crossed the boundary between popular media and true literature. The style, pace, artwork and characterization throughout the series are the benchmarks by which many mangaka set their standards. The global popularity and influence of the series crosses the boundaries of age and gender, with many fans of the series being uninterested in other manga and anime.

Lone Wolf and Cub is, by any measure, a true masterpiece. Even now, as I close off this review, I still feel I haven't done it justice.

Yes, it IS that good.

Lone Wolf & Cub is more than my favorite manga, it's one of my favorite literary productions of any kind. The brutality and horrendous violence presented here manages to deliver some of the most poignant, meaningful stories I've ever encountered. Many of the quick vignettes just make you think or are entertainingly witty, but some (primarly those focusing on young Diagoro) can be down right tear jerking. Watching these small stories come together to weave the arching narrative is beautiful to behold.

I intend to be reading this title for years to come, and have it impacting my life for long after that. Most the time ... -- I read manga because it's fun. LW&C though, I read because it moves me.

I have tried to like this manga, I have tried to force myself to keep going because I know it's a classic. A part of me is even disappointed in myself for dropping this series but I have to be honest with myself, nothing can please everyone.

I respect this manga. I respect the art, it's fantastic. I respect the themes, not everything is as simple as good and bad. I respect the amount of research that was done to create an authentic feudal japan setting.

My biggest issue with this series is the episodic format. I understand this is a completely subjective thing and from ... an objective point of view this is a really bad reason to not be a fan of something, but personally I prefer a consistently flowing story. I dropped this series after the 19th chapter and have been told that eventually it reaches a continuous arc, but that is apparently near the end of the series. Some information flows through between chapters but it's very minor and you will basically be dealing with the same two main characters the whole way through. These are also long chapters, eventually some reaching over 50 pages. So to continuously have to slog through these long chapters for some self contained story that doesn't even matter in the grand scheme of things is not a good pay off in my opinion.

There was a chapter or two about the MC's past and why he does what he is doing now, they were easily the best chapters I managed to read. You will get bits and pieces of character development flowing through but it's very minor.

If you're like me and don't care much for episodic series, then you might not be a fan of this. It definitely has good qualities, don't get me wrong. If you like episodic series then by all means please give it a try, you will probably enjoy it.

Lone Wolf and Cub was my introduction into manga. It was my first and to this day remains my favorite. It showed up one day at my local comic book store in 1987 and the first 10 issues the covers where done by Frank Miller.Well that first publishing only had one chapter per book as opposed to the 4 or five per a Japanese volume and it only lasted 43 chapters. Those 43 chapters were so good I dropped 90% of the American comics I had been reading and went on the hunt for more Manga, it was the start of my love for ... manga.

I had to wait 10 years for Dark Horse to pick it up and then in August in 2000 they started issuing English volumes. This manga was that good, it made me pursue it for 10 years.

Keep in mind 1987 was back in the day where internet access was via dial up only and for a lot of people that number was a long distance call too, so the Manga scan culture was not really that big if it even existed back then. By 2000 I had high speed access and there was a manga scan culture and community but it was not nearly as dynamic and large as it is now.

Lone Wold and Cub is a fantastic story, and has wonderful art and blew away anything the American comic book shelves had to offer. Frank Miller saw this and even did the first 10 covers a wrote an introduction.

This is a classic, if you like action and good art this is a must read.

One of the few masterpieces out there, a very poignant reflection of the harsh realities of revenge and the lengths people go through in order to achieve it. I really thought the art was wonderful and each chapter was as gracefully written as the next. I also thought the fight scenes were superb, the frames were so well tied in with each-other it was very easy to visualize.

The story was a simple enough one but beautifully told, and the characters were incredibly complex, it was such a thrilling manga!

Irregardless of what I say, this will go down as one of the best pieces of ... manga in history and you have a golden opportunity to be part of it.

Lone Wolf and Cub - A Family Murderer

Every comic book reader has his "sin". That classic CB (comic book) that is acclaimed, indispensable and for some reason you ended up never reading it.

I have some of these sins, but perhaps the greatest of them is never to have read Lone Wolf and Cub, a true landmark in manga history and considered one of the best comic books ever, an influencer of legends like Frank Miller, and responsible for the arrival of the expansion of manga in the West.

The problem is that since then, Lone Wolf and Cub didn't have any republishing and the manga ... ran out quickly, becoming a collector's item. The version I read contains luxury finish, offset paper and cover with "ears". A new chance for comic book collectors may say.

First, it is important to keep in mind that this manga was originally published in Japan between 1970 and 1976, accurately depicting the Shogunate Era when samurai existed on the hills, and corresponded to the period from 1603 to 1868. This is because some may strange to the characteristic art of the manga of the time, accustomed to more recent publications that bring the theme, such as "Blade of the Immortal", or even the famous shonen manga, "Rurouni Kenshin". Unlike these two, Lone Wolf and Cub is extremely more grounded in realism, with a raw, dynamic beauty and that portrays with as much of verisimilitude as possible the Edo Period to which the plot corresponds.

Kazuo Koike's script and the art of Goseki Kojima bring the story of Itto Ogami, a mercenary known as Lone Wolf, who travels through Feudal Japan offering his services with his sword, while carrying his son - the little Daigoro - in a baby carriage. This concept, by itself, is already one of the highlights of the manga. It is impossible to not see all the beauty of the scenes where Itto and Daigoro walk towards the sunset, father, and son walking along a bloody path called by the Itto - the meifumadou. That is, "the errant way of the world of the dead."

During much of the manga we are introduced to this path traveled by Itto and Daigoro, while the ronin performs his missions and always let us know that even though he is a mercenary who kills for money, he is even more honored than practically all the other samurai who they cross their path in the course of the plot. This narrative, despite having chapters that bear little relation between them, and only try to show random "missions" of Itto, begin to make us interested in the past of this character and question what would have made someone so honored to travel through world by offering his sword in exchange for money while supposedly putting his own unborn child at risk.

It is only in the last chapter of the first volume that we are lightly presented to Itto's past and we understand part of what made him decide to become a wandering ronin. The interesting thing is that even bringing the character's past, the chapter still leaves some questions open, keeping the reader's curiosity about the volumes that will come next. At the same time that we understand the reason for the current life of Itto, we still don't know exactly what happened to arrive at the point where the chapter begins.

To conclude, what I can say of Lone Wolf and Cub is that reading this manga made me extremely happy. Not only by finally being able to lay hands on what is considered by many to be the ultimate work of manga or not because I've always been curious about this manga but by something much simpler: that indescribable feeling of when we perceive that we are before a pleasant, perfect reading, that immerses us in the pages and transports us to a completely new world. And nothing beats that feeling.

Story: 10 | Art: 10 | Character: 10 | Enjoyment: 9
Score: 10/10

Personal Note: I have never learned so much in a single volume, honestly time makes the reader appreciate better readings in life.

Kozure Ookami, is an all time classic and it has the right to be one.At first I was like ''okay ,I can see why it's a classic,but I'm not impressed'' and assumed that it would be a 5/10.After a little while ,I started liking it more so I thought ''ok maybe a 6'',around the half of the series I said ''okay,in the end I like this manga 7/10'' and then the final arc came and truly I lost my sh*t with how amazing and masterfully it was done.

The story is kinda slow in the beginning,but it's still a pretty chill read.At some point in the ... first 10 or so chapters I thought of dropping it ,due to its ''slowness'',but I remembered a thing I heard about it ''Give it a little time and you will be rewarded'' and that's what happened.The story was constantly improving and at the end it became indeed one of a kind.Honestly one of the best conclusions I've seen.

The art is unique and beautiful, landscapes were probably my favourite thing in it visually.It's important to mention that the art made the atmosphere mesmerizing.Most fights were kidna messy in my point of view,but I never considered them the main point of the series anyways.

The cast was small,but it was more than enough.All of them had their purpose in the story and played it perfectly .Abe is kinda questionable,but he offered a lot of feelings and tension.Itto is probably the most badass character I've seen, he is a man among men.Daigoro is adorable and his solo chapter stories were really enjoyable.As for Retsudo,at first I can't say I was a fan,but as the series progresses he becomes an excellent character and probably my favourite in it.

Overall,Kozure Ookami is a classic among classics.Excellent storytelling,with great characters and art.I would recommend it to everyone ,except maybe for those not into the samurai theme,because the story depicts Edo period Japan in a most accurate way

Different from most mangas that people are used to, that are more modern, Lone Wolf and Cub doesn't tel an overarching narrative, at first, it starts out with the protagonist, Ogami Ittou, taking different jobs as a sword for hire in each chapter, while also caring for his 4 years old son Daigoro, his has a set of rules, five hundred ryo, money at the time, and requiring knowing the context behind the killing. After halfway through the manga it starts having an overarching narrative about Ittou past that I don't want to spoil, but it takes a awhile to get there so be warned ... if you are used to the overarching plots of modern manga.

Writing:

As said before, in each chapter the protagonist takes a killing job to perform, but they're never as straight forward as you might think, he doesn't jus go and kill a guy random guy with his sword, chapter over, it's always more compplicated than that, there's always some complication to the job, a man needs to be killed, but he's inside a jail and there's no way to get to him, a noble woman needs to be erased, but she not only jas an escort, but she's inside one of three carriages and Ittou doesn't know which.

That's why people hire Ogami Ittou, the lone wolf, the best sword for hire in all of feudal Japan, he is not only good with swords, but good with his brains, he has to come up with elaborate plans to achieve his objectives, and that's part of the fun in the manga, the smart writing, if you like intelligent and resourceful protagonist going up against impossible odds there's defitenely something here for you.

Also the manga is set in feudal Japan, and there's a lot of information about japanese history in here, it doesnt give you a history lesson but there's enough here for you to have an idea of how Japan worked back then and instigate you to research and learn more online.

One important note, if you are looking for some emotional and sentimental story you will come out disappointted, this is a very mascuilne manga made by and for men, being released on Japan on the 1970's, so don't expect the emotional elements that you see in modern western entertainment or even in modern manga, there isn't really much if any.

Also another important note, Ittou treats his son like a men, not like a child, this could be a problem to some people, he doesn't bother patronizing his son, instead respects his intelligence, in return Daigoro grows throughout the story having entire chapters dedicated to him and making him become a real men throughout the manga.

So if you are looking for a masculine story with masculine characters made by masculine men for masculine men with masculine themes like endurance, responsability, strenght there's a lot here for you, especially if you're tired of modern western entertainment.

Art:

art style is very subjective, initially I didn't care for the art style of the manga, but grew to like it, aprtially because it did improve over time, eventually having chapters that were trippy even, with elements that borderlined on supernatural with one chapter where Ittou fights Buda himself, but not literally, just figuratively, trying to prove that coul beat god itself, there's quite abit of philosophy on this manga, still, the visuals are nice and can be very expressive, but my knowledge is limited about art and it's subjective like I mentioned, so tour experience may vary.

Conclusion:

If you're interested in a collection of smart stories, that culminate in a bloody arc lead by a masculine samurai single father that installs masculine values on his son while trying to face events of the past and all of that in a feudal Japan setting, I think there's a lot for you here.

La siguiente reseña está en Español e Inglés (traducida con el apoyo de DeepL)
La versión leída es la traducción al español por Riki_Oh

Español

La historia se desarrolla durante el Japón feudal, de señores y samurais, no se brinda una fecha específica, más podemos suponer que sucede entre 1700 - 1800 dada la posición de Itto (Kogi Kaishakunin) o la evolución en la presencia de elementos característicos del intercambio cultural europeo (las armas de fuego), aunque otros prominentes aspectos como el clan Yagyu tuvieron su relevancia durante 1500 - 1600, por ende, recalcando lo evidente, es ficción que utiliza elementos históricos para dotar de “realismo” a su ... narrativa.

Estructurado en formato serial, con un hilo principal narrativo presente cada cierto tiempo en capítulos dedicados a lo más esencial del viaje de venganza de padre e hijo hasta que acaparan la recta final. Mientras que las historias seriales tienen el propósito de afianzar la construcción de su contexto histórico en lo social o espiritual, además de contener elementos narrativos que serán de importancia para la venganza.

Durante los capítulos episódicos se exploran las diferentes facetas de Edo, haciendo notable la extensa investigación conseguida por su autor, Kazuo Koike, para la representación de una época de completo interés si alguna vez te ha sido atractivo el “Japón clásico”. En esas historias secundarias hay magos, comerciantes, prostitutas, los antecedentes de la yakuza, agricultores, criadores de aves, monjes, pescadores, ninjas, o por supuesto, samurais y ronins. Por medio de todo tipo de situaciones conoceremos algún desconocido sector de la antigua sociedad, cada una teniendo en común la misma temática en cuánto a su estructura, la venganza.

No sólo el dúo protagónico está en su viaje de venganza, en la mayoría de situaciones las personas con quienes se topan tienen su propia venganza. De ahí que sea una travesía hostil y violenta, la brújula moral no está demarcada sobre la construcción occidental de valores como el perdón o amor, prima el honor y el deber provenientes (mayormente) del confusionismo japonés, denominado “Bushido”.

De hecho, varios capítulos están dedicados a ser una reflexión filosófica y espiritual acerca del camino del guerrero y la ruta de venganza de padre e hijo. No soy lo suficientemente conocedor en religión oriental para afirmar que lo he entendido por completo o cercano, más tampoco me parece correspondiente calificarlas de inentendibles o pretenciosas. Su presencia en la historia es fundamental, aún si no entiendes completamente lo implicado, si captas la solemnidad de lo descrito.

Para los personajes secundarios que participan durante cada trama episódica se utiliza lo necesario en lo justo para entender las capas que les conforman, el realismo también es conseguido por caracterizarlos como tal, de personajes y no únicamente excusas para el enfrentamiento episódico. Siempre se entiende por qué sucede la venganza y en que afecta a sus involucrados, ni tampoco hay una visión pesimista o detrimento de quiénes vivieron en la época, las historias se permiten, de vez en cuándo, atisbos del amor, cariño, piedad y lealtad, el lado amable de la humanidad. En conjunto, cada capítulo es tratado con tacto y dedicación, convirtiendo lo sucedido en creíble.

Y es importante ese realismo en lo humano para contrarrestar el desarrollo de lo espectacular, específicamente, Itto es tan buen guerrero que podría afectar el interés en las peleas debido a la falta de peligro y riesgo. Una de las formas para evitar el desgaste del lector frente a las frecuentes peleas, es la amplia versatilidad en cuánto al enfrentamiento y cómo sucede. Katanas de todos los tamaños, variedad de lanzas, o las armas especiales de Ninjas y autoridades; en la versión que leí se incluyen extensos comentarios sobre las armas utilizadas, la forma en que eran usadas y quienes las empuñaban.

Durante la travesía hay un ambiente generalizado de decaimiento, pérdida de los valores tradicionales y temor al futuro, si bien su principal propósito (posiblemente) sea caracterizar todavía más la rectitud y costumbrismo de Itto, al haber tanto realismo involucrado en la construcción de su mundo puede que una de las consecuencias inesperadas es la proliferación del típico pensamiento “todo tiempo pasado era mejor”. Sea o no intención del autor, me gusta que, sin importar la época, las personas siguen siendo personas.

Los mejores ejemplos son el trío protagónico, Itto con su actitud seria e ideales inquebrantables está en línea con el propósito de la historia, llamado por varios personajes “el último samurai”, alguien quien respeta las lecciones del Bushido a cada momento y acción hasta donde se lo permite su propio camino de venganza. Tener un carácter inquebrantable e inspirador también es una forma de complejidad y realismo, justificando su constante fuerza a lo largo del manga.

Diagoro es meramente un niño, su evolución es de madurez a temprana edad, imitando y luego asumiendo los ideales que observa en su padre, llegando a participar en varios de los esquemas de asesinato. La representación de la inocencia perdida de quienes son obligados a vivir en un entorno hostil, a la par de como aún puede haber rectitud e integridad entre los que crecen en medio de la violencia.

Sin embargo, mi personaje favorito es el villano, Retsudo Yagyu, la cabeza de la familia “Yagyu”, el único culpable detrás de una tragedia que se convierte en ríos de sangre. No, nunca hay una justificación de su actuar que podría considerarse de correcta o rectificadora para estándares modernos, plenamente es egoísmo y hambre de poder, pero me resulta imposible de odiar o detestar, tal como Itto, podríamos considerarlo, irónicamente, una de las personas más “correctas” sea por sus ideales, el inquebrantable carácter, la inacabable persistencia, el respeto y odio que podrías llegar a tener por tu peor adversario.

Para corresponder a los elementos tan sólidos de su narración, es necesaria la visión gráfica para representarlo, dibujado por Goseki Kojima, no es exageración calificarlo como uno de los mangas mejor dibujados, todavía más si pensamos en la época en que fue publicado. Bien suele mencionarse que los caballos representan uno de los mayores retos para un artista, en Kozure Ookami abundan los caballos. Desde páginas completas donde se nota la energía y fuerza de sus movimientos, en doble página en las que suelen estar varios o presentes en medio de las emocionantes batallas.

Las mismas batallas tienen una enorme complejidad en su trazo, los personajes y sus movimientos, la fiereza de los cortes y fuerza de los golpes, en una cuidada maquetación, dedicada a sentar la tensión del enfrentamiento. Varios de mis paneles favoritos son los que narran a diferentes niveles lo que está sucediendo y lo que podría suceder, utilizando las miradas y sombras.

Y cuándo no está en la acción hay dedicación a la representación mundana de la sociedad en sus pequeñas acciones, sea comer un pequeño postre en la calle o cruzar un río, en las mismas también se presentan diferentes escenarios japoneses que recuerdan a los clásicos de Ukiyo-e. Es un trabajo visual donde cada parte es admirable, y en conjunto, es impresionante.

Mencionando un poco su trascendencia porque la considero relevante dada su importancia histórica, ejerció un impacto en el género (para varios es la máxima obra de samurais), extendiéndose todavía más gracias a las adaptaciones Live Action. También es bastante reconocido en occidente porque populariza (y considerada como origen) del tropo “hombre rudo en viaje con un niño” presente en diferentes medios y formas sean en el cómic (Road to Perdition), videojuego (The Last of Us) o el cine (Logan).

Entendería porque alguien al terminarlo no quedaría igual de impresionado o impactado como fue en mi caso, porque no hay una marcada empatía o vinculación con los personajes dado lo sólido de su carácter y áspero del camino, sin embargo, quienes lo piensen en su totalidad y en el valor de sus partes, reconocerán a una obra admirable. Al violento viaje de padre e hijo para cobrar venganza de la vida que les fue robada.

English (Translated with DeepL.com (free version))

The story takes place during feudal Japan, of lords and samurai, no specific date is given, but we can assume that it happens between 1700 - 1800 given the position of Itto (Kogi Kaishakunin) or the evolution in the presence of elements characteristic of European cultural exchange (firearms), although other prominent aspects such as the Yagyu clan had its relevance during 1500 - 1600, therefore, emphasizing the obvious, it is fiction that uses historical elements to provide "realism" to its narrative.

Structured in serial format, with a main narrative thread present from time to time in chapters dedicated to the essentials of the father and son's journey of revenge until the final stretch. While the serial stories have the purpose of strengthening the construction of its historical context in the social or spiritual, in addition to containing narrative elements that will be important for revenge.

During the episodic chapters the different facets of Edo are explored, making remarkable the extensive research achieved by its author, Kazuo Koike, for the representation of an era of complete interest if you have ever been attracted to "classical Japan". In these side stories there are magicians, merchants, prostitutes, the background of the yakuza, farmers, poultry breeders, monks, fishermen, ninjas, or, of course, samurais and ronins. Through all kinds of situations we will get to know some unknown sector of the ancient society, each having in common the same theme in terms of its structure, revenge.

Not only the protagonic duo is on their journey of revenge, in most situations the people they encounter have their own revenge. Hence it is a hostile and violent journey, the moral compass is not demarcated on the western construction of values such as forgiveness or love, honor and duty (mostly) coming from the Japanese confusionism, called "Bushido".

In fact, several chapters are devoted to a philosophical and spiritual reflection on the warrior's path and the father and son's path of revenge. I am not knowledgeable enough in Eastern religion to say that I understood it completely or even close to it, but I don't think it's appropriate to call them unintelligible or pretentious either. Their presence in the story is fundamental, even if you don't fully understand what is implied, you grasp the solemnity of what is described.

For the secondary characters that participate during each episodic plot is used just enough to understand the layers that make them up, realism is also achieved by characterizing them as characters and not just excuses for the episodic confrontation. It is always understood why revenge happens and how it affects those involved, nor is there a pessimistic view or detriment to those who lived in the era, the stories have, from time to time, glimpses of love, affection, pity and loyalty, the kind side of humanity. Overall, each chapter is treated with tact and dedication, making what happened believable.

And it is important that realism in the human part to counteract the development of the spectacular, specifically, Itto is such a good warrior that it could affect the interest in the fights due to the lack of danger and risk. One of the ways to avoid reader burnout because or the frequent fights is the wide versatility in how the fighting happens and how it happens. Katanas of all sizes, a variety of spears, or the special weapons of Ninjas and authorities; the version I read includes extensive commentary on the weapons used, how they were used and who wielded them.

During the journey there is a generalized atmosphere of decay, loss of traditional values and fear of the future, although its main purpose (possibly) is to further characterize Itto's rectitude and custom, since there is so much realism involved in the construction of his world, perhaps one of the unexpected consequences is the proliferation of the typical thought "all times past were better". Whether or not the author intended it or not, I like that, regardless of the era, people are still people.

The best examples are the protagonist trio, Itto with his serious attitude and unwavering ideals is in line with the purpose of the story, called by several characters "the last samurai", someone who respects the lessons of Bushido at every moment and action as far as his own path of revenge allows. Having an unwavering and inspiring character is also a form of complexity and realism, justifying his constant strength throughout the manga.

Diagoro is merely a child, his evolution is one of maturity at an early age, imitating and then taking on the ideals he observes in his father, eventually participating in several of the assassination schemes. The representation of the lost innocence of those forced to live in a hostile environment, as well as how there can still be righteousness and integrity among those who grow up in the midst of violence.

However, my favorite character is the villain, Retsudo Yagyu, the head of the "Yagyu" family, the sole culprit behind a tragedy that turns into rivers of blood. No, there is never a justification for his actions that could be considered correct or rectifying by modern standards, fully selfishness and hunger for power, but I find it impossible to hate or detest him, just like Itto, we could consider him, ironically, one of the most "correct" people either for his ideals, the unbreakable character, the unending persistence, the respect and hatred you could have for your worst adversary.

To correspond to the solid elements of its narrative, it is necessary the graphic vision to represent it, drawn by Goseki Kojima, it is not an exaggeration to qualify it as one of the best drawn manga, even more if we think of the time in which it was published. It is often mentioned that horses represent one of the greatest challenges for an artist, and in Kozure Ookami there are plenty of horses. From full pages where the energy and strength of their movements can be seen, to double page spreads where several of them are present in the middle of the exciting battles.

The battles themselves have an enormous complexity in their stroke, the characters and their movements, the fierceness of the cuts and force of the blows, in a careful layout, dedicated to setting the tension of the confrontation. Several of my favorite panels are the ones that narrate at different levels what is happening and what could happen, using looks and shadows.

And when not in the action there is dedication to the mundane representation of society in its small actions, be it eating a small dessert in the street or crossing a river, in the same are also presented different Japanese scenarios reminiscent of the classics of Ukiyo-e. It is a visual work where each part is admirable, and as a whole, it is impressive.

Mentioning a bit its transcendence because I consider it relevant given its historical importance, it exerted an impact on the genre (for many it is the ultimate samurai work), spreading even more thanks to the Live Action adaptations. It is also quite recognized in the West because it popularizes (and considered as origin) of the trope "tough man on a journey with a boy" present in different media and forms be it in comics (Road to Perdition), video game (The Last of Us) or cinema (Logan).

I would understand why someone after finishing it would not be equally impressed or shocked as it was in my case, because there is no marked empathy or bonding with the characters given the solidity of his character and rough road, however, those who think about it in its entirety and the value of its parts, will recognize an admirable work. To the violent journey of father and son to take revenge for the life that was stolen from them.

TL:DR
Initially episodic and a little repetitive at the start but then gets really, really good half way through.

Story: 7/10
The manga is inseparable from the era it was written in: a spate of terrorist attacks, rampant political corruption and student protests. This manga makes a point to emphasise that Itto is one of the last ‘true samurai' (multiple people are moved to tear by this), how the rest of society has forgotten bushido, the lords are corrupt or have forgotten their duty, etcetera and I don't think it's a big leap to suggest the manga is the author's reaction to the world around them.

The first 70% ... of the manga are episodic, unconnected stories with little relevance to the overarching plot except a few that builds on Itto's backstory or the machinations of his nemesis. However, they do build up the characters and some of Itto and Daigorou's backstory. They also cover the pair's philosophy and show us how our protagonists react to the world. They are not bad, individually interesting but they're fairly repetitive and feel a little aimless.

This is not aided by the fact that the majority of fight in the early manga are entirely uninteresting. They are extremely short (not usually more than a page or two), not very visually interesting and there is hardly ever a single moment where the reader believes that Itto could lose a fight. And if he does lose? Well, it was actually on purpose you see. Yeah, the fights are not that interesting to begin with.

Then we get to the latter 30% of the manga, and it goes from decent to absolutely amazing. When the author gets serious with the overarching plot, I couldn't put the manga down it was so intense. I was flying through the volumes, I simply had to see what was next. I wish we got here sooner but reading this manga was worth it for this.

Character: 7/10
Itto is less a real personality and instead the idealised personification of bushido. He is not exactly complex, he simply does whatever the most ‘samurai’ thing it is possible to do in the situation. As a modern westerner, it is interesting to see how one was supposed to live the complicated Bushido way of life.

Daigorou is the least realistic depiction of a child I can think of. Actual child soldiers are more child-like than this. I think it fits the themes of the manga but the way he behaves is almost distractingly unbelievable.

Retsudo is quite similar to Itto but I actually found him more interesting though I won't spoil it.

The one-off characters in the episodic episodes are more hit or miss. Sometimes they'll be interesting but they re-use the same archetypes a lot.

Art
Absolutely phenomenal for the most part, the character design, the facial expressions, nearly everything.

Overall: 8/10
Good but sort of dissapointing considering it's reputation. If it had gotten to the real meat of the story sooner instead of all the episodic fluff then I think this could easily be a 9. However, I do recommend this manga for the real story in the latter half of the manga, it's spectacular. I'm not saying that the episodic stuff is bad, I enjoyed my time with the first half of the manga but the final arc is just so good that it makes the rest look kind of dull.