Lone Wolf and Cub 2: The Gateless Barrier [Paperback]

Kazuo Koike (Author), Goseki Kojima (Author), Dana Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lone Wolf and Cub (Dark Horse) | Publication Date: October 11, 2000

Few works can legitimately lay claim to the mantle "landmark". Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub. Acknowledged worldwide for the brilliant writing of series creator Kazuo Koike and the groundbreaking cinematic visuals of the late Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub contains unforgettable imagery of stark beauty, kinetic fury, and visceral thematic power that influenced a generation of visual storytellers both in Japan and in the West.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse; 1 edition (October 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569715033
• ISBN-13: 978-1569715031
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Dark Horse

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha.", January 25, 2003

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Lone Wolf and Cub 2: The Gateless Barrier (Paperback)

I have been reluctant to undertake the reviewing of this series for two reasons. For one thing, there are some 24 volumes, which mean a considerable commitment in reading and writing. Second, one of my favorite reviewers is also reading through the series, and it is no small effort to find ways to bring further insights to the reader.

Because I am also reading the Blade of the Immortal series, there is a natural tendency to compare these to manga, which are both similar, and quite different. Kazuo Koike is perhaps the more inventive writer. Since thus far the Lone Wolf series lacks the grand theme of revenge that knits Hiroaki Samura's work together, the Lone Wolf plots are limited to the individual stories. This is not a flaw at all, just an explanation of one of the key differences. Koike is a master of minimalist story telling, ironic devices, and plots that take surprising turns when least expected.

Both series have more than their fair share of violence, although Blade of the Immortal stands out for its depictions of fighting and dismemberment. Lone Wolf's violence is sudden and swift - less choreographed. Goseki Kojima, the artist also has a strong sense of the sweep and motion of a scene, while Samura's clean, balanced graphics produce a lighter, less congested style. Of course, the fact that Lone Wolf's page size is half that of Blade of the Immortal makes direct comparison more difficult.

There are several changes between the stories of volume one of this series and this second volume. For one thing, the tales are twice as long, allowing for better building of tension and plot, as well as more depictions of life in the world of Edo-period Japan. In addition, Daigoro, Lone Wolf's son (the cub of the series title) gets much better parts than he does in the first volume. He is no longer just a plot device, but a living character. Finally, there is an inner sense of the 'romance' and tragedy of a ronin seeking a life of honor.

That last two stories, 'The Gateless Barrier,' and 'Winter Flower' are perfect examples of the breadth of Koike's talent. Both are stories of murders that must be done, but one is a cautionary Buddhist tale, and the other is a finely honed recreation of the classic forms of Japanese tragic drama. Completely different from each other they are two strong arguments for pursuing this series.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meet the Budda, Kill the Budda., January 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Lone Wolf and Cub 2: The Gateless Barrier (Paperback)

The Gateless Barrier, the second installment of the Koike & Kojima classic epic Lone Wolf and Cub, picks up with our hero, Itto Ogami (the baby cart assassin)continuing his journey on the assassin's path. His travels bring him to a confrontation with a "living budda" whom he must assassinate, but first he must pass through the gateless barrier. Koike & Kojima's brilliant and definitive ronin epic continues to deliver with complex and dramatic story arcs combined with the beautiful and often breathtaking artwork that have become synonomous with this tale of feudal Japan. Lone Wolf and Cub is a must read for anyone interested in the Samurai period of ancient Japan as well as comic and manga enthusiests.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book in a great series., October 10, 2001

By 

Jeffrey R. Tilley Jr. "goatman_1" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lone Wolf and Cub 2: The Gateless Barrier (Paperback)

It seems strange to me that it took me so long to discover this series. I live in Japan, I'm a huge Kurosawa fan, I study the martial arts and Japanese history... but I've never been a huge Manga fan. With a few noteable exceptions, like "Akira" and the ultra-violent "Fist of the North Star" manga strikes me as messy swank material for pubescent boys complete with underdressed girls and sadomasochistic references.

Lone Wolf and Cub is so different from the reams male-oriented Manga that at times it's hard to believe it was written in our era. The stories capture the myths and values of ancient Japan so completely, including the beautiful ink-brush art that, without the big word ballons, the work could have very well been written 300 years ago. The stories sometimes read with haiku like simplicity and sometimes with epic detail, but it was the title story in this book that made me an addict.

If you have any interest in this series, do yourself a favor: pick up the first two books. If you're not hooked by then, you probably never will be.