Vagabond, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Takehiko Inoue (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2007

Shinmen Takezo is destined to become the legendary sword-saint, Miyamoto Musashi--perhaps the most renowned samurai of all time. For now, Takezo is a cold-hearted killer, who will take on anyone in mortal combat to make a name for himself. This is the journey of a wild young brute who strives to reach enlightenment by way of the sword--fighting on the edge of death.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Takehiko Inoue was born in Kagoshima prefecture in 1967. His first major success -- the hugely popular 31-volume long basketball manga SLAM DUNK -- sold over 100 million copies worldwide and catapulted him into the top ranks of Japanese manga artists. Besides manga, Inoue also worked on character design for the Playstation basketball game ONE ON ONE.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 1 edition (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421519119
• ISBN-13: 978-1421519111
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This manga has transcended the level of manga !!, May 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Vagabond, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Super-excellent!!
I, as a Japanese, have been engaged myself in reading manga for more than 20 years.
I know a lot of manga I can truly recommend, but this is the very masterpiece!
Although this manga has many violent scenes, they are expresssing the "lives" we live.
I also recommend this manga to those who are insterested in Zen Buddhism and enlightment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Musashi in art!, August 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Vagabond, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This is a very good historically based Manga. anyone interested in Japanese culture , swordsmanship , or likes a serious comic should pick this one up. The artwork is great and gives a fleeting and suspenseful sense of whats going on.I warn that this has some very violent and adult situations but the overall story is excellent.If you liked the book "Musashi" or "the Book of Five Rings" this is a definate pick!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty Compelling Storytelling, September 23, 2006

By 

John McCarthy "storywind" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vagabond, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Vagabond is about the journey of Takezo, a young man, future master swordsman, who is in search of purpose and meaning to his life. In the first book he thinks its to become the best swordsman by challenging and defeating the best in the world. This is bravado for an untrained youth, even just fresh from his first battle on the losing side.

If you like Manga that does not romanticizes war or swordsman, Vagabond should peak your interest. The storytelling is excellent in the drawings, more so than the text. I would rank such adept skill in the same arena as Lone Wolf and Cub. LWC is the standard for balancing poetic story telling and showing the hardcore grit of life as a swordsman. Vagabond starts with a youth, a teen, not a man with a child. So Takezo maturity is not yet there. What drives him to succeed and overcome his past makes this series promising. The characters show a range of emotions in this manga, and the situations they deal with does an excellent job of targeting a mature audience. Takezo struggle for "his" truth becomes ours to learn from his journey about becoming complete.

Read each book like a wine, one delicious sip at a time, enjoy the flavors.