Vagabond, Vol. 4 [Paperback]

Takehiko Inoue (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003 | Series: Vagabond (Book 4)

In the aftermath of the chaos that the sword saint Musashi caused at the Yoshioka School, Gion Toji takes it upon himself to save the school’s honor by challenging Musashi. He and an untrained, young disciple set out for Nara together, hoping to team up with an array of martial arts experts. Enroute they encounter a legion of challenges, including the notorious Yagyu Clan and the Hozoin Temple monks’ ferocious spear technique. Author and illustrator Takehiko Inoue is the Winner of the Media Arts Award from the Japanese Ministry of Culture.

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. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 1 edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569318549
• ISBN-13: 978-1569318546
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,201,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A manga reader, March 20, 2003

By 

George Schweiger (Ashland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vagabond, Vol. 4 (Paperback)

Vagabond is one of the few stories I have read that make me sweat with anticipation before flipping to the next page. The action becomes so intense you will feel bad you're flipping through the pages and missing the superb artwork in you're haste to discover the outcome of the last few pages. Overall the action is some of the best I have seen in the manga format.

A powerful story of one man's quest to become "invincible under the sun", Miyamoto Musashi drifts through the world questioning his one principle: his strength. A raging beast in battle, Musashi, only knows what it is to fight but gradually learns of the world beyond strength, blood and death throughout the course of his duels. Some fights take up entire volumes but they are well worth it.

The one negative aspect of Vagabond would have to be that not all the volumes are translated yet, and the reader might have to wait for the next volume to come out. Maybe the age-old story of "the quest" might seem cliché to some readers but if you can stomach it, Vagabond does its take on Musashi's journey in swordsmanship incredibly well.

I am not a Samurai buff, or even a big action fan but Vagabond's has me sold. I have read most (no lie) of the English translated manga you can find in America and easily place Vagabond right up there with Nausicaa, Maison Ikkou, GTO, Akira and Ghost in the Shell. I believe that all types of comic readers can appreciate Vagabond although shojo manga (girls comics) readers might be a little put off by all the blood and death.

A must have.