Way of the Sword

Ah manga. The gift that keeps on giving. The inspiration that has now started inspiring. The original sin and also the original sinner.

Too much?

Perhaps, but the mark of the mangaka is unmistakable and undeniable in our lives. Japan's mainstream comic book industry which started as the smallest of the small. Was an attempt to give the identity starved Japanese people heroes of their own, like the Americans had theirs. It was a humble attempt and was long ridiculed by the more powerful film companies of Japan. Who at the time ruled the entertainment industry. Serious directors/writers/artists kept their heads down and stayed away from manga/anime lest they incur the producer's wrath.

Today it's impact cant be felt worldwide. Even in India we see kids gush over Naruto and collect a myriad of toys and collectibles while making 'pika pika...pikachu' noises. It has in due course overtaken and overthrown the giant shadow of the American Comic book industry and today casts it's own lofty gloom upon the world. Being no stranger to manga (and by it's extension anime) I believe the stars to have sufficiently aligned and the time to be sort of right for new readers of comic books, namely you to follow me into the great mysteries of the Orient.

Manga is not for everybody, but for anybody who loves comic books it is a must have. You havent seen art until you have seen manga art. Storylines tend to suffer slightly due to the episodic nature of the comic books but the art is always top notch and as a genral rule of thumb only gets better the longer a series lasts. My first introduction to manga came through Chanbara. By this time I was already an avid fan of period Samurai movies namely Chanbara cinema. And was hungering for more awesome stories from mideval Japan that dealt with flashing swords and crossed honor. It was at this time I discovered a veritable treasure trove in manga. Comics that dealt with badass ronins, tormented former killers, or heroes in hiding. The Way of the Sword as I call it now, is a set of the most influential and exciting Chanbara manga/anime I have seen. I recommend these fine pieces of artwork to anyone who likes the feel of a well spun story and loves art.

Now follow close as I take you down the Way of the Sword.

Rurouni Kenshin

How does one describe this series without spoiling it. The title of the series itself is a spoiler. Essentially it means Ronin Kenshin, which straight off tells us that this is probably about a ronin named Kenshin. And in deed it is. Kenshin Himura seems the most unassuming of heroes at first glance. Short in stature, young of appearance, and generally goofy in attitude Himura is a happy go lucky ronin who wanders from town to town lookng for food and shelter, he finds both in Tokoyo when he comes across a damsel in...well not so much distress as a fight against superior odds. It is then that we see Himura's ture self unleashed. His skill with the sword is obvious when he manages to rescue the lady without even drawing his blade.

As the story progresses more puzzling facts about Himura are revealed, that he was once a feared assassin and manslayer, the Hitokiri Battosai. A feared and legendary name during the Meiji restoration. Also, it is revelaled that although he was indeed the legendary Battosai he is most assuredly not so anymore, for the very blade at his side is a reverse edged sword. A blade unable to cut, and thus unable to kill. It is with this sword that Kenshin protects those close to him and upholds his values whenever challenged. And protects them with great profeciency. His ferocity with the blade is near unmatched, as is his speed. His is the godlike divine speed of a Master swordsman, and with it he is near invincible.

Although a seemingly linear story, Rurouni Kenshin is a tale with many a meandeirng twist and turn. The key aspect to realize is that even from the first episode on it is clear that there is quite a backstory available to all the characters. A fact the author takes advantage of many a times. Old friends turnd into enemies, while old adverseries make uneasy alliances. The balance of power between the Good and the Evil is not as clearly defined as you would expect. Even the protagonists and the antagonists are not all black and white. Your are provided with their motivations, their goals and their desires and are left to judge for yourself if they are good or evil.

The story takes you along an epic journey. Kenshin's limits and oaths are severely tested as the manslayer within him is drawn ever closer to the surface by his enemies. A sweeping story of redemption, revenge and romance that takes you across Japan and beyond. The boy inside you will love the sword fighting, the girl inside you will love the story angles. And the art will keep you hooked long after you have completed the series.

Next step?

Once you are done with the manga do not let go of the series so easily. Watch the related anime series (Samurai X) and most important of all...watch Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen). This is an Original Video Animation done by the director to tie up a few loose ends and give us the humble origins of Kenshin Himura. This is a must watch even if you have not read more than a single chapter of the series. The animation will take your breath away, if you have never seen Japanese animation it will be an eye opening experience for you.

Blade of the Immortal

Take Kenshin, remove the dubious morality, the oath to not kill, the guilt trips and the pangs of concience, add in a badass attitude, demonic and brutal swordfighting skills and you have perhaps an inkling of what is in store for you.

Oh, and lets not forget a dash of immortality to spice things up a notch eh?

Manji is the antithesis of Kenshin Himura, an unrepentant killer we see him get into the scheme of things from the first page. This man does not shy away from blood. Indeed you will see him carve up entire hordes of enemies as he switches from weapon to weapon (he damn near carries a half an armory strapped to his back). You will see him slice and dice his way through one sticky situation after the other. All the while badmouthing anyone silly enough to offer aid. Real men need no aid.

Manji is as real a man as they come.

But then as the chapters flow by and the storyline starts to get familiar new questions will be asked, new powers revealed, new secrets unearthed and the true beauty of Blade of the Immortal comes to the surface. This is a stunningly dark and poetic story. It will draw you in emotionally if not by the sheer brilliance of it's artwork. There are so many heores in this story that it would be impossible to list them all. Once more like any serious manga the good and the evil are not all cut and dried. Sides are changed, aleigiances shifted, pasts are revealed and I assure you that in the matter of a few pages...curses can very well turn to pity. In the begining at the simplest of levels Blade of the Immortal is the story of a tired Immortal who just wants to die. We can see when he lost his chief reason to go on living, we can see the gift/curse as it came to him and we know what he must to do to be free of it.

But it always seems like an unrealistic goal, perhaps even fradulent. Manji was the hundred man slayer when he was granted the gift of immortality. He was told to kill a hundred evil men to atone for his sins. And he has been killing ever since.

The author himself has questioned the logic behind Manji's actions in the latest chapters. After all can more murder truly ever atone for murder? Deep questions such as these are asked throughout the series. And although humor is present it used sparingly and with good effect.

We follow Manji as he slowly yet steadily gains a new purpose to life and eventually is able to find the spark within himself again. His interactions with those around him, the impact he has on those who chose to travel with him, and even those he interacts with for a short time. All add to the spice of the storyline. The art work as I have already mentioned is far above average. There is brilliance strewn across every stroke of the brush on these paged, and if you are an avid fan of lines and sketching this series will get you hooked by its artwork alone.

The first time I found Blade of the Immortal I couldnt get up until I had run through all of the series I could get my paws on. This one is addictive.

Next step?

Check out the Blade of the Immortal anime once you are done with the manga. Although not the greatest of animations out there it is still a lot of fun. Also for kicks why not try Afro Samurai, a five episode anime series very short, a little trippy, wee bit rambling but great fun. Highly recommended.

Vagabond

“The way of the Sword is narrow in places, and hidden from view. But a true master will find it. For the way of the Sword is the way of all things.”

If you even vaguely liked the nonsense quote then like me you probably have a thing for psuedo philosophy. And nothing says psuedo philosophy quitle like Sword Sages, Wise Hermits and the delightful tale of Miyamoto Musashi.

Welcome to the world of Vagabond, right now one of my favorite manga of all time.

Musashi Miyamoto, also known as the Sword Saint and the greatest military thinker to have lived in his age was a champion duellist and martial artist in the late Sengoku period of Japan (16th Century). He was the author of the Book of Five Rings, a comprehensive military text that was the fruit of his own labors and experiences gained though a long life of constant battle.There are many names that describe Musashi and his achievments and many legends too that encompass his greatness. One such compilation is the novel “Musashi” by Eiji Yoshikawa that came out in 1935.

Vagabond is a loose adaptation of the novel, describing the adventures of Musashi Miyamoto in full graphic detail from his time as the wild brat Shinmen Takezo to his days of savagery as a fugitive in the forests to his eventual capture and baptization by the enlightened monk Takuan.

Legend has it that Takuan captured Takezo and imprisoned him in a castle and surrounded him with books, he told him that he would be free the day he had mastered all the books there. It took Takezo an year and when he emerged he was no longer Shinmen Takezo. He donned his Samurai name, Miyamoto Musashi.

The manga chronicles the adventures of Musashi with a beauty and grace that is sorely lacking in a lot of the popular manga today. The effort undertaken by the mangaka to present the story is clear and apparent in each chapter. It is a land of fables where this story takes you. A world not so far ago where the lines between what is real and unreal was a little blurred. Each chapter is but a piece in the larger puzzle of Musashi's life. We see Musashi grow as he comes into contact with other Legendary warriors of the era. We see the clear difference between the illusion of being the strongest under the heavens and the truth of being the strongest under the heavens. The line strongest under the heavens itself takes on a new meaning as the story progresses. As we see reflections of Musashi's strength. Shades of his power and purpose splay out in every aspect of life. For strength is not only the force exterted by our limbs, true strength can be found in the spirit and in your actions. And weakness is more a malaise of the heart than one of the body. It is a journey that borders on the philosophical aspects of swordplay. A particularly stunning scene was when Musashi striving harder and ever harder more for that perfect swing of the sword, a slice so sharp that would cut through the very air, actually defeats an opponent without even drawing his blade. Then the words of one of his brief mentors echo in his mind.

“You do not need a sword to cut.”

An adventure that will leave you asking for more. That is what Vagabond is, with top notch artwork and a top notch storyline Vagabond only provides a taste of what manga can eventually evolve into. An artform unique unto itself.

Next Step:

Vagabond has yet to have any anime adaptations so this time why dont we watch something a little different. Samurai Champloo is the brainchild of Shinichiro Watanabe, the director behind such gems as Cowboy Bebop and Detective Story and Kid's Story from the Animatrix shorts. Watanabe is known for mixing music into visual styles and he used Jazz and the Blues extensively for Cowboy Bebop with Samurai Champloo (Champloo means mish mash, so essentially the name translates to Samurai Remixed.) he uses Hip hop. And he uses it to brilliant effect. On the surface this is a really entertaining series, but under it it has layers of depp storylines, intersecting destines the whole shebang. And of course it has two badass ronin Samurai as the chief protagonists. Along with a girl they are indebted to, who guides them along on her quest. The quest for the Samurai who smells of sunflowers. If I'm being cryptic, trust me there is a good reason for it. Watch the series, you will not be disappointed. The music itself redeems it of it's worth.

Now initiate, go forth into the world and use the knowledge I have shown you. Watch more Samurai movies and one day you too will be a Master of the Way of the Sword. And then we will talk of Lone Wolf and Cub.

Until that day, may the schwartz be with you.