The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vol. 1

アルスラーン戦記 [Arslan Senki] #1

by Hiromu Arakawa, Yoshiki Tanaka (original creator)

In the prosperous kingdom of Pars lies the Royal Capital of Ecbatana, a city of splendor and wonder, ruled by the undefeated and fearsome King Andragoras. Arslan is the young and curious prince of Pars who, despite his best efforts doesn’t seem to have what it takes to be a proper king like his father. At the age of 14, Arslan goes to his first battle and loses everything as the blood-soaked mist of war gives way to scorching flames, bringing him to face the demise of his once glorious kingdom. However, it is Arslan’s destiny to be a ruler, and despite the trials that face him, he must now embark on a journey to reclaim his fallen kingdom.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 9, 2014

About the author

Hiromu Arakawa (author: 荒川弘) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師 Hagane no renkinjutsushi).
Her real name is Hiromi Arakawa (荒川弘美).

Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm in Hokkaidō.
She thought of being a manga artist since she was little. After graduating high school, she took oil painting classes while working on her family's farm. During that time, she also created dōjinshi manga with her friends and drew yonkoma for a magazine. After eight years she moved to Tōkyō and started out as assistant writer for Hiroyuki Etō.
Her debut as manga artist is in 1999 with STRAY DOG. In 2001 she started working on her famous and award winning series Fullmetal Alchemist, that soon gets a successful anime adaptation.
Other works include Silver Spoon (銀の匙 Silver Spoon, Gin no saji Silver Spoon).

Reviews

[Nərmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even from the cover you can know Hiromu Arakawa did the art))) Her style is noticeable)

The story, the art, the characters all are interesting, gorgeous and full of potential. I've already seen the anime and know that it is quite epic with great world building ( similar to the Persian history) and developed characters. I can't recommend it enough.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good!

Its about this warring nation of Pars and their enemy Lusitania and they go to war and in Y1 they defeat them and we see the prince Arslan and what his future destiny awaits and his nature, 3 years later they are at war with Lusitania again on the borders of Maryam but back stabbing, betrayals and double crossing leads to Pars being defeated. Meanwhile Arslan and his protector Daryan escape and meet with Narsus. This was a good one and just sets up so many exciting things to come in the manga specially with the warring nations, a prince whose future is in flux and what he will do and his whole heroic journey.

I like Arakwa-sensei's artwork as I am used to it though the writing some times feel rushed and not much exposure is there but then again a good volume, really enjoyed it.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for the series. Possible spoilers.

Here's what I know about this story. It's based on a series of novels, which is based on a Persian legend. There's a current anime that uses the art of this manga series, but there's also an OVA from 1991, which has another art style entirely.



This old art style is entirely preferable to me. I had a hard time getting used to the art in the manga, which seemed simplistic in comparison. But I'm an old school type of person, so that's just my preference.

I also really like the artwork for the covers of the novels, which were done by Yoshitaka Amano. He does AMAZING work.



Anyway, this is an interesting story, albeit one with lots of cruelty and bigotry and general suckiness. I'm also not sure what to make of the lower-class dark-skinned people and the slaves that are too stupid to do anything except be slaves. Um, yeah...

However, the good guys are a likeable lot, from the optimistic Prince Arslan to the tactician-turned-painter Narsus. There's also the womanizing minstrel Gieve and the badass warrior priestess Farangis. Speaking of her, observe this image of her from the 1991 anime.



Ah, covered in armor, as is befitting a person who regularly rides a horse into armed groups of enemies and shoots arrows at them and generally kicks their asses.

Now observe this image from the 2015 anime, in which she looks exactly the same as in this manga.



Uh-huh. Well, I guess that's 2015 for you.

So this was less of a review of this manga and more my thoughts on all the iterations of this story. I actually don't know how it ends since I wasn't able to read the entire series, and it appears there's only three volumes anyway? The OVA series was also unfinished. I may have to seek out the new anime at some point, despite my dislike of the artwork.

[DianaRose · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good first volume, although nothing like the first volume of full metal alchemist. this was much gorier than i anticipated

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is shaping up to be the Ken Liu of manga. Great world building. An epic coming of age, Arslan is beginning to struggle with the reasons for war his father the king is perpetuating. Arslan is bright, observant, and while he wants to please his father, he is starting to see that war may not always be necessary. There is some intrigue surrounding questions of his origin and whether or not the king is actually his father.

[Galleane · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome qui pose parfaitement les bases de la série, en offrant au lecteur un début d'histoire avec plusieurs scènes d'action pêchues et en nous présentant des personnages qu'on a envie de suivre plus longtemps. Le style d'Hiromu Arakwa se reconnaît aisément, ceux l'appréciant retrouveront avec enchantement son trait. Une histoire qui commence bien, qui est intéressante, dont les illustrations m'ont beaucoup plu et que je poursuivrai avec plaisir.

Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2015/...

[Fatemeh]

I am ashamed of myself for being Persian and yet finding about our legends from a manga. I am such a failure.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume covers chapters 1 to 4.
This volume acts as a perfect introduction to the various characters.

The arrogant king, the insightful general, the aloof queen, the kind and sensitive prince.
In just the first chapter, we can understand the entire culture of Ecbatana, down to the thinking of the common man.

And the artwork is so beautiful. It is a visual treat to just stare at the characters and the scenery.

[Harold Ogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommendation: An excellent adventure manga that explores the timeless "What does it mean to be a good king?" theme using the classic Seven Samurai story structure, all within a Middle Eastern setting based loosely on Persian/Parthian mytho-history.

Critique: My son and I stumbled upon this series in 2018 when I was looking for something for us both to read at the Mountain View library. We were immediately hooked, and were disappointed to discover when we finished volume 9 that the series wasn't finished and that was all that had been produced so far. Well, the series still isn't finished, but several more volumes have been published, and it's excellent. There was a series of novels written by Yoshiki Tanaka starting in 1986, which were themselves inspired by the ancient Persian epic poem Amir Arsalan. The novels were so successful that both a manga and an anime were created for it...starting in 1991. This is not that manga. This is the SECOND manga inspired by the novels, which started in 2013 (and which was also adapted into an anime series and video game). Note that Tanaka did NOT write this manga; he wrote the novels that inspired this series, and he shouldn't be listed as a co-author with Arakawa (the back of volume 1 includes a promotional interview with both Arakawa and Tanaka, during which Tanaka expresses how interested he is in finding out what happens, because her story is so different than his).

Hiromu Arakawa, the artist who has created this manga, has an amazing ability to differentiate her characters, which she does so effortlessly that I might not have noticed it if I hadn't been reading a bunch of other manga recently. In comparison, she is a virtuoso at providing simple yet obvious distinctions between characters, which is a must because there are a LOT of characters in this series. There is never any visual confusion between them, though sometimes the names of important but not-appearing-for-long characters elude me in conversation (I'm looking at you, Vahriz).

The characters are definitely the focus in this manga. Pages can go by without any backgrounds, each frame depicting on the characters in conflict or conversation. Arakawa does amazing backgrounds when she does them, but she'll provide what are essentially like establishing shots in a film: wide illustrations of terrain or a neighborhood to set the stage. In addition, since a lot of the story involves military forces maneuvering and vying to control different locations, she will occasionally provide a miniature map to show where in the various countries the action is headed (because the country is HUGE, more than 1000 miles from West to East).

The story has to do with the nation of Parz, which is based on the ancient Median, Persian, and Parthian empires and covers areas of modern day Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It doesn't delve at all into this; there are no forewords or epilogs explaining this. But I was intrigued enough about the locations that I started doing my own research. Ecbatana was the capital of the Median empire from the 11th through 6th centuries BC, in the location of the current city of Hamadan, Iran, southwest of present-day Tehran. Andragoras was a satrap - a regional ruler - of Parthia in the 4th century under Alexander. Arsalan is a Turkish name and refers to the protagonist of the Persian epic, Amir Arsalan, in which the queen of New Rome (what Constantine renamed Byzantium before he changed the name to Constantinople) flees the sack of the city with her infant, Arsalan. They arrive in Egypt and a Cairo merchant takes them in, and the rest of the poem is about Arsalan coming of age and working to reclaim his throne. Oral epics are tough to date, but the reference to New Rome means that it couldn't have been earlier than the 4th century AD. Maryam is the Aramaic form of the woman's name Miriam, so the western country of Maryam may be a stand-in for the Roman province of Palestine. This makes sense, given the context that the nation of Lusitania have come to conquer Maryam. Lusitania was a Roman province where present-day Portugal is, and in the manga the Lusitanians are pale-skinned conquerors who are looking to claim lands in the name of their god, Yaldabaoth. This seems a pretty straightforward analogy for the Christian crusades conquering and occupying Jerusalem, but later in the series we find that Maryam's borders extended north and east all the way to the western shores of the Caspian Sea...which means that Maryam includes at least part of Azerbaijan and possibly much of Syria. So the historical inspirations are all over the place, with material spanning about 1,000 years of Iranian culture/history. Parz spreads from Ecbatana in the center to the eastern border city of Peshawar. Peshawar still exists today...in Pakistan, some 1000 miles to the east, on the other side of Afghanistan. In what has been published so far, we don't really have a sense of how far it extends to the west of Ecbatana, but suffice it to say that Parz is a big country, and it was interesting to me to read about the history and geography in that part of the world.

The theme of the manga is a simple one and a classic that countless epics from Gilgamesh onward have explored: what makes a good king? The series is about the prince, Arslan, learning through examples (both good and bad) how to be a good leader, and the story also explores what gives a person the right to lead others. In part because it's such a classic theme, the Heroic Legend of Arslan has a weight to it, a stirring sense of significance and importance to the story of this boy who may someday be king. The rest of the weight comes entirely from how well-executed this is.

It is VERY well-executed.

Review: A lot happens in this book and a lot of characters are introduced.

Parz is a nation ruled by the warrior-king Andragoras III and is feared and respected for its unequaled cavalry. As the story begins, Parz has come to the aid of its neighbor, Maryam, in fighting the invading Lusitanians. Meanwhile, far to the east, we meet 11-year-old Prince Arslan who is being taught swordplay by Vahriz, an aging warrior who is Eran (high commander) over Parzian forces in Ecbatana in the Shah's (King's) absence. Arslan is pale and gentle. We meet the queen, Tahamenay, who is even paler with blonde eyeslashes and light eyes; she is weirdly distant with her son. He reports that he is trying to become a good fighter so he can be a good king like his father, but when Tahamenay walks away, he wonders "What does it mean to be a good king?" The two falcons, Soroush and Azrael, arrive, portent of the returning army and their master, the mighty warrior Kishward (who has short hair and a huge beard). Shortly after, the fierce-looking dark complected Shah Andragoras arrives at the head of the army, and the procession enters the capital with plenty of spoils: loot and captured Lusitanians who will become gholams (slaves). In amongst the captives is Etoile, a young blond 11-year-old who is presented as Arslan's counterpoint. We also see some of the Marzbans (cavalry commanders) of the army: Kharlan (with a triangular nose) and Kubard (perpetually drinking, with a scar through one eye). Arslan welcomes the Shah, who ignores him completely. Arslan sees some boys threatening Etoile, who breaks out and takes Arslan as a hostage. We meet Marzban Daryun, Vahriz's nephew, who is tending his horse after the battle. Etoile is astonished and contemptuous at how rich and prosperous Parz is, and berates the "rich kid" Arslan for how corrupt Ecbatana is, but he slips and Arslan saves his captor so he doesn't fall to his death. Arslan asks the boy why he hates "unbelievers" like him so much, and Etoile responds that they have gholams, which the faith of Yaldabaoth hates, as all men should recognize that they are equal under God. Then they reach the parapet of the city wall, and Etoile throws them both off the edge and into the moat as Daryun arrives. Etoile steals a horse as Daryun sees that Arslan has emerged safely from the water. Then Arslan stops Daryun from shooting Etoile in the back, so the Lusitanian kid escapes.

Three years pass, it is the year 320 of the Parzian calendar, and Arslan is still learning swordcraft from Vahriz. In a surprise move, Lusitania storms Maryam and conquers it overnight. We meet the wizards and their ally, "Lord Silvermask," who are plotting to throw down Shah Andragoras in a battle at Atropatene. Arslan is 14, and he is deemed ready to fight his first battle. The army is vast and spread out as they ride for Atropatene. Azrael flies to Arslan, who notes that his feathers are wet. This report alarms Kharlan, who rides away to investigate. Azrael flies back east to Kishward, who has been given charge of Peshawar citadel, clear on the other side of the country. A thick, unnatural fog rolls in, blanketing the plains. Daryun offends the Shah by urging caution - he is suspicious that the Lusitanians would be so foolish - and Andragoras accuses him of cowardice and relieves him of command. Vahriz gets the disgraced Daryun to swear that he will protect Arslan and swear fealty to him, and also makes some observations that Arslan doesn't resemble the Shah at all.

Then Kharlan's scouts find the Lusitanian forces, Andragoras orders the charge ("YASHA-SUIN!") and the cavalry surges forward into the fog with Arslan at their head. But the Lusitanians, working with Lord Silvermask, have set a trap: pits filled with oil for the horses to fall into and then burn, surrounded by archery towers concealed in the fog. Arslan is attacked by foot soldiers with pikes, and his horse is killed. He fends off the attacks of a Lusitanian cavalryman and chops off the tip of his lance, which the Prince then uses to kill the other's mount. Locked in hand to hand combat, Arslan eventually is able to stab his assailant to death. The wind blows a gap in the fog and smoke, and Arslan sees that everyone of his escort have been killed and he's lost his helmet. He wanders around and is found by Kharlan...who is working with the Lusitanians!

Elsewhere, Andragoras realizes that Kharlan has betrayed him and sends scouts looking for him. Vahriz sends Daryun to find the prince, then talks Andragoras into withdrawing back to Ecbatana to protect the capital and the queen. The Parzians loyal to Kharlan take up the cry that "Andragoras has fled!" Marzban Kubard decides to desert in disgust. Meanwhile, Arslan manages to fend off Kharlan's lance with his sword long enough for Daryun to cleave a path through the Lusitanians to confront him. Kharlan claims that what he's done, he did for the kingdom, and it is no betrayal. Daryun might have found this convincing, but he has just sworn to protect Arslan, and so they fight while Kharlan tries to explain. In the end, Kharlan flees with several Lustianian cavalrymen and Daryun checks on Arslan rather than give chase.

The Shah's men are winding up a hill track on their way away from the carnage, when Lord Silvermask abmushes them with archers. Vahriz and Andragoras are both wounded. Lord Silvermask taunts Andragoras for his cowardly move abandoning his men, and then he contemptuously kills Vahriz when the Eran tries to defend the Shah. "Andragoras! I've waited sixteen years for this day to come!"

Alone on the battlefield, Daryun and Arslan look for news of the battle (mounted on Shabrang and another horse). They hear that the King has fled and several of the Marzbans have been killed. Feeling out of his depth with the prospect of protecting Arslan and not knowing how to proceed, Daryun decides to defer to the smartest person he knows: Narsus, a nobleman who was disgraced much like he was. Narsus lives not far away, further north into the mountains.

At a nearby stockage surrounded by a palisade wall, Lusitanian generals Monferrat and Baudouin discuss how they could win only by deceit, and Monferrat complains about the zealots who put Maryam's children to the torch. Messengers arrive with news about the Shah.

Daryun and Arslan have made their way into the hills, where they are challenged by the young archer, Elam. Once he recognizes Daryun, Elam takes them to Narsus' lodge and they meet the painter.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the anime, even though it only covers a small part of the story. Daryun is ofc my favorite, but all the characters are <3, as is the story and ofc the art, by the great Hiromu Arakawa (FMA).

[Anirudh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. I liked quite a few things in this. Curious to see how Arslan will be shaped from here on out

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am trying to figure out which manga I can add to my school library collection (plus I just like reading managa). In my exploration of my local public library's collection (which is excellent) I stumbled upon this one.

It's the beginning of a 16 book series about a boy who starts out tender, loving, and compassionate and must find a way to become the best king he can be. This is challenging as the kingdom seems to be constantly at war and the MC's skills with a sword start out as subpar.

Lots of things happen in this first volume. I enjoyed the court politics but confess that I kept getting the characters mixed up.

Sex? No. MC's mother has low cut dresses but she isn't displayed in an overly sexualized way so I think it's fine.
Swearing/Profanity? Yes but not much. Two "bastards"
Violence? Hahaha, SO much violence. This is what makes it T for teen I think. SO many heads chopped off, blood spurting from limbs, people screaming, etc.
Magic? No
LGBTQ + characters? Not specified

Could a conservative Christian school library include it?

Welp, it really just depends on how comfortable the school is with depictions of violence. I personally think this isn't anything worse than what most teenagers see on television/in movies but I could see how this may adversely affect a more tender 6th/7th grader. For a high school, I think it's perfectly fine. I am less sure for a middle school (esp. one with 6th graders).

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent start to a mythological history. Set in ancient Persia we have the tale of a young Prince who goes out on his first battle only to have his great nation's army meet disaster for the very first time through trickery and traitorship. Arslan is 14 by the time the battle takes place and we've seen a bit of his growing up from a young boy to this age. A well-told tale that justly uses pictures when words aren't needed but also contains a well-written story. The art is detailed, faces show emotion and battles are violent (flying heads being the main reason for the 13+ rating along with theme). As the book ends the Prince Arslan and his protector, Daryun, have found respite with an old exiled friend in the forest. This first volume promises to bring an intelligent, mature plot and I'm looking forward to seeing if the next volumes lives up to this.

[Guguk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baru baca 2 volume saja~
Tapi!

Gambar : 4.5 bintang! Arakawa-sensei top~ XDD
Cerita : 5 bintang...seru! Setting di negara-negara yang sedang berperang, munculnya konflik politik dalam negeri, serta pertempuran dengan kepentingan dan keyakinan masing-masing, ditambah pula bumbu humor yang pas!

Sangat menantikan kelanjutannya~

[Yub Yub Commander · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's interesting to dive into the world of an author when you're so used to all the characters in their previous manga. It's also hard not to compare when said previous manga is one of the best series out there.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan (vol 1) seems to be top quality. The art is superb, concept intriguing (It's not super original, but considering how FMA took every twist and turn it possibly could, I expect the unexpected with this story), and the characters are interesting. You don't get a lot to connect to, but in a few panels you definitely get the vibe of specific characters and countries/people groups. There's a lot going on, and you're thrown into this world suddenly, but it's not difficult to keep up with.

Seems like this might be another excellent high fantasy manga series.

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

CAWPILE 6.29 3.5 STARS

My first Manga, I've had this sitting on my shelf for over a year and have passed over it so many times. I decided to try it and although I did enjoy it (I had to ask my sister, who loves Manga how to read it- I'm that much of a noob!) I'm not sure if I want to commit to another 19 volumes as it's not finished yet. I think I might find another shorter Manga series and try that- but I liked the artwork and thought the story in Volume one was compelling enough to continue.

[Jonath666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ma grande surprise j'ai adoré !

Je n'avais pas été un grand fan de Fullmetal Alchimist à l'époque mais là j'avoue que la mangaka m'a davantage convaincu.

Il faut dire que cette série de mangas repose sur une série de livres d'où sans doute le fait que l'humour tient moins de place.

Ce premier tome est très prometteur. Dans la lignée de Game of thrones.

J'ai très envie de lire la suite ou de lire les romans.

[Josephine (biblioseph)]

This was sooooo good.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5! This was a solid beginning, definitely going to read more.

[&#x1f31c;Elliot&#x1f31b; · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I just simply do not enjoy war stories. The battle seemed a bit pointless if I’m being honest.

[Adri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars

What an amazing start to what I believe will be a truly epic series! In this first volume alone there are so many interesting and dynamic characters with tons of potential, and when shown again the backdrop of war, the tension is incredibly heightened. I can definitely see Hiromu Arakawa's trademark style and some parallels between character designs in Arslan and FMA, but I can't way that it bothers me in the least.

Some of the more fascinating aspects of this volume were 1) the exploration of differing cultures and religions, and how profoundly upbringing effects us. I think this came into play wonderfully with the political and religious tension between the warring kingdoms introduced in this story, and I can't wait to continue to see how that theme plays out. 2) I thought the family dynamics between Arslan and his parents were very interesting. It was great to see that difference between generations where the king is a cutthroat warrior yet Prince Arlsan'a talents don't seem to truly lie in the realm of war. I'm very invested in Prince Arlsan's story (also Daryun, who is incredibly badass) and I'm eager to read more about him.

This first volume was incredibly intense, full of twists and turns right out of the gate. I honestly can't wait to see what happens next and where the next volume takes this cast of characters!

[Drew Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought the first few volumes of this series so I could have some Hiromu Arakawa material to read while I wait for the hardback edition of Fullmetal Alchemist to come out, and it's just great. This first volume does a good job setting up some of the key characters, and it does it well. The character designs look great, if not a little too similar to some FMA characters- noticeably the protagonist and Daryun, which look a lot like Ed and Kimblee respectively. Some of the backgrounds are really breathtaking, and the general style is more crisp and detailed than FMA (from what I have seen, I haven't actually read the manga yet).
The plot is still very much in the set-up phase, but the components of it revealed so far are promising. The general politics are gray and complex and the incorporation of magic is subtle and believable. I really enjoy all the character dynamics between the first group of 4 characters; they're kind to each other and in-fighting isn't really present. That type of stuff stresses me out, and seems lazy from a writing standpoint. They all just want to be friends and end slavery and if you can't relate to that idk what to tell you.

[Social_Sloth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An action-filled introduction to Arslan and the kingdom that he will one day rule (maybe, at least that was the plan at the beginning of this volume). The art is very cool, and there is a great flow when reading this manga.
The worldbuilding that is shown through relatively small details is really impressive. In a very short amount of time, Tanaka and Arakawa set up a kingdom with complex relationships to their own people and the kingdoms around them. We get to see slavery, religious differences, and the overconfidence of the King. Additionally, they set up relationships between a lot of characters. Arslan's relationship with his parents, and the commanders around him is quickly established and explains his insecurities. Daryun is awesome, as is Narsus, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of their characters and how Arslan will grow by being around them.
Arslan seems like a very understanding and kind person, and seeing him develop as a person during the story will be interesting.

[Mladoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le moins que l'on puisse dire c'est que les aventures héroïques du jeune prince de Parse démarre bien doucement et ce malgré les nombreuses de batailles bien sanglantes qui ponctuent ce premier tome.
J'ai beaucoup aimé le dessin très précis des costumes des personnages qui m'a rappelé dans une moindre mesure la somptuosité de Bride Stories, la proximité géographique de l'histoire y serait-elle pour quelque chose ?
Quant au personnage principal c'est une belle ébauche de caractère en gestation dans ce premier tome, le jeune homme se cherche et reste très en retrait même si les événements sont centrés sur lui.
Le mystère est d'emblée posé autour du personnage au masque d'argent et à la soudaine supériorité de Lusitania. On sent poindre des reproches fondés envers le royaume de Parse, quand aux méthodes de dissuasion, elles restent obscures tout comme le fameux Narsus si controversé.
Bref, plein de questions et peu de réponses, l'histoire pose pas mal de jalons auxquels il va falloir amener de la matière dans les prochains tomes.

[Katherine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to the library today with the idea to only RETURN books, but then I saw this on the shelf and I had to read it. It's immediately apparent that Hiromu Arakawa is the artist of this series, and since Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 is my first manga love, I grabbed half the series to binge read tonight.

That said, I think Yoshiki Tanaka, the author of the plot of this story, needs a TON more credit. This series had an excellent start. I am not familiar with its various incarnations in manga or anime, so this is my inauguration into the series. I already have characters that I am rooting for. The backstory is well set and the plot will grab you immediately.

I think I need more manga in my life. Fight me if you want.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never read/watched Full Metal Alchemist or Silver Spoon I was unprepared for Hiromu Arakawa's incredible art. I absolutely love her art style. This manga is absolutely gorgeous, especially the epic, large scale battles and the action scenes.

I will definitely be following this manga and picking up Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1.

The story is set in a Mythological version of the Persian Empire and is filled to the brim with exciting and vibrant characters already in just these first few chapters. Yoshiki Tanaka's The Heroic Legend of Arslan, promises to be an epic tale that will be hard to put down and impossible to forget.

[anne⁷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Fullmetal Alchemist, I'm ready to read anything by Hiromu Arakawa! Anything!! Except Silver Spoon. I don't like Silver Spoon. Anyhow, Hiromu's The Heroic Legend of Arslan is based on the novel Arslan Senki that was first published on the 1980's. Arslan's story is quite popular in Japan and has been adapted to anime, live action films and two manga, including Arakawa's version. I don't know if this follows the original version but as I have no intention in reading it, I'm giving Arakawa my hyaku pasento trust that she'll turn this manga into an epic adventure perhaps fantasy series like how she made Fullmetal Alchemist to be. Volume 1 (considering it consists of chapters 1-4) is definitely amazeballs for a first volume. It gave me the same exciting vibes that FMA had on the first few volumes! And Daryoon looks like Lin-Greed! FTW!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting, very loosely based historical fiction manga with better-than-solid art by Hiromi Arakawa, who many many recognize as the creator of Full Metal Alchemist. The line work is a little loose for my taste, but I like it, as well as the incorporation of textile patterns and jewelry to make this title feel like it's taking place in 60 BCE Era Persia. Arakawa's sense for action layouts, landscapes and facial expressions also helps to give the story emotional clout and character development to balance a story dominated by political and military machinations.

[Ceres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belle surprise que ce premier tome!!!
Moi qui n'avais pas été trop convaincue par le 1er épisode de l'anime, j'hésitais à aller plus loin mais le manga m'a fait changer d'avis. Non seulement l'histoire est intéressante mais les personnages sont intrigants (petit faible pour Daryun!). Le dessin de Arakawa est soigné, clair, splendide.
Je me suis laissée emporter par l'univers et maintenant je veux la suite!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the anime series (it's on Netflix, check it out ;-)) and had trouble letting go. So, here I am, diving into the manga. Just like the anime series, this is an epic fantasy with great characters. (I'm particularly fond of Daryun and Narsus.) And despite knowing exactly what was going to happen, I swallowed the first volume quickly (too quickly) and with pleasure. I loved the drawing style!
Looking forward to the rest of the series...