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Vagabond VIZBIG Omnibus Edition #2
Vagabond, Vol. 2
Enlightenment
Real-life figure Miyamoto Musashi was the most celebrated samurai of all time. The quintessential warrior-philosopher, Musashi authored A Book of Five Rings, a classic treatise in the canon of world philosophy and military strategy. But the path to enlightenment is an endless journey, and to get there through violent means—by way of the sword—makes mere survival an even greater challenge.
Musashi sets out for Nara intent on challenging the warrior monks of legendary Hōzōin Temple. But Musashi's growing feelings for his childhood friend Otsū may prove to be a fatal distraction in his match against Inshun, the austere master of Hōzōin's deadly spear technique!
Real-life figure Miyamoto Musashi was the most celebrated samurai of all time. The quintessential warrior-philosopher, Musashi authored A Book of Five Rings, a classic treatise in the canon of world philosophy and military strategy. But the path to enlightenment is an endless journey, and to get there through violent means—by way of the sword—makes mere survival an even greater challenge.
Musashi sets out for Nara intent on challenging the warrior monks of legendary Hōzōin Temple. But Musashi's growing feelings for his childhood friend Otsū may prove to be a fatal distraction in his match against Inshun, the austere master of Hōzōin's deadly spear technique!
632 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2020
107 people are currently reading
819 people want to read
About the author
Takehiko Inoue
316 books1,560 followersTakehiko Inoue (井上雄彦) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for Slam Dunk and Vagabond.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
November 9, 2023
matahachi don't have sex with every woman you see challenge GO
August 22, 2017
Fight scenes are hard.
Whether it be a sword fight, a martial arts fist fight, a shootout, a giant battle set-piece, a car chase, or even a pro wrestling match, a fight scene boiled down to it's essence is a violent physical conflict between two or more characters in the narrative. Fight scenes in film, television, and animation require a ton of time, effort, and cohesion from several people. Live-action film and shows for example requires the actors, the stunt actors, the director, the cameramen, the fight choreographer, the editors, and (if any cgi is involved) the computer programmers to be on the exact same page. (Since I've never been involved in any such thing I'm probably forgetting other crucial people.)
Fight scenes are especially hard outside the above-mentioned mediums.
While fight scenes in film and animation require infinitely more exhaustive time, effort, and manpower to create they have one all-important advantage over comics and literature when it comes to action: motion.
It is so damn harder to maintain the seamless flow and pulse-pounding pacing that is essential to a thrilling fight scene without motion. Off the top of my head I can name several great fight scenes from movies, animation (western and Japanese), video games (cutscenes and boss fights)... Hell, even with the added difficulty of being live performance, I can give you a long list of exciting wrestling matches. I believe that you, fellow readers, can also easily compile a list of fight scenes you enjoyed immensely from films, cartoons, and video games.
But can you do the same with novels and comic books? As someone who labeled a shelf action even I would struggle with singling out a significant number of fight scenes from books as capital-G Great. There are several authors I've read and admired who when the time came in their story for an action setpiece it came across as merely serviceable more often than not. And I don't think any less of them for it because it's damn hard to create the visuals and motion that is necessary to a good fight scene with mere words. The closest literary equivalent would be every time an author describes the current location of their characters, but when it comes to scenery the author doesn't have to worry about the flow and pacing of their writing nearly as much they need to when it comes to describing a sword fight, or a shootout, or a wizard duel, or a battle between two armies.
Since they're primarily visual you would think that means comics would have an easier time of giving readers Great fight scenes... And yet I find it even more difficult to come up with any Great fight scenes from comics than I can from books. This is because its even more of a pain in the ass to maintain a kinetic flow and pace that a good fight scene needs with still images with word bubbles than it is with just words. If you're a good writer or storyteller there's at least a chance that the prose of your fight scene will have good rhythm and beats. Superhero comics are especially disappointing in this regard, and may explain why the writers and artists typically overcompensate with absurd feats for superheroes and super-villains. I'm a geeky male in my early twenties so I've seen my fair share of shonen anime, but the typical drawn out nature of most of the fights in the sub-genre have wiped out any desire of mine to see if the original manga versions of, say, Dragon Ball Z and Bleach have better paced fights (well, that, and their sheer daunting length). Before I reveal the reason why I decided to give the second volume of VIZBIG's edition of Vagabond 4 3/4 stars some caveats: I haven't read much manga period (looking to remedy that somewhat this year) and most of what I have read were rom-coms, and while I have read a lot of comics in the past two or so years the fact remains I only became a regular reader of graphic novels two or so years ago.
The centerpiece of this second omnibus of Takehiko Inoue's critically acclaimed series is the duel between the young, brutish Miyamoto Musashi and the second generation master of the Hozoin Temple, the perpetually smiling Inshun.
Musashi vs. Inshun is the best fight I have read in a comic book yet.
Inoue either set out to make this fight Great from the outset, or realized he had the potential for something special while story-boarding since the entirety of the fifth volume of Vagabond is devoted to this duel when the previous volume leads you to believe that it will be Gion Toji who Musashi will be crossing swords with. That is a pretty damn bold move and shows how confident Inoue was in his drawing and storytelling abilities because as anyone who's read some superhero comics knows you're lucky if the writer and artists devote so much as most of one issue to a fight, let alone an entire damn trade paperback volume. Even more impressive is that Inoue was able to make the duel so intense, suspenseful, and, well, awesome, in spite of the fact that it is made crystal clear early on that Musashi has no chance of beating Inshun, no matter how hard he tries (and he tries his damnedest). Inshun is the young fighting prodigy of the Hozoin Temple, a monk so skilled and talented that the only person he considers an equal is Seijuro Yoshioka, the layabout master of the now burned Yoshioka school who refused to fight Musashi because he didn't want to kill him. Inshun is so good that he has never truly been scared in his life, which makes him a perpetually cheerful, good-natured ball of energy. Inshun makes a terrific foil for Takezo since he's essentially a well-adjusted version of him who actually received formal training from childhood. The reason I say this is that Inshun's drive to be the very best fighter he could possibly be is just as powerful as Takezo's. Arguably more powerful because Takezo ends up rather traumatized by his defeat.
There is more to this second VIZBIG edition. It deals with the aftermath of the events of the last edition, and we see what Takuan, Otsu, Gion Toji, and Matahachi are up to (Matahachi especially so). I won't spoil what Matahachi decides to do with his life but suffice it to say that part of you wants things to work out for him, and the other part of you wants to punch him (the same reaction most real-life screw-ups elicit). And, Inshun isn't the only new interesting character is all I say. Inoue's artwork remains breathtaking and it became apparent to someone with no previous experience with his work as early as volume two of this series that the man knows how to weave a tale.
I just had to gush about that Great fight scene, you guys.
4 3/4 stars
March 26, 2024
شخصیت پردازی تو همین دو جلد که جالب بوده
چقدر شکسته اس تاکزو و این راهب چقدر فهمیده اس
چقدر شکسته اس تاکزو و این راهب چقدر فهمیده اس
September 3, 2018
3.5 stars
In the wake of his battle with the famed Yoshioka school in Kyoto from volume 1, Takezo (now known as Musashi) finds himself with a host of new enemies (not a new experience for the vagabond, nor one he is likely to shake) and reunited with the monk Takuan and a young boy named Jotaro...more troubling to Musashi’s peace of mind is the presence of Otsu, whose beauty and compassion cause him no little distraction.
In search of a new challenge to face, Musashi decides to challenge the monks of Hozoin, renowned for their spear technique, and the bulk of the story deals with the swordsman’s battle against the monastery’s young prodigy, and second generation master, Inshun. Despite displaying his savage skill to the full and causing no small consternation to the monks who have never seen anyone so nearly equal to their master, this battle proves to be nearly too much for Musashi who finds Inshun’s composure and unerring skill unbeatable. Mastered by fear for the first time Musashi escapes and it is only when he finds an old monk willing to teach him that he begins to martial his abilities and try to face up to the challenge before him. In the end both Musashi and Inshun look forward to facing each other again in the hopes that they have finally come upon the challenge that will bring their skills and fame to the next level towards perfection.
Meanwhile Matahachi, abandoned by Oko and down on his luck as ever, finds himself part of a work gang building a castle. Unable to keep up with the other workers he comes across a ronin willing to help him and whose untimely death would seem to provide Matahachi with the chance to make up for his past weaknesses...though in the end his true nature takes over and, despite the best of intentions, he takes advantage of the dead man’s money and identity to better his own position.
The art is still beautiful, and the battle scenes are still sometimes confusing, but this is definitely an excellent manga, especially for those interested in the Tokugawa period. The fact that the manga not only concentrates on the battle scenes that underscore the physical component of Musashi’s journey, but also take time to centre on his inner condition and the constant battle he wages against his own nature to better himself and learn from his mistakes in each step he takes towards perfection of the way of the sword makes for an enjoyable and enlightening read. Another area in which the manga excels is in its deep characterization. All of the characters come across as fully realized individuals with their own motivations, desires, and attitudes. Even though there are many characters that fall into the ‘master swordsman’ vein, from the main character to many of his rivals (including the confident yet placid Inshun, the dreamy and dilettantish Yoshioka Seijuro and his bullish, but chivalric brother Denshichiro, the cocky but clever Gion Toji, and the vengeful but focused bandit chieftain Tsujikaze Kohei) they all come across as different and unique, each pursuing the way of the sword for his own reasons and in his own way. Even the inept Matahachi is more than just a joke and shows complexity as he struggles (albeit unsuccessfully) against his weaker nature on those rare occasions when he allows his few flashes of self-awareness to motivate his actions instead of his more powerful self-interest.
In the wake of his battle with the famed Yoshioka school in Kyoto from volume 1, Takezo (now known as Musashi) finds himself with a host of new enemies (not a new experience for the vagabond, nor one he is likely to shake) and reunited with the monk Takuan and a young boy named Jotaro...more troubling to Musashi’s peace of mind is the presence of Otsu, whose beauty and compassion cause him no little distraction.
In search of a new challenge to face, Musashi decides to challenge the monks of Hozoin, renowned for their spear technique, and the bulk of the story deals with the swordsman’s battle against the monastery’s young prodigy, and second generation master, Inshun. Despite displaying his savage skill to the full and causing no small consternation to the monks who have never seen anyone so nearly equal to their master, this battle proves to be nearly too much for Musashi who finds Inshun’s composure and unerring skill unbeatable. Mastered by fear for the first time Musashi escapes and it is only when he finds an old monk willing to teach him that he begins to martial his abilities and try to face up to the challenge before him. In the end both Musashi and Inshun look forward to facing each other again in the hopes that they have finally come upon the challenge that will bring their skills and fame to the next level towards perfection.
Meanwhile Matahachi, abandoned by Oko and down on his luck as ever, finds himself part of a work gang building a castle. Unable to keep up with the other workers he comes across a ronin willing to help him and whose untimely death would seem to provide Matahachi with the chance to make up for his past weaknesses...though in the end his true nature takes over and, despite the best of intentions, he takes advantage of the dead man’s money and identity to better his own position.
The art is still beautiful, and the battle scenes are still sometimes confusing, but this is definitely an excellent manga, especially for those interested in the Tokugawa period. The fact that the manga not only concentrates on the battle scenes that underscore the physical component of Musashi’s journey, but also take time to centre on his inner condition and the constant battle he wages against his own nature to better himself and learn from his mistakes in each step he takes towards perfection of the way of the sword makes for an enjoyable and enlightening read. Another area in which the manga excels is in its deep characterization. All of the characters come across as fully realized individuals with their own motivations, desires, and attitudes. Even though there are many characters that fall into the ‘master swordsman’ vein, from the main character to many of his rivals (including the confident yet placid Inshun, the dreamy and dilettantish Yoshioka Seijuro and his bullish, but chivalric brother Denshichiro, the cocky but clever Gion Toji, and the vengeful but focused bandit chieftain Tsujikaze Kohei) they all come across as different and unique, each pursuing the way of the sword for his own reasons and in his own way. Even the inept Matahachi is more than just a joke and shows complexity as he struggles (albeit unsuccessfully) against his weaker nature on those rare occasions when he allows his few flashes of self-awareness to motivate his actions instead of his more powerful self-interest.
September 18, 2024
This manga is just stunning. The artwork is immaculate, the character work is genuinely great, and it’s so immersive. I love stories set in this time period and Vagabond gets you in tune with the world so easily. Also the fights are ridiculously good.
January 28, 2022
It's difficult to rate these incredible anthologies as individual volumes when they so clearly function in tandem with the other installments. It's one huge, epic story and to rate one over the other is like favoring a chapter of a novel over the others. They all work together evenly and effectively to create a stunning piece of art.
That being said, this was just as much of a joyous reading experience as the first volume. It was so great to return to these characters and the beautiful world of Japanese castles and samurai sword fights. We continue to follow Takezo as he travels under the new name of Musashi Miyamoto. He continues to search for his destiny and glory while still being haunted by his love for Otsu. Matahachi is still off being Matahatchi. He makes some progress but is perpetually sulking clumsily in the shadow of his old friend. Takezo takes on new enemies in the form of several venerated warriors for him to challenge. His quest for invincibility and his bloodthirst and ambition are finally put to the test. Volume 2 leaves us at yet another end-pass, hanging desperately on a cliffhanger. I wanted to read the next volume as soon as I turned the final page.
The artwork is incredible, the story propulsive and the characters are as alive and evolving as ever. This series is nothing if not consistent but it is even far more than that. I have fallen in love with everything about this Manga and I will be tracking down the next volume as soon as I can. This was an engaging, immersive and transportive journey with indelible characters in an expansive world. I highly recommend Vagabond to anyone even remotely interested in Manga. It is excellence on every level.
That being said, this was just as much of a joyous reading experience as the first volume. It was so great to return to these characters and the beautiful world of Japanese castles and samurai sword fights. We continue to follow Takezo as he travels under the new name of Musashi Miyamoto. He continues to search for his destiny and glory while still being haunted by his love for Otsu. Matahachi is still off being Matahatchi. He makes some progress but is perpetually sulking clumsily in the shadow of his old friend. Takezo takes on new enemies in the form of several venerated warriors for him to challenge. His quest for invincibility and his bloodthirst and ambition are finally put to the test. Volume 2 leaves us at yet another end-pass, hanging desperately on a cliffhanger. I wanted to read the next volume as soon as I turned the final page.
The artwork is incredible, the story propulsive and the characters are as alive and evolving as ever. This series is nothing if not consistent but it is even far more than that. I have fallen in love with everything about this Manga and I will be tracking down the next volume as soon as I can. This was an engaging, immersive and transportive journey with indelible characters in an expansive world. I highly recommend Vagabond to anyone even remotely interested in Manga. It is excellence on every level.
April 18, 2022
I'm really liking this series! The art style is amazing. The story is very different from what I usually read, so I'm quite fascinated by it. As reckless and the main character is, I can't help but root for him. Excited to read the next one!
April 11, 2022
If I have to be honest, despite the cool action sequences and the fact that Inoue tries to make it historically accurate, it has started to become rather repetitive. Miyamoto Musashi is a marvellous character and reminds me of both Goku from Dragon Ball and Naruto from the Naruto series. In these volumes, the demon within him isn't as evident as in the first omnibus but this is because he is distracted romantically, Otsu can't seem to steer clear of the corridors of his mind. This impacts his fighting and his general awareness of his surroundings, his instinct itself, has, in fact, a different vibe to it.
Matahachi isn't given much time in this omnibus but when he is, he steals the identity of a famous swordsman, that of Sasaki. Overall, I enjoyed the character development in Musashi, he seems to be more of a human and less of a demon, especially since the mountains were his only mentors, and that was a nice touch. He finds a new sensei to train under and now his goal is apparently to defeat Inshun. Miyamoto's heart did grow softer especially after he defeated the Yoshioka clan. I'm not even sure who set it on fire yet.
The artwork is impeccable and the full colour pages are a sight for sore eyes. There isn't much conversation to back up the sheer amount of action that takes place and I believe that Inoue allows for his art to convey his message as opposed to his words. A member on Reddit thought otherwise and let me know haha He's certainly in the wrong. Taking Naruto into consideration there's more of a balance and Kishimoto depends much less on the art and makes use of words, sentences and even paragraphs, though less frequently :)
If you're here from insta, leave a like and comment below, if not, follow me there, https://www.instagram.com/thepoetryco... thank you <3
Matahachi isn't given much time in this omnibus but when he is, he steals the identity of a famous swordsman, that of Sasaki. Overall, I enjoyed the character development in Musashi, he seems to be more of a human and less of a demon, especially since the mountains were his only mentors, and that was a nice touch. He finds a new sensei to train under and now his goal is apparently to defeat Inshun. Miyamoto's heart did grow softer especially after he defeated the Yoshioka clan. I'm not even sure who set it on fire yet.
The artwork is impeccable and the full colour pages are a sight for sore eyes. There isn't much conversation to back up the sheer amount of action that takes place and I believe that Inoue allows for his art to convey his message as opposed to his words. A member on Reddit thought otherwise and let me know haha He's certainly in the wrong. Taking Naruto into consideration there's more of a balance and Kishimoto depends much less on the art and makes use of words, sentences and even paragraphs, though less frequently :)
If you're here from insta, leave a like and comment below, if not, follow me there, https://www.instagram.com/thepoetryco... thank you <3
September 11, 2023
Really engaging and interesting, while there are a lot of characters and it is hard to understand at times it's really good and worth it
December 22, 2025
Peak manga details. Musashi 🙂↕️
November 6, 2021
The Vizbig edition, which collects volumes 4-6 of Vagabond perfectly sets the long-running plot and pacing of the manga. Takehiko Inoue plants the seeds of the story which I truly wanted to see and read.
Vagabond is a journey. A fantastic journey of strength and the soul. In its quiet moments and beautifully illustrated duels, it is a carefully study of the persona and what it means to be human - someone who fears, who survives, and who fights to live.
I hate to be vague really, but Vagabond is ought to be experienced, and I don't want to spill any detail that would steal that away from you. And really, if you have made it here in this second volume (collection), I don't have to convince you anymore to read on.
Vagabond is a journey. A fantastic journey of strength and the soul. In its quiet moments and beautifully illustrated duels, it is a carefully study of the persona and what it means to be human - someone who fears, who survives, and who fights to live.
I hate to be vague really, but Vagabond is ought to be experienced, and I don't want to spill any detail that would steal that away from you. And really, if you have made it here in this second volume (collection), I don't have to convince you anymore to read on.
April 18, 2019
7/10
This is ALMOST where I stopped my reading of Vagabond the first time, which is funny because I love Inshun (a central character of this arc”. The art stays better, we delve in Musashis mind and past a bit. But the story is still lacking even compared to early Berserk or Vinland Saga (which are its two main comparisons).
This is ALMOST where I stopped my reading of Vagabond the first time, which is funny because I love Inshun (a central character of this arc”. The art stays better, we delve in Musashis mind and past a bit. But the story is still lacking even compared to early Berserk or Vinland Saga (which are its two main comparisons).
January 25, 2025
Over 600 pages to cover two fights and some more training. The art is great, but the writing is generic fighting manga. Entire volumes covering one fight…it’s one of the biggest—and most foolish—imbecilities of manga.
Volume 1-3 was brilliant. This was decent. Hopefully 7-9 is better.
Volume 1-3 was brilliant. This was decent. Hopefully 7-9 is better.
December 19, 2022
takezo is bae & goes so hard
October 26, 2023
Have you ever eaten ants? I have... We don't deserve this art. So we pay with emotions, striking out of nowhere.
May 24, 2020
As the first samurai manga I am currently reading, Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue has become an instant favourite based on reading the first volume, which has already done a lot in establishing the life-changing transition from Takezō Shinmen to Musashi Miyamoto, whose goal in life is to become invincible under the sun.
After unsuccessfully defeating the swordmasters of the Yoshioka School – which afterwards went on fire, due to the drunken mishaps of Musashi's former friend Matahachi – Musashi wakes up to be reunited with the "damn monk" Takuan, as well as meeting for the first time Jōtarō, a young orphaned boy who wishes to be Musashi's apprentice after hearing about his battle in the Yoshioka School. It is a delight seeing the return of Takuan whose brutally acute and honest attitude remains humorous, whilst he asks Musashi to give him a long overdue haircut.
During their time together, the monk dissects Musashi’s biggest dilemma, which is his desire to be with his childhood friend Otsū, who is now off on her own journey. Considering that Musashi is the main character of this series, Inoue is also interested to give every character their own narrative, including faces who we thought we never see again, such as Matahachi’s horrid mother Osugi. Following Musashi’s numerous battles with other warriors, we even get to see their side in the larger narrative as they are preparing to take down the eponymous vagabond.
Even Matahachi is still a presence, albeit a pathetic one as he is now a wanted man and is kicked out of the lives of Okō and her daughter Akemi, the latter of which is still yearning for Musashi’s return. As he aims to be as strong as his former friend, despite his bumbling nature, a situation leads him to impersonate Sasaki Kojirō after obtaining Kojirō's certificate of swordsmanship. Clearly, Inoue is setting up something huge for the reunion between Musashi and Matahachi.
Going back to Musashi himself, a man driven by violence and prefers to be a lone warrior, he suddenly finds a connection with Jōtarō, who has been abandoned and no place to call home. Whatever warmth he can give, Musashi appoints Jōtarō as his first apprentice. I’ve commented before from the first volume, as despite the violent nature throughout this story, Inoue wants us to connect to these characters on an emotional level, not least towards Musashi, who in one stunning splash page, sits outside a decrepit house stating his loneliness.
Although this has been marketed as a seinen manga, in which the demographic is young adult men, I feel like Vagabond has in common with shōnen manga as not only Musashi’s arc of being the strongest is not far off from Goku in Dragon Ball, but also the action plays a crucial part in both storytelling and characterisation. The major set-piece of this volume is when we arrive at the Hōzōin-ryū school of spearmanship, where Musashi fights Inshun Hōzōin, the second-generation master of the Hōzōin spear technique. Devoting seven chapters to this one fight, it is a masterclass of action, in that it’s not just a case of hitting one another, but also strategy and what the two fighters are feeling.
Inoue’s incredibly diverse art shines throughout, whether it is drawing intimate drama or ferocious action, all of which makes you feel something from the highs and lows of the journey.
After unsuccessfully defeating the swordmasters of the Yoshioka School – which afterwards went on fire, due to the drunken mishaps of Musashi's former friend Matahachi – Musashi wakes up to be reunited with the "damn monk" Takuan, as well as meeting for the first time Jōtarō, a young orphaned boy who wishes to be Musashi's apprentice after hearing about his battle in the Yoshioka School. It is a delight seeing the return of Takuan whose brutally acute and honest attitude remains humorous, whilst he asks Musashi to give him a long overdue haircut.
During their time together, the monk dissects Musashi’s biggest dilemma, which is his desire to be with his childhood friend Otsū, who is now off on her own journey. Considering that Musashi is the main character of this series, Inoue is also interested to give every character their own narrative, including faces who we thought we never see again, such as Matahachi’s horrid mother Osugi. Following Musashi’s numerous battles with other warriors, we even get to see their side in the larger narrative as they are preparing to take down the eponymous vagabond.
Even Matahachi is still a presence, albeit a pathetic one as he is now a wanted man and is kicked out of the lives of Okō and her daughter Akemi, the latter of which is still yearning for Musashi’s return. As he aims to be as strong as his former friend, despite his bumbling nature, a situation leads him to impersonate Sasaki Kojirō after obtaining Kojirō's certificate of swordsmanship. Clearly, Inoue is setting up something huge for the reunion between Musashi and Matahachi.
Going back to Musashi himself, a man driven by violence and prefers to be a lone warrior, he suddenly finds a connection with Jōtarō, who has been abandoned and no place to call home. Whatever warmth he can give, Musashi appoints Jōtarō as his first apprentice. I’ve commented before from the first volume, as despite the violent nature throughout this story, Inoue wants us to connect to these characters on an emotional level, not least towards Musashi, who in one stunning splash page, sits outside a decrepit house stating his loneliness.
Although this has been marketed as a seinen manga, in which the demographic is young adult men, I feel like Vagabond has in common with shōnen manga as not only Musashi’s arc of being the strongest is not far off from Goku in Dragon Ball, but also the action plays a crucial part in both storytelling and characterisation. The major set-piece of this volume is when we arrive at the Hōzōin-ryū school of spearmanship, where Musashi fights Inshun Hōzōin, the second-generation master of the Hōzōin spear technique. Devoting seven chapters to this one fight, it is a masterclass of action, in that it’s not just a case of hitting one another, but also strategy and what the two fighters are feeling.
Inoue’s incredibly diverse art shines throughout, whether it is drawing intimate drama or ferocious action, all of which makes you feel something from the highs and lows of the journey.
May 9, 2021
If the high point for Miyomoto Mashashi in the first volume was his declaration that he was going to become invincible under the sun, his low point was almost being beaten to death in a duel before being rescued by his long suffering friend Matahatchi.
In this volume Musashi recuperates, takes on an apprentice in Jotaro, a young boy who also wishes to become strong because he knows he has to count on no-one but himself in life. His journey is reminiscent of young Musashi back when he was still known as Takezō.
Matahatchi's journey is less noble, it seems no matter how hard he tries he always ends up screwing things up, although he gets points for rescuing Musashi early on.
Musashi decides he must face Inshun of the great Hozoin warrior monks, even though he barely survived his last duel it seems he really has his heart set on getting killed as efficiently as possible.
I really liked Inshun, he reminds me of another warrior monk, Aang the Last Airbender. Both smile a lot, have bald heads can be terrifying when it comes to battle.
Mashashi still has a long way to go before he becomes the greatest samurai who ever lived, but I am sure enjoying this ride.
In this volume Musashi recuperates, takes on an apprentice in Jotaro, a young boy who also wishes to become strong because he knows he has to count on no-one but himself in life. His journey is reminiscent of young Musashi back when he was still known as Takezō.
Matahatchi's journey is less noble, it seems no matter how hard he tries he always ends up screwing things up, although he gets points for rescuing Musashi early on.
Musashi decides he must face Inshun of the great Hozoin warrior monks, even though he barely survived his last duel it seems he really has his heart set on getting killed as efficiently as possible.
I really liked Inshun, he reminds me of another warrior monk, Aang the Last Airbender. Both smile a lot, have bald heads can be terrifying when it comes to battle.
Mashashi still has a long way to go before he becomes the greatest samurai who ever lived, but I am sure enjoying this ride.
October 20, 2025
Wow, this book continues to hook me in. At first, I felt a little bored reading it, but once Musashi reached the Hozoin Temple, things got really interesting. Introducing the character Inshun was a great move—it gave Musashi the character development he needed. Musashi had always believed himself strong and capable of defeating anyone he challenged, but that all changes once he faces Inshun and experiences the emotion he dreaded most: fear.
The end of the volume sets up the next one perfectly, hopefully concluding the Hozoin arc. One last thing: I want to hate Matahachi, but he’s honestly such a relatable character, and I found myself rooting for him as he tried to redeem himself in this volume.
The end of the volume sets up the next one perfectly, hopefully concluding the Hozoin arc. One last thing: I want to hate Matahachi, but he’s honestly such a relatable character, and I found myself rooting for him as he tried to redeem himself in this volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
Absolutely brimming with gorgeous art, profound wisdom, and great storytelling. So many excellent panels in this book. “Preoccupied with a single leaf, you won’t see the tree. Preoccupied with a single tree, you’ll miss the whole forest” is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Inshun is so awesome, musashi’s character arc is already going crazy, and I now see where Matahachi’s character is headed in the long run. Insanity. Easily among the best manga I’ve ever read and already one of my favorites.
January 2, 2026
It’s been a while since I read the first volume but getting back into the story was really easy. Majority of this story is Musashi fighting with Inshun but I enjoy the character growth from Musashi as he comes to terms with him not being invincible . The author does an incredible job writing real human emotions in the face of death and loss. Musashi has already gone through so much, it’s shocking to see that he still recognizes he has some life lessons to learn.
April 27, 2017
The story of Musashi catches a optimal rhythm making the user ask for more. Characters relatable for they humanity and challenges along their journey in this volume makes it the definitive reason to not let go of this manga. Recommend to everyone that likes a good samurai story with a more adult approach.
July 19, 2022
Overcoming difficulties…and at times even risking one’s life…these are the things that allow the soul to grow and mature…
May 26, 2023
Three things I know for sure: 1) Matahashi is thee worst 2) stop making excuses for your behavior and change it if you don’t like where you’re at in life or who you are 3) time truly does reveal all
January 3, 2024
“Preoccupied with a single leaf… You won’t see the tree… Preoccupied with a single tree… You’ll miss the entire forest.”
February 2, 2024
Rated 3.25 on Storygraph
Much better than the first one. I’m glad to see some character development.
Much better than the first one. I’m glad to see some character development.
March 5, 2024
What do Azur Lane players call it? Retro-fitting?
April 28, 2025
What a masterpiece! Gorgeous, raw, heavy — it doesn’t just tell a story, it punches you emotionally and then apologizes with stunning art.
September 5, 2025
Mejor que la primera parte.
Comienza la profundidad de personaje, y con ello la trascendencia psicológica, así como su desarrollo.
Gran manga.
Comienza la profundidad de personaje, y con ello la trascendencia psicológica, así como su desarrollo.
Gran manga.
September 25, 2025
Fabulous, I'll take 170 more.
October 19, 2025
FEAR IS THE GREATEST ENEMY
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