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子連れ狼 [Kozure Ookami] #13
Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 13: The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West
Yagyu Retsudo is a man on fire. For years he's been planning the destruction of Ogami Itto, the Lone Wolf. Ogami is a one-man army, having cut down all of Yagyu's sons — except one, who's been sent to avenge his brothers or die trying! Meanwhile, the toughest cop in Edo, now retired, has the chance to take in the killer of a lifetime, Ogami himself. But is he up to the task? And Daigoro, the Wolf's cub, finds himself in adventures of his own, befriending a rich family and their spoiled son, and mysterious female falconers! It's all in a day's work for Lone Wolf and Cub... Don't miss out on the best-selling graphic novels of the year and a series that belongs on every bookshelf!
This volume contains the following
The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West
"Marohoshi" Mamesho
Spoiling Daigoro
The Hojiro Yagyu
The Bird Catchers
This volume contains the following
The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West
"Marohoshi" Mamesho
Spoiling Daigoro
The Hojiro Yagyu
The Bird Catchers
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 9, 2001
10 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Kazuo Koike
562 books292 followersKazuo Koike (小池一夫, Koike Kazuo) was a prolific Japanese manga writer, novelist and entrepreneur.
Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series.
Koike, along with artist Goseki Kojima, made the manga Kozure Okami (Lone Wolf and Cub), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor Tomisaburo Wakayama. Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of Lone Wolf and Cub.
Another series written by Koike, Crying Freeman, which was illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director Christophe Gans.
Kazuo Koike started the Gekika Sonjuku, a college course meant to teach people how to be mangaka.
In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga.
Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series.
Koike, along with artist Goseki Kojima, made the manga Kozure Okami (Lone Wolf and Cub), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor Tomisaburo Wakayama. Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of Lone Wolf and Cub.
Another series written by Koike, Crying Freeman, which was illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director Christophe Gans.
Kazuo Koike started the Gekika Sonjuku, a college course meant to teach people how to be mangaka.
In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 17, 2021
Album number 13 turns out to be unlucky – not for the lone wolf Ogami Itto or for his cub Daigoro, but for their adversaries. The duo walking the long road to Meifumado Hell will live to fight another day. ** Bad luck also comes to the women featured in the series, sadly a recurrent issue that might be accurate in historical terms yet the gory abuse these gentle creatures endure remains deeply disturbing. Mainly for the treatment of women, I kept back of star for this particular album.
** not a spoiler, we’re not even halfway through the journey
I have commented previously on the accuracy of historical details, the dynamism of the action scenes and the excellence of the artwork, so I will concentrate on short reminders of what each story is about.
>>><<<>>><<<
The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West is introduced in striking winter landscape panels, highlighting the isolation and the rage of the Yagyu leader, bedridden after his last confrontation with Itto. This comes with a small correction of the name I used for him previously: it is Gisen, with Retsudo being the family name and Yagyu the name of the clan. Gisen does a painful recapitulation of the costs his feud with Itto has caused so far: all his three sons have been killed in battle against the Lone Wolf. In desperation, Gisen Retsudo sends for his two illegitimate children: a fifteen year old daughter and an older brother, who is a famous swordsman in his own right, yet not recognized as an official heir to the grim clan leader. This Shobei is considered good enough to be the next assassin sent after Ogami Itto, while his sister is claimed by her own father as his next bride and mother of new sons (See what I mean about the fate of women!)
Meanwhile, Ogami Itto and Daigoro take refuge in a mountain temple, blanketed in the same heavy snow. The chase is on, with an excellent improvised solution for dealing with snow blindness in the times before Ray-Bans were available.
“Marohoshi” Mamesho has a spring feel to it, at least in the initial panels. Children are racing paper kites under high, breezy skies. Daigoro has a rare smile on his face as he follows along, while an old man passing by gives a helping hand when a kite gets stuck in a tree.
A darker tone is introduced when one of the kites is shown to depict the twin animal headed demons of Meifumado: the Lone Wolf is contracting another assassination and the old traveller seems unduly interested in the events. He follows closely and witnesses the next killing.
This old man is the Mamesho from the title, a retired policeman from Edo, who uses as his signature weapon a ‘marohoshi’ – a short bladed device with a long string attached that can be either thrown or used to break enemy swords.
Mamesho introduces a needed discussion about the morality of Ogami Itto actions : no matter what his motivations are, they are still crimes under the law of the Shogun, and Mamesho feels duty bound to arrest Itto and bring him in front of a judge.
Who is the good guy and who is the bad guy is definitely under review here, and the judgement is done in an intense one on one duel between the dothanuki war blade and the devious marohoshi.
Ultimately, as in all the other moral issues brought before the reader, the ultimate arbiter is bushido – the inflexible code of honor of the samurai. Both Itto and Mamesho will do what their own conscience dictates.
Spoiling Daigoro is an episode dealing with the little boy, who finally finds a friend: an older boy in a wealthy merchant house where he is waiting for his father’s return from the latest contract killing.
The two children are having a great time running around the garden and playing all day, but tensions arise when the parents start to criticize the older boy for being a spoiled wimp, pointing at Daigoro as a perfect example of a courageous, respectful and strong samurai in training.
Soon, Daigoro is accused of wanton destruction and theft around the house, and refuses to speak up in his defence. With his usual stubborn and silent determination, Daigoro lets action speak more loudly than mere words.
The Hojiro Yagyu brings together Ogami Itto and Shobei, the bastard son of the Yagyu leader from the opening story.
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It’s summertime and Daigoro is chasing after his own shadow or twisting threads in a cat’s cradle pattern, on his own again. The Yagyu are preparing a new deadly weapon : a blowpipe dart coated in a powerful poison. The Lone Wolf will be hard pressed to get out of this dire situation .
The Bird Catchers
Back on the road, Ogami Itto and Daigoro interrupt a hunter using a long stick with a blade on top to catch small birds in a tree. They follow this woman to a lodge where they find out the land is reserved for hunting with hawks. The birds are used to feed the raptors, and all the trainers are female, a long tradition in this lord’s domain.
Sadly, this tradition is no longer viable, since the reserved land is needed for agriculture after a long draught in the villages. The women and their birds are doomed by economic considerations of their lord and master, tradition can be damned!
This was one of the most pointless and painful examples of the terminal solutions favoured by the powerful lords of the country, with their servants being usually the ones who have to pay the ultimate price.
>>><<<>>><<<
Oh, well! The journey continues!
June 1, 2017
‘The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West’: Itto is proving to be such an effective thorn in his side that he has even managed to get under the skin of the stoic Yagyu Retsudo. Not only does he refuse to give up and allow the Yagyu machine to roll over his family name, he has evaded capture or death at every turn, and has even managed to kill three of Retsudo’s sons in single combat. Now only two children remain to the old assassin chief: his illegitimate son Shobei with whom he has a stormy relationship at best, and Shobei’s younger sister Sayaka. At this rate Itto may actually snuff out the Yagyu name before they are able to stop him and fulfil their plan of domination. As a result Retsudo grudgingly sends out his bastard child with the orders to kill Lone Wolf and Cub or die in the attempt. In case we had any lingering reservations about Retsudo’s tenable claim to humanity they are quashed when we discover his reason for calling Sayaka to him along with her brother was so he could ensure the family name continues by impregnating her with his child…what a charmer. Shobei and his band of ninja close in on Itto and Daigoro as they rest at a temple near a sheer mountain pass with only one treacherous route of escape.
‘“Marohoshi” Mamesho’: a retired policeman on holiday has the misfortune of running across Lone Wolf and Cub as they exchange coded messages with a client for an assassination. Feeling duty-bound to stop the crime at all costs he tracks Itto and confronts him. How can an old policeman far past his prime hope to stand against an assassin like Lone Wolf and Cub, and will Itto’s devotion to his quest and the path of Meifumado allow him to kill an honourable and innocent man who refuses to back down in the pursuit of his goals?
‘Spoiling Daigoro’: a merchant who has hired Itto for a contract requests that the assassin leave Daigoro behind while he undertakes the mission. The client disabuses Itto of the assumption that this is because he does not trust the assassin, rather it seems that he hopes the stalwart yet friendly Daigoro will teach his spoiled and finicky son 'to be a man’. The merchant and his wife even secretly hope that Lone Wolf may fail in his mission so that they can keep the charming and well-mannered boy under their care. As their son becomes aware of this and watches his parents doting on the new boy jealousy inevitably ensues and we see how Daigoro deals with the passive aggressive responses of his companion.
‘The Hojiro Yagyu’: Retsudo’s bastard son Shobei finally catches up with Itto and has a sure-fire plan for his destruction. Can Itto manipulate the man’s weaknesses to his advantage and give Retsudo yet one more wound to his pride and family honour? And how far is Shobei willing to go to gain his father’s admiration, or perhaps to take his place as the true head of the Yagyu clan despite his illegitimacy?
‘The Bird Catchers’: Itto and Daigoro come across a Bird Catcher out hunting prey for the hawks for whom she and her clan are responsible. She invites them back to their compound as a rest-stop on their journey and see the birds of prey for themselves. When a messenger arrives from the han’s lord demanding that the hunting grounds be destroyed so that more crops can be sown to save the starving peasants refusal leads to death. Once again Itto is given an unusual contract and we see the stoic Daigoro, normally so placid in the face of violence and death, nearly brought to tears. I was left wondering at the end of this tale if Daigoro was a better or worse person than we’ve assumed as a result of his reactions.
‘“Marohoshi” Mamesho’: a retired policeman on holiday has the misfortune of running across Lone Wolf and Cub as they exchange coded messages with a client for an assassination. Feeling duty-bound to stop the crime at all costs he tracks Itto and confronts him. How can an old policeman far past his prime hope to stand against an assassin like Lone Wolf and Cub, and will Itto’s devotion to his quest and the path of Meifumado allow him to kill an honourable and innocent man who refuses to back down in the pursuit of his goals?
‘Spoiling Daigoro’: a merchant who has hired Itto for a contract requests that the assassin leave Daigoro behind while he undertakes the mission. The client disabuses Itto of the assumption that this is because he does not trust the assassin, rather it seems that he hopes the stalwart yet friendly Daigoro will teach his spoiled and finicky son 'to be a man’. The merchant and his wife even secretly hope that Lone Wolf may fail in his mission so that they can keep the charming and well-mannered boy under their care. As their son becomes aware of this and watches his parents doting on the new boy jealousy inevitably ensues and we see how Daigoro deals with the passive aggressive responses of his companion.
‘The Hojiro Yagyu’: Retsudo’s bastard son Shobei finally catches up with Itto and has a sure-fire plan for his destruction. Can Itto manipulate the man’s weaknesses to his advantage and give Retsudo yet one more wound to his pride and family honour? And how far is Shobei willing to go to gain his father’s admiration, or perhaps to take his place as the true head of the Yagyu clan despite his illegitimacy?
‘The Bird Catchers’: Itto and Daigoro come across a Bird Catcher out hunting prey for the hawks for whom she and her clan are responsible. She invites them back to their compound as a rest-stop on their journey and see the birds of prey for themselves. When a messenger arrives from the han’s lord demanding that the hunting grounds be destroyed so that more crops can be sown to save the starving peasants refusal leads to death. Once again Itto is given an unusual contract and we see the stoic Daigoro, normally so placid in the face of violence and death, nearly brought to tears. I was left wondering at the end of this tale if Daigoro was a better or worse person than we’ve assumed as a result of his reactions.
January 21, 2019
By and large all mini-narratives here are lackluster to the core. With little tied to the over-arch, yet more essentially throwaway stories enflesh some ~300 pages of utter mediocrity. If the hackneyed bloodletting won’t induce yawning, reading a ~40 page tale concerning the shenanigans of young children will beckon forth the snoozes. Add an overuse of wordless panels that are only exceeded in lameness by incessant expositions of insipid folk-songs (of the skippable LOTR variety) nothing here is memorable in the least.
Also incest. Ewww!
Also incest. Ewww!
January 31, 2022
Kendime göre uzunca bir Sandman arasından sonra Doğudaki Ay, Batıdaki Güneş'le Ogami İtto ve tatlı oğlu Daigoro'nun maceralarına devam.
Oyunbozan Daigoro çok tatlı, Hokiro Yagyu da çok başarılı bir hikayeydi. Ogami İtto'nun zekasına, Daigoro'nun çocukluğuna karışmış iradesine hayranım. Yalnız bir çocuk konuşmaya başladıktan sonra susturmak zordur. Üç yaşını geçen Daigoro geçtiğimiz ciltlerde yavaş yavaş konuşmaya başlamıştı. Oysa ki bu ciltte tek kelime etmiyor.
Baskısı ilk kez kötüydü ve çok fazla çizim-yazı kayması vardı ama yine Kazuo Koike'nin mükemmel kalemi, Goseki Kojima'nın da olağanüstü çizimi ile hiç tat kaçırmadı. Siyah beyaz bir manzara paneli bu kadar mı güzel dönem Japonya'sını anlatır? Siyah beyaz yüz hatları bu kadar mı fazla duygu barındırır?
Sondaki Ronin Raporu da her zamanki gibi pastanın üstündeki çilek. En son 4. Cilt'in sonunda okuduğumuz Feodal Japonya'nın silahları konulu rapor burada biraz daha ilerleyerek detaylandırılmış. Böyle bilgiler verme konusunda hiç zorunlulukları yok ama neredeyse her kitabın sonundaki bu ilave bilgiler 4-5 sayfalık bile olsa ne kadar olağanüstü bir seri okuduğumuzu atlamış olabileceğimiz yönleri vurgulayarak hatırlatıyor.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
Oyunbozan Daigoro çok tatlı, Hokiro Yagyu da çok başarılı bir hikayeydi. Ogami İtto'nun zekasına, Daigoro'nun çocukluğuna karışmış iradesine hayranım. Yalnız bir çocuk konuşmaya başladıktan sonra susturmak zordur. Üç yaşını geçen Daigoro geçtiğimiz ciltlerde yavaş yavaş konuşmaya başlamıştı. Oysa ki bu ciltte tek kelime etmiyor.
Baskısı ilk kez kötüydü ve çok fazla çizim-yazı kayması vardı ama yine Kazuo Koike'nin mükemmel kalemi, Goseki Kojima'nın da olağanüstü çizimi ile hiç tat kaçırmadı. Siyah beyaz bir manzara paneli bu kadar mı güzel dönem Japonya'sını anlatır? Siyah beyaz yüz hatları bu kadar mı fazla duygu barındırır?
Sondaki Ronin Raporu da her zamanki gibi pastanın üstündeki çilek. En son 4. Cilt'in sonunda okuduğumuz Feodal Japonya'nın silahları konulu rapor burada biraz daha ilerleyerek detaylandırılmış. Böyle bilgiler verme konusunda hiç zorunlulukları yok ama neredeyse her kitabın sonundaki bu ilave bilgiler 4-5 sayfalık bile olsa ne kadar olağanüstü bir seri okuduğumuzu atlamış olabileceğimiz yönleri vurgulayarak hatırlatıyor.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
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August 19, 2018Seriye bir süre ara vermiştim, iyi ki de vermişim, hem karakterleri hemde o ortamı özlemişim. Büyük keyifle okudum, diğer ciltleri de okumak istiyorum ama böyle ara vermek de iyi oluyor, kararsız kaldım.
August 18, 2020
The last story was a sad one. Great conflict, yet neither side budges and we can empathize with both. Also, dead birds.
June 15, 2021
Lobo Solitario 13
Hay dos partes que me sorprendieron.
Cuando dejan a Daigoro con la familia del comerciante, lo que supongo es una canción de cuna que se ve entre las escenas de esa parte, me gusto mucho.
Y cuando combina las escenas de Daigoro jugando con las sombras, y a los Hojiro Yagyu, esas imágenes combinadas son magnificas, que arte, sublime.
Ahí esta 5 estrellas solo en eso.
Spoilers ahead
Hay dos partes que me sorprendieron.
Cuando dejan a Daigoro con la familia del comerciante, lo que supongo es una canción de cuna que se ve entre las escenas de esa parte, me gusto mucho.
Y cuando combina las escenas de Daigoro jugando con las sombras, y a los Hojiro Yagyu, esas imágenes combinadas son magnificas, que arte, sublime.
Ahí esta 5 estrellas solo en eso.
Spoilers ahead
April 15, 2016
Near halfway the Lone Wolf and Cub series, the Yagyu clan is in its all-time down. Never it has felt so defeated, weak and desperate. Worse, it has been made by only one man.
Here, Retsudo sent a sort of subvclan to the Yagyu, headed by his illegitimate child Hojiro. And well, things didn't go well for him and his clan. Itto Ogami is a certified Yagyu killer.
The other stories are as interesting as the Hojiro chapter. There's this old police and Hawk tamers who are all women.
Here, Retsudo sent a sort of subvclan to the Yagyu, headed by his illegitimate child Hojiro. And well, things didn't go well for him and his clan. Itto Ogami is a certified Yagyu killer.
The other stories are as interesting as the Hojiro chapter. There's this old police and Hawk tamers who are all women.
November 3, 2008
Poor Sayaka.
I like this series, but for once I think I'd like to see some strong, enduring women. And by "strong, enduring" I mean "not murdered horribly."
I like this series, but for once I think I'd like to see some strong, enduring women. And by "strong, enduring" I mean "not murdered horribly."
July 7, 2023
I’m still a big fan of this series overall, but I’m getting a bit tired of volumes like this, which are almost entirely comprised of filler. Another reviewer referred to them as “connective tissue,” and I can’t disagree with that assessment. Even the Yagyu material here felt kind of inessential and forgettable. Definitely the weakest volume so far.
January 13, 2020
Esta serie me sigue impresionando considerablemente, aún con su fórmula clara de asesinato, siempre encuentra una forma de contarnos una historia emotiva y desgarradora.
Este tomo me gustó bastante porque las primeras dos historias son muy emotivas y con finales impresionantes. También tenemos una gran historia de Daigoro que sigue mostrándonos lo interesante que es ese pequeño niño. Sigue siendo mi personaje favorito y aunque algunos reviewers podrían considerar a Daigoro anti climático porque para ser un niño parece un adulto, hay que recordar que la cultura japonesa, en temas de honor y obediencia es tan rigurosa que a mí no me parece descabellado que un niño sea así de obediente. Además me sigue causando, aún en el tomo 13, mucha curiosidad todo el tema de Meifumado y del Rikkudo Shisho, ya que los personajes lo utilizan para explicar sus conductas y ningún otro personaje hace preguntas sobre eso.
También este tomo le da avance a la historia de Yagyu. Lo vemos vulnerable y parece ser que Ogami está ganando esta lenta batalla de venganza. Me emociona mucho esta historia y ver cómo concluirá.
Este tomo me gustó bastante porque las primeras dos historias son muy emotivas y con finales impresionantes. También tenemos una gran historia de Daigoro que sigue mostrándonos lo interesante que es ese pequeño niño. Sigue siendo mi personaje favorito y aunque algunos reviewers podrían considerar a Daigoro anti climático porque para ser un niño parece un adulto, hay que recordar que la cultura japonesa, en temas de honor y obediencia es tan rigurosa que a mí no me parece descabellado que un niño sea así de obediente. Además me sigue causando, aún en el tomo 13, mucha curiosidad todo el tema de Meifumado y del Rikkudo Shisho, ya que los personajes lo utilizan para explicar sus conductas y ningún otro personaje hace preguntas sobre eso.
También este tomo le da avance a la historia de Yagyu. Lo vemos vulnerable y parece ser que Ogami está ganando esta lenta batalla de venganza. Me emociona mucho esta historia y ver cómo concluirá.
March 2, 2018
Parece que lo estoy consiguiendo, llevo ya unos añitos que no me pilla el toro para leerme tres tomos manga a la semana, esperemos que dure. Y todavía cuesta menos si son tomos que los de Lobo Solitario y su Cachorro, de esos que se leen rápido gracias a que cuentan más con las imágenes que con el texto.
Éste tomo sigue demostrando que el autor es una maestro en el decompresive story telling, alargando y alargando una trama que otro se hubiera pulido en cuatro tomos pero sin dar la sensación de chicle estirado, transmitiendo el día a día de los dos protaognistas, las penurias que pasan, lo que están dispuestos a sacrificar... y del otro lado lo acorralado que está su enemigo, cada vez más solo y con menos recursos.
El tomo contiene una serie de historias muy recomendables, bien escritas, que te llegan y que siguen moldeando el Japón feudal como no se ha visto casi nunca antes, lleno de detalles y de gentes mezquinas, de historias de amor y sacrificios nobles, de honor y muerte.
Siete más y acabo!
Éste tomo sigue demostrando que el autor es una maestro en el decompresive story telling, alargando y alargando una trama que otro se hubiera pulido en cuatro tomos pero sin dar la sensación de chicle estirado, transmitiendo el día a día de los dos protaognistas, las penurias que pasan, lo que están dispuestos a sacrificar... y del otro lado lo acorralado que está su enemigo, cada vez más solo y con menos recursos.
El tomo contiene una serie de historias muy recomendables, bien escritas, que te llegan y que siguen moldeando el Japón feudal como no se ha visto casi nunca antes, lleno de detalles y de gentes mezquinas, de historias de amor y sacrificios nobles, de honor y muerte.
Siete más y acabo!
March 14, 2022
The 13th collection of Lone Wolf and Cub with the usual visual excellence. I was struck in these stories by how well the series as a whole frames it's scenes. We are never dropped into a sequence without a few frames to show environment, whether its a water clock or sunny tundra.
The main story line continues with Retsudo summoning the last of his children that Ogami hasn't killed to deal with the titular assassin, and for the first time we have a somewhat recurring antagonist to frame these stories who is balancing his honor and duty to his father to hunt down Ogami. The series would do well to have more return characters aside from Ogami, Daigoro, and Retsudo.
The rest of the stories are one offs. "Marohoshi" Mamesho is a fun story about a retiring detective who tries to bring Ogami in. Spoiling Daigoro is about Daigoro making a friend and ponders if Daigoro could actually handle a peaceful life. The Bird Catchers is a sad story about falconry and how Tokagawa Japan is advancing and losing its traditions.
The main story line continues with Retsudo summoning the last of his children that Ogami hasn't killed to deal with the titular assassin, and for the first time we have a somewhat recurring antagonist to frame these stories who is balancing his honor and duty to his father to hunt down Ogami. The series would do well to have more return characters aside from Ogami, Daigoro, and Retsudo.
The rest of the stories are one offs. "Marohoshi" Mamesho is a fun story about a retiring detective who tries to bring Ogami in. Spoiling Daigoro is about Daigoro making a friend and ponders if Daigoro could actually handle a peaceful life. The Bird Catchers is a sad story about falconry and how Tokagawa Japan is advancing and losing its traditions.
February 17, 2025
Read this as part of Lone Wolf & Cub Omnibus 6
The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West - a recap story and the reproduction was kind of messy looking. The plot is moved along slightly. I did like the way they moved across the snow glare.
"Marahoshi" Mamesho - Some kite flying. And then encounter with an old policeman. An interesting character who would be nice to see again. Otherwise not in continuity.
Spoiling Daigoro - Another cub story. I do wish they'd let him get older. As always we see his strong code at work.
The Hojiro Yagyu - A little bit of cub wandering around. A little bit of plot movement. Lone Wolf taunting an a well-equipped no-way-to-lose attacker into a duel. This was fine. But maybe a little bit repetitive. Nice art though.
The Bird Catchers - An awesome setup. Believable characters. The world of the women who hunt the hawks. Definitely a place I wish we would have come back to. But this is a book of death.
This is some of the better parts of the omnibus. 3.5 of 5
The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West - a recap story and the reproduction was kind of messy looking. The plot is moved along slightly. I did like the way they moved across the snow glare.
"Marahoshi" Mamesho - Some kite flying. And then encounter with an old policeman. An interesting character who would be nice to see again. Otherwise not in continuity.
Spoiling Daigoro - Another cub story. I do wish they'd let him get older. As always we see his strong code at work.
The Hojiro Yagyu - A little bit of cub wandering around. A little bit of plot movement. Lone Wolf taunting an a well-equipped no-way-to-lose attacker into a duel. This was fine. But maybe a little bit repetitive. Nice art though.
The Bird Catchers - An awesome setup. Believable characters. The world of the women who hunt the hawks. Definitely a place I wish we would have come back to. But this is a book of death.
This is some of the better parts of the omnibus. 3.5 of 5
June 18, 2025
Another solid volume. I really enjoyed “Spoiling Daigoro” and the history included in this volume, especially the subject of falconry.
Speaking frankly, I have been really enjoying this series, but repeated return to instances of violent prostitution/sex work/sexual assault does take its toll after a while, making a bit of an unfortunate read. To that end, I can’t with certainty argue that reflects poorly on the creators, as I know this series is heavily grounded in known and well-researched history. The prevalence of these events could very well just be a reflection of their historical occurrences.
Speaking frankly, I have been really enjoying this series, but repeated return to instances of violent prostitution/sex work/sexual assault does take its toll after a while, making a bit of an unfortunate read. To that end, I can’t with certainty argue that reflects poorly on the creators, as I know this series is heavily grounded in known and well-researched history. The prevalence of these events could very well just be a reflection of their historical occurrences.
January 23, 2021
The artwork's better again - not just the contents but the cover art by this Bill Sienkiewicz guy is better than the Frank Miller/Lynn Varley stuff they had going on. The faces are a bit caricaturish, but it's a better concept, and more skilfully executed.
Another informative afterword. :)
I still feel a cultural gap and that there are things I'm missing, which is part of why I don't usually enjoy manga and anime, but I mind it less with Lone Wolf and Cub for some reason - although the longer soliloquys in this volume brought me out of the flow of the story a little.
Another informative afterword. :)
I still feel a cultural gap and that there are things I'm missing, which is part of why I don't usually enjoy manga and anime, but I mind it less with Lone Wolf and Cub for some reason - although the longer soliloquys in this volume brought me out of the flow of the story a little.
May 30, 2023
Another superb entry in the franchise as Lone Wolf & Cub's feud with Lord Yaygu pushes him to the breaking point, reaching out to long forgotten allies to some disparate measures. Meanwhile, Ogami Into & Diagoro encounter a number of solo adventures, from a spoiled rich kid to a clan of falconers. Kazuo Koike keeps this gritty story moving forward, especially in the depiction of the Yaygu clan, which is almost sad in how its destroying itself. This is matched by Goseki Kojima's art, gritty and realistic in nature, complete with some fantastic action scenes. One of the best manga series ever made.
February 17, 2018
originalmente tenía en mente hacer una reseña semanal del avance que tenía con esta entrega de la saga. Pero en vista de que ando atrasado con el reto de lectura pues me tocó avanzar en modo Maratón.
esta entrega de la saga del lobo solitario es, a mi juicio, la más singular ya que por primera vez se le ve ogami con un poco de compasión por otra persona y también se ve un poco de los problemas que hay dentro de los Yagyu y, creo, que los problemas entre ambas partes vienen de rato
esta entrega de la saga del lobo solitario es, a mi juicio, la más singular ya que por primera vez se le ve ogami con un poco de compasión por otra persona y también se ve un poco de los problemas que hay dentro de los Yagyu y, creo, que los problemas entre ambas partes vienen de rato
June 20, 2019
I love Lone Wolf and Cub for a lot of reasons beyond just the story and the art. It is what explains the high rating, even though the middle chunk of the series hasn't really moved the overall story any further forward. Most everything is stand alone and not a good jumping on point for new readers. There is more of consequence to the overall story in this volume than the last though. Read it if you must, skip it if you are only curious.
November 13, 2021
Remembering now why I stopped collecting these on their initial publication: there is so much about them that is brilliant, but all the violence against women gets to be too much. Maybe that reflects the way women were actually treated during that period, but it's the book's choice to show a fifteen-year-old girl nude in several panels leading up to her being raped.
September 6, 2020
It had some good stories and great art as usual but this one didn't have any stories that really stood out or were memorable except perhaps the last story with the falcons. Can't wait for the next volume.
May 14, 2021
Same as the first. Fantastic art, engaging action stories, not much to the characters. At this point, the series has pushed Ogami Ittō and Daigorō aside in favor of focusing on new secondary characters with each story and is much better for it.
January 8, 2022
Officer Mamesho: Halt! You're under arrest for being a murderer and stuff! *has a stroke and falls to the ground*
Ogami: Teeheehee I can leave in my underwear now and you can't do anything about it! (But also I hope you pull through, old-timer, you're pretty cool, ngl.)
Ogami: Teeheehee I can leave in my underwear now and you can't do anything about it! (But also I hope you pull through, old-timer, you're pretty cool, ngl.)
September 12, 2019
More of a series of interlude stories while the Yagyu attempts to recover en route to what I assume will be another assault on Ogami Itto and Daigoro.
February 14, 2020
It was good.
July 5, 2021
standard entry. scenic art, nothing too memorable.
October 15, 2024
Yagyu makes another play at Ogami Itto. And we almost get a story which is positive towards women. Almost.
June 24, 2025
Bloody and captivating as always. The amount of new ways found for cruelty is astounding
March 1, 2013
Daigoro ist viel interessanter als Itto!
In den letzten Bänden hat sich eine Tendenz für mich herausgebildet: Die Geschichten um Daigoro sind letztlich die interessanteren. Ogami Itto ist immer noch in seinem "In-der-Hölle-wandern"-Wahn und irgendwie verliert er dabei seinen Sohn aus den Augen; besonders intensiv ist dies auf der letzten Seite dieses Bandes zu spüren. Brillant, wie der Zeichner mit wenigen Bildern diese Spannung zwischen Vater und Sohn einfängt.
Deshalb ist auch "Spoiling Daigoro" für mich das beste Kapitel dieses Bandes. Diese sehr glaubwürdige Geschichte, in der der frühreife Daigoro einen neuen Freund findet, könnte auch in Deutschland spielen.
Einige sehr beeindruckende Dialoge (etwas, das man in dieser sehr visuellen Geschichte nicht allzuviel fand) runden den Band ab - wie Ogami Itto den letzten Sohn Yagyu Retsudos herausfordert, hat mir gut gefallen.
Ich freue mich auf Band 14.
In den letzten Bänden hat sich eine Tendenz für mich herausgebildet: Die Geschichten um Daigoro sind letztlich die interessanteren. Ogami Itto ist immer noch in seinem "In-der-Hölle-wandern"-Wahn und irgendwie verliert er dabei seinen Sohn aus den Augen; besonders intensiv ist dies auf der letzten Seite dieses Bandes zu spüren. Brillant, wie der Zeichner mit wenigen Bildern diese Spannung zwischen Vater und Sohn einfängt.
Deshalb ist auch "Spoiling Daigoro" für mich das beste Kapitel dieses Bandes. Diese sehr glaubwürdige Geschichte, in der der frühreife Daigoro einen neuen Freund findet, könnte auch in Deutschland spielen.
Einige sehr beeindruckende Dialoge (etwas, das man in dieser sehr visuellen Geschichte nicht allzuviel fand) runden den Band ab - wie Ogami Itto den letzten Sohn Yagyu Retsudos herausfordert, hat mir gut gefallen.
Ich freue mich auf Band 14.
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