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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane The newest volume of Kaze Hikaru is dense with politics. Its main action centers around Yamanami, one of the Shinsengumi's vice captains, as he tries to strike a balance between his comrades' conflicting interests. Politics are very personal throughout this book, with characters who believe fiercely in the rightness of what they're fighting for. But the volume opens with an object lesson demonstrating that good intentions aren't always enough: while on patrol, Sei and the others find a group of war orphans who were looking for their families. Among them is Mabo, a small boy Sei herself took to a safehouse after a battle. Having heard that he'd been safely adopted by a couple whose own child had died, Sei is horrified to discover that Mabo was unable to adjust to living with them, and worse, that they've been abusing him. While Yamanami tries to decide which of his friends' interests to support (and find time to be with his lover, Akesato), Sei finds herself trying to restore Mabo's trust in her and in the world at large. And yet despite the seriousness of what's going on, Kaze Hikaru has plenty of lighthearted moments scattered throughout. There's plenty of teasing and good-natured arguing between the members of the Shinsengumi, which gives the story a good balance. One thing I particularly like about VIZ's treatment of this title is the frequent use of footnotes (in addition to the glossary). The complex politics in this series could easily make it hard to follow, but the footnotes allow readers to keep up with what's going on without breaking the flow of the story too badly. Volume 11 of Kaze Hikaru includes a three-page glossary of historical terms. Review copy provided by VIZ Media. Comment on this review of Kaze Hikaru v11 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009
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