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Reviewed by Michael Aronson “As the feared assassin of the Bakumatsu, Himura Kenshin killed in the name of the new era. As the rurouni of Meiji, he wieldd a sakabato to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves, all along holding true to his bow to never take another life. Now Kenshin’s fight with Enishi has entered its final stage, as has his quest for atonement. Wil another life be required to complete the circle? The road of redemption has been a long one for the world-weary swordsman, but now that Kenshin has found the will to live, can he muster the strength to survive?” The much-touted ending of the much-touted action series has arrived, and this first-time reader isn’t impressed. Granted, the ending isn’t always the best place to begin, but it’s often an ending can be so powerfully loaded with meaning and implications that it can immediately spark interest. Granted, the final physical confrontations here are surprisingly bloody and intense and very nicely illustrated, but Kenshin’s reunion with the wife he thought dead was hardly as touching as I thought it would be. Even though I can’t appreciate the conclusion of the plotlines for the supporting characters, I only really got a sense that they were passing through the ending, not exactly tying things up. A lot of my appreciation was likely hindered by the jumpy nature of the narrative, and while it’s hard to blame the translation for the original panel composition, it sure didn’t help cushion the bumpy ride. Two other short stories are included to fill out this volume, neither of which are connected to the Kenshin universe, and the latter of which is the creator’s next ongoing series. The first story, Meteor Strike, is a harmless yet shallow tale of a boy who gets part of a meteor lodged in his head and acquires certain powers as a result. The second story, Buso Renkin, doesn’t reveal much more than a high school boy whose terrifying dreams seem to be manifesting themselves in reality. Manga creators aren’t known for their ability to tell a full-length story in a short amount of pages, and as such there really isn’t enough meat on these two stories to make their inclusion worthwhile. Obviously, if you’ve read Rurouni Kenshin this far, you enjoy the series and likely won’t be disappointed with the ending, and please don’t let this review deter you either, but new readers should really sample a few chapters in the bookstore before committing. Comment on this review of Rurouni Kenshin v28 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009
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