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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Kaguya doesn't remember who she is or why she has a huge scar on her back. Six months ago, she was found injured and unconscious in a field of bamboo. Now she works as a housekeeper and babysitter at a brothel, living her new life simply as "Kaguya". Kaguya's real identity is entwined with two men--Hanzou, a handsome bodyguard of Okazaki Castle, and Hanzo, a leader of the ninja village of Iga. Between amnesia and mistaken identity, no one knows for sure what kind of person Kaguya is. Only her distinctive scar will lead her to the truth... Since I didn't start reading the main Tail of the Moon series until volume 11, I didn't come to Tail of the Moon Prequel: The Other Hanzo(u) with a pre-existing attachment to either of the main characters--in fact, I wasn't entirely sure until I was fairly far into the book that "Kaguya" had actually been in the series, although I recognized Hanzo and Hanzou. (She was, and so I expect that most people who pick this prequel up will be reading it with full knowledge of what happens.) The good news is that I really liked this standalone prequel despite not having much idea where it was going, which is always an excellent sign. Kaguya is an intelligent, self-confident lead both with and without her memory, and her amnesia story is remarkably well-developed despite being only 100 pages long. Those 100 pages deliver a solid story about her current life, her meeting with Hanzou and their growing relationship, and the complicated history that comes to light when her real identity is discovered. The second story takes place a year after the first, and involves a totally different tale of mistaken identity; readers of the original series will already be familiar with the fact that Hanzou Hattori and Hanzo Hattori are two very different men, which our heroine discovers to her chagrin. Both stories are fairly lighthearted on the surface and quite serious underneath, with politics and intrigue around every corner. Rinko Ueda has already established her talent for creating very appealing characters and placing them in deadly situations, and Tail of the Moon Prequel: The Other Hanzo(u) delivers exactly the kind of story that readers of the series have come to expect from her. Tail of the Moon Prequel: The Other Hanzo(u) includes two pages of cultural/translation notes. Review copy provided by VIZ Media. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
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