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Reviewed by Michael Aronson As with the first volume, volume two continues to plod along at a snail’s pace, but the meager amount of story that’s told is still an engaging and exciting one. Takezo is a fugitive in his hometown, a killer who has returned to bring back a message to a woman of her fiancé’s betrayal. Aside from the woman Otsu, everyone wants Takezo dead and punished. However, the wise monk Takuan has other plans for Takezo, and has an interesting fate in mind for our anti-hero. Takezo’s ruthlessness and self-loathing make him an interesting character as it’s never clear why he continues to fight and what he has to gain from warfare. However, the star of this volume is arguably Takuan, who’s both something of a conniving deceiver and the most moral voice in the cast. Though Takezo isn’t afraid to continue nobly fighting for an ignoble cause, Takuan isn’t even afraid to mock and belittle a man who wields a sword right in his face. Sadly, Takuan is clearly a sage character and not one whose adventures should be chronicled, but he serves his purpose in this volume exceptionally well. As usual, the art is the biggest star of Vagabond. Though Inoue’s emphasis is on realistic human bodies and faces, he shows his versatility in drawing insects and spiders. Moreover, he begins to experiment with his style in flashback scenes and moments of semi-consciousness in Takezo, which blend well with the narrative. This is also one of the few pieces of comic work, east or west, in which every panel is good enough to potentially be its own poster, and yet none ever falters at clearly telling the story. While the series is still in its infancy and very little has occurred thus far, but Takezo has already reached a turning point. Perhaps he’ll work a little harder from this point on to act like the true protagonist of his tale rather than a disgruntled bum. Comment on this review of Vagabond v2 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009
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