Path of the Assassin, Vol. 4: The Man Who Altered the River's Flow

半蔵の門 [Hanzou no Mon] #4

by Kazuo Koike, Goseki Kojima (Illustrator)

War! Ninjas! Love! Political intrigue! It's all packed into Path of the Assassin. Drafted by classic samurai manga creators Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima of Lone Wolf and Cub fame, Path of the Assassin is the story of a young shogun on his way to unite Japan, and the trusty ninja assigned to protect him. Be it in crafty maneuverings of war, political push and pull, or bedroom adventures, young Hattori Hanzo will not be kept from his duties. Path of the Assassin packs historical fiction and fine art in yet another classic samurai series from Dark Horse. · 18+ content advisory.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Japan, Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2014

About the author

Kazuo 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.

Reviews

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motoyasu changes his name to Ieyasu. Hanzo marries Tsukumo. He rescues Ieyasu's children and his wife. But he sees the wife have an affair with Ujizane. Worried she may be pregnant he tries to get her to not have sex with Ieyasu for ten months... but Tsukiyama tries to kill Hanzo.

Again Kazuo Koike gives us the game theory for everyone's action. Every action is explained like a game of chess, each player trying to predict the other player's move 4 or 5 steps down the road all based on psychology and honor and whatever other specific rules each player abides by. It makes for a fascinating read.

[Jedi JC Daquis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There 's a lot of confusion in the names, but as I read along, I got the hang of it and things got clear to me as to the who's who in the story. Just do not ask me for names! A well-researched literary piece, this is clearly harder to follow than Samurai Executioner and The Lone Wolf and Cub.

A pretty much straightforward and relatively caln volume, the initial steps taken by Ieyasu has finally come to fruition. Yet he is faced with dangers both from inside and the ones he did not side with.

Tension finally builds up.

[Jokoloyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is full of intrigue as usual, but surprisingly I like Tsukiyama's character (Tokugawa Ieyasu's wife).
I am expecting how the story goes when it comes to Tsukiyama's death (It is hardly a spoiler, even the manga informed it).

[Doug Brunell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The action really starts to pick up in this fourth volume. Hanzo witnesses a sexual act that fills him with disgust and rage, and he must decide what to do. It's a road that can only lead to bad places, but he must decide which way he will take it, and his answer will surprise readers. One gets the feel that by the time this story ends, everything will change.

As always, Koike delivers.

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was another rape. This time done by one of the bad guys. Still very graphically done. Aside from that the story was compelling. But that is a big thing to turn aside from. It did advance the story, but the whole soft porn violence against women thing is troubling.

[Mark Ames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great art and parts of the story are fantastic. Violence towards women is graphic.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motoyasu becomes Ieyasu....and the puzzle pieces really start falling into place.

[Helmut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Geschichte sieht nur das Ergebnis
Bei der Diskussion um die Sengoku-Zeit fällt, bei aller Begeisterung für Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu und Toyotomi Hideyoshi, einer oft unter den Tisch, der das nicht verdient: Takeda Shingen, der "Tiger von Kai", bekommt in diesem Band seinen ersten großen Auftritt.

Bei meiner Rezension zu einem anderen Comic habe ich meine Einstellung zu dem Wahnsinn der "Pflicht" kurz angerissen. Es gibt wahrscheinlich kein besseres Beispiel für diese Einstellung, diese eindeutige Priorisierung zwischen Leben und Pflicht zugunstem letzterem, wie die japanischen Samurai und Shinobi. Mir fällt es schwer, dies nachzuvollziehen. Ich erkenne die Beweggründe, die Hattori Hanzo in diesem Band zu schwierigen Entscheidungen zwingen - letztlich kann ich mich dadurch aber nur intellektuell, nicht emotional mit ihm identifizieren. Das war bei dem Hauptprotagonisten in Lone Wolf and Cub anders, der das Konstrukt "Pflicht" ganz unterschiedlich, sehr persönlich und intim interpretierte, und nicht, wie es sozial und kulturell von ihm erwartet wurde.

Ein Tip: Das Glossar am Ende des Bands sollte man zuerst lesen. War es bei "Lone Wolf and Cub" noch so, dass man hin und wieder einen Begriff nachschlagen musste, wird man hier überwältigt mit ganzen Seiten, die man ohne sehr spezielle, japanische, geschichtliche oder kulturelle Kenntnisse kaum versteht.

Für mich persönlich rutscht die Reihe zu sehr in den Hobbypsychologie-Bereich, in dem jede Äußerung, jeder Gedankengang tief analysiert werden muss. Für Japaner sind die großen Persönlichkeiten der Sengoku-Zeit inzwischen wahrscheinlich so entweltlichte Übermenschen geworden, dass selbst jeder Klogang Ieyasus zu einem historischen Monument hochstilisiert werden muss.

[Ruz El · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series is still truckin' along. Not much happening in the assassination part that the title would suggest. The political intrigue bit is getting so dense it's kinda confusing. Still, a satisfying and oddly philosophical read.

[Kandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will review the last.