The Worst Ronin

by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Faith Schaffer (Illustrator)

When an unlikely pair of female samurai join forces, what begins as your run-of-the-mill quest for glory and revenge evolves into something much more complicated. Turns out fighting actual demons doesn’t mean you’re not running from your own internal ones. Nimona meets Attack on Titan in this edgy, unexpectedly hilarious, genre-defying young adult graphic novel.

Being a samurai isn’t easy. Sixteen-year-old Chihiro Ito knows that more than anyone. Her father is renowned among the samurai, but the only thing Chihiro is known for is spending way too much time on her phone obsessing over Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiro’s idol and the first woman to be accepted into Kesi Academy, a prestigious samurai school.

So, when Chihiro’s father is conscripted for service and the opportunity arises to work with Tatsuo in his stead, Chihiro jumps at the chance to prove that she’s worthy of a spot at Kesi Academy and the samurai title. Their mission: kill the yamauba demon terrorizing a village. With a legendary samurai like Tatsuo by her side, Chihiro is convinced victory is inevitable. But Tatsuo isn’t at all like the hero Chihiro imagined. Foulmouthed, quick tempered, and a terrible drunk, Tatsuo completely turned her back on the samurai way and is now a ronin working for hire as a means of escaping the grief that haunts her. Forced to work together, the two are thrust on a treacherous journey filled with epic battles and twisted conspiracies as they must put aside their differences to save the village and face the demons of the past.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2024

About the author

Maggie Tokuda-Hall (1984 -) is the author of Also an Octopus, The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea, its sequel The Siren, The Spy and The Song, Squad, and Love in the Library.

She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, children, and objectively perfect dog.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mythology around samurai often centers living by a code of honor, but what good is honor when those in power whom they serve have no interest in any moral code themselves, merely propping themselves up with false words and dangling ideas of honor as a title to convince others to die for them in a quest for power. Enter the brutal world of The Worst Ronin from author Maggie Tokuda-Hall, brought to life with the boisterous and bold artwork of Faith Schaffer for a bloody good time.

Feeling trapped in a society where most doors are closed to women, Chihiro answers a call in her father’s stead to prove herself worthy of the title of samurai. Begrudgingly alongside her is Tatsuo, a once notable samurai who always left behind her a trail of dead though now she’s mostly just dead drunk. A comedic and rather zany tale where old world adventures collide with modern day technology like cellphones and internet, this is quite a quirky ride but theres so much heart to it that taps into each character’s deep seeded traumas and motivations that it pulls together for a rather captivating read full of kick-ass women doing kick-ass things.

The Worst Ronin blends past and present—the two time periods easily distinguishable due to color palette changes that were quite welcome—to show how the shame and guilt of the past casts a long shadow on the deeds of the present. While Chihiro always comes out blazing despite a lack in experience and still unable to take a life, Tatsuo kills without batting an eye but is jaded from years of bloodshed. The backstories wind into nicely, adding a lot of depth to this story where betrayal lurks around any corner and the things people believe in often become a web to ensnare them. It is a fun adventure though as the pair set off to fight a monster that may hold a key to Tatsuo’s past.

Maggie Tokuda-Hall once again displays a curious dexterity for blending various offbeat elements into a satisfying whole. So much of this story seems like it should clash, yet the rather eccentric and goofy humor somehow works alongside a rather dark storyline filled with some blunt looks at violence and rejection of surface level social honors. The whole thing feels a bit like that old anime Samurai Champloo but with texting (though the rest of technology doesn’t match, such as single shot pistols being the most advanced weaponry) and it just works. I felt similarly about Tokuda-Hall’s horror graphic novel, Squad, which also did well blending the dark with the comedic.

While this isn’t necessarily gory, there is a lot of violence and it does not shy away from the harshness of a life spent taking other lives to survive. Which is part of the point and the art going from seemingly aimed at younger readers to sudden moments of bloodshed shows how quickly violence can strike and how empty it feels even when it is necessary. Still we get some great humor even in the violence, such as Tatsuo mouthing off ‘ I may work for hire now, but I'll kick your ass for free.’

This is a fast paced, offbeat and heartfelt story with a lot to cheer for. Especially Tatsuo’s horse. I love that horse. And I quite loved The Worst Ronin.

4/5

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a feudal Japan that also has internet and cell phones, sixteen-year-old Chihiro longs to attend Keisi Academy and train to become a samurai like her father. But the school has only ever allowed in one female student in its history: Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiro's idol. When Chihiro sets out on a mission in her father's place to kill a demon terrorizing a mountain village, she finds Tatsuo and hires her to come along. But Tatsuo isn't the shining hero Chihiro imagined (and has watched dramatizations of on TV). Tatsuo is hardened by violence and haunted by ghosts, foul-mouthed and often drunk. Nevertheless the two set off into the mountains together were both encounter things that might destroy them. The back of the book describes this as a swords-and-cell-phones epic which I love. It's got a lot of humor including some slapstick and a wise horse companion, but it doesn't shy away from the violence, death, and grief inherent in a samurai tale. It really threads the line of heartfelt and whimsy. I enjoyed it!

[Elizabeth A · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would the world have looked like if Samurais had cell phones and live streams at their disposable? This YA comic is a feminist tale that tackles demons - real ones and those from one's past. I liked the illustrations and the many ways grief is explored here.

[Komal · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best artworks I have ever seen ✨
Loved Tatsuo and Chihiro 💕 Can read about their endless adventures anytime.

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
Bright and energetic storytelling with messy, but lovable characters.

Thoughts
This has so much "webcomic from the 2000s energy," and I am here for it. The story is fast-paced, and energetic, moving quickly between fun comedy beats and some distinctly emotional hits. It's also packed with tongue-in-cheek anachronisms, namely the use of internet and cell phones, that all play into the story fairly well. The dual leads are both messy, imperfect, and a joy to watch interact as they stumble through from one fight to the next. Art is complementary to the story - sincere, poppy, and bright, with distinct character designs and the world's most expressive horse. Fight scenes tend to be a bit simplified, but they're still readable. If you're looking for a fun and earnest read, give this one a shot.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

[milliereadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Cute, fast-paced, and funny - there were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, which I appreciated! It is also deliberately historically inaccurate, blending samurai with livestreams and phones - which did work, but I found a little confusing at times. The characters were messy and genuine, and there’s an undercurrent of grief running throughout the book that added a good emotional depth.

[Sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

'And lastly, I may work for hire now... ...But I'll kick your ass for free.'

OMG can we get more fantasy comics that are deliberately historically inaccurate just so I can see characters ask for Wi-Fi passwords and navigate murder and threats via livestreams that put a damper on the villain's plans? Like this is genius and hilarious LOL.

Pretty sure it'll be a 5 star read on a reread because both the main characters fucking rock. It's just that I'm still mad about Chihiro having to go through the biggest tragedy of her life at 16 years of age 😭 Not that Tatsuo had the best life ever and is only 19.

Anyway, The Worst Ronin is also hella funny and I was cracking up. Tatsuo and Chihiro are the best duo and I fucking love them. Plus, the ending is so fitting and perfect.

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Great YA comic about a 16 year old girl desperate to become a samurai. She embarks on a quest to recruit a known drunken legend, Tatsuo, the "worst ronin" to help rescue children kidnapped by an evil spirit.

The art is super cute! The colors really pop and the story is conveyed well through the artwork. The action scenes were a tad difficult to follow a couple of times, but overall, not too distracting.

I enjoyed the 2 main characters. Tatsuo is a refreshing take on the unkempt, somewhat coarse role model character (ex: Peter B. Parker and some versions of Tony Stark). Typically, those are characterizations given to male characters, so Tatsuo was really interesting to read instead. Her backstory was a sad, but intriguing one. Several scenes of her being a badass. I also liked the messaging about the limited "healing" aspects of revenge.

Chihiro was f*cking adorable! She was so cute and I loved how hopeful and enthusiastic she was. I really loved how just about everyone she encountered loved her. I also liked how the story had a good message about how to deal with unfairly biased and bigoted systems. I think this is a better lesson for young girls than the "just be really amazing and someone will eventually give you a chance" message that's so harmful and demotivating.

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read but for the life of me I couldn’t understand the world building. I wanted more character development and a journey. I think this wanted to be like Nimona but it lacked depth.

[Haylee Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my new favorite graphic novel. No notes. Amazing. Thrilling. Great world building and character development. Lots of blood and revenge. Yup, yup, yup.

[Meggie Ramm · Rating 5 out of 5]

. This starts off as a delightful romp, combining modern technology with feudal Japan. It SEEMS like a delightful YA tale with cell phones and swords, until Takuda-Hall stabs readers through the heart with a tragedy they’ll never see coming. The reader gets to experience samurai through two lenses, one from a newbie who wants nothing more than to be considered worthy, and one from a veteran so jaded that she has to drink to forget. I can’t get over how well paced and entertaining this book was. My only complaint is that the earlier fight scenes were confusing, but the later ones had me holding my breath. I could read about Chihiro and Tatsuo’s adventures for books to come. 

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Dafne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una de las mejores novelas gráficas que he leído este año

[Katie Florida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated by this story. I did not expect to get so invested with these characters. The way the story unfolded made this impossible to put down.


*this is a teen GN for language and violence

[Priyank Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

We tell all these lies about bravery and sacrifice and skill, and then we wonder why all our sons are dead.

Fantasy: 4.5/5
Graphic Novel: 4.5/5
Young Adult: 4.5/5

Overall: 4.5/5

A great narrative with right balance of funny and emotional. The Worst Ronin sees an unlikely pair of a girl who has set out on an adventure trying to prove herself and an older reluctant Ronin who has seen it all. They go through some nicely-paced adventures, and come out fully changed from the other side.

Strengths: The story hooks you from the beginning with its stunning visuals, easy dialogues and memorable characters. The narrative progresses nicely with some flashbacks. The witty humor was just hilarious. The book never took itself too seriously, but when it did, as you can gather from the quote above, it went HARD.

Weakness: Overabundance of humor meant that at some places where I thought it demanded more depth, it proved shallow. I guess the aim was for a lighter read, but a little more depth would have been welcomed. Maybe that's just me.

[Demí · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, it was cute

[Armando · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very adorable and action packed comic, The Worst Ronin is definitely fun and goofy, and also emotional and motivational, comic goodness. I didn't like this story at first, I just didn't jive with the whole samurai setting but with cell phones, and the artwork for me, just missed the mark. But the story really picks up around the halfway mark for me. I enjoyed the banter between the two protagonists, and I enjoyed the feminist vibes and themes throughout the whole novel. At one point, it didn't feel like this novel was saying much above the surface, but there's quite a few themes that become apparent later on that are quite heavy hitting.

Overall, a very enjoyable ride.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing blend of modern technology (cellphones, social media, internet, TVs) and historical Japanese societal structure (daimyo, samurai, duels, living by the sword). It was mostly successful but felt a bit odd and I wish we had spent more time engrossing ourselves in the culture and world-building first. I did find the commentary on media cultural expectations compared to societal expectations interesting but it wasn't pushed hard enough to really be insightful.

Drawing style was cute but the fights didn't feel dynamic or were easy to follow. Liked the developing relationship between our MCs but their individual character development was pretty predictable, more like a middle grade GN rather than teen.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of redemption and justice and friendship. The mix of feudal Japan and modern technology was disconcerting, but in a fun way. And the blending of humor with commentary on gender norms and patriarchal systems worked well.

[eva ⚘ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i went into this blindly AND I CAME OUT OBSESSED???

this was TOO good like i loved EVERYTHING about it 🥹

i mean, female samurai duo kicking ass and taking revenge on stupid men?? *nods nods*

also, loved how grief was explored... it resonated with me a lot 🫂

[Madi Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! I laughed out loud multiple times. The art and dialogue worked so well together. This book also has some very dark moments that were handled really well. NEVER BEND THE KNEE BABYYY

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the cover and title of this book, thought "oh, that looks fun" and placed a hold on it while wondering where I'd seen the author's name before. It wasn't until I picked it up at the library that I realized Maggie Tokuda-Hall wrote Squad, and then I stood still in front of the check-out scanner wondering if I really wanted to read this after all.

I hated Squad. A book that could've been a fun cautionary tale of gay werewolf girls was just a frustrating, insulting, terrible read with the most dislikable characters making it to the end. But I decided to give The Worst Ronin a try without judging it on its predecessor.

And... shoot.

I really didn't think I'd have this much fun.

This book technically takes place in ancient Japan, but there are also cell towers and social media. It's a fun, casual addition of the worldbuilding, and it worked well enough that I didn't mind the obvious anacrhonisms. Sometimes the characters would say phrases that sounded too modern - which felt more dissorienting than the cell phones, honestly - but the story was solid enough to excuse this.

This is the story of Chihiro, a 16-year-old girl who dreams of being accepted into Kesi Academy as a samurai. She forcibly teams up with Tatsuo, an older, washed-up ronin who doesn't want a kid following her around. But as their individual missions begin to blur and meld, the two girls' tentative partnership is threatened by forces both external and internal.

The storyline in here is well-paced and very cinematic. I love a good tragic backstory and personal demons, and a healthy dose of betrayal and supernatural creatures makes for a great time!

I was pretty annoyed, however, when Tatsuo was revealed to be nineteen. Chihiro reacts to this in surprise, saying she thought Tatsuo was in her thirties, and why does she call Chirhiro "kid" when she's only three years older?

(I was a little worried this would lead to a romance between the two MCs, but luckily this wasn't the case. This isn't their dynamic at all.)

This is a trope I really hate in YA (looking at you, Six of Crows): a character with a vast and painful backstory only being a teenager. It weakens the effect of their history, shortening the timeframe into what, two years? You're telling me that since Tatsuo's best friend was killed and Tatsuo went rogue, had a movie made about her, became a hitman-for-hire and developed a reputation as a staggering drunk... before she turned twenty??? What would've been the harm in making her at least in her mid-twenties? That's the fun part about a grizzled former warrior - their history between the past and the present! Here, that timeframe is like two or three years!

There's also the strange mixed messaging of killing people. Tatsuo tries to tell Chirhiro that murder will leave a stain on her soul and to be wary of it, and in the final battle Chirhiro lets a person she's fighting go free... then turns around and kills someone else, and there's no meditation on it. The story just casually moves along like Chihiro didn't just do what the book was warning her about the whole time, getting rid of any consequences and conflict.

But the ending was pretty dang good, and I loved the art style and color palette. The dialogue was really solid, too - Tatsuo had some great lines. Looks like I'll have to keep a wary eye on Tokuda-Hall.

4/5 stars.

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can completely see why this has Nimona comps, but I think it's important to point out that it is totally its own as well! The blend of a setting in this modern age with samurai and the politics that go along with them, alongside this idea of The One Worthy Girl who does not break any glass ceilings but serves as an icon and a warning, neither of which she chose, just works so incredibly well! I love how these characters come together, and the reluctant mentor-mentee relationship that they seem to have at the end. For me, this story just didn't feel like it come to a full ending, either because of the shortness or because I personally had expectations for more story or beats. Even with that, it's a powerful, funny, unique story with characters I just wish I could've known a little longer.

[USOM · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The Worst Ronin critiques loyalty and may be an example that we shouldn't meet our heroes. With some action packed training and battle scenes, The Worst Ronin balances modern and traditional. If you love stories about jaded older mentor and young ambitious up and coming warriors, this is for you. Like many stories about power, it explores what happens when we think our destiny is denied. Seeing some perspectives from then allows us to witness the character growth and the journey we have to being the 'worst'.

[Terry J. Benton-Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Worst Ronin is a wickedly enchanting samurai adventure full of humor and even more heart. Faith Schaffer's captivating illustrations bring to life Tokuda-Hall's deeply emotional story in such a way that made this experience a sheer delight from the first panel to the last.” —Terry J. Benton-Walker, bestselling author of Blood Debts and Alex Wise vs the End of the World

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is what a Japanese Edo era version of 'Xena: Warrior Princess' would look like.

How funny, yet gobsmackingly tragic, and packed with heightened emotion.

At first I wasn't into 'The Worst Ronin' because of the artwork. It looked very rough, blotchy, uneven, sketchy, a little lazy, especially with facial detailing and characters going off-model, and overall like a storyboard artist's first draft. But weirdly, I warmed up to it, with me liking the characters and themes more and more as I read towards the end. Plus I like the colours, and how the comic presents its humorous aspects.

'The Worst Ronin' is like a better, more compelling 'The Marble Queen'. Only it is much subtler in its LBGTQ content, and in this case it is stronger for it. You have Tatsuo Nakano, the drunk and traumatised "hero" and the first and only (as is allowed) female samurai, and Chihiro, the sprightly, wide-eyed, naïve fangirl who is determined to become a samurai, who believes in justice, and who hires Tatsuo as her partner - well, bodyguard, as Tatsuo prefers, as she is a cynical, crass, wily lone wolf, for understandable reasons.

I grew to adore these two wildly cartoony, yet really human beneath the surface, heroines. They make a dynamic, enchanting, entertaining duo. For one, tragedy has passed, and she thinks she has nothing left to live for, and for the other, tragedy is coming - has already come, in fact - without her knowing...

'The Worst Ronin' is also like 'The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich' in that it isn't historical fiction because it contains modern technology. 'The Worst Ronin' has Wi-Fi, phones, live streaming, television, movies, and movie posters.

Be warned: 'The Worst Ronin' is not for younger audiences, despite its colourful and cartoony artwork, for it contains strong language, bloody violence, and lots of death. It does not water down the reality of being a samurai, of being a warrior, and the main characters do kill people. For samurai mean to fight to kill, with no holding back. It is shocking, and I commend the graphic novel for it. It makes it stand out, and stick in your memory further.

There are themes of grief, loss, PTSD, and family. And feminism, don't forget about that.

'The Worst Ronin' understands one facet of the patriarchy: it simply won't allow women to take part in a male-dominated field, career, or any boys' club, even when it pretends to when it lets one woman in. But no more. If it has to include one exceptional woman, then it will show her off in a reluctant, shallow, disingenuous gesture of "fairness", as pure tokenism, as paying lip service to the illusion of equality - something it can get away with, since the patriarchal system is designed and constructed so that the novelty of seeing one member of a minority means they are already taking up too much space and attention. Therefore boom, sexism solved! The effect is that women remain powerless, small, and invisible. Nothing actually changes. They have to work harder than everybody else, and be the best that ever was, and even then it won't be enough. They won't be treated fairly, they won't be respected, and they won't receive the recognition they deserve. Their presence challenges nothing, and so means nothing, as is the intention of the patriarchy.

Women gamechangers and trailblazers: You are good enough. It's not your fault if you're "not good enough" according to the men who want to remain at the top. It's the world that needs to change, not you.

Also patriarchal, bigoted men hate everyone, especially those they consider beneath them in society. Men who think of themselves as "heroes" barely bother to hide how much they despise their admirers and supporters, the people who got them where they are in the first place; in fact, they often didn't earn their fame and glory; it's all power in connections and nepotism at the very top of the stagnant, archaic hierarchal order. These types of men are only after their own self-interests, their own power to get drunk on, their own toxic, narcissistic ego trip. Don't forget that.

'The Worst Ronin' - one of the better girl power fantasy graphic novels out there. It's like a nineties cult classic anime and manga.

It's not as good as, say, 'The Fox Maidens', also published in 2024, but it is a fun, riveting, surprisingly intense and thrilling book. I love the two girl leads and their banter and chemistry, and the ending is brilliant, bringing the samurai girls' development full circle, and perfectly combating the BS rules set by the patriarchy.

I wish there were more fantasy elements, but the grounded, real threat of "heroic" men, men with titles and power, effectively suits and adds to the book's feminist themes.

A sword-swinging, heart-pounding, tear-jerking, fresh plum fruit to be savoured - 'The Worst Ronin' title is meant to be ironic, in many, many ways.

Final Score: 3.5/5

[Care · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, I love women warriors.

[Danika at The Lesbrary]

This has a real mix of tragedy and grief beside slapstick humour, and I'm not sure the balance worked for me. On the other hand, there's some Xena dynamics between the two main characters by the end, which is always a selling point. Also, I did cry.

[swiftie 💗💗🤭💅 jinu wife!!:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book but like something’s that aren’t cute happen (death) and how they learn about like they have phones hope that makes sense

[Claudine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the mix of the present and past worlds using current technology in a historical setting.

I enjoyed the samurai pairing but it took more than a third of the story to get them together. Prior to this, I was having a hard time keeping track of the characters and their back stories.

This is a story told with heart but it was just a bit uneven with some abrupt transitions in the story-telling.