Lone Wolf and Cub, Omnibus 11

Lone Wolf & Cub #11

by Kazuo Koike, Goseki Kojima (Illustrations), Frank Miller (Illustrations)

The swords of Ōgami Ittō and Retsudō Yagyū stand waiting for the mortal enemies' final confrontation, but Yagyū is imprisoned in Edo Castle, with conniving poisoner Abeno as his warden. Retsudō has two deadly options--take Abeno's prepared meals and be slowly poisoned or refuse and die of hunger and thirst!

Created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub has sold over a million copies of its first Dark Horse English-language editions, and this acclaimed masterpiece of graphic fiction is now available in larger format, value-priced editions.

"The stories in this collection are so well written it is easy to want to read them again and again. But what truly makes it is the art. Beautiful and flowing, many frames are works of art." -geeksofdoom.com

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Japan

736 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 2016

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

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very grass under Tokugawa's feet is called upon to rise up and help the Yagyu in their darkest hour.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this penultimate volume features a lot of twists and turns.

The poisoner reveals the Yagyu letter to the Shogun, and in a strange twist of fate Yagyu finds himself a prisoner of the poisoner. Also, since the Yagyu spies have all been exposed, we see several stories spotlighting the spies as they deal with the repercussions. In many cases, it involves seppuku, or ritual suicide.

Both Yagyu and Itto had several chances to kill the poisoner and never did, which I always thought was a mistake. In this volume it does come back to haunt them.

In a way, the Lone Wolf and Cub almost took a backseat in this volume as we mostly saw stories of the Poisoner and a Yagyu, but the end of the series is near. I'm expecting big things from the final volume.

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abe marvels at Itto and Yagyu doing menial labor--chopping firewood, washing pots, cooking meals and grapples with what it means to be a bushi. Perhaps we are witnessing the rehabilitation of a truly loathsome individual?

(But I have trouble with the concept that Itto and Yagyu are equally representative of bushido honor and humility. Yagyu murdered a pregnant woman and a house full of servants. He defiled the sacrosanct symbol of the shogun. All to frame another samurai, all to increase his own personal power. How is any of that bushido? He's being presented as Itto's peer in samurai moral courage. I'm not sure where the author is going with this.)



Plot points:
--Abe uses his poisoning skills to treat Daigoro's frostbite. Yagyu instructs him in the meaning of being a bushi.
--Abe finds the Yagyu letter and outs Yagyu to the shogun.
--When confronted, Yagyu wriggles and squirms and lies, he attacks his accuser and refuses to answer questions. He manages to delay and stall and drag things out, avoiding consequences ad infinitum. (Say...that reminds me of someone...)
--Yagyu secretly summons all of the Yagyu grass (sleeper agents embedded decades earlier within every han) to Edo. While he is under house arrest in the palace, they slip him news and un-poisoned food.
--Yagyu's agents set fire to the palace kitchen, which is Abe's responsibility. A mortal failure on the poisoner's part.
--While they wait by the swords for Yagyu's return, Itto teaches Daigoro to wield a stick.
--A grass informs Itto of Yagyu's detention. Itto walks directly into the palace, virtually unchallenged due to his quiet confidence and grace.

[Alexander Engel-Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

The final setup is established and the last few plot threads are woven together tragically and satisfyingly. The chapters involving the Grass are the best, and Abe continues to try to drag everything down with his repulsive appearance, personality, and schemes. A slower volume, but good.

[Chris Gifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kai, the shoguns taste tester has stolen a document from Itto that belonged to Retsudo. Now he has implicated Retsudo as trying to run the country for his own interest behind the Shoguns back. Kai has given the letter he stole to the Shogun and the Shoguns personal secretary. The secretary recognizes the letter and established it as real correspondence of the Shoguns. Then Kai shows the Shogun in private that the silkworms eating the mulberry juice shows another message on the back in a coded poem.

So the Shogun questions and finally puts Retsudo under hose arrest with Kai. Kai thinks he has won. However Retsudo is a tactician and planned ahead. A female ninja is to alert Itto that he is in the castle and can't meet him on the day of their duel. So Itto decides to go to Retsudo, even if it means helping Retsudo escape. Honor is at stake.

[WIZE FOoL]

This is now my new addiction!!!
A beautifully told story with hand drawn animation!
Where you learn about Japanese historical culture and lots of martial arts and political intrigue.
This is perfect for me and I am devouring them!
It's based on a samurai who is politically outplayed and loses his station and family. Just him and his boy are out to seek revenge!
I don't throw 5 stars around much. but this is totally a 10 stars!!! a 100 stars!!!!! a 1000 stars...... it's just great! Don't consider it, just read it!!!!
ENJOY!!!

[I.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one deals with side stories and the fate of Yagyu with Itto being almost a guest star. That said it’s still great stuff and the ninja bits are quite interesting. One more to go of this tremendous series.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The penultimate volume had some filler, but those were all stories of various ninjas so there were still fun to read despite not addressing the meta. Good volume, but there are been better ones.

[Yun Rou · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're wondering what a comic book is doing on a Daoist monk's reading list, then please understand that some of the best of modern writing occurs in this forma. This is no mere graphic novel—and I suppose I should not say mere—this is a work of high Japanese literature. The storytelling is stunning, the graphics are powerful, and the message and compelling feel of this masterpiece of graphic fiction will keep you turning the pages and earn the whole omnibus an honored spot in your library, too.