Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls, Vol. 3

バジリスク～甲賀忍法帖～ [Basilisk: Kōga Ninpōchō] #3

by Masaki Segawa, Fūtarō Yamada (original creator)

Après avoir assassiné la moitié du clan Kôga par traitrise, les ninjas d'Iga croyaient la victoire à portée de main. Mais c'était compter sans les terribles pouvoirs de Gennosuke Kôga, qui peut frapper d'une mort instantanée tous ceux qui croisent son regard. Humiliés, désorganisés, les guerriers d'Iga doivent à tout prix reprendre l'initiative.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Historical Fiction, Seinen, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2004

About the author

Masaki Segawa made his debut in 1997 with the series Senma Monogatari, which ran in the weekly magazine Comic Morning. In 1998 he began his long-running series Onigiri Jyuuzou, which ended in the year 2000. Basilisk is his second long-running series and his first adaptation. He loves cats and watermelon, and currently lives in Funibashi.

Reviews

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The chapter names might be a bit of a spoiler on how many still live on both sides, or better still, build tension on how they are all whittled down - if only the reader actually cared about them, which I still do not. So it rather falls flat.

That said, with about half of them now gone, there'll be more room to develop the survivors some more and have them come out of their shells. Already one or two is showing signs of such. Hope for the best.

[Nicolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume puts to rest any question regarding the choice of the name of this manga adaptation of Futaro Yamada's The Kouga Ninja Scrolls as Basilisk. It's all in the eyes.

[Karissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Basilisk series. The series is decently written and illustrated, but the plot has been pretty repetitive and I am disappointed at the roles the women in this series have been given.

Pretty much the synopsis of the story hasn’t changed.. The Kouga and Iga ninjas are all trying to kill each other out in order to determine who will be left standing and who will become the next Shogun.

I continue to have issues with this series. We get to see another woman ninja’s powers and they are basically that she kills anyone she sleeps with, sigh. Where are the women ninja with cool powers? In this volume we also get an attempted rape scene (between members of the same clan)...not my favorite.

The authors are starting to reuse plot devices as well. In volume 2 Oboru blinded herself with a potion so that she couldn’t participate in the Iga versus Kouga ninja battles. Oboru remains a weepy, passive, and weak female character that I intensely dislike. So to shake things up Gennasuke is blinded in this volume, making it so both clans have lost their Aces...it was so predictable.

The illustration is pretty good, but all the women have these ginormous breasts which are totally disproportionate to their bodies. To be fair a lot of the men are overly muscled as well (although we don’t see them naked nearly as much). I am not a fan of overly characterized body illustration.

Overall this series is just getting boring and bad. I am trying to decide if I will finish it or not, there are only two books left and they are quick reads...but I am beginning to really dislike these. I really dislike fantasy series in which all the females are given demeaning roles. I had to read a lot of fantasy like that while I was growing up (because there weren’t a ton of options with strong female characters in the fantasy genre) and it’s something I don’t ever need to read more of.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gennosuke Kouga sends a letter to the Iga where he writes that he and the surviving Kouga ninja from the initial ten are headed to the shogun to talk about the dissolved truce. He invites the Iga to join him, though he warns them against attacking. The Iga in fact plan to do just that, but they must catch up to the Kouga first.

There's a molestation scene in this volume. The guy actually demands to be the girl's husband during the deed. I didn't know you can do that. After a few more kills, the two ninja clans are now 4 vs 4.

[Ign33l · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still dont much develop of the story but the art is awesome. Their ninja clans are getting smaller and all of them want to go and see the shogun to settle this up. The one who devilvers the ninja scroll should reign for 1000 years. But the Iga clan is losing since oboro is blind and the wind technique nigga got hurt trying to fight gennosuke sama. Another 2 ninjas die and some thick art is shown but to prove a point that you have to find out if you grow up. Imma finish this ish today.

[Dominique "Eerie" Sobieska · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read, the more I remember that the anime was far more sensitive and that certain characters felt pain emotions and compassion, were more humane. This is not the case with the manga. As time passes, the more you can see their true nature.

Iga - 4 Remain
Kouga - 4 Remain

[Craig Schorling · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same. Some really good action and great art at times that is accompanied with some fairly shallow story telling. The pace is brisk and doesn't waste any time moving from one moment to the next.

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent ninja manga based In the Feudal Japan era! The action was pretty awesome but the plot/story was pretty dull 👌😁❤️

[Tapani Aulu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ei tässä kyllä ole mitään järkeä eikä ainakaan parane. Mutta kai tämä nyt pitää loppuun asti raapia, kun ei näitä montaa minuuttia kärsi.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tercer tomo de cinco en edición argentina.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huh. I started to dislike Tenzen and like Koshiroo after reading this

[Carole Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things are heating up! Even dear old Gennosuke has even joined in the fight. I'm sorry but he is the last man I would go up against. Hell....the only way to beat him is freeze him so you can at least get a hit in. Man ol' man. He has the ability to slow down time to a near halt and just destroy you as easily as taking a stroll in the park. The only one who can has a chance is poor Oboro with her eyes of death. Can you see where this is heading??? Oboro knows this herself and blinded herself temporarily. Gah, what we do for love I suppose. But yeah...I would refuse to fight Gennosuke. Great guy, but don't piss him off.

Not only are things heating up between the clans, but there is some drama and betrayal happening within the clans. Bad ol' Tenzen. Tsk tsk. So much is at play now and there is so much going on. I would recommend at least reading the second Volume, before tackling this. 

All-in-all, I reall adore this manga series. It's so much fun and its an awesome twist on the Romeo & Juliet tale we all abhor/adore. I feel its 100% better. Haha. I still need to get my hands on the book version of the manga which was the inspiration for this. Well, I shall stamp this with 5 stars. I recommend this to those that like manga and anime. Or for those that just like a little war and love.

Favorite Character(s): Gennosuke, Nenki (he's cool), and of course Koshirou 

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Tenzen...I knew this day would come.

*CaroleRae*

[Conan Tigard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever just looked at a piece of art and just been blown away? That is what this series of books entitled "Basilisk" are . . . ART. Each page sends shivers down my spine as my eyes absorb the intricate beauty of Basilisk: Volume 3.

I am constantly reminded of how incredibly wonderful of a job Masaki Segawa did translating Futaro Yamada's words to images.

This in not a book you should fly through, but rather, take your time and truly see each page. The problem is that the story is so darned good that you can't help but reading this book as fast as you can. This is definitely the type of book that will be read over and over just to make sure that you have seen every bit of artwork there is.

So far, the Basilisk series has proven to be my favorite manga series that Del Rey publishes, as nothing else truly compares. The story is quick and the battles are spectacular. The artwork speaks for itself and you won't find a better drawn manga book anywhere!

Overall, Basilisk: Volume 3 is a winner and I cannot wait to see what happens in Basilisk: Volume 4. I know a bloodbath is coming . . . and I can't wait!

I rated this book a 10 out of 10.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good: Hotarubi's death was really intense.

The bad: Tenzen trying to steal the baddest-ninja-villain-ever crown to Ninja Scroll anime Genma character... They have the same power but at last Genma was not trying to rape his clanmates...


This manga is not a masterwork at all (and absolutely not going ever to win feminist favourite awards...), but all the action and characters interaction still make it a fun read after all.

Have to look for the anime sooner or later. :D

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to get better as the battle between the Iga and Kouga clans continues. One clan decides to take a land route to Sunpu while the other takes to sea, hoping to cut them off. And at the end of this volume, you end up wanting to keep on reading. Action and betrayal galore. This series is a must read.

[Jeni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half way through and half of them are dead. It was ingenious how they took Gennosuke's power away, temporarily at least.

Also, Tenzen is a huge dick. I'm kind of hoping his own clan turns on him. Oboro certainly has reason to, and I could see the other two kind of thinking the same thing. Too bad I don't think they'll last long enough to see it through.

[Elvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, now I am finally getting interested. This one is the best so far & I still can't figure out how the story will unfold, which is a good thing, naturally.

[Christine Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story gets even better as the tale comes closer to the climactic end. This classic Manga is a good read, though violence and sexual violence abound.