The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Vol. 4

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess #4

by Akira Himekawa

Once upon a time, wizards tried to conquer the Sacred Realm of Hyrule. The Spirits of Light sealed the wizards’ power within the Shadow Crystal and banished them to the Twilight Realm beyond the Mirror of Twilight. Now, an evil menace is trying to find Midna, Princess of the Twilight Realm, and the fragments of the Shadow Crystal to gain the power to rule over both the Twilight Realm and the World of Light.

Link and Midna head for Death Mountain to dispel the darkness that is plaguing the Gorons and hopefully obtain another shard of the Shadow Crystal. If they can recover the shard they’ll only need to find one more piece of the Crystal. But their journey is far from over—shadows are gathering at Hyrule Castle and there are still many grave dangers and terrible foes to face!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Young Adult, Comics, Adventure

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2017

About the author

Akira Himekawa is the collaboration of two women, A. Honda and S. Nagano. Together they have created nine manga adventures featuring Link and the popular video game world of The Legend of Zelda, including Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Seasons and Four Swords. Their most recent work, Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, was serialized in Shogaku Rokunensei.

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great high paced, action packed book that really brings the game to life. The only problem I had with the book is it seemed to go so fast the I kept thinking that I might have missed something or was a page missing.

I really saw Link's evolution since the first book. From the reluctant hero then, to the more seasoned warrior now. Embracing his destiny, his powers and skills. What gaming character would be complete with power ups and upgrades. In this book Link gets both.

I really enjoyed this book. The art work is great and detailed, the story is good, and there is plenty action. However it seemed a little rushed, almost like they had too much to cram into too few pages. I just wish the book was longer. I can't wait to see the reckoning hinted at the end of this book.

[H.S.J. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is heroism, ladies and gentlemen. Risking your own safety for the well-being of others, never calling it quits even when the going gets tough, and emotionally supporting the broken-hearted. It’s what makes Link so great, and frankly, so rare of a hero to see in stories these days.

Quite a bit of story is packed into this volume. We return to Ilia here, and may I just say I love Ilia? For whatever reason, she seems to be an unpopular character, and I don’t understand why? Other than she’s kind and...normal? (heaven forbid) She’s lost her memory due to the traumatic experiences she’s been enduring, leaving us unsure if it’s what we saw or if worse happened, but it’s completely heart-breaking. The fear is palatable as monsters arise to try to drag her back into despair, but then—then the best part of the series for me so far. Just... *cries*

I must admit that because I like Ilia so much and her relationship with Link, my traitorous Zelink heart almost prefers Twilight Link and Ilia? The game left romance pretty open to interpretation, so I’m not sure what the manga will do in the end. Romance or no, I love the kindness and care Link and Ilia show for each other.

Content Note: Besides the violence and mature themes, drunkenness was cast in a positive light. While there was a positive message of each day being a new day to cast aside your baggage and start afresh, I was saddened that "healing" was encouraged with the age-old and very temporary solution of drinking your troubles away.

[˚⊱ Avi ⊰˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like how the relationships between the side characters were established and played with here. I really appreciate how much depth was given. I love the added characterization Luda, Telma, Ralis, Queen Rutela and Shad were given as well as playing a bit with Ilia's memory loss. Though I wish it was drawn out a bit more, I think it was still really nice how her memory came back. Also it was a nice surprise to have an added love interest, I hadn't even seen the pairing in fanart/fanfiction before, lol

Though, in the game it was established that Telma and Renaldo knew each other prior to the events of Twilight Princess and I wish we got more of that history rather than them seeming to meet for the first time here.

Still, really solid and love how the series has progressed so far!

4.5/5 stars

[Nessa [October Tune] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Afshjfjskdhdkshsksgdksishs BOIIIIIIII

[Rosa Pateraki · Rating 5 out of 5]

With each volume, I become 14 years old and in love with Link again (or shipping him with Midna), this needs to stop. I love it, though. I love the depiction of Link, I love the depiction of the enemies, the allies, everyone. And I do really like how much darker and grittier this is compared to the video game.

[SzaraReadsComics · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
I really like how Link is growing as a character and in his role of a hero. I read this whole series up to this point in one day and I've been really enjoying it. Art has been overall fantastic and plot has been developing at a nice pace. I'm ready for more!

[chess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Devo essermi persa il momento in cui ha smesso di essere la trasposizione delle avventure eroiche di Link, completamente mozzate e ridotte, insieme ai focus sul suo personaggio e alla sua crescita come eroe, per diventare un teen drama di dubbio gusto con personaggi di cui avremmo fatto a meno di vedere altro.

[Sunny :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

LUDA!!! SHAD!!! TELMA!!! My favorites got some great characterization in this, I LOVE the reworked storyline it's really fun. Midna and Link's dynamic as well is so chef's kiss I'm so excited to read the next one

[Patricia_PS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice. I read chapter 30 over and over until volume 5 came out.

[Elyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This time we get two temples instead of one! Why change classic of the franchise when we can have the Death Mountain and Zora’s Domain?

Link arrives to the Death Mountain. The Goron are pissed at the human from Kakariko’s Village and are far from the cute creatures I remember from my childhood. A demon has possessed two of the Goron and once again, Link saves the day. There is only one shadow crystal left to find.

Ilia is taken in by tavern keeper Telma, but is suffering from memory lost. The villagers think this is related to the disturbance at Lake Hylia. The Zora’s Domain is frozen, and the lake is now dry. Prince Ralis have manage to escape but is injure. Link, Illia and Telma bring him to Kakariko’s village Shaman. The young prince agrees to guide Link to the “Water Temple”. There is the classic “Link fight a giant monster to free the temple of the dark curse.”

Once they gain the last piece of the Shadow Crystal, Midna dismiss Link and tell him she doesn’t need him anymore. Quite rude…

There was a little bit too much Ilia in this one for my taste. The girl is too much like the stereotype damsel in distress. There was also lot of action and battle. Not the best book of this series so far.

[Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
In this volume of Twilight Princess, Link is truly on his way to become a hero. We get to see him both in interaction with the kids of Kakariko village, and the Gorons and Zoras. Midna's mission is seemingly wrapping up, but the manga ends rather dramatically, and ushers us into new and dangerous territory. I LOVED the dialogue between Midna and Link towards the end of this volume. It is obvious that the two have bonded, despite Midna's constant teasing and bullying, haha.
I also really liked the Ilia and Link storyline, which I hated in the game, haha. They're given a new depth to their relationship in the manga, and Ilia's more annoying qualities in the game are left out, fortunately. Interesting hints at romance, also (or are they hints, who knows?)
This manga volume felt more like a video game than the three previous, which is unfortunate, but there is so much heart at the bottom of it all, that I didn't mind too much.
Excited to read more.

[Tamara Morrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least liked volume of the series so far
I found that this volume compressed together two whole dungeons and took out a lot from the video game (example the whole story line about the iron boots)

I did like the brief glimpse of some of Midna's back story and the little interaction we see between Ilia and Shade.
I hope the next volume will be better

[Lila Diller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading these aloud with my 14-yr-old who has been obsessed with Link for years! He binged these all 1-6 in two days, and then he insisted I read them, too. This one was my favorite! I loved the added story of Ilia and more of the background into the Zoras' need.

The art is amazing! Especially the full-page spreads. But even the smallest expressions are perfect, too! I love that it gets a little deeper into the characters – especially Link and his backstory – than the video game did.

[Shannan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still not a huge fan of Ilia’s character, but I thought her portion of the story was handled nicely here all the same. It was a little hard to follow the action sequences again, but that would be my only complaint. It was still pretty fun.

[vexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“you can’t change your past and you can’t change who you were — you can only decide who you’re going to be”

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

no, I didn’t tear up when Link and Ilia were reunited, what are you talking about? 🥹

[Taylor♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ralis and Rutella always bring tears to my eyes😭
12/8

[Skylyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this twice, but have never read the previous volumes nor have I played Twilight Princess for myself.




Spoilers, I know, but it's worth it if I've got a great manga!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

ilia omg

[kristiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Telma was a bit sus and Shad pissed me off but Ilia is always so cute

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

WANT TO READ MORE!!!!!

[Kayla Lodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far my favorite Zelda manga that I had read so far and I have no idea why I had waited so long to pick up this series.

[Aleksander Tudorin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great volume. Love how their exploring Link and Ilia in these chapters

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Super spannend.

- Doch ich finde es schade das die Böse nach einem Treffer besiegt sind. Also wenn der Manga nicht auf das Spiel basieren würde wäre das echt enttäuschend aber im Spiel ist da bestimmt mehr Action, was man aber wahrscheinlich nicht im Manga mit einbauen kann(Da es ja für jeden Spieler anders abläuft) also drücke ich mal ein Auge zu bei diesen Aspekt.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read this book in less than an hour. It was incredible and probably my favorite so far out of the 4 Twilight Princess comic book releases. The art and story line was beautiful and followed pretty close to the video game. However, I like how it expands on the background of some of the characters and adds more minor scenes that make the story come together better. The very last scene was awesome and left on a major cliff hanger. Although I already know what is going to happen because I have played the video game, I am excited to continue the written story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am super excited for number 5! :D

[TFP RadGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge legend of zelda fan, and when I found out there was a Twilight Princess manga, I was so happy. Because Twilight Princess is my favorite game of all time. I have all four volumes, and I finished volume four in a day.

I did not disappoint me. There are several differences between the games and the manga, I won't spoil cause I'm gonna talk about it when the manga is complete. But they were good. The art style is very detailed and beautiful, it suits the story of Twilight Princess. The ending of this chapter, left me wanting more. And I can't wait for volume five!

[Jedi Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing installment to this series. I've become quite attached to the characters. Me and my brother can't stop reading it! Also, all the endings to these volumes are awesome. I won't spoil it, you just have to read it yourself!

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waffle between wanting to keep this series (despite having had it and given it away) and being okay with just checking it out from the library (in order to re-read and write a more informed review as per my bucket list goal of reviewing every book I've ever read). Like, as lovely as the art is—specifically of Link, haha—I'm not really a fan of the story and how it's going and the character designs for some of the side characters and monsters. Like, I can just do an image search if I want to see Link again.

I mean, Zelda had to do it the hard way, haha.



[/joke]

The story—though I'm still not sure how accurate it is since I haven't played the game or watched a Let's Play to be able to tell—branches slightly here with Ilia showing up at a tavern with trauma-induced amnesia after having been kidnapped, and introduces Shad as her wannabe knight in shining armour (though neither a knight nor armoured). I admit that in my first read, I thought Shad was being pretty gauche, and of course I sided with Link in every turn.

On a re-read, though, I feel bad for Shad; it's not like he means to be awful, he's just incredibly single-minded and struggling to be heard. I know far too many people like that, who've done their absolute best to get their message out, only to have a handful of cheerleaders wave their banners... a far cry from the acclaim they deserve (though I might be biased as one of those cheerleaders, haha). Shad also doesn't mean to be *mean*—he correctly doubts any pretty boy who might walk in and say they know better than Ilia (even if they do). Loads of victims go through similar trauma, unable to speak up about it, and without knowing Ilia's or Link's backgrounds, it's more than fair to be a little protective of her until she is able to vouch for him.

(Also, I know what happens later, and that's a pretty cool/funny twist, haha.)

I also like Telma a lot... and clearly Link does, too, when he blushes shyly at her being flirty with him.

Like most of the books I've read, though, it's good while I'm reading it, but mostly out of sight, out of mind when I'm not. Probably recommended for fans of the game who want to relive it without *necessarily* having to play through it again, though maybe start with book 1.

[Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huh, no one told me Mr. Ditkovich made an appearance in this book.

I really feel like the overall story picks up at this point, and I think now that Midna has her three shards of the Shadow Crystal we've reached a point in the story where things are going to change big time, and I'm really looking forward to that. This book was definitely a fun adventure because we got to travel all over Hyrule, meet both the Gorons and the Zora, and we also got to meet a few new characters over at Castle Town as well. I enjoyed getting to meet so many new characters and visit new places, but I also liked how the book touched on the past of several characters as well. We got to see a discussion about Link's past, we saw a bit about Midna's past, and we also learned the backstory to some minor characters as well. I thought these elements made the book a strong addition to the series, and I still feel intrigued about the future and can't wait to see what happens next.

Although Midna mostly stayed in the shadows (quite literally) for most of the book, we still got to see a different side of her in this one. In the previous two books she really just followed Link around while he searched for the pieces of the Shadow Crystal for her. She made plenty of jokes and kept the atmosphere relatively light despite the circumstance her and Link were in. It was nice to see another side of her and struggle with her feelings as the Twilight Princess. I don't doubt that she is under immense pressure, and though she acts like she doesn't care about the world of light, it is obvious that she does inside. I'm also curious to learn more about why the Shadow Crystal is the same shape as her crown. I'm sure I would already know if I had played the video game, so I just get to be surprised when we learn about it. Obviously Midna isn't going to be gone forever, so I'm not worried about never seeing her again. I want to learn more about her, because she is clearly such a complex character inside, and she has these wild powers that we've only just gotten to see a glimpse of.

Despite getting to visit both Goron City and Zora's domain, my favorite part of the book was following Ilia in Castle Town. Her memory loss let us have a bit more suspense leading up to her reunion with Link, and it also gave us the opportunity to get a bit more conflict in the story while also introducing two of the best characters in this series so far. Telma was such a lovely person and she had such warm and kind vibes. If she asked me to I would go down onto my hands and knees so she could sit on me like a chair if she was tired. Is that too much? I also really liked Shad and I found him to be quite charming. He's never had the best luck in the world, and he's a bit misunderstood by others, but he's a sweetheart who falls in love with any girl who agrees to be his friend. I better see those two in the later books or I will revolt.

The book got progressively better as it went on up until the end as Link was going to defeat the monster in the lake at Zora's Domain. When Link saw Rutela she gave him these very specific instructions, and although I was feeling a bit fuzzy with confusion, I still was able to follow along. When Ralis came to his father's grave and his mother told him she was dead he barely had a reaction and took it in stride so quickly. Ralis is clearly a child, and I could not believe that after 5 seconds of crying he was able to accept it. By that point I couldn't understand what I as a reader was supposed to be feeling or thinking. Ralis's character arc was rushed so quickly, and I don't even think he needed it. He could still be sad as he goes off to rescue the rest of the Zora, and he doesn't even need to feel relieved. This poor child just lost his other parent and has to lead the entire Zora race, for God's sake let this child grieve.

I really hope this isn't the last we'll see of both the Gorons and the Zora, and I'm curious to see what Link does next now that Midna got all her pieces of the Shadow Crystal. We got a cool plot hanger at the end of this book and I'm excited to see what happens at the beginning of the next book. These books have all been really great, and although I didn't like this book nearly as much as the last one, I still thought this one was fun and had the charm that I wanted from this series. I'm excited to see what happens to Link next, I'm excited to see the new characters in the future, and I'm also curious about what Malo saw in this book! It was such a small thing, and we only saw the children for a page or two, but I have a feeling we'll learn something cool in the next book, and I'm ready for it.

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Teen rated Zelda manga based on the popular Twilight Princess game has reached the 4th volume and is still going. Not sure how many of you remember the original VizKids line of manga where the original Legend of Zelda manga were published but Twilight Princess was considered to dark to publish for kids and without such restrictions we get all sorts of action and heroics as Link continues his quest along the imp Midna. :)

On their way to Death Mountain Link discovers the relations between the Gorons and Kakariko Village have been strained and with the help of Luda he will discover the distrust that has boiled up between the two factions and work toward peace as he continues his own quest to help Midna. Poor Ilia has lost her memory after recent tragic events but thankfully she finds herself among kind people allowing her to stay and offering her an identity in the name of Liza. In the meantime the Zora tribe is in trouble and Link must help them before he can really worry about Ilia whom he discovered in his wolf form. If you like the Zelda line of games why not give this series based on one of the darkest games a try. :)

My favorite part of the book would have to be Telma getting offended by being called an old lady and delivering bucket justice before even trying to put out the fire. Of course it is not easy to choose a fave moment because I love this series and many of its moments. :)