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守り人 [Moribito] #2
闇の守り人
Balsa returns to her native Kanbal to clear the name of Jiguro, her dear mentor, who saved her life when she was six years old. But what should be a visit of truth and reconciliation becomes a fight for her life when she learns that Jiguro had been a member of King Rogsam's personal bodyguard. After Jiguro fled Kanbal with her, Rogsam sent the other bodyguards after them one by one--Jiguro's best friends, whom he had to kill to protect Balsa. Now, with the help of two Kanbalese children, Balsa must unwind the conspiracy surrounding Jiguro and the mystery of the Guardians of the Dark.
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First published February 1, 1999
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About the author
Nahoko Uehashi
88 books353 followersNahoko Uehashi is the author of ten books in the Moribito series, which have sold more than a million copies and won many major literary awards in her native Japan. An associate professor at a Japanese university, she has a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and studies indigenous peoples in Australia. She lives near Tokyo, Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
September 6, 2020
true crime is the fact that the rest of these books haven’t been, and will probably not be, translated *cries*
August 22, 2024
When I reviewed the first book in this series, my reaction was “now THIS is my style of YA fantasy!” Because basically it read like a shonen anime/manga fantasy adventure, only with a 30-something woman as the protagonist. I was anxious if a sequel would measure up, but this one might even be better!
Balsa is a great character, who I think would appeal to a wide range of ages and genders of readers. As a fighter/adventurer she’s old enough to have gained wisdom and experience but still at her peak of strength and speed. She’s not conventionally feminine but she doesn’t scorn those who are, and she has a certain mother-bear protectiveness toward and desire to teach the 12-16 year olds who end up under her care in both books (all qualities I tend to identify with!). Her personal struggles would likely feel familiar to someone her age or older, while a younger reader would get the useful message of “adults are often still figuring things out too!”
That theme is expanded on in this book as Balsa returns to the country she had to flee as a child, hoping to set the soul of her mentor Jiguro (and her own heart) at ease. She ends up doing that in a more literal manner than she intended! Balsa had figured it was safe to return, now that the king who had been threatening her family was dead, but the plots he started run deeper than anyone suspects…
There’s more magic as well as more complex political intrigue in this sequel, both of which I enjoyed! We get our first glimpse as Balsa, following a tunnel system back into Kanbal, ends up defending a boy and his sister from a cave spirit – or, at least, that’s what everyone assumes these things are! Then there are the little people. At first I thought this just meant “peasant” (like “small folk”) in Game of Thrones…but, no, these are actual hobbit-like people who tend the herds and who, like hobbits, should not be underestimated! I loved the tiny ermine riders and the dragonish things as well, and would love to see more of them.
I previously called Tanda the healer Balsa’s love interest; that may or may not be true. He would marry her in a heartbeat, I’m certain! She always calls him a “friend” in her mind, but she does think about him a lot and, when she wonders if she’ll make it out of this alive, thinks that if she doesn’t he’ll just be waiting for her forever. True to her practical nature, Balsa reasons that, since his mentor is a sorceress, if she dies she’ll just have to arrange to go deliver a message to her as a ghost! If you like overt romance this could be frustrating…but, honestly, I find this level of ambiguity in a male-female relationship kind of refreshing! I do rather hope they end up together, though; tough lady + soft boy (who both really care about people) is one of my favorite combos.
Balsa is a great character, who I think would appeal to a wide range of ages and genders of readers. As a fighter/adventurer she’s old enough to have gained wisdom and experience but still at her peak of strength and speed. She’s not conventionally feminine but she doesn’t scorn those who are, and she has a certain mother-bear protectiveness toward and desire to teach the 12-16 year olds who end up under her care in both books (all qualities I tend to identify with!). Her personal struggles would likely feel familiar to someone her age or older, while a younger reader would get the useful message of “adults are often still figuring things out too!”
That theme is expanded on in this book as Balsa returns to the country she had to flee as a child, hoping to set the soul of her mentor Jiguro (and her own heart) at ease. She ends up doing that in a more literal manner than she intended! Balsa had figured it was safe to return, now that the king who had been threatening her family was dead, but the plots he started run deeper than anyone suspects…
There’s more magic as well as more complex political intrigue in this sequel, both of which I enjoyed! We get our first glimpse as Balsa, following a tunnel system back into Kanbal, ends up defending a boy and his sister from a cave spirit – or, at least, that’s what everyone assumes these things are! Then there are the little people. At first I thought this just meant “peasant” (like “small folk”) in Game of Thrones…but, no, these are actual hobbit-like people who tend the herds and who, like hobbits, should not be underestimated! I loved the tiny ermine riders and the dragonish things as well, and would love to see more of them.
I previously called Tanda the healer Balsa’s love interest; that may or may not be true. He would marry her in a heartbeat, I’m certain! She always calls him a “friend” in her mind, but she does think about him a lot and, when she wonders if she’ll make it out of this alive, thinks that if she doesn’t he’ll just be waiting for her forever. True to her practical nature, Balsa reasons that, since his mentor is a sorceress, if she dies she’ll just have to arrange to go deliver a message to her as a ghost! If you like overt romance this could be frustrating…but, honestly, I find this level of ambiguity in a male-female relationship kind of refreshing! I do rather hope they end up together, though; tough lady + soft boy (who both really care about people) is one of my favorite combos.
November 6, 2013
Moribito II picks up just after Moribito ends, with Balsa returning to her home country of Kanbal to visit her Master and father-figure Jiguro's relatives, and explain about the circumstances surrounding their departure twenty some-odd years ago. Balsa and Jiguro had originally fled Kanbal because of Balsa's father's involvement in a royal conspiracy, but the king who might have considered her a threat is dead now, making it safe for her return. Except it's really not.
When she arrives, Balsa learns that Jiguro has been turned in to the nationally-despised villain of a tale that the former king had fabricated in order to explain Jiguro's absence, and cover up a political power maneuver. Naturally, this makes Balsa a threat, and her presence has the potential to expose the truth behind this national fairy tale, and its hero, Jiguro's brother. To cover his ass, Jiguro's brother makes Balsa an outlaw, and sets his minions out to capture her.
At the same time, an ancient ceremony that for centuries has ensured the survival of Kanbal is drawing near, and the new king, without the guidance of anyone who had been present at the previous ceremony, is plotting a maneuver that could lead his entire country to ruin. Luckily, it's all very cleverly tied together, and it's up to Balsa and a young boy named Kassa to prevent this disaster.
Moribito II actually has a pretty awesome story. The first half or so, I'll admit, is a little slow, but by the halfway mark, I couldn't put the book down. The action escalates quickly, and the race against time to save the kingdom is a great way to build tension. The climax itself isn't disappointing - it's an action-packed flurry of martial arts and trippy magic, yet at the same time is deeply emotionally intense and satisfying. I wish every book could handle a boss fight that well.
The themes and conflicts tackled in Moribito II are very similar to those in the first book. Yet again, an entire country's perception of history has been distorted thanks to a self-serving origin story. Like the tale of New Yogo's first Emperor vanquishing the ~evil~ Moribito spirit in the previous book, Kanbal has a story in which its founder impressed the aptly-named Mountain King, and stuck a bargain to secure the hand of his daughter and the wealth of his land. Both stories are bullshit, of course, and the truth is potentially less flattering. Hence why the monarchies embellished the stories, changing them to better support their status and assertion of divine right to rule over the land.
I love the idea here, of personal and national narratives being altered to make men and countries the hero of their own stories, even when they aren't. It's a perpetually relevant, thought-provoking subject for Uehashi to bring up - an illustration of how subjective history can become, how easy it is to lose the truth, and how dangerous this can be. It's some pretty heavy stuff in a children's fantasy story. WHO KNEW, RIGHT?
Speaking of fantasy, I enjoyed the new fantastical elements Uehashi developed in this installment. Rather than copy-pasting the mythology and history from New Yogo, Uehashi created a new backstory and set of traditions for the people of Kanbal. It's not a re-tread of what we saw in New Yogo, but still fits in the same world. It sounds like common sense, but mythological diversity isn't really something I see a lot as a paranormal romance reader, and I liked it.
As one of the characters observes in the book, the people of Kanbal have an analog for the Yogese's spiritual world of Nayug, but they don't call it that, and it doesn't work exactly the same. That's the beauty of the world-building in a nut-shell: similar, but different. Kanbal has it's own little details that differentiate it from New Yogo - foods, terms, people, architecture, social structure, etc. These kinds of little details allow you to more easily believe that these two cultures actually existed and developed, close enough for some things to cross over, but separate and under different enough circumstances for them to have a distinct culture and set of experiences. It all gives the story and world more credibility, for me.
I wasn't as attached to the side characters this time around as I was in Moribito, but then, Moribito II doesn't have a twenty-six episode television series to go along with it, and Balsa doesn't really bond as much with the child hero of the story as she did with Chagum. I did like the child protagonist okay, though. Kassa was a good kid, and while he had a nice character arc, I kinda wish his sister had gotten a bigger/more important role.
What was nifty was seeing Balsa reunited and bonding with her aunt, her only remaining relative. They form a companionable relationship that extends beyond the time that they're actually together, and I loved seeing Balsa's aunt supporting and trying to help her niece, even after Balsa had gone. The whole thing was made doubly nifty by the fact that Balsa's aunt was a strong-willed, smart, independently successful doctor. Fuck yeah, professional women flying solo in a feudal fantasy world.
Once again, though, the best part of the book was Balsa. On a character level, I loved what this story meant for her. There's a great progression here, of Balsa moving forward and finally coming to terms with the events that drove and shaped her life. It's a natural next step, on the heels of what Balsa learned with Chagum in Moribito, and the continuation of that emotional arc gives both books a great cohesion, in terms of character development.
It's kind of funny, because both the plot in both books was driven by a male character - in Moribito, Chagum, and in this, Jiguro - but they ultimately end up being about Balsa. She's the key, the chosen one, and the climax of Moribito II hinges on an instance of character development...
Read full review at You're Killing.Us.
When she arrives, Balsa learns that Jiguro has been turned in to the nationally-despised villain of a tale that the former king had fabricated in order to explain Jiguro's absence, and cover up a political power maneuver. Naturally, this makes Balsa a threat, and her presence has the potential to expose the truth behind this national fairy tale, and its hero, Jiguro's brother. To cover his ass, Jiguro's brother makes Balsa an outlaw, and sets his minions out to capture her.
At the same time, an ancient ceremony that for centuries has ensured the survival of Kanbal is drawing near, and the new king, without the guidance of anyone who had been present at the previous ceremony, is plotting a maneuver that could lead his entire country to ruin. Luckily, it's all very cleverly tied together, and it's up to Balsa and a young boy named Kassa to prevent this disaster.
Moribito II actually has a pretty awesome story. The first half or so, I'll admit, is a little slow, but by the halfway mark, I couldn't put the book down. The action escalates quickly, and the race against time to save the kingdom is a great way to build tension. The climax itself isn't disappointing - it's an action-packed flurry of martial arts and trippy magic, yet at the same time is deeply emotionally intense and satisfying. I wish every book could handle a boss fight that well.
The themes and conflicts tackled in Moribito II are very similar to those in the first book. Yet again, an entire country's perception of history has been distorted thanks to a self-serving origin story. Like the tale of New Yogo's first Emperor vanquishing the ~evil~ Moribito spirit in the previous book, Kanbal has a story in which its founder impressed the aptly-named Mountain King, and stuck a bargain to secure the hand of his daughter and the wealth of his land. Both stories are bullshit, of course, and the truth is potentially less flattering. Hence why the monarchies embellished the stories, changing them to better support their status and assertion of divine right to rule over the land.
I love the idea here, of personal and national narratives being altered to make men and countries the hero of their own stories, even when they aren't. It's a perpetually relevant, thought-provoking subject for Uehashi to bring up - an illustration of how subjective history can become, how easy it is to lose the truth, and how dangerous this can be. It's some pretty heavy stuff in a children's fantasy story. WHO KNEW, RIGHT?
Speaking of fantasy, I enjoyed the new fantastical elements Uehashi developed in this installment. Rather than copy-pasting the mythology and history from New Yogo, Uehashi created a new backstory and set of traditions for the people of Kanbal. It's not a re-tread of what we saw in New Yogo, but still fits in the same world. It sounds like common sense, but mythological diversity isn't really something I see a lot as a paranormal romance reader, and I liked it.
As one of the characters observes in the book, the people of Kanbal have an analog for the Yogese's spiritual world of Nayug, but they don't call it that, and it doesn't work exactly the same. That's the beauty of the world-building in a nut-shell: similar, but different. Kanbal has it's own little details that differentiate it from New Yogo - foods, terms, people, architecture, social structure, etc. These kinds of little details allow you to more easily believe that these two cultures actually existed and developed, close enough for some things to cross over, but separate and under different enough circumstances for them to have a distinct culture and set of experiences. It all gives the story and world more credibility, for me.
I wasn't as attached to the side characters this time around as I was in Moribito, but then, Moribito II doesn't have a twenty-six episode television series to go along with it, and Balsa doesn't really bond as much with the child hero of the story as she did with Chagum. I did like the child protagonist okay, though. Kassa was a good kid, and while he had a nice character arc, I kinda wish his sister had gotten a bigger/more important role.
What was nifty was seeing Balsa reunited and bonding with her aunt, her only remaining relative. They form a companionable relationship that extends beyond the time that they're actually together, and I loved seeing Balsa's aunt supporting and trying to help her niece, even after Balsa had gone. The whole thing was made doubly nifty by the fact that Balsa's aunt was a strong-willed, smart, independently successful doctor. Fuck yeah, professional women flying solo in a feudal fantasy world.
Once again, though, the best part of the book was Balsa. On a character level, I loved what this story meant for her. There's a great progression here, of Balsa moving forward and finally coming to terms with the events that drove and shaped her life. It's a natural next step, on the heels of what Balsa learned with Chagum in Moribito, and the continuation of that emotional arc gives both books a great cohesion, in terms of character development.
It's kind of funny, because both the plot in both books was driven by a male character - in Moribito, Chagum, and in this, Jiguro - but they ultimately end up being about Balsa. She's the key, the chosen one, and the climax of Moribito II hinges on an instance of character development...
Read full review at You're Killing.Us.
September 7, 2021
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THIS BOOK, just as much, if not more than the first book!
In the first book, Balsa mentions her foster father and her homeland several times. In this book, we're finally able to unravel Balsa's mysterious past.
Even though we meet completely new characters and and follow a completely different plot, this book still felt like a perfect continuation of the first. I loved all the different characters we meet, and the different characters whose perspective we read from.
I love the mythology and how it all tied the story together. In the first book, we explore the mythology of New Yogo, and this book, we explore the mythology of Kanbal. I really liked how this was done without discrediting one or the other.
The whole conspiracy and secret plot is fun to read about as well. I really liked how this whole story came together.
I'm so glad I randomly came across this series at my library. it's definitely one of the best series I've started this year!
In the first book, Balsa mentions her foster father and her homeland several times. In this book, we're finally able to unravel Balsa's mysterious past.
Even though we meet completely new characters and and follow a completely different plot, this book still felt like a perfect continuation of the first. I loved all the different characters we meet, and the different characters whose perspective we read from.
I love the mythology and how it all tied the story together. In the first book, we explore the mythology of New Yogo, and this book, we explore the mythology of Kanbal. I really liked how this was done without discrediting one or the other.
The whole conspiracy and secret plot is fun to read about as well. I really liked how this whole story came together.
I'm so glad I randomly came across this series at my library. it's definitely one of the best series I've started this year!
December 31, 2017
The second entry in Moribito, a low fantasy/adventure series starring the feisty spear wielder, Balsa. It has a few call-backs to the events in Guardian of the Spirit, taking place immediately after the first book's ending; but it can also function as a stand-alone narrative that's independent of the previous story.
In Guardian of the Darkness, Balsa takes a trip to her hometown of Kanbal, a place rich of customs, values, and folklore..... as well as bloody past, bitter memories, and a pile of lies that keep on accumulating on top of each other.
I was initially a bit disappointed to see none of the characters from Guardian of the Spirit return for this adventure (excepting Balsa herself of course), but I suppose it's a testament to Nahoko Ohashi's writing skills that she can still conjure a completely new setting and a group of characters that are just as memorable and compelling as the first one's. Kanbal's depiction once again highlights Ohashi's obvious strengths at world-building, with description of geological features, caste system, lifestyle, and food that allows the readers to easily conjure a visual image on their minds. It's succinct enough to not bore me to hell (God knows I have little patience for long-winded description in fantasy novels), and I absolutely love how the low-key yet significant supernatural elements are seamlessly integrated into this setting.
If this is a classic Hollywood script, the story would be one where Balsa slays her enemy one by one as she revels in her bloody quest for revenge. Moribito isn't exactly a series that trades in cliches and sensationalism, though. Full disclosure: I do enjoy cliched and sensational story at times, but reading this book is a genuine breath of fresh air. Balsa can't exactly murder her arch nemesis, the one that caused her suffering, because he's already dead. Hence, this is instead a story about letting go and making peace with oneself, while also dealing with a new crisis rooted in typical human greed and disrespect towards nature.
A lot of developments in this book mirrors the ones in the previous book, although it's still just as compelling to read: a child deuteragonist who undergoes a coming of age of sort, kick-ass battle scenes with spear, and a climactic twist that is mystical, breathtaking, and bittersweet all at once. I would've wanted more pages from this great tale, whether in form of longer third act or more spotlight for the supporting characters (especially little Gina), but even as it is, Guardian of the Darkness still ranks among the finest fantasy novels I've ever had the pleasure to read.
In Guardian of the Darkness, Balsa takes a trip to her hometown of Kanbal, a place rich of customs, values, and folklore..... as well as bloody past, bitter memories, and a pile of lies that keep on accumulating on top of each other.
I was initially a bit disappointed to see none of the characters from Guardian of the Spirit return for this adventure (excepting Balsa herself of course), but I suppose it's a testament to Nahoko Ohashi's writing skills that she can still conjure a completely new setting and a group of characters that are just as memorable and compelling as the first one's. Kanbal's depiction once again highlights Ohashi's obvious strengths at world-building, with description of geological features, caste system, lifestyle, and food that allows the readers to easily conjure a visual image on their minds. It's succinct enough to not bore me to hell (God knows I have little patience for long-winded description in fantasy novels), and I absolutely love how the low-key yet significant supernatural elements are seamlessly integrated into this setting.
If this is a classic Hollywood script, the story would be one where Balsa slays her enemy one by one as she revels in her bloody quest for revenge. Moribito isn't exactly a series that trades in cliches and sensationalism, though. Full disclosure: I do enjoy cliched and sensational story at times, but reading this book is a genuine breath of fresh air. Balsa can't exactly murder her arch nemesis, the one that caused her suffering, because he's already dead. Hence, this is instead a story about letting go and making peace with oneself, while also dealing with a new crisis rooted in typical human greed and disrespect towards nature.
A lot of developments in this book mirrors the ones in the previous book, although it's still just as compelling to read: a child deuteragonist who undergoes a coming of age of sort, kick-ass battle scenes with spear, and a climactic twist that is mystical, breathtaking, and bittersweet all at once. I would've wanted more pages from this great tale, whether in form of longer third act or more spotlight for the supporting characters (especially little Gina), but even as it is, Guardian of the Darkness still ranks among the finest fantasy novels I've ever had the pleasure to read.
July 15, 2010
Balsa is back, and she heads to her native Kanbal hoping to lay rest her personal demons of guilt regarding her foster father Jiguro and her past. What she finds is a brain-pretzel of a political plot involving Jiguro, and the stories spread to discredit him. Balsa quickly discovers that not only is her life in danger, but the whole of Kanbal is in jeopardy. In this story, the reader finds out more about Balsa's past and her family. Balsa is a wonderful heroine -- tough, smart and human. The book is rounded out nicely by several secondary characters, including Kassa, a young spear-holder whom Balsa rescues early on, along with his sister. The details in this world are wonderful -- the history, the lands and the personalities there, the different people and creatures. The who's who at the end, along with the definition of the terms used, helps.
August 5, 2011
My thoughts on this one are pretty similar to the last - its strengths and weaknesses are much the same. Prose is smooth but flat, world building is astounding - although in this one I did think Uehashi got a little carried away with the food. (Food is good! And oft-neglected in fantasy worlds! But geez.) This book had even more political intrigue than the last one, and I was totally hooked by it - for the second half of the story I barely came up for air.
I missed Tanda and I hope he'll be in the next book (if, indeed, the next book ever gets translated into English, s-sob). The end of this book seemed to indicate he likely would. Also, this line?
BAWLING, OTP FOREVER GUYS.
I missed Tanda and I hope he'll be in the next book (if, indeed, the next book ever gets translated into English, s-sob). The end of this book seemed to indicate he likely would. Also, this line?
Magic weavers can see spirits, right, Tanda? If I die, I'll come back to you as a spirit.
BAWLING, OTP FOREVER GUYS.
December 13, 2016
Buka segel novel yang sudah tertimbun 4 tahun ini karena kangen baca buku-buku fantasi Matahati yang khas dan terjemahannya empuk banget itu. Buku ini sebagai sekuel dari Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit dengan rasa fantasi yang tak sekental buku pertama. Tetapi ada alasan mengapa buku ini ratingnya 4 lebih, ceritanya seru, karakter-karakternya menyenangkan, dan bonus adegan tanding pake tombak yang keren. Nahoko rupanya fokus pada permainan tombak sehingga semua orang di buku ini bertarung dengan tombak. Ini yang bikin pembaca bisa dapat banyak ilmu tentang adu tarung pake tombak. Pokoknya beda banget kalau dibanding buku-buku fantasi populer yang lain. Tentang kualitas terjemahannya, buku-buku fantasi dari Penerbit Matahati tidak perlu diragukan lagi.
Kangen penerbitnya (╥_╥)3
Kangen penerbitnya (╥_╥)3
September 11, 2024
Read this book because I watched the anime show Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit and loved the show.
The writing in this book is pretty simple but has amazing world building. It was a pretty quick read, I think it took me somewhere between 3-4 hours to finish. The story is compact but not lacking. The second book picks up where the first left off (and the where the anime ended). Balsa decided to return to her hometown to "heal an old hurt" and make peace with her past. However, she discovers that her visit has more in store for her than just putting old ghosts to rest.
The writing in this book is pretty simple but has amazing world building. It was a pretty quick read, I think it took me somewhere between 3-4 hours to finish. The story is compact but not lacking. The second book picks up where the first left off (and the where the anime ended). Balsa decided to return to her hometown to "heal an old hurt" and make peace with her past. However, she discovers that her visit has more in store for her than just putting old ghosts to rest.
March 18, 2017
This one resembled the story of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth, but an eastern variation of it. Hyoulu, interestingly, is what in Persian is called Hayoula. I wonder if the author knew of this. Apperantly the other books of the series are not yet translated into English and me learning how to read Japanese would take a decade.
March 7, 2019
Fantastic! I enjoyed this book better than the first. Balsa is once again shown to not only be mentally competent but her physical prowess is incredible. I especially enjoyed that none of the characters seemed like idiots. Some characters were smart to realize the villain's story didn't make sense. Though it seemed like everyone was a bit too readily eager to help Balsa, I prefer it over them being completely dense.
As far as the Japanese I feel like this was also easier to read than the first. Most of the vocabulary/specific terms are repeated so it's easy to get used to the writing style.
As far as the Japanese I feel like this was also easier to read than the first. Most of the vocabulary/specific terms are repeated so it's easy to get used to the writing style.
February 28, 2021
A female heroine who is strong, tough, and will not let anything get in her way who is well written and not #edgy???? With a proper backstory???? Who would've thought????
It's tragic that they never bothered to finish translating this series. The writing, action, and characters were so nicely developed, and I appreciate this was so effortleesly a 'feminist' series WITHOUT trying to be so.
(Curse the Spanish. At least the remaining series got translated for THEM)
It's tragic that they never bothered to finish translating this series. The writing, action, and characters were so nicely developed, and I appreciate this was so effortleesly a 'feminist' series WITHOUT trying to be so.
(Curse the Spanish. At least the remaining series got translated for THEM)
February 9, 2012
apa menurutmu aku tidak tahu bahwa setiap kali kau terpaksa membunuh temanmu kau merasa sangat membenciku? aku tahu! (hlm. 316)
sarat dengan dendam. jika buku pertama mengkisahkan pencarian dan nuansa-nuansa cinta, maka dalam buku kedua ini dikisahkan penemuan akan dendam. balsa yang kembali ke negeri asal na untuk sebuah pencarian, untuk menuntaskan apa yang belum tuntas bagi na, untuk menenangkan hati ternyata tidak menemukan perjalanan sesuai harapan na. berdamai dengan masa lalu ternyata harus dilakukan na dengan cara pelampiasan dendam. luka masa lalu yang mulai terkuak di masa kini
tidak pernah menghasilkan apapun, tidak pernah menciptakan apapun. hidup hanya untuk sekedar bertahan, seperti tikus batu yang melarikan diri dari kejaran burung hantu (hlm. 148)
bertemu klan musa, klan dari ayah angkat na -jiguru-, orang yang selama ini telah menjaga na. di satu sisi ingin mengembalikan nama baik juguru melalui pengungkapan fakta yang ada. di sini lain, ternyata selama ini balsa mempersalahkan jiguru dan semua hal yang telah ia alami. terenggut dari dunia masa kecil na dan harus hidup dalam pelarian.
apakah dia bahagia dengan menjadi ahli tombak? tidak jika itu selalu dilakukan na untuk memperpanjang hidup na. bukan pilihan tapi kondisi yang mengharuskan. walau begitu kisah petarungan di buku ini masih sama kurang na dengan buku pertama. ga ada trang.. trang.. blush.. bleset.. blash.. dan sebangsa gitulah. tidak berasa pertarungan na tapi dendam dan pembalasan na mewarnai kisah sendu di sebagian akhir na.
mengapa dendam harus dibalaskan dan ketenangan baru diperoleh setelah pembalasan? apakah roh-roh itu tidak bisa tenang sebelum membalas dendam? kapan kita bisa pergi dan melepaskan dengan ikhlas? penjaga kegelapanlah yang menentukan na.
semua perasaan na berubah menjadi luisha yang suatu hari nanti akan menjadi roti kehidupan yang memberi makan penduduk kanbal (hlm. 328)
luisha yang arti na permata hati. jadi inget nama lama yang pernah menjadi bagian na -apa iseng ganti jadi sha lagi ya-, semoga tidak kehilangan makna. pengorbanan untuk roti kehidupan, melepaskan yang satu demi mepertahankan yang lain. mungkin dalam lingkup yang lebih kecil seperti kepercayaan yang selama ini coba rhe yakini. epik fantasi yang ternyata ga cuma berasa membaca manga tapi juga pencarian dan pertanda untuk meyakini kepercayaan yang sempat pudar. kadang ingin mengutuk karena tidak terima dari sebuah rasa kehilangan, padahal dengan apa yang kita rasakan sat itu, kita justru mengikat kuat roh yang hilang untuk kembali ke asal mereka, bukan pada dunia yang fana ini.
menyambung dari buku pertama na, di sini pun ada penyampaian-penyampaian sederhana dari sebuah penceritaan untuk menyamarkan kenyataan-kenyataan tertentu, atau pemutarbalikkan fakta untuk melindungi penguasa. penguasa, apakah kalian begitu lemah sampai harus elalu dilindungi dengan fakta-fakta yang dimanipulasi? naas sekali kehidupan kalian!
-09 '12-
sarat dengan dendam. jika buku pertama mengkisahkan pencarian dan nuansa-nuansa cinta, maka dalam buku kedua ini dikisahkan penemuan akan dendam. balsa yang kembali ke negeri asal na untuk sebuah pencarian, untuk menuntaskan apa yang belum tuntas bagi na, untuk menenangkan hati ternyata tidak menemukan perjalanan sesuai harapan na. berdamai dengan masa lalu ternyata harus dilakukan na dengan cara pelampiasan dendam. luka masa lalu yang mulai terkuak di masa kini
tidak pernah menghasilkan apapun, tidak pernah menciptakan apapun. hidup hanya untuk sekedar bertahan, seperti tikus batu yang melarikan diri dari kejaran burung hantu (hlm. 148)
bertemu klan musa, klan dari ayah angkat na -jiguru-, orang yang selama ini telah menjaga na. di satu sisi ingin mengembalikan nama baik juguru melalui pengungkapan fakta yang ada. di sini lain, ternyata selama ini balsa mempersalahkan jiguru dan semua hal yang telah ia alami. terenggut dari dunia masa kecil na dan harus hidup dalam pelarian.
apakah dia bahagia dengan menjadi ahli tombak? tidak jika itu selalu dilakukan na untuk memperpanjang hidup na. bukan pilihan tapi kondisi yang mengharuskan. walau begitu kisah petarungan di buku ini masih sama kurang na dengan buku pertama. ga ada trang.. trang.. blush.. bleset.. blash.. dan sebangsa gitulah. tidak berasa pertarungan na tapi dendam dan pembalasan na mewarnai kisah sendu di sebagian akhir na.
mengapa dendam harus dibalaskan dan ketenangan baru diperoleh setelah pembalasan? apakah roh-roh itu tidak bisa tenang sebelum membalas dendam? kapan kita bisa pergi dan melepaskan dengan ikhlas? penjaga kegelapanlah yang menentukan na.
semua perasaan na berubah menjadi luisha yang suatu hari nanti akan menjadi roti kehidupan yang memberi makan penduduk kanbal (hlm. 328)
luisha yang arti na permata hati. jadi inget nama lama yang pernah menjadi bagian na -apa iseng ganti jadi sha lagi ya-, semoga tidak kehilangan makna. pengorbanan untuk roti kehidupan, melepaskan yang satu demi mepertahankan yang lain. mungkin dalam lingkup yang lebih kecil seperti kepercayaan yang selama ini coba rhe yakini. epik fantasi yang ternyata ga cuma berasa membaca manga tapi juga pencarian dan pertanda untuk meyakini kepercayaan yang sempat pudar. kadang ingin mengutuk karena tidak terima dari sebuah rasa kehilangan, padahal dengan apa yang kita rasakan sat itu, kita justru mengikat kuat roh yang hilang untuk kembali ke asal mereka, bukan pada dunia yang fana ini.
menyambung dari buku pertama na, di sini pun ada penyampaian-penyampaian sederhana dari sebuah penceritaan untuk menyamarkan kenyataan-kenyataan tertentu, atau pemutarbalikkan fakta untuk melindungi penguasa. penguasa, apakah kalian begitu lemah sampai harus elalu dilindungi dengan fakta-fakta yang dimanipulasi? naas sekali kehidupan kalian!
-09 '12-
December 8, 2020
I am honestly being so slow in reading these because only two volumes are available in English from Scholastic, a kind soul translated the third volume by himself, but I'm not keeping my hopes up for the rest of the series, I can't stand the heartache.
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This time we go to Kanbal, Balsa's birth place and learn more about that side of herself. I do think that because it picks up immediately after the first book, there is some sense in continuity to the story, even when each book honestly feels like it's a complete tale on its own.
I enjoyed learning more about Kanbal in contrast to New Yogo, the way the land is, the positions the clans have and how the politics of the country has changed in the 22 years Balsa has been away from that country. I also enjoyed the expansion of the world-building in the regards to the creatures that might be seen in the country, like we met the water-dwellers in the first book, we meet others here too. That's not all, what we learn about their own view of the parallel world we saw in the first book, gives the evidence needed to solidify how much though Uehashi Nahoko-sensei put when building this.
The novel this time around also contains a legend that Balsa has to navigate through with others, if we take the Guardian of the Spirit as the end of her journey of her pact, then this book is the one where we get her seeing closure as she is learning more about Jiguro, how his tale was told and we even meet members of his family. That's not all, we meet someone from her family as well who gives a more in-depth telling of what happened on that fateful day.
Balsa continues being a very interesting protagonist, she's powerful and she's compassionate while being shrewd enough that she is not an opponent to be taken lightly by anyone. I really hated Scholastic after this book, because they never bothered to continue translating the series and they still hold the rights to the rest of it. Such a damn shame.
I'm definitely not rushing into the third book just yet, I would have nothing else from this to read if I do.
"With her thoughts fixed on those green mountain slopes, she strode boldly into the darkness."
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This time we go to Kanbal, Balsa's birth place and learn more about that side of herself. I do think that because it picks up immediately after the first book, there is some sense in continuity to the story, even when each book honestly feels like it's a complete tale on its own.
I enjoyed learning more about Kanbal in contrast to New Yogo, the way the land is, the positions the clans have and how the politics of the country has changed in the 22 years Balsa has been away from that country. I also enjoyed the expansion of the world-building in the regards to the creatures that might be seen in the country, like we met the water-dwellers in the first book, we meet others here too. That's not all, what we learn about their own view of the parallel world we saw in the first book, gives the evidence needed to solidify how much though Uehashi Nahoko-sensei put when building this.
The novel this time around also contains a legend that Balsa has to navigate through with others, if we take the Guardian of the Spirit as the end of her journey of her pact, then this book is the one where we get her seeing closure as she is learning more about Jiguro, how his tale was told and we even meet members of his family. That's not all, we meet someone from her family as well who gives a more in-depth telling of what happened on that fateful day.
Balsa continues being a very interesting protagonist, she's powerful and she's compassionate while being shrewd enough that she is not an opponent to be taken lightly by anyone. I really hated Scholastic after this book, because they never bothered to continue translating the series and they still hold the rights to the rest of it. Such a damn shame.
I'm definitely not rushing into the third book just yet, I would have nothing else from this to read if I do.
"With her thoughts fixed on those green mountain slopes, she strode boldly into the darkness."
July 10, 2016
High fantasy set in an impoverished mountain culture where the crops do so poorly that only 60% of the children survive. Prosperity depends on a friendly relationship with the spirits that live in the mountain, whose true nature isn't revealed until the book's climax. The protagonist is a warrior woman named Balsa who, upon returning to her homeland, finds a pile of court intrigue and a multi-layered plot of evil brothers conspiring against good brothers.
I'm not sure if it's the writing style or the translation I should be complimenting but it's easy to read and easy to follow. High fantasy sometimes comes with a danger of worldbuilding too thick to wade through and fish out a plot, but I was always pretty clear on what was going on with these books. This is also high fantasy with a female lead and no love interest -- except for brief mentions of someone from the earlier book, but he's presented as a friend in this one and in a different country anyway -- so this would be a good fit for people looking for such things.
I liked the fact that, while many people believe Balsa to be a villain in the beginning because of the real villain's lies about her, the reader doesn't have to suffer through too much of the "someone not being believed" thing that I find personally grating. If you're someone who, like me, is emotionally allergic to that trope this book is mostly safe -- she's not on-screen with the people who think she's a bad guy for that long at a time.
Guardian of the Darkness is the second book in a series, but having read and enjoyed the first book, I can safely assure you that you'll be fine without reading the first one if this one for some reason draws you in more.
I'm not sure if it's the writing style or the translation I should be complimenting but it's easy to read and easy to follow. High fantasy sometimes comes with a danger of worldbuilding too thick to wade through and fish out a plot, but I was always pretty clear on what was going on with these books. This is also high fantasy with a female lead and no love interest -- except for brief mentions of someone from the earlier book, but he's presented as a friend in this one and in a different country anyway -- so this would be a good fit for people looking for such things.
I liked the fact that, while many people believe Balsa to be a villain in the beginning because of the real villain's lies about her, the reader doesn't have to suffer through too much of the "someone not being believed" thing that I find personally grating. If you're someone who, like me, is emotionally allergic to that trope this book is mostly safe -- she's not on-screen with the people who think she's a bad guy for that long at a time.
Guardian of the Darkness is the second book in a series, but having read and enjoyed the first book, I can safely assure you that you'll be fine without reading the first one if this one for some reason draws you in more.
July 22, 2015
I decided to read this after watching the anime--which made the really peculiar decision to adapt the first 250 page novel into a 26 episode series. I wasn't entirely fond of the anime (largely because of added plot elements that were mostly really dumb), but it had hints of a really interesting world with lots of nice ideas, and in retrospect its odd they bloated such a small novel when they could have kept going through more of the series. This book wasn't incredible or genre defining, but it was engaging and well paced. The main strength of the series is Balsa: an unfailingly badass female bodyguard who fights with a spear, one of the better fantasy protagonists I've come across; and even if the pacing is very quick and utilitarian, lots of interesting pieces of the world showed through here. The series has a sort of pan-asian setting, with mythology that seemed really fresh to me... and if more of the series had been translated (I think there were 12 novels in Japan), I could have seen myself working through them eventually. It's nothing amazing or genre defining, but I appreciate short, engaging, but still rendered books like this considering fantasy is a genre so bloated with monolithic 4000 page tomes; and while I've read a lot of Japanese literature, I have less experience with their genre fiction. For fantasy, in particular, they seem to favor long series made up of short books like this, which reminds me in a lot of early sword and sorcery, and probably something I'll look into soon, though I suspect all the series are too long to be translated.
January 8, 2011
Aku suka Balsa! :D
Kali ini Balsa kembali ke Kanbal. Tujuan Balsa pulang adalah untuk memperbaiki nama baik Jiguro, gurunya.
Tapi ternyata mengembalikan nama baik Jiguro tidak mudah, Balsa harus menghadapi roh kegelapan. Tapi di samping itu Balsa harus pula melawan ksatria tombak, adik Jiguro, yang juga merupakan pahlawan besar di Kanbal.
Di sini kita akan diceritakan mengenai negara Kanbal. Kanbal adalah negara miskin, di mana kehidupan penuduknya yang mmerupakan penggembala. Untuk menambah penghasilan, kerajaan Kanbal biasanya menjual batu-batu indah yang letaknya berada di gua kramat, tempat sang roh kegelapan (hyohlu) berada. Konon katanya, hyohlu ini menjaga pintu yang menuju ke Istana Raja Gunung, Raja yang melindungi Kanbal. Dan setiap dua puluh tahun sekali para pejuang terbaik dalam setiap klan di Kanbal, yang biasanya disebut dengan para Tombak Raja, melakukan Upacara Persembahan dengan turun ke dalam goa tersebut.
Hanya penari terbaiklah yang dapat mengalahkan hyohlu, dan ketika hyohlu mengaku sang Penari Tombak menang, maka pintu akan terbuka dan sosok sang Raja Gunung akan terungkap.
Keren pokoknya...
Apalagi pas Balsa ternyata satu-satunya yang bisa mengalahkan Hyohlu.
Kali ini Balsa kembali ke Kanbal. Tujuan Balsa pulang adalah untuk memperbaiki nama baik Jiguro, gurunya.
Tapi ternyata mengembalikan nama baik Jiguro tidak mudah, Balsa harus menghadapi roh kegelapan. Tapi di samping itu Balsa harus pula melawan ksatria tombak, adik Jiguro, yang juga merupakan pahlawan besar di Kanbal.
Di sini kita akan diceritakan mengenai negara Kanbal. Kanbal adalah negara miskin, di mana kehidupan penuduknya yang mmerupakan penggembala. Untuk menambah penghasilan, kerajaan Kanbal biasanya menjual batu-batu indah yang letaknya berada di gua kramat, tempat sang roh kegelapan (hyohlu) berada. Konon katanya, hyohlu ini menjaga pintu yang menuju ke Istana Raja Gunung, Raja yang melindungi Kanbal. Dan setiap dua puluh tahun sekali para pejuang terbaik dalam setiap klan di Kanbal, yang biasanya disebut dengan para Tombak Raja, melakukan Upacara Persembahan dengan turun ke dalam goa tersebut.
Hanya penari terbaiklah yang dapat mengalahkan hyohlu, dan ketika hyohlu mengaku sang Penari Tombak menang, maka pintu akan terbuka dan sosok sang Raja Gunung akan terungkap.
Keren pokoknya...
Apalagi pas Balsa ternyata satu-satunya yang bisa mengalahkan Hyohlu.
September 19, 2010
Both this and the first Moribito are wonderful children's books imported from Japan, where it is also a manga and anime. I kept drawing comparisons to Avatar the Last Airbender, though with less comedy and romance. The setting is a historical (medieval) fantasy version of Japan, the main character is an unconventional 30-year-old female bodyguard, and the kids in it are awesome. Think legends. Heroes. Honour. Treachery and betrayal and dark buried secrets. Also, the worldbuilding is impressive, with poignant descriptors of different cultures, down to foods, clothing, traditions, symbols and rituals.
June 28, 2012
This book could be read by a girl or boy in the grade 6 and up. This book is about a young girl, by the name of Balsa, who almost got killed by an evil king when she was 6 years old. Eight assassins pursued her in the long flight that followed. But her mentor, Jiguro, protected her until his death, and then she became a bodyguard herself has she was getting older. Balsa was helping other people survive the challenges they faced when she was being their bodyguard.
Batchelder Award winners 2010
Batchelder Award winners 2010
August 9, 2009
(Originally published in 1999.) I enjoyed this a lot, though the prose feels flat. (That may be a translation issue.) Anyway, Balsa is a wonderful strong woman character, and her adventure here benefits from being tied much more closely to her personal history than the one in Guardian of the Spirit. I hope Scholastic continues to publish translations of this series.
June 14, 2017
I liked this book even better than the first one! There was a lot more intrigue and mystery, and fewer fighting scenes. The Japanese-style world and the mythic creatures give the story a charm all its own.
I adore the main character, Balsa, because she is ornery and crotchety and suspicious, but with a generous and compassionate heart. A wonderfully complex character that grows even more in this second book!
The plot is twisting and intense with plenty of surprises. Love it so much!
I adore the main character, Balsa, because she is ornery and crotchety and suspicious, but with a generous and compassionate heart. A wonderfully complex character that grows even more in this second book!
The plot is twisting and intense with plenty of surprises. Love it so much!
March 11, 2017
Although the author has a tendency to try and force significance into the plot rather than letting it build naturally, I do enjoy the worlds she creates. Her fantasy is deeply rooted in folklore and culture - why groups of people live the way they do - and the key characters in her stories are a refreshing change from the 'heroes' of Western fantasy.
July 24, 2025
(3,5 ⭐ estrellas)
La segunda entrega de la Saga Moribito sigue siendo interesante, dándole importancia al desarrollo de sus personajes y a la construcción del mundo y su cultura. Aquí sin duda lo que más reluce es el desarrollo de su protagonista, Balsa. Es un personaje femenino de mediana edad fuerte, convincente, y con dilemas y conflictos personales que busca resolver a lo largo de la novela. Los elementos del mundo son muy llamativos, bien implementados y varios de los personajes secundarios tienen carisma y empatizas con ellos. Aunque el tono de esta saga sea juvenil esto no la desmerita de ninguna manera, pero me hubiese gustado que hubiese habido un poco más de crudeza (que la hay) en momentos puntuales y que el antagonista estuviese mejor perfilado.
- Que mi calificación no me dé a entender mal: el libro me gustó mucho, capta tu atención desde el primer momento y continúa inmediatamente después del final de la entrega anterior, Moribito, el Guardián del Espíritu. Para mí, que conocí esta saga de novelas gracias a la adaptación de la primera novela al anime (adaptación que me encanta), quería saber qué pasaba después. Qué quedaba por contar. Y esta novela suple muy bien esa necesidad, a pesar de que el final sigue dando pie a las siguientes novelas de la saga (pues al fin y al cabo, esta historia hace parte de una serie de 13 novelas, de las cuales solo las primeras 3 están traducidas al español y las primeras 2 al inglés. Afortunadamente, hay traducciones no oficiales en inglés de la saga al completo, algo que en principio puede parecer éticamente cuestionable, pero la saga merecería ser traducida oficialmente al completo, y a día de hoy aún no es así).
- Sigue habiendo un gran foco en los dilemas personales de sus personajes, sobre todo de la protagonista, la cual es un personaje que me gusta mucho. En este caso, el libro se traslada del reino de Nuevo Yogo al reino de Kanbal, el cual está descrito y contextualizado maravillosamente. Entiendes muy bien sus costumbres y organización social, y nuevamente el hecho de que la autora narre con fluidez y sea además antropóloga, enriquece y favorece la historia y su estructura. Los diferentes grupos sociales, los clanes, el misticismo, los aspectos culturales japoneses; todo ello imbuye a la novela de matices interesantísimos y originales (hay, por ejemplo, jinetes de armiños. ¡Qué concepto tan espléndido!). Además, las escenas de acción están muy bien narradas.
Mi principal pega quizá sea su antagonista, el cual tiene matices y motivaciones claras, pero resulta endeble en comparación con otros personajes, sinceramente. De igual forma, aunque sé que es una preferencia personal, me habría gustado que el tono hubiese sido un poquito más adulto (y en cierto modo sí que lo es. Se toca muy bien temas serios, pero diría que el tono general, aunque maduro, sigue siendo juvenil. Y ojo. No lo digo con arrogancia ni nada de eso. Es una muy buena novela juvenil y la puede leer y disfrutar cualquiera. Es sólo una preferencia personal).
En conclusión, una novela y una saga más que recomendable, cuyas 3 primeras partes están traducidas al español y, aunque están descatalogadas y son difíciles de conseguir, considero que valen mucho la pena. También recomiendo encarecidamente la adaptación al anime del primer libro (que también incluye varios elementos de este segundo), Seirei no Moribito (2007). Como dato adicional, esta segunda novela cuenta con adaptación al manga.
“[...] If you can just get through to the other side of that anger, you'll be more at peace.” (Pág. 110)
La segunda entrega de la Saga Moribito sigue siendo interesante, dándole importancia al desarrollo de sus personajes y a la construcción del mundo y su cultura. Aquí sin duda lo que más reluce es el desarrollo de su protagonista, Balsa. Es un personaje femenino de mediana edad fuerte, convincente, y con dilemas y conflictos personales que busca resolver a lo largo de la novela. Los elementos del mundo son muy llamativos, bien implementados y varios de los personajes secundarios tienen carisma y empatizas con ellos. Aunque el tono de esta saga sea juvenil esto no la desmerita de ninguna manera, pero me hubiese gustado que hubiese habido un poco más de crudeza (que la hay) en momentos puntuales y que el antagonista estuviese mejor perfilado.
- Que mi calificación no me dé a entender mal: el libro me gustó mucho, capta tu atención desde el primer momento y continúa inmediatamente después del final de la entrega anterior, Moribito, el Guardián del Espíritu. Para mí, que conocí esta saga de novelas gracias a la adaptación de la primera novela al anime (adaptación que me encanta), quería saber qué pasaba después. Qué quedaba por contar. Y esta novela suple muy bien esa necesidad, a pesar de que el final sigue dando pie a las siguientes novelas de la saga (pues al fin y al cabo, esta historia hace parte de una serie de 13 novelas, de las cuales solo las primeras 3 están traducidas al español y las primeras 2 al inglés. Afortunadamente, hay traducciones no oficiales en inglés de la saga al completo, algo que en principio puede parecer éticamente cuestionable, pero la saga merecería ser traducida oficialmente al completo, y a día de hoy aún no es así).
- Sigue habiendo un gran foco en los dilemas personales de sus personajes, sobre todo de la protagonista, la cual es un personaje que me gusta mucho. En este caso, el libro se traslada del reino de Nuevo Yogo al reino de Kanbal, el cual está descrito y contextualizado maravillosamente. Entiendes muy bien sus costumbres y organización social, y nuevamente el hecho de que la autora narre con fluidez y sea además antropóloga, enriquece y favorece la historia y su estructura. Los diferentes grupos sociales, los clanes, el misticismo, los aspectos culturales japoneses; todo ello imbuye a la novela de matices interesantísimos y originales (hay, por ejemplo, jinetes de armiños. ¡Qué concepto tan espléndido!). Además, las escenas de acción están muy bien narradas.
“Maybe it's time to break through my anger.” (Pág. 110)
Mi principal pega quizá sea su antagonista, el cual tiene matices y motivaciones claras, pero resulta endeble en comparación con otros personajes, sinceramente. De igual forma, aunque sé que es una preferencia personal, me habría gustado que el tono hubiese sido un poquito más adulto (y en cierto modo sí que lo es. Se toca muy bien temas serios, pero diría que el tono general, aunque maduro, sigue siendo juvenil. Y ojo. No lo digo con arrogancia ni nada de eso. Es una muy buena novela juvenil y la puede leer y disfrutar cualquiera. Es sólo una preferencia personal).
En conclusión, una novela y una saga más que recomendable, cuyas 3 primeras partes están traducidas al español y, aunque están descatalogadas y son difíciles de conseguir, considero que valen mucho la pena. También recomiendo encarecidamente la adaptación al anime del primer libro (que también incluye varios elementos de este segundo), Seirei no Moribito (2007). Como dato adicional, esta segunda novela cuenta con adaptación al manga.
September 26, 2021
Initially, Moribito II is disappointing. The first book is a swashbuckling yet sensitive adventure with characters that you grow to like and feel for. The second, it seems, is more of the same. Balsa, the spear wielding mercenary heroine in the first book, is returning to her hometown to put some ghosts to rest. We begin with a tense action scene, Balsa rescuing some foolhardy kids from a mysterious attacker, and then accompany Balsa on her return, arriving at her aunt's house of healing. We get the back story - she was smuggled out of her country as a 6-year old by her father's closest friend because her father feared retribution from the corrupt ruler of their land. Her father was murdered and Jiguro bought her up, reluctantly teacher her the ways of a warrior. The beginning of the book falls flat. It is missing a sense of continuity from the first and reads too episodically. The plot against her family seems a little trite and the style too stereotyped for the genre.
After a while, however, I started to remember what I liked about the first book. Despite the fantasy setting, Uehashi's writing is quite intimate. There are conspiracies and plots, but it's focused on a small scale and on a few characters. Predictably, the story of Balsa's past is unearthed numerous times, but the book doesn't rely on huge revelations to carry the plot. Like in part 1, it is a simple, magical adventure story that relies on empathy with its characters. The setting, despite being a fantasy, is grounded in reality - poverty, work, politics, human needs, culture and tradition are all essential elements of the world Uehashi creates. The magic remains in the background throughout, surging to the surfaces in the final chapters to give the book a splash of magic. It's also an action book - Balsa is a comic book /video game style heroine who can perform marvelous feats of acrobatic combat. As the plots against Balsa, Jiguro and her father unravel, it culminates in a duel showdown entirely fitting to the story. The flaws and ambiguity of Jiguro's moral character form part of Balsa's final challenge. It allows a fairly static, if extremely likeable, main character to grow a little. There are other characters who have their moments, but they are not as interesting as the cast of the first book. However, the folktale of the King Beneath the Mountain and the blue glowing crystals that are so essential to the community's survival, forms the backbone of the plot and is the strength of Uehashi's storytelling, just like Guardian of the Spirits.
I enjoyed Moribito II. It's a very entertaining fantasy adventure that doesn't talk down to its readers (mainly a young audience I presume), provides a focused, well-paced plot and balances intelligent and patient characterisation with kung-fu moments and bursts of folkloric magic. It isn't as good as the first and neither are genre changing pieces of work. The rest of the series isn't translated into English yet. I would be interested to continue but I'm not anxious to read on. Both books stand on their own as complete episodes and I would have preferred a little more connection and continuity. I felt, on finishing, that I was done with Balsa's story. That's not necessarily a bad thing - too many fantasy books can't end, have to strive towards the epic, multi-generational, world-ending stories that the genre is famous for. It was quite refreshing to dive into this episodic adventure for a few hundred pages and emerge, uninvested, having enjoyed a simple, self-contained and well told adventure. 5
After a while, however, I started to remember what I liked about the first book. Despite the fantasy setting, Uehashi's writing is quite intimate. There are conspiracies and plots, but it's focused on a small scale and on a few characters. Predictably, the story of Balsa's past is unearthed numerous times, but the book doesn't rely on huge revelations to carry the plot. Like in part 1, it is a simple, magical adventure story that relies on empathy with its characters. The setting, despite being a fantasy, is grounded in reality - poverty, work, politics, human needs, culture and tradition are all essential elements of the world Uehashi creates. The magic remains in the background throughout, surging to the surfaces in the final chapters to give the book a splash of magic. It's also an action book - Balsa is a comic book /video game style heroine who can perform marvelous feats of acrobatic combat. As the plots against Balsa, Jiguro and her father unravel, it culminates in a duel showdown entirely fitting to the story. The flaws and ambiguity of Jiguro's moral character form part of Balsa's final challenge. It allows a fairly static, if extremely likeable, main character to grow a little. There are other characters who have their moments, but they are not as interesting as the cast of the first book. However, the folktale of the King Beneath the Mountain and the blue glowing crystals that are so essential to the community's survival, forms the backbone of the plot and is the strength of Uehashi's storytelling, just like Guardian of the Spirits.
I enjoyed Moribito II. It's a very entertaining fantasy adventure that doesn't talk down to its readers (mainly a young audience I presume), provides a focused, well-paced plot and balances intelligent and patient characterisation with kung-fu moments and bursts of folkloric magic. It isn't as good as the first and neither are genre changing pieces of work. The rest of the series isn't translated into English yet. I would be interested to continue but I'm not anxious to read on. Both books stand on their own as complete episodes and I would have preferred a little more connection and continuity. I felt, on finishing, that I was done with Balsa's story. That's not necessarily a bad thing - too many fantasy books can't end, have to strive towards the epic, multi-generational, world-ending stories that the genre is famous for. It was quite refreshing to dive into this episodic adventure for a few hundred pages and emerge, uninvested, having enjoyed a simple, self-contained and well told adventure. 5
August 23, 2020
4.5/5
After recently finishing her latest guardian job, Balsa the spearwoman returned to Kanbal, her homeland and birthplace. Intending to clear up the wronged past of Jiguro; her late foster father, teacher, and benefactor; Balsa quickly found herself once again tangled with sinister conspiration from the past, the very same that cost her father's life and forced her to escape Kanbal in the first place.
After 25 years away, Balsa found herself a stranger in her own birthplace, and she needed to reconnect with her past and found the people she could trust if she wanted to survive.
Balsa's past was briefly told in Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit but this book digs even further and deeper to the past, especially regarding Jiguro's clan and the whole Kanbal kingdom intrigue. And following the mythical themes of the prequel, this book also goes in-depth in exploring Kanbal's local lore and history, this time with the mythical Mountain King and hyohlu, the titular Guardian of the Darkness.
And compared to the prequel, this book also fleshes out Balsa's relationship with Jiguro and their homeland, giving a cathartic character arc. For better or worse, the plot is also more complex (if not contrived for some). Setting-wise, If New Yogo is an eclectic mixture of China, Japan, and Korea, then Kanbal is obviously inspired by Tibet with a lot of new jargons and lore dumps. Personally I don't mind neither complex plot nor lore dumps, although at some point Balsa did need some convenient narrative shortcuts just to meet the plot points.
All in all, Moribito: Guardian of the Darkness is a great tale about dealing with past and uncovering generational lies. Despite its light prose and size, the book still delivers heavy hits. It is a shame that there is no translation for further books (yet). Here's hoping we'll see more of Balsa and her trusty spear in the future.
After recently finishing her latest guardian job, Balsa the spearwoman returned to Kanbal, her homeland and birthplace. Intending to clear up the wronged past of Jiguro; her late foster father, teacher, and benefactor; Balsa quickly found herself once again tangled with sinister conspiration from the past, the very same that cost her father's life and forced her to escape Kanbal in the first place.
After 25 years away, Balsa found herself a stranger in her own birthplace, and she needed to reconnect with her past and found the people she could trust if she wanted to survive.
Balsa's past was briefly told in Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit but this book digs even further and deeper to the past, especially regarding Jiguro's clan and the whole Kanbal kingdom intrigue. And following the mythical themes of the prequel, this book also goes in-depth in exploring Kanbal's local lore and history, this time with the mythical Mountain King and hyohlu, the titular Guardian of the Darkness.
And compared to the prequel, this book also fleshes out Balsa's relationship with Jiguro and their homeland, giving a cathartic character arc. For better or worse, the plot is also more complex (if not contrived for some). Setting-wise, If New Yogo is an eclectic mixture of China, Japan, and Korea, then Kanbal is obviously inspired by Tibet with a lot of new jargons and lore dumps. Personally I don't mind neither complex plot nor lore dumps, although at some point Balsa did need some convenient narrative shortcuts just to meet the plot points.
All in all, Moribito: Guardian of the Darkness is a great tale about dealing with past and uncovering generational lies. Despite its light prose and size, the book still delivers heavy hits. It is a shame that there is no translation for further books (yet). Here's hoping we'll see more of Balsa and her trusty spear in the future.
March 22, 2021
🗻 (review untuk buku 1-2 sekaligus) 🗻
Moribito: Guardian of The Spirit memperkenalkan kita pada Balsa, seorang pendekar tombak yang perkasa. Wanita ini berkelana sendirian di New Yogo sebagai pengawal pribadi pedagang atau bangsawan yang mau menyewa jasanya.
Suatu hari, Balsa menyelamatkan Pangeran Kedua yang jatuh ke sungai. Ibu pangeran, Permaisuri Kedua, sangat berterima kasih. Namun, dia memberi Balsa tugas lain, yaitu membawa pergi anaknya dan menjaganya dari orang-orang yang hendak membunuhnya. Ternyata, Pangeran Kedua memiliki rahasia yang berhubungan dengan dunia spirit dan masa lalu negara New Yogo.
Di buku kedua (Guardian of The Darkness), Balsa memutuskan untuk pulang ke negara asalnya, Kanbal, yang kondisinya jauh berbeda dengan New Yogo. Di sana, dia menghadapi pengkhianat dari masa lalunya dan kekuatan yang tersembunyi di bawah Kanbal.
Dalam kedua buku ini, Balsa harus menghadapi dunia spirit yang tidak dikenalnya dengan pertolongan manusia maupun makhluk lain. Dia memiliki kekuatan untuk tetap maju karena ingin melindungi orang lain. Seperti cerita supernatural yang berasal dari Jepang pada umumnya, ada pesan bahwa keseimbangan antara kehidupan alam/dunia roh dan manusia harus dijaga.
Dari segi plot, #UehashiNahoko berhasil menjalinnya dengan rapat dan menarik menjadi petualangan yang seru. World-building yang ditunjukkan di kedua buku pun sangat rinci dan menunjukkan jelas perbedaan kedua negara tersebut. Tidak heran kalau Moribito diadaptasikan menjadi manga, anime, & drama.
Ada sedikit kekurangan di buku ini karena diterjemahkan dari bahasa Inggris. Jadi, ada beberapa kata yang terasa janggal (seperti "new yogo" itu) (tapi secara umum terjemahannya nggak jelek). Dan sayang sekali penerbitnya keburu tutup sebelum serial ini dilanjutkan. Btw, sampul buku kedua sebagus itu karena ilustrasinya dikerjakan oleh Yuko Shimizu! (Ilustrasi isi oleh Siti Astari)
🗻 (review untuk buku 1-2 sekaligus) 🗻
Moribito: Guardian of The Spirit memperkenalkan kita pada Balsa, seorang pendekar tombak yang perkasa. Wanita ini berkelana sendirian di New Yogo sebagai pengawal pribadi pedagang atau bangsawan yang mau menyewa jasanya.
Suatu hari, Balsa menyelamatkan Pangeran Kedua yang jatuh ke sungai. Ibu pangeran, Permaisuri Kedua, sangat berterima kasih. Namun, dia memberi Balsa tugas lain, yaitu membawa pergi anaknya dan menjaganya dari orang-orang yang hendak membunuhnya. Ternyata, Pangeran Kedua memiliki rahasia yang berhubungan dengan dunia spirit dan masa lalu negara New Yogo.
Di buku kedua (Guardian of The Darkness), Balsa memutuskan untuk pulang ke negara asalnya, Kanbal, yang kondisinya jauh berbeda dengan New Yogo. Di sana, dia menghadapi pengkhianat dari masa lalunya dan kekuatan yang tersembunyi di bawah Kanbal.
Dalam kedua buku ini, Balsa harus menghadapi dunia spirit yang tidak dikenalnya dengan pertolongan manusia maupun makhluk lain. Dia memiliki kekuatan untuk tetap maju karena ingin melindungi orang lain. Seperti cerita supernatural yang berasal dari Jepang pada umumnya, ada pesan bahwa keseimbangan antara kehidupan alam/dunia roh dan manusia harus dijaga.
Dari segi plot, #UehashiNahoko berhasil menjalinnya dengan rapat dan menarik menjadi petualangan yang seru. World-building yang ditunjukkan di kedua buku pun sangat rinci dan menunjukkan jelas perbedaan kedua negara tersebut. Tidak heran kalau Moribito diadaptasikan menjadi manga, anime, & drama.
Ada sedikit kekurangan di buku ini karena diterjemahkan dari bahasa Inggris. Jadi, ada beberapa kata yang terasa janggal (seperti "new yogo" itu) (tapi secara umum terjemahannya nggak jelek). Dan sayang sekali penerbitnya keburu tutup sebelum serial ini dilanjutkan. Btw, sampul buku kedua sebagus itu karena ilustrasinya dikerjakan oleh Yuko Shimizu! (Ilustrasi isi oleh Siti Astari)
July 26, 2018
The anime adaptation of the first Moribito novel was a very exciting discovery for me. It is by leaps and bounds the most ecologically-oriented fantasy I've found, and in all the ways I like--integrated with anthropology, folklore, history, imperialism, science, epistemology, climate, agriculture, entomology, etc. But it's also just a low fantasy with storytelling and worldbuilding very much calculated to my taste: low-key, character-driven, context-heavy, thoughtful about violence, and morally complex. I was excited to learn there was a whole series of sequels, and disappointed that only one of them had apparently received an official translation.
I am no longer disappointed, or at all surprised. The first book must have either been five times as long as this one or little more than a synopsis of the plot of the anime. The plot of this volume is essentially a coda to the first, wrapping up its big outstanding character arc, but even that doesn't come close to explaining why this is such a brief spurt of a book. It's not that the story is less complex or has lower stakes, either. It's about a multi-generational conspiracy, hinges on the actions of multiple characters in several affected ethnic groups, and reveals the hidden nature of a folkloric ritual at the center of regional economy and identity.
I can't say the specific ideas in this one are anywhere near as compelling to me as they were in the previous one (they are much less ecological, at least in the plot important respects) but they are certainly a good enough premise for the kind of storytelling Uehashi prefers. I would've enjoyed this book plenty if it had just taken its time and let the ethical dilemmas and character arcs unfold against the tightly woven fabric of cultural norms and ways of life she is so focused on depicting. Instead, it's just a race to the end, with no moments of contemplation or heightening tension to make this feel more like a story than the outline of one.
I am no longer disappointed, or at all surprised. The first book must have either been five times as long as this one or little more than a synopsis of the plot of the anime. The plot of this volume is essentially a coda to the first, wrapping up its big outstanding character arc, but even that doesn't come close to explaining why this is such a brief spurt of a book. It's not that the story is less complex or has lower stakes, either. It's about a multi-generational conspiracy, hinges on the actions of multiple characters in several affected ethnic groups, and reveals the hidden nature of a folkloric ritual at the center of regional economy and identity.
I can't say the specific ideas in this one are anywhere near as compelling to me as they were in the previous one (they are much less ecological, at least in the plot important respects) but they are certainly a good enough premise for the kind of storytelling Uehashi prefers. I would've enjoyed this book plenty if it had just taken its time and let the ethical dilemmas and character arcs unfold against the tightly woven fabric of cultural norms and ways of life she is so focused on depicting. Instead, it's just a race to the end, with no moments of contemplation or heightening tension to make this feel more like a story than the outline of one.
June 26, 2022
Di buku kedua ini, Balsa yang sudah berhasil melaksanakan mengawalannya di Shin Yogo, memutuskan untuk pergi ke tanah kelahirannya, Kanbal.
Niatnya, Balsa hanya ingin menghadapi masa lalu yang sebelumnya selalu ingin ia kubur, tanpa tahu bahwa ada rahasia besar yang menunggunya di negeri sana.
Berawal dari pertemuan Balsa dengan dua anak Kanbal yang tersesat di dalam gua kegelapan, Balsa bertemu seorang Hyohlu dan beradu tombak dengannya. Karena tidak ada cahaya di sana, Balsa tidak dapat melihat lawannya, ia hanya mengandalkan insting tubuhnya untuk bertahan dan melawan. Pertarungan berakhir tanpa ada luka, Hyohlu itu berhenti menghunus tombaknya, kemudian membungkuk hormat lantas menghilang.
Sesampainya di Kanbal, Balsa mencari bibinya yang masih hidup, kemudian membagi cerita hidupnya selama masa pelarian dan persembunyian bersama ayah angkatnya, Jiguro. Yuka, adik ayahnya Balsa itu juga menceritakan kisah yang tersebar di negeri Kanbal semenjak kepergian Jiguro dan Balsa. Cerita yang didengarnya isinya hanyalah omong kosong dan kebohongan.
Akhirnya Balsa memutuskan untuk membalas dendam pada Yuguro, ading dari ayah angkatnya yang ternyata adalah dalang dari rumor bohong itu. Namun, ternyata gua kegelapan menyimpan lebih banyak rahasia, yang ketika Balsa mengetahuinya... dendamnya menjadi tak begitu berarti lagi.
Aku suka alurnya, dari buku pertama udah keren, ini apalagi, pertarungan tombaknya bener-bener kerasa, kayak nonton film action yanv aktor-aktris nya lihai pandai berkelahi. Love all!
My rate: 4.5/5 ⭐
Niatnya, Balsa hanya ingin menghadapi masa lalu yang sebelumnya selalu ingin ia kubur, tanpa tahu bahwa ada rahasia besar yang menunggunya di negeri sana.
Berawal dari pertemuan Balsa dengan dua anak Kanbal yang tersesat di dalam gua kegelapan, Balsa bertemu seorang Hyohlu dan beradu tombak dengannya. Karena tidak ada cahaya di sana, Balsa tidak dapat melihat lawannya, ia hanya mengandalkan insting tubuhnya untuk bertahan dan melawan. Pertarungan berakhir tanpa ada luka, Hyohlu itu berhenti menghunus tombaknya, kemudian membungkuk hormat lantas menghilang.
Sesampainya di Kanbal, Balsa mencari bibinya yang masih hidup, kemudian membagi cerita hidupnya selama masa pelarian dan persembunyian bersama ayah angkatnya, Jiguro. Yuka, adik ayahnya Balsa itu juga menceritakan kisah yang tersebar di negeri Kanbal semenjak kepergian Jiguro dan Balsa. Cerita yang didengarnya isinya hanyalah omong kosong dan kebohongan.
Akhirnya Balsa memutuskan untuk membalas dendam pada Yuguro, ading dari ayah angkatnya yang ternyata adalah dalang dari rumor bohong itu. Namun, ternyata gua kegelapan menyimpan lebih banyak rahasia, yang ketika Balsa mengetahuinya... dendamnya menjadi tak begitu berarti lagi.
Aku suka alurnya, dari buku pertama udah keren, ini apalagi, pertarungan tombaknya bener-bener kerasa, kayak nonton film action yanv aktor-aktris nya lihai pandai berkelahi. Love all!
My rate: 4.5/5 ⭐
September 23, 2023
মরিবিতো সিরিজের সাথে আমার পরিচয় হয় এনিমের মাধ্যমে। এটা শেষ করে প্রচুর ভালোলাগায় একটু ঘাঁটাঘাঁটি করে জানতে পারি এটা অনেক পুরোনো বই সিরিজ এবং সিরিজে মোট ১৩ টা বই আছে। মন খারাপ হয় যখন জানতে পারি শুধু প্রথম দুটো বই ইংরেজিতে অনুবাদ করা, বাকি সব জাপানিজ। মন খারাপ করে আরো ঘাঁটাঘাঁটি করে গুপ্তধন উদ্ধারের মত আমিও বাকি বইগুলোর আনঅফিশিয়াল ফ্যান অনুবাদ পেয়ে গেলাম। খুশিতে আত্মহারা হয়ে বইগুলো আরো খোঁজাখুঁজি করে কষ্ট করে ডাউনলোড করলাম।
মরিবিতো শব্দের অর্থ অভিভাবক। প্রথম বইয়ের নাম "গার্ডিয়ান অফ দ্যা স্পিরিট"। পুরো সিরিজের মূল চরিত্র হল বালসা,- ত্রিশ ছুঁইছুঁই বালসাকে প্রথম দেখায় অনেকে ছেলে ভেবে বসে। তার একটা কারণ হল তার পোষাক ছেলেদের মত আর দ্বিতীয়ত, মেয়েদের সাধারণত বর্শা হাতে নিয়ে কেউ ঘুরতে দেখে অভ্যস্ত নয়।
বালসা তুখোড় বর্শাবাজ। কাজ করে প্রফেশনাল বডিগার্ড হিসেবে। গল্পের শুরুতে সে খরস্রোতা নদীতে পড়ে যাওয়া ১১ বছরের রাজপুত্রকে বাঁচিয়ে নিজে ফেঁসে যায় রাজপরিবারের প্যাঁচানো রাজনীতিতে। রাতের আঁধারে যখন রাণী নিজে এসে বালসাকে অনুরোধ করে তার পুত্র চাগুমের বডিগার্ড হওয়ার জন্য, বালসার জীবনে নতুন রোমাঞ্চের দ্বার খুলে যায়।
গল্পটা অনেক গুছিয়ে লেখা। দ্বিতীয় বইয়ের নাম "গার্ডিয়ান অফ ডার্কনেস" বালসাকে নিয়ে নতুন গল্প শুরু হলেও সেই গল্প প্রথম বই থেকে অনেক কিছু কন্টিনিউ করে। তবে, পুরো দুটো বইয়ে সবচেয়ে ভালো বিষয় হল চরিত্রায়ন আর বর্ণনা। মুগ্ধকর।
দুই বইয়ের রেটিং ৯/১০। এনিমেটা আরো ভালো করে বানানো। ওটা ১০/১০।
#monifs_weekend_post 90
মরিবিতো শব্দের অর্থ অভিভাবক। প্রথম বইয়ের নাম "গার্ডিয়ান অফ দ্যা স্পিরিট"। পুরো সিরিজের মূল চরিত্র হল বালসা,- ত্রিশ ছুঁইছুঁই বালসাকে প্রথম দেখায় অনেকে ছেলে ভেবে বসে। তার একটা কারণ হল তার পোষাক ছেলেদের মত আর দ্বিতীয়ত, মেয়েদের সাধারণত বর্শা হাতে নিয়ে কেউ ঘুরতে দেখে অভ্যস্ত নয়।
বালসা তুখোড় বর্শাবাজ। কাজ করে প্রফেশনাল বডিগার্ড হিসেবে। গল্পের শুরুতে সে খরস্রোতা নদীতে পড়ে যাওয়া ১১ বছরের রাজপুত্রকে বাঁচিয়ে নিজে ফেঁসে যায় রাজপরিবারের প্যাঁচানো রাজনীতিতে। রাতের আঁধারে যখন রাণী নিজে এসে বালসাকে অনুরোধ করে তার পুত্র চাগুমের বডিগার্ড হওয়ার জন্য, বালসার জীবনে নতুন রোমাঞ্চের দ্বার খুলে যায়।
গল্পটা অনেক গুছিয়ে লেখা। দ্বিতীয় বইয়ের নাম "গার্ডিয়ান অফ ডার্কনেস" বালসাকে নিয়ে নতুন গল্প শুরু হলেও সেই গল্প প্রথম বই থেকে অনেক কিছু কন্টিনিউ করে। তবে, পুরো দুটো বইয়ে সবচেয়ে ভালো বিষয় হল চরিত্রায়ন আর বর্ণনা। মুগ্ধকর।
দুই বইয়ের রেটিং ৯/১০। এনিমেটা আরো ভালো করে বানানো। ওটা ১০/১০।
#monifs_weekend_post 90
January 16, 2020
This book by Uehashi-sensei was lovingly translated into English - the descriptions are vivid and flow so beautifully, a task difficult to accomplish in such vastly different languages. Bravos for sentences like this
I love this world so much, not only because the author was a cultural anthropologist and it showed. The world is so richly woven, with this installment of the series focusing on the Kanbalese, Balsa's native people. Details about their economic activities, the clan divisions, the original mythology that started it all, are extremely thoughtful. This is a series not afraid of playing with legends and history, with how stories change and warp depending on the reasons for telling. The supernatural elements are also laden with symbols, elements that run through this story:
Much has been written about the bad-assness of Balsa as a protagonist, and I just keep falling in love further with this woman. I can't wait to spend more time with this cool-headed but not cold-hearted spear-wielding charismatic traveler and routine world-saver.
The only thing that I'd say is unsatisfactory is probably the politics and revelation coming a bit too easily. Uehashi-sensei is not exactly a grand plotter, but the world building, the awesome fantasy elements and the very compelling main character is more than enough to keep me coming back.
I love this world so much, not only because the author was a cultural anthropologist and it showed. The world is so richly woven, with this installment of the series focusing on the Kanbalese, Balsa's native people. Details about their economic activities, the clan divisions, the original mythology that started it all, are extremely thoughtful. This is a series not afraid of playing with legends and history, with how stories change and warp depending on the reasons for telling. The supernatural elements are also laden with symbols, elements that run through this story:
Much has been written about the bad-assness of Balsa as a protagonist, and I just keep falling in love further with this woman. I can't wait to spend more time with this cool-headed but not cold-hearted spear-wielding charismatic traveler and routine world-saver.
The only thing that I'd say is unsatisfactory is probably the politics and revelation coming a bit too easily. Uehashi-sensei is not exactly a grand plotter, but the world building, the awesome fantasy elements and the very compelling main character is more than enough to keep me coming back.
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