Samurai Executioner, Vol. 2: Two Bodies, Two Minds

首斬り朝 [Kubikiri Asa] #2

by Kazuo Koike, Goseki Kojima

In a prison world, there are few good stories, and this is the world of Kubikiri Asa, the beheader and master samurai under the Shogun. It's a world full of vengeance, greed, and violence. A world of depravity and sin. One man can set things straight if he can keep his wits. This is a story of extreme proportions, of sword study thick in tradition and with grim purpose, of blood rivers, agonizing screams, bondage, torture, and the evil prevalent in human failure. Drafted by the confirmed masters of the international medium of manga, Samurai Executioner is a shocking combination of darkness and fire, fine lines and a fine man in the face of human decline.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Japan, Japanese Literature

312 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 2000

About the author

Kazuo Koike (小池一夫, Koike Kazuo) was a prolific Japanese manga writer, novelist and entrepreneur.

Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series.

Koike, along with artist Goseki Kojima, made the manga Kozure Okami (Lone Wolf and Cub), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor Tomisaburo Wakayama. Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of Lone Wolf and Cub.

Another series written by Koike, Crying Freeman, which was illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director Christophe Gans.

Kazuo Koike started the Gekika Sonjuku, a college course meant to teach people how to be mangaka.

In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga.

Reviews

[Jedi JC Daquis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second volume has three stories, the first volume is void of the main character Asaemon until the last few panels while the two other stories further explores his persona and his unyielding stance to uphold justice through executions, which manifests in his unmatched skill with swords.

I love the last two chapters since they permit the readers to know more about the character, how he thinks and decides with what to do in order to enact justice and to protect those who are innocent. The first chapter on the other hand was just okay, focusing more on someone entirely unrelated to our samurai executioner.

[Sud666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of Samurai Executioner is not as good as the first, but considering the quality of this series it isn't much of a fall off. We run into Kubikiri Asa again. The Shogun's Sword-Tester and Executioner is involved in three cases in this volume. The first he deals with an arsonist who may be unaware of her actions. This has some interesting tidbits about justice and how the penal system in Edo-Period Japan worked.

In the Second story, the son of a wealthy merchant rapes a Buddhist Nun. Asa dispenses justice, even to those who think their wealth protects them.

The final story about the sister of the executed Yakuza member was interesting. It gives us an insight into how the okappiki, unofficial policemen who were often former-criminals, operated. It also gives us an interesting view of how Asa views guilt or innocence.

While these stories were quite good and entertaining, this volume wasn't as good as the first. Still the subject matter, violence and characters will likely keep me on the lookout for more of this wonderful manga.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typically when authors of fictional narratives introduce dialogues concerning moral and philosophical ideas, the ideas presented are very naive, pedestrian, or introductory. There's an interesting dialogue in one of the stories about justice and law, and it manages to be truly engaging and interesting in its own right and not just as part of the drama.

This volume is very much like the first one. We learn a bit more about the morality of our hero and he shows a bit more empathy than he did in the first volume. He exerts his will more as well. In the first volume he seemed to just be there for the ride; now he is actively trying to alter the course of what is thrown at him.

[Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get in loser, we're pouring poo poo on some houses!

[Devlin Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final story was the best. True genius!

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

They don't make stories like one this any more. If you thought the first volume had it all, then take some prison girl-on-girl action, traumatised arsonists, molested children. Even the main character gets a chance to prove he is both a skilled swordsman and a firm believer in justice and the rule of law. I never thought these older manga were so splendidly made.

A brothel worker is a bit too into fireworks and fire in general - as in, erotically. She sets fire to several buildings to quench her thirst for the flame, but only stokes it further. Eventually she is found out and tortured into confessing, but she claims her innocence. It's suspected that her arsonist persona is a part of her unconscious. The firefighter who catches her in the act wants her stopped, but understands that she can't control her actions. As a curtesy, Yamada chooses to execute her during one of her phases, while she watches the flames dance.

Rape is heinous in itself, but doing it to a Buddhist nun is worse. The heir of the shogun's brewmaster is the culprit, but he hides behind his two accomplices who confess to the crime. Yamada witnessed all three, but the culprit's father also protects him. How to solve the accusations of hiding the truth that would besmirch their reputations? The brewmaster's adviser recommends Yamada test the brewmaster's swords - 320 of them. That would require a lot of dead bodies and time. Yamada tests the swords another way - with water. One by one they break like twigs in his hands. The adviser offers a duel and gets his sword handed to him in pieces. When Yamada arrests the rapist, his father's swordsmen try to kill Yamada. A few severed heads later, Yamada uses his authority to sentence the rapist to death. But the nun begs him to not punish the rapist because of what she perceives to be her fault for tempting him. Yamada ultimately spares the young man.

Not everyone fears Yamada. The sister of a man executed by Yamada gets drunk and covers his house in excrement. Instead of killing her on the spot, as he could do, Yamada reacts by simply cleaning up her mess and asking her calmly to go home. She immediately regrets her actions. Seeing hr rising popularity for having faced the feared Yamata, a couple of men also smear his house. After confirming they are not drunk, Yamada kills them. The people wonder why the smear campaigns were treated differently. It was because the woman was drunk and not in control of her actions.

Yamada allows her a moment of his time to hear her grief. She reveals that her brother was framed for his crime by eager policemen who needed to meet a quota of arrests. Yamada is shaken upon hearing that he executed a potentially innocent man and is determined to review his own role in the justice system. He brings the policemen to the prison to face the men on death row. He asks them to judge whether the prisoners live or die. In the end, regardless of the votes, the men sentenced to death are beheaded. Yamada's goal was to impress on the policemen the importance of protecting life and the innocent.

[Adam M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to unpack this whole volume, I'll just say that this is another collection of tales about the brutal life of an Edo-Period executioner and the morality of the time. That's the part that fascinates me about these books. They are harder to read than Lone Wolf and Cub, but the ideas of honor and personal code are just as deep and important here. The complex social hierarchy, the personal codes, the value of human life, all of these intricate lanes to navigate while circling back to the heart of these stories and a man whose profession is to end lives.

The art won't be for everyone. The brutality certainly won't be for everyone, but the historical and culture exploration can be really intriguing.

[Bear Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to find Samurai Executioner vying for contention of my favorite manga series of all time. This collection involves the same style of self-contained morality tales as the previous but only one of the three follows the previous format of centering on the person who ended up on the end of the executioner's blade than the executioner himself. The other two follow Yamada Asaemon and give us a deeper view into the workings of the character; furthering establishing his sense of justice and also spirituality. The last story in the collection, "A Takadaimono For An Irezomotsu," is easily my favorite of the series thus far.

[Kathryn Baron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical or not the unrelenting misogyny can be hard to take. The story where then victim blames herself (for being too attractive and thus inciting the rape and attempted murder)- And the cowardly self-entitled rich kid get away with it though his minions pay the ultimate price? Really had issues with that one.

[Mark Ames · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is much to like about this series, same folks who brought you Lone and Cub. Setting is a historically accurate as possible Japan, artwork fantastic, good guys are good while the bad guys are bad, and there is a lot of violence towards women. It is easy to skip those parts, they are integral and sadly I feel like they go on a bit too much. That is why it gets three not four stars.

[Michael P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine entry in the Samurai Executioner with even more gritty action. This volume contains three stories, of which the first, following the case of a female pyromaniac, is the best. This manga's realistic art style goes well with the down beat, adult-oriented stories.

[Vittorio Rainone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una donna che ama il fuoco e che si trasforma quando lo vede è solo una delle tante, poetiche esecuzioni di questo secondo e bellissimo numero.

[Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as epic as Lone Wolf and Cub, but still a solid set of stories, beautifully illustrated and rich with historical detail.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Las historias de Asa son una mezcla de manga policial costumbrista, muy recomendable, entre más leo, más me gusta

[Nick Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 2 out of 5]

As noted in volume one, just not for me.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue reading this series. The characterization and stories continue to be very good, though the last story in this set is one I may have to reread again. How the Executioner narrows down the culprits in his investigation is quite interesting, and it is reflective of his character. The story of the arsonist was quite interesting as well, with a solution that some may disagree, yet fits perfectly. Like the previous volume, this one was very easy to read once I sat down to read it. Overall, this is an excellent series.

[Coryke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading this series concurrently with the Lone Wolf and Cub series. While the latter seems to be far more well known and regarded, the Samurai Executioner series seems to be captivating my interest more. There is a sense of the tragic here that is not present in LW&C. Also, while both heroes frequently seem almost too good at everything they do, the tragic tenor of Samurai Executioner balances that out nicely.

[Víctor Segovia · Rating 4 out of 5]

De verdad que no comprendo cuales son las razones por las cuales ven tan por debajo a esta obra, al menos en el presente tomo la última historia es, sin duda alguna, una de las mejores que he leido del verdugo.

[Geoff Sebesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting to like this but it was great. It's sort of feudal Japanese noir, and it's honestly pretty fucked up stuff. I'll keep reading.

[Murray McConnachie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply brilliant

Reading this in digital form in the Dark Horse iPad App.

[Nuno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful art and storytelling: the last story of the volume is quite an example of these two characteristics.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one did not completely blow my mind like the first one did, but still pretty superb.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

as good as always