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半蔵の門 [Hanzou no Mon] #6
Path of the Assassin, Vol. 6: Life's Greatest Difficulty
If Art of War tactics and ninjitsu arts pique your interest, Path of the Assassin is the quasi historical samurai manga you’ve been waiting for! From the legendary comics creators Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, of Lone Wolf and Cub fame comes the story of Japan’s greatest shogun and his rise to power through the battles and intrigues of his late teens. Central to the story is a young ninja who must go to great lengths in order to secure victory for the boy who would become the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Based loosely on fabled tales of the age, Path of the Assassin is an exciting and sexy series.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2007
3 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Kazuo Koike
566 books298 followersKazuo 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 21, 2016
It is clear that Ieyasu is still uncertain and a bit rushed when it comes to making decisions. That has cost him an uprising led by a religious sect, and worse, some of his men betrayed him. This is truly one of Ieyasu's worst times, but thankful enough, Hanzo is there to rescue him. In fact, at the course of the story (I am at volume 14 now), Hanzo has saved Ieyasu's life numerous times and what has happened in volume 6 is just one of many.
Ieyasu on the other hand will learn so much from this as he becomes a great thinker and strategist, albeit an unorthodox one.
Ieyasu on the other hand will learn so much from this as he becomes a great thinker and strategist, albeit an unorthodox one.
February 21, 2024
Ieyasu fucks up and gets into a conflict with a (militant) religious group the Ikkoshu that many of his peasants belong to creating an uprising that could cost him not only his life but his entire province as his vassals may split apart into opposing parties.
Hanzo tries to prevent this but is a bit too late. The rest of the volume is Hanzo trying to prevent the issue with some double-crossing and espionage. It's a bit confusing at times with so many different Japanese names, sort of like reading a Russian novel, it's just hard to distinguish the names at times. I honestly think that's what prevents this book from being as popular as Lone Wolf and Cub - it's just a bit more difficult to penetrate.
That said watching Hanzo work his ninja magic is so satisfying. Here he does something out a Mission Impossible film disguising himself and manipulating his enemy by pretending to be vassal of a friendly faction.
The final chapter is a bit more standalone once again showing how great a leader Ieyasu will come to be - he visits an old soldier and learns about the faces soldiers put on when they go to battle and approach death. "All of you have entrusted your lives to me. As your master, I must treat you even more preciously. What's most precious for a man is his life. It's not his sword, nor his spear, nor his achievements, nor the code of samurai."
Hanzo tries to prevent this but is a bit too late. The rest of the volume is Hanzo trying to prevent the issue with some double-crossing and espionage. It's a bit confusing at times with so many different Japanese names, sort of like reading a Russian novel, it's just hard to distinguish the names at times. I honestly think that's what prevents this book from being as popular as Lone Wolf and Cub - it's just a bit more difficult to penetrate.
That said watching Hanzo work his ninja magic is so satisfying. Here he does something out a Mission Impossible film disguising himself and manipulating his enemy by pretending to be vassal of a friendly faction.
The final chapter is a bit more standalone once again showing how great a leader Ieyasu will come to be - he visits an old soldier and learns about the faces soldiers put on when they go to battle and approach death. "All of you have entrusted your lives to me. As your master, I must treat you even more preciously. What's most precious for a man is his life. It's not his sword, nor his spear, nor his achievements, nor the code of samurai."
November 17, 2017
The events of the last volume continue in this one, and the repercussions are fairly significant.
Koike's historical piece is a dense, rich tale that contains a character known to fans of the Kill Bill movies. It is not, however, something to be picked up in the middle. You have to read this from volume one and stick with it, as it does move slowly in places. That is the beauty of Koike's work. If you have the patience, you get an amazing reward. This volume, as we near the series' halfway point, starts off with a bang and ends on a quiet, somber note. The namesake of "Life's Greatest Difficulty" may not seem all that spectacular at first, but once the ramifications of the story sink in you will find that there is truth in this volume's title.
Koike's historical piece is a dense, rich tale that contains a character known to fans of the Kill Bill movies. It is not, however, something to be picked up in the middle. You have to read this from volume one and stick with it, as it does move slowly in places. That is the beauty of Koike's work. If you have the patience, you get an amazing reward. This volume, as we near the series' halfway point, starts off with a bang and ends on a quiet, somber note. The namesake of "Life's Greatest Difficulty" may not seem all that spectacular at first, but once the ramifications of the story sink in you will find that there is truth in this volume's title.
August 5, 2022
The story is getting more and more interesting. I am seeing some real growth in some of the main characters.
July 29, 2011
Disaster strikes as Hatori's lord makes his first bad call that causes a peasant uprising. It's 285 pages of pretty intense drama and another great chapter in this series. The second story is a brief interlude that really works as a touching and spiritual epilogue to the main one. Great stuff.
May 18, 2010
Will review after last in series.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews