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Crying Freeman #2
Crying Freeman, Vol. 2
Crying Freeman, the deadliest assassin of the 108 Dragons clan of the Chinese mafia has taken a bride, and she has passed the harsh tests of the Dragons and been given a new name, Hu Qing Lan, "Tiger Orchid." And despite Freeman's Japanese heritage, he has been chosen to become the eventual leader of the Dragons. But someone inside the Dragons wants Freeman dead, and Tiger Orchid should make a fine hostage to draw Freeman into the open . . . where a monstrous killer awaits!
Written by manga legend Kazuo Koike, creator of Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner , and illustrated by the acclaimed Ryoichi Ikegami, Crying Freeman is manga at its most intensely violent, morally ambiguous, and boldly erotic.
• Featuring an all-new translation, Dark Horse's Crying Freeman is the first English-language edition of the title in the original non-westernized format!
• From the writer of Lone Wolf and Cub, Lady Snowblood, and Samurai Executioner !
Written by manga legend Kazuo Koike, creator of Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner , and illustrated by the acclaimed Ryoichi Ikegami, Crying Freeman is manga at its most intensely violent, morally ambiguous, and boldly erotic.
• Featuring an all-new translation, Dark Horse's Crying Freeman is the first English-language edition of the title in the original non-westernized format!
• From the writer of Lone Wolf and Cub, Lady Snowblood, and Samurai Executioner !
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
15 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Kazuo Koike
562 books295 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 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 15, 2024
Segundo tomo y el nivel sigue alto. Ahora Freeman ya es el capo de la mafia china y tiene enfrentamientos con la camorra.
Grandes combates contra una peligrosa asesina rubia y la ayuda de una mujer gigante.
Grandes combates contra una peligrosa asesina rubia y la ayuda de una mujer gigante.
August 29, 2016
I am convincing myself that this volume of Crying Freeman 3 or 4 stars because these ratings I believe are the scores it deserves to have. Yet I admit, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, a guilty pleasure I am a bit shy to admit.
Crying Freeman is so self-aware that it can pull-off effective jokes despite a melodramatic mafia theme in many of its pages. It delivers ridiculous antics of violence and assassinations that kept me from reading ithe book until the end. And if I said ridiculous, I meant it, there is a kawaii assassin dressed with a chrome swimsuit with a cat picture in her rifle, fighting Freeman on top of a submarine. That was a fun sight to see!
In this volume we also saw the extent of the power of the 108 Dragons, an organization that Freeman now (or will) leads. My only gripe with it is the sudden change of heart of Yo Hinomura from someone who is not free and cries after a kill to a totally badass Chinese mafia leader.
A lot has happened and a lot has died in this chapter. I mean a LOT. I dont want to spoil you the details of this awesome volume, so read the book.
Crying Freeman is so self-aware that it can pull-off effective jokes despite a melodramatic mafia theme in many of its pages. It delivers ridiculous antics of violence and assassinations that kept me from reading ithe book until the end. And if I said ridiculous, I meant it, there is a kawaii assassin dressed with a chrome swimsuit with a cat picture in her rifle, fighting Freeman on top of a submarine. That was a fun sight to see!
In this volume we also saw the extent of the power of the 108 Dragons, an organization that Freeman now (or will) leads. My only gripe with it is the sudden change of heart of Yo Hinomura from someone who is not free and cries after a kill to a totally badass Chinese mafia leader.
A lot has happened and a lot has died in this chapter. I mean a LOT. I dont want to spoil you the details of this awesome volume, so read the book.
June 5, 2014
Já věděla, že jsem si v tý knihovně měla vzít i další díly :D. Dvojka se mi líbila víc než první díl, bylo to akčnější - jinými slovy tam bylo víc mrtvol.
Jinak Paj Ja Šan mi celou dobu připomíná sestru Homera Simpsona :D.
Pár věcí mi sice přišlo dost nesmyslných, ale co... dá se to přežít ;)
Jinak Paj Ja Šan mi celou dobu připomíná sestru Homera Simpsona :D.
Pár věcí mi sice přišlo dost nesmyslných, ale co... dá se to přežít ;)
January 20, 2025
3.6/5
Another solid volume, although Bai Ya Shan is by far the most irritating character in the whole series. She's like a gross, overgrown baby. Reminds me of someone I used to know, actually, which brings down the enjoyment of this story for me a little.
In spite of my own personal qualms, everything else in this volume is as consistently over-the-top and enjoyable as the last, with gratuitous (and often pointless) nudity every ten or so pages, and plenty of flashy, gruesome violence rendered beautifully by Ryoichi Ikegami. I do think one instance involving African throwing knives towards a pair of fleeing naked women was a little much, even for Koike, but alas.
I will say, though, that my personal favourite arc in the anime is in this volume. Kitche is an iconic assassin with her electrically charged bodysuit, Calico semi-automatic, and troublingly ambiguous race (it doesn't seem to be confirmed 100% if she's naturally black or white; when she "switches" to disguise herself as a white woman, it's unclear if she was washing the black tones away or if she was applying white tones over it, lol). She's a gorgeously designed character (regardless of her 'shades' lol) and an intelligent antagonist. It's a shame she's only in the series for a short time, but maybe that's for the best all the same.
Freeman and his now-wife Emu feel almost lifeless in comparison to the ever-growing cast of characters. They rarely show emotions, and when they do, it's usually limited to confidence or love. Sure, Freeman cries, at one time for real in a rushed moment near the end of this volume when he has new-found motivation to chase the antagonists of the hour (a conflict that will be resolved in volume 3); but the lead couple just don't have many complexities to them. This was a problem in the anime, as well, and the anime has been surprisingly quite faithful to its source material so far.
I guess we'll see. I'm still having a fun time with this despite my complaints.
Another solid volume, although Bai Ya Shan is by far the most irritating character in the whole series. She's like a gross, overgrown baby. Reminds me of someone I used to know, actually, which brings down the enjoyment of this story for me a little.
In spite of my own personal qualms, everything else in this volume is as consistently over-the-top and enjoyable as the last, with gratuitous (and often pointless) nudity every ten or so pages, and plenty of flashy, gruesome violence rendered beautifully by Ryoichi Ikegami. I do think one instance involving African throwing knives towards a pair of fleeing naked women was a little much, even for Koike, but alas.
I will say, though, that my personal favourite arc in the anime is in this volume. Kitche is an iconic assassin with her electrically charged bodysuit, Calico semi-automatic, and troublingly ambiguous race (it doesn't seem to be confirmed 100% if she's naturally black or white; when she "switches" to disguise herself as a white woman, it's unclear if she was washing the black tones away or if she was applying white tones over it, lol). She's a gorgeously designed character (regardless of her 'shades' lol) and an intelligent antagonist. It's a shame she's only in the series for a short time, but maybe that's for the best all the same.
Freeman and his now-wife Emu feel almost lifeless in comparison to the ever-growing cast of characters. They rarely show emotions, and when they do, it's usually limited to confidence or love. Sure, Freeman cries, at one time for real in a rushed moment near the end of this volume when he has new-found motivation to chase the antagonists of the hour (a conflict that will be resolved in volume 3); but the lead couple just don't have many complexities to them. This was a problem in the anime, as well, and the anime has been surprisingly quite faithful to its source material so far.
I guess we'll see. I'm still having a fun time with this despite my complaints.
May 17, 2019
Prajem mu nevestu, aj vodcovstvo v zločineckej organizácii. Tetovania oboch - drak a tiger - sú krásne. Ale asi úplne nerozumiem tej ich potrebe sa neustále vyzliekať pri boji, pred bojom... pri sexe je to jasné, ale tak ok, ej to len príbeh a aj vďaka tetovaniam rozpoznáme jednotlivé postavy. Pri ženách mi to občas robilo problémy :D (zlosynka má viac vytvarované obočie). Je to pekne nakreslené, a keby knižka nebola moja, už ju asi vyfarbujem. :)
April 25, 2022
Trochu nudnější jak první díl. Pokus o vraždu Freemana byl tuze kreativní, škoda, že z něho nebyla delší dějová linie. Naopak ta co je nakouslá na konci? Ta by mohla být zajímavá. Trochu zbytečně se k ní přišlo, ale budiž.
A v tomto díle mi začíná připadat úchylné, jak moc rozkreslené svlékání slipů je. Vykazovat respekt ukázáním svého tetování soupeři v souboji, tomu samozřejmě rozumím, ale ty slipy si při tom může nechat... :)
A v tomto díle mi začíná připadat úchylné, jak moc rozkreslené svlékání slipů je. Vykazovat respekt ukázáním svého tetování soupeři v souboji, tomu samozřejmě rozumím, ale ty slipy si při tom může nechat... :)
May 14, 2021
And So it goes...
Freeman finally shed his past, and his own self along with his bride. Yet there are those who insist the leadership should be held by those of family blood. Yet, the Comora organization held a grudge against Freeman. Yet their attempts to take out the 108 Dragons failed. Now, a terrorist organization tried taking out Freeman’s organization...
Freeman finally shed his past, and his own self along with his bride. Yet there are those who insist the leadership should be held by those of family blood. Yet, the Comora organization held a grudge against Freeman. Yet their attempts to take out the 108 Dragons failed. Now, a terrorist organization tried taking out Freeman’s organization...
November 15, 2022
(No idea why the Goodreads page for this is fucked and shows two different Crying Freeman volumes as one, this review is for the "A Taste if Revenge" collection)
This book rules. Full of some nasty shit, it's a pretty great story. I personally think Ikegami's art can be a little stiff at times, but that doesn't take away from the fact that his brushwork is fucking amazing. I want more Freeman!
This book rules. Full of some nasty shit, it's a pretty great story. I personally think Ikegami's art can be a little stiff at times, but that doesn't take away from the fact that his brushwork is fucking amazing. I want more Freeman!
November 14, 2023
A great continuation of the series. There are some moments where the main character appears invincible, which eliminates the stress, which can ruin the story for the audience. Yet the art design is so gorgeous that I would want to continue the series just to see what majestic imagery would emerge.
February 14, 2024
Nel secondo volume della serie troviamo lotte interne, assassini internazionali, e terroristi africani. Vengono pure inseriti elementi di humor tipicamente giapponese che smorzano la tensione, il tasso di violenza rimane alto.
August 25, 2018
Pokračování mangy, pokračování je lehounce slabší než první díl. Kresba je ale pořád krásná, a příběh utíká neuvěřitelně rychle.
November 22, 2018
Rating: 3 stars.
June 18, 2024
Incredible. badass. Addictive. It was like reading an awesome 90s action flik
July 18, 2025
boring
November 16, 2009
This excellent series continues. Freeman is named the new leader of the 108 Dragons, and he has a new wife who has passed all the necessary challenges. But not all is peace and harmony. There are assassination attempts, betrayal from within, and other obstacles to overcome for the new leader of the 108 Dragons. I found it interesting that the Big Sister character reminded me of some of the characters in the Basilisk series. One of my favorite small details is how Freeman and his wife define their love in terms of the dragon and tiger. This is worth reading. Overall, this is a very good series for adult readers (not for the kiddies, though as a librarian, I would say that mature older teens would likely be able to handle it well). I am looking forward to reading the rest.
June 30, 2016
I had very high hopes for the second volume after finishing the amazing first one. Unfortunately, this didn't quite live up to those expectations.
Kazuo Koike is a master storyteller, and this manga is done so cinematically that it looks and reads like a film. That said, it starts out with a bang, but then falls into some silly stuff that just had me shaking my head. The end of the book was quickly approaching the great of the first part of this saga, but it still had an element in it I wasn't quite fond of in any way.
The story is dark and oddly sexual in places, so it isn't for everyone. It is, however, for anyone who likes a good Asian crime tale. Just be prepared for something that feels very out of place in the grand scheme of things.
Kazuo Koike is a master storyteller, and this manga is done so cinematically that it looks and reads like a film. That said, it starts out with a bang, but then falls into some silly stuff that just had me shaking my head. The end of the book was quickly approaching the great of the first part of this saga, but it still had an element in it I wasn't quite fond of in any way.
The story is dark and oddly sexual in places, so it isn't for everyone. It is, however, for anyone who likes a good Asian crime tale. Just be prepared for something that feels very out of place in the grand scheme of things.
February 8, 2015
This manga takes itself way too seriously for being so over the top. It didn't bother me as much in the first volume, but now that Freeman's "sister" started playing a much bigger part - the overweight, mentally challenged giant who just squats and pees when she feels like it - I just can't take it seriously, or at least as seriously as the author wants me to. Also, what's with the author's obsession with nudity? I mean, for no apparent reason, people just strip and prance around naked. What's with that?
October 12, 2008
Oh yes, volume 2 is as impressive as the first one. For me it's a perfect example that if you have a good story and artwork, it really doesn't matter what a manga is about. For a manga lover, it's simply a pleasure to read such a good book.
March 5, 2009
Compared to Kazuo Koike's later work, these stories are much more sexual. Not like that's a bad thing, but it was kind of shocking. That's me being American, I guess? I'm okay with 52 panels of violence, but 5 panels of eroticism is "dirty."
October 4, 2012
Another interesting series with artwork by Ryoichi Ikegami. Once again he delivers realistic renderings of his characters and backdrops. Story revolves around the assassin "Crying Freeman" and the Chinese mafia "108 Dragons". NOT for kids!!
November 26, 2017
All the ladies. Emu, Bai Ya Shan and Kiche.
As Yo erases his past life by signalling the submarine with his underpants, new enemies emerge. They all get sorted of course! Power is consolidated and people are tested. Now on to Africa!
My only question, why does he wear tightie whities?!
As Yo erases his past life by signalling the submarine with his underpants, new enemies emerge. They all get sorted of course! Power is consolidated and people are tested. Now on to Africa!
My only question, why does he wear tightie whities?!
July 30, 2011
Superbe!!! Un bon scénario et des dessins à tomber!
April 22, 2013
Loved this series...great manga.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews