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子連れ狼 [Kozure Ookami] #11
Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 11: Talisman of Hades
The #1-selling graphic-novel sensation continues! The Lone Wolf and his cub, father and son, are separated by the hatred of the Yagyu -- and the path to togetherness is lined with blood and honor. As Ogami continues his search for little Daigoro, he must battle deadly Yagyu assassins and aspiring, cocky samurai. He prepares to give them a taste of his blade... Meanwhile, Daigoro visits a crazed old woman living under a bridge, and teaches her a valuable lesson. In these and other stories in this volume, Lone Wolf and Cub continue to unlock the mystery of the Yagyu, one step closer to the truth behind his quest for vengeance. Prepare for more legendary action, in a handy size that fits in your back pocket!
This volume contains the following
Talisman of Hades
Ailing Star
Thirteen Strings
A Poem for the Grave
This volume contains the following
Talisman of Hades
Ailing Star
Thirteen Strings
A Poem for the Grave
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1990
16 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Kazuo Koike
562 books292 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 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 28, 2020
Truly they were a family with no tomorrow, their future denied them by cruel destiny
The series has made me reconsider the term ‘epic’ and to be more careful where I apply it. I guess every future big adventure, historical or science-fiction, I embark on will be judged by the high standard set in this classic Koike-Kojima saga of medieval Japan. From economic struggles, secret plots for power, religious musings, social structures, honor code and many, many battles to the death, each album adds up to the panoramic view of a whole culture in turmoil, as the shogunate tries to consolidate its power against local daimyo and as countless secret guilds fight a shadow war for a bigger piece of the pie. Exiled from the highest honor of serving the Shogun as his personal swordbearer after a plot by his archenemy Retsudo Yagyu, samurai Ogami Itto becomes a wandering ronin, taking paid assassination jobs as he plans his revenge. He is accompanied by his three year old son, his cub Daigoro. At the end of volume 10, father and son are separated after a direct confrontation with Retsudo and his cohorts of assassins. There is little hope for a reunion, but father and son continue on their road to Hell.
Talisman of Hades shows how Ogami Itto is ready to risk his own life in order to have a chance of finding his son, as he leaves behind a paper trail with the little trademark cart that has become an iconic emblem for the whole series. The key to the story is how the obsession of both Itto and the Yagyu is affecting bystanders, as a group of young students in the martial arts witness Ogami Itto killing a fake monk and challenge the unbeatable Lone Wolf to a duel. Will Itto summarily dispatch them as a minor annoyance along the way? or is he still bound by the bushido in protecting the innocents?
Ailing Star shows the parallel journey of Daigoro, drifting by accident into a local peasant drama, where a village confronts a very old lady who lives under a crumbling bridge and refuses to be sent away before it collapses over her head. We have noticed before the cruel treatment of women in this harsh environment, and the case of the old beggar lady is no exception. In the absence of his father, Daigoro must use whatever inner strength and silent form of protest to remind everybody that life is precious and honor demands sacrifices.
Thirteen Strings is the longest section of the album, and it is like a whole movie script all on its own power. Ogami Itto drifts into a domain beset by famine after a long drought. The local lord is hoarding supplies and wants to force the peasants to work for free in land management. His daughter is adding fuel to the flames as she rides a wild horse on the narrow pathways. Itto is hired to accompany the village elder to the daimyo castle, to present a petition in the name of the villagers, knowing very well that such flaunting of authority is usually punished by death in the shogunate.
Complications and powerful speeches come from every direction, but the culmination of these encounters finally brings father and son back together, right from the brink of the abyss.
A Poem for the Grave is a return to the main storyline, as Ogami Itto is still trying to unlock the mystery of the Yagyu lettter he stole a couple of albums back. The price the Lone Wolf has to pay is an assassination job of a runaway samurai who is alleged to have proved himself a coward in fighting a fire at the local castle. The ending, while predictable, is a reminder of the basic tenet of bushido of searching for a honorable death in battle in order to clean the family name.
>>><<<>>><<<
Onward to book 12!
The series has made me reconsider the term ‘epic’ and to be more careful where I apply it. I guess every future big adventure, historical or science-fiction, I embark on will be judged by the high standard set in this classic Koike-Kojima saga of medieval Japan. From economic struggles, secret plots for power, religious musings, social structures, honor code and many, many battles to the death, each album adds up to the panoramic view of a whole culture in turmoil, as the shogunate tries to consolidate its power against local daimyo and as countless secret guilds fight a shadow war for a bigger piece of the pie. Exiled from the highest honor of serving the Shogun as his personal swordbearer after a plot by his archenemy Retsudo Yagyu, samurai Ogami Itto becomes a wandering ronin, taking paid assassination jobs as he plans his revenge. He is accompanied by his three year old son, his cub Daigoro. At the end of volume 10, father and son are separated after a direct confrontation with Retsudo and his cohorts of assassins. There is little hope for a reunion, but father and son continue on their road to Hell.
Talisman of Hades shows how Ogami Itto is ready to risk his own life in order to have a chance of finding his son, as he leaves behind a paper trail with the little trademark cart that has become an iconic emblem for the whole series. The key to the story is how the obsession of both Itto and the Yagyu is affecting bystanders, as a group of young students in the martial arts witness Ogami Itto killing a fake monk and challenge the unbeatable Lone Wolf to a duel. Will Itto summarily dispatch them as a minor annoyance along the way? or is he still bound by the bushido in protecting the innocents?
Ailing Star shows the parallel journey of Daigoro, drifting by accident into a local peasant drama, where a village confronts a very old lady who lives under a crumbling bridge and refuses to be sent away before it collapses over her head. We have noticed before the cruel treatment of women in this harsh environment, and the case of the old beggar lady is no exception. In the absence of his father, Daigoro must use whatever inner strength and silent form of protest to remind everybody that life is precious and honor demands sacrifices.
Thirteen Strings is the longest section of the album, and it is like a whole movie script all on its own power. Ogami Itto drifts into a domain beset by famine after a long drought. The local lord is hoarding supplies and wants to force the peasants to work for free in land management. His daughter is adding fuel to the flames as she rides a wild horse on the narrow pathways. Itto is hired to accompany the village elder to the daimyo castle, to present a petition in the name of the villagers, knowing very well that such flaunting of authority is usually punished by death in the shogunate.
Complications and powerful speeches come from every direction, but the culmination of these encounters finally brings father and son back together, right from the brink of the abyss.
A Poem for the Grave is a return to the main storyline, as Ogami Itto is still trying to unlock the mystery of the Yagyu lettter he stole a couple of albums back. The price the Lone Wolf has to pay is an assassination job of a runaway samurai who is alleged to have proved himself a coward in fighting a fire at the local castle. The ending, while predictable, is a reminder of the basic tenet of bushido of searching for a honorable death in battle in order to clean the family name.
>>><<<>>><<<
Onward to book 12!
August 16, 2016
This series touches my heart every time I read it. It flows so gently and yet so poignant.
How does Koike manage to create so many wonderful stories? Each one so unique and with a beautiful or sometimes dark message.
If I could only take one comic series with me to a desert island it would be this.
How does Koike manage to create so many wonderful stories? Each one so unique and with a beautiful or sometimes dark message.
If I could only take one comic series with me to a desert island it would be this.
May 24, 2017
In volume eleven Itto and Daigoro are still separated after the failed attack by the Yagyu and their allies. In the hopes the other is still alive they wander across the countryside inevitably affecting the lives of those they meet.
‘Talisman of Hades’: As he once left cryptic signs at waypoints to let prospective customers know that Lone Wolf and Cub was taking on assassinations, Itto now leaves pictures of the babycart pointing in his direction of travel in the hopes that Daigoro will see them and follow them to his father. A group of young students on the way to a special academy in Edo see the signs and decide to unravel their mystery. On their way they witness Itto killing a man who appears to be a Buddhist monk and decide they must avenge this heinous crime. What will Itto do when he is faced by both an overzealous group of young would-be warriors and a cadre of Yagyu assassins disguised as monks intent on his destruction?
The next two tales both revolve around different groups in contention trying unsuccessfully to overcome their differences. In each case we see how Itto and Daigoro intercede to bring about reconciliation and understanding. You know you’ve got serious problems when only a silent three-year-old or a grizzled assassin who considers himself a demon can help resolve your issues!
‘Ailing Star’: Daigoro wanders into the life of an old woman whose hovel sits directly beneath a bridge on the verge of collapse. Why does she refuse the entreaties of the local villagers asking her to move so they can repair the bridge before she, or others, are killed when it ultimately tumbles into the river? Can Daigoro help both sides of the dispute to see how they have been wrong?
‘Thirteen Strings’: When Itto saves a peasant child from nearly being trampled by a runaway horse carrying the spoiled daughter of the local lord he becomes embroiled in local politics. Drought has brought the populace to the edge of starvation and the lord seems intent on refusing to listen to his people’s need in the belief that his own position will bring about what is best for the han. When the peasant’s chief hires Itto to act as witness to his meeting with the lord will this be the last straw that sets the fire of rebellion loose in the han, or will saner heads prevail? Will the unlucky combination of a tempestuous storm and the wilful pride of the lord’s daughter lead all to ruin? And will Daigoro find his father in the midst of chaos and confusion or will he nearly be reunited with him only to be separated once more?
‘A Poem for the Grave’: Itto makes use of some old contacts in the hope of cracking the mystery of the Yagyu letter. While the ultimate answer remains elusive, Itto comes one step closer to his goal and also takes on a mission for his benefactors. In hunting down a samurai who put the lives of his men above the strict code of bushido, and thereby brought dishonour to his clan, Itto comes face to face with one of the basic criticisms of the way of the warrior: is human life not more important than personal or clan honour? If so, then what can be said about the Lone Wolf who treats life as cheap, not even in the name of honour, but in that of vengeance?
‘Talisman of Hades’: As he once left cryptic signs at waypoints to let prospective customers know that Lone Wolf and Cub was taking on assassinations, Itto now leaves pictures of the babycart pointing in his direction of travel in the hopes that Daigoro will see them and follow them to his father. A group of young students on the way to a special academy in Edo see the signs and decide to unravel their mystery. On their way they witness Itto killing a man who appears to be a Buddhist monk and decide they must avenge this heinous crime. What will Itto do when he is faced by both an overzealous group of young would-be warriors and a cadre of Yagyu assassins disguised as monks intent on his destruction?
The next two tales both revolve around different groups in contention trying unsuccessfully to overcome their differences. In each case we see how Itto and Daigoro intercede to bring about reconciliation and understanding. You know you’ve got serious problems when only a silent three-year-old or a grizzled assassin who considers himself a demon can help resolve your issues!
‘Ailing Star’: Daigoro wanders into the life of an old woman whose hovel sits directly beneath a bridge on the verge of collapse. Why does she refuse the entreaties of the local villagers asking her to move so they can repair the bridge before she, or others, are killed when it ultimately tumbles into the river? Can Daigoro help both sides of the dispute to see how they have been wrong?
‘Thirteen Strings’: When Itto saves a peasant child from nearly being trampled by a runaway horse carrying the spoiled daughter of the local lord he becomes embroiled in local politics. Drought has brought the populace to the edge of starvation and the lord seems intent on refusing to listen to his people’s need in the belief that his own position will bring about what is best for the han. When the peasant’s chief hires Itto to act as witness to his meeting with the lord will this be the last straw that sets the fire of rebellion loose in the han, or will saner heads prevail? Will the unlucky combination of a tempestuous storm and the wilful pride of the lord’s daughter lead all to ruin? And will Daigoro find his father in the midst of chaos and confusion or will he nearly be reunited with him only to be separated once more?
‘A Poem for the Grave’: Itto makes use of some old contacts in the hope of cracking the mystery of the Yagyu letter. While the ultimate answer remains elusive, Itto comes one step closer to his goal and also takes on a mission for his benefactors. In hunting down a samurai who put the lives of his men above the strict code of bushido, and thereby brought dishonour to his clan, Itto comes face to face with one of the basic criticisms of the way of the warrior: is human life not more important than personal or clan honour? If so, then what can be said about the Lone Wolf who treats life as cheap, not even in the name of honour, but in that of vengeance?
January 20, 2019
Largely serving as a connective tissue, other than its central import, everything else wanes in quality and enjoyability. Whether its ancillaries given an overabundance of dialogue that goes nowhere or the series umpteenth presentation of nature (no matter how stunning is diluted by its incessant repetition) this is probably the weakest offering since Vol. 2
November 22, 2021
İktidar koltuğunda oturanlar, kendi hatalarını görmezler. Karşılarında kim varsa boyun eğsin isterler. Kötü yönetimler böyle doğar (Japonya, 1600 - Türkiye, 2021)
Hele hele Feodal Japonya'da geçen Playstation oyunu Ghost of Tsushima'ya yeni başlamışken bir Yalnız Kurt ve Yavrusu patlatmamak olmazdı. Hep söylerim, iyi bir oyun, iyi bir kitaptan da iyi bir filmden de daha keyiflidir. Zaten bugün oyun endüstrisinin kitap, film ve müzik sektörünün toplamından bile daha büyük bir hacme sahip olması sürpriz değil.
Neyse gelelim kitaba. Cehennem Muskası'nda Daigorom hala kayıp. Bu çocukla aramda birşey var. Tamam siz baba oğul Meifumado'da yürüyorsunuz ama ben endişelenmeden duramıyorum. Bu serinin dönemi, insanları, hikayesi, esprileri, silahları, herşeyi çok güzel. Huzursuz Yıldız'da memeleri beline kadar sarkmış yaşlı kadının Daigoro çürümüş köprüye çıkınca "Başlayacağım sana da yapraktan yaptığın aptal şapkaya da! Ömrümden bir sene yedin!" demesine çok güldüm.
Onüç Tel kesinlikle güzel ve uzun bir hikayeydi. Ama en güzel kısmı Ogami'nin Daigoro ile buluşmasıydı. Yay!
Ölüm için Şiir hikayesinde Daigoro ilk kez annesinin mezarına gidiyor ve yabani bir otu koparmak üzereyken kıç üstü düşüp kikir kikir gülüyor. Çocuklar böyle işte. Çok şanslıyım ki Daigoro gibi, Daigoro'nun yaşlarında an be an merakını gözlemleyebildiğim şahane bir oğlum var.
Ve her ciltte yüz ifadelerini ne kadar resmetmişler hayran olmadan duramıyorum.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
Hele hele Feodal Japonya'da geçen Playstation oyunu Ghost of Tsushima'ya yeni başlamışken bir Yalnız Kurt ve Yavrusu patlatmamak olmazdı. Hep söylerim, iyi bir oyun, iyi bir kitaptan da iyi bir filmden de daha keyiflidir. Zaten bugün oyun endüstrisinin kitap, film ve müzik sektörünün toplamından bile daha büyük bir hacme sahip olması sürpriz değil.
Neyse gelelim kitaba. Cehennem Muskası'nda Daigorom hala kayıp. Bu çocukla aramda birşey var. Tamam siz baba oğul Meifumado'da yürüyorsunuz ama ben endişelenmeden duramıyorum. Bu serinin dönemi, insanları, hikayesi, esprileri, silahları, herşeyi çok güzel. Huzursuz Yıldız'da memeleri beline kadar sarkmış yaşlı kadının Daigoro çürümüş köprüye çıkınca "Başlayacağım sana da yapraktan yaptığın aptal şapkaya da! Ömrümden bir sene yedin!" demesine çok güldüm.
Onüç Tel kesinlikle güzel ve uzun bir hikayeydi. Ama en güzel kısmı Ogami'nin Daigoro ile buluşmasıydı. Yay!
Ölüm için Şiir hikayesinde Daigoro ilk kez annesinin mezarına gidiyor ve yabani bir otu koparmak üzereyken kıç üstü düşüp kikir kikir gülüyor. Çocuklar böyle işte. Çok şanslıyım ki Daigoro gibi, Daigoro'nun yaşlarında an be an merakını gözlemleyebildiğim şahane bir oğlum var.
Ve her ciltte yüz ifadelerini ne kadar resmetmişler hayran olmadan duramıyorum.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
April 8, 2016
The Yagyu clan takes a backseat in this relatively quieter volume. In Talisman of Hades, we see an internal rift in a han between the lord and the village, where Itto Ogami stands in the middle as an observer. Also, he finds more about the mysterious Yagyu letters.
This volume unexpectedly has touching moments, from Itto's acceptance of a job from a village who could not pay for his services to the dramatic reunion between the father and the son.
We also have a glimpse of the politics in feudal Japan, its flaws, the corruption while still showing there are still those who are in the government who are willing to help the people.
This volume unexpectedly has touching moments, from Itto's acceptance of a job from a village who could not pay for his services to the dramatic reunion between the father and the son.
We also have a glimpse of the politics in feudal Japan, its flaws, the corruption while still showing there are still those who are in the government who are willing to help the people.
August 16, 2020
With the Wolf and the Cub reunited, and the Yagyū repelled for the time being, it looks like we're winding down again and returning to shorter assassination stories... only with something of a larger story still going on in the background, now that it's started up. Fine with me all in all.
The final story of this volume highlights one thing I always thought wrong about the bushido, chivalry, and other such warrior codes, about the fearlessness and the unrelenting nature of it, about the willingness to throw your life away for the sake of honour, even if it would otherwise accomplish nothing at all. So the brave and good men kill each other off, while the craven and the wicked flee to sin another day. It feels backwards, somehow.
The final story of this volume highlights one thing I always thought wrong about the bushido, chivalry, and other such warrior codes, about the fearlessness and the unrelenting nature of it, about the willingness to throw your life away for the sake of honour, even if it would otherwise accomplish nothing at all. So the brave and good men kill each other off, while the craven and the wicked flee to sin another day. It feels backwards, somehow.
October 24, 2017
Bu seriye bayılıyorum evet ama bir süre sonra sanki aynı şeyleri okuyor hissi veriyor insana, ilk başlardaki tadı alamaz oldum. Serinin belirli bir ilerleyişi var, her ne kadar olaylar ve kültürel ögeler farklılık gösterse de olayların ilerleyiş biçimleri aynı, bu da şaşırmanıza ve bir sonraki bölümü çok merakla beklemenize engel oluyor. 10 ve 11'de yaşanan bağlantılı olaylar seriye biraz hareket getirse de serinin genelinde bir aynılık söz konusu. Seriye ara verip özlesem mi diye düşünmeye başladım.
April 23, 2021
Aquí es que hace Ito y Daigoro cada quien por su lado, en lo que se están buscando para reencontrarse.
- La de Ito y los estudiantes que descubren sus dibujos de carreola, esta bien la historia.
- La de Daigoro y la anciana que vive bajo el puente en ruinas, esta interesante.
- La de los campesinos casi en rebelión, esa me gusto, aparte que sirve doble propósito, buena historia.
- Al final logra que alguien analice la carta que robo, y si bien descubren algo, no parece algo incriminatorio, pero bueno hay avance.
En general el volumen esta bueno
4 star
- La de Ito y los estudiantes que descubren sus dibujos de carreola, esta bien la historia.
- La de Daigoro y la anciana que vive bajo el puente en ruinas, esta interesante.
- La de los campesinos casi en rebelión, esa me gusto, aparte que sirve doble propósito, buena historia.
- Al final logra que alguien analice la carta que robo, y si bien descubren algo, no parece algo incriminatorio, pero bueno hay avance.
En general el volumen esta bueno
4 star
December 28, 2018
O volume começa com a peregrinação de Itto Ogami em busca do pequeno Daigoro, espalhando cartazes com desenhos de carrinhos de bebê para colocá-lo a par da jornada. No caminho, o samurai enfrenta um grupo de jovens guerreiros e é contratado como guarda-costas do representante de um povoado, na negociação entre agricultores e um senhor de terras. O encontro de Daigoro com uma anciã que vive embaixo de uma ponte, prestes a ruir, serve de alívio dramático e rende traços poéticos que compensam as elipses do roteiro (já que Daigoro não fala, apenas murmura uma canção desconexa). Ao passo que o texto cresce na seção seguinte, com Itto Ogami atuando de porta-voz dos agricultores, tentando convencer o senhor de terras a agir de forma mais justa com o seu povo. Ou no diálogo final travado com um habilidoso lanceiro que ele é contratado para eliminar, um discurso que reafirma sua missão mas reforça as contradições do anti-herói.
June 20, 2017
Sobrepasamos el ecuador de la serie y encaramos su segundo mitad con éste onceavo volumen. Un nuevo tochal de cuatrocientas páginas que sigue con la trama del Lobo Solitario y su Cachorro.
En ésta ocasión tenemos lo que es un tomo de manual de ésta obra: historias auto conclusivas que retratan distintos aspectos de la cultura japonesa de la época, pero la más real y cruda, dejando de lado el romanticismo típico de éstos relatos. Como siempre, la corrupción y el honor se dan la mano en unas tramas totalmente maduras que consiguen llegar al lector gracias a su potencia.
Además, tenemos un punto diferenciador respecto a tomos anteriores: el fondo de los relatos contenidos en el volumen gira en torno al concepto de los hierba (espías que echan raíces en la zona, una especie de agentes durmientes). Es un concepto muy potente que da para más de un drama.
Como podéis notar por mis comentarios en los últimos tomos de ésta obra ya he vencido toda reticencia que pudiera tener hacia la misma, me rindo ante la indudable calidad que tiene y me sorprende lo bien narrada que está. El dibujo tampoco se siente demasiado añejo, ya que cuenta con un estilo particular que recuerda a algunas pinturas de la época, parece hecho antiguo adrede más que por ser de hace tantos años.
Lo único que he echado de menos es algo más de protagonismo del niño, personaje estrella en anteriores tomos y que aquí pasa a un papel secundario. Por lo demás. Estupendo.
En ésta ocasión tenemos lo que es un tomo de manual de ésta obra: historias auto conclusivas que retratan distintos aspectos de la cultura japonesa de la época, pero la más real y cruda, dejando de lado el romanticismo típico de éstos relatos. Como siempre, la corrupción y el honor se dan la mano en unas tramas totalmente maduras que consiguen llegar al lector gracias a su potencia.
Además, tenemos un punto diferenciador respecto a tomos anteriores: el fondo de los relatos contenidos en el volumen gira en torno al concepto de los hierba (espías que echan raíces en la zona, una especie de agentes durmientes). Es un concepto muy potente que da para más de un drama.
Como podéis notar por mis comentarios en los últimos tomos de ésta obra ya he vencido toda reticencia que pudiera tener hacia la misma, me rindo ante la indudable calidad que tiene y me sorprende lo bien narrada que está. El dibujo tampoco se siente demasiado añejo, ya que cuenta con un estilo particular que recuerda a algunas pinturas de la época, parece hecho antiguo adrede más que por ser de hace tantos años.
Lo único que he echado de menos es algo más de protagonismo del niño, personaje estrella en anteriores tomos y que aquí pasa a un papel secundario. Por lo demás. Estupendo.
February 20, 2022
The 11th volume of Lone Wolf and Cub builds off of the last volume where Daigoro and Ogami are separated. Ailing Star continues the unexpected focus on infrastructure and bridges in feudal Japan, though in this presentation the bridge is not a positive symbol of progress and innovation as in prior stories. Talisman of Hades is a short, action-filled sequence about a group of aspiring students who meet Ogami. The best pair of stories are the last of the collection.
Thirteen Strings is a story about Ogami getting involved in a drought-fueled dispute between starving peasants and their local samurai rules. This story is intriguing because the leaders of both sides are competent and have vision, unlike past instances where peasants starved from wanton administrators. The overall issue seems to be traditions and inability for the sides to communicate.
A Poem for the Grave is another reflection on what Daigoro and Ogami must sacrifice in their vengeance. Daigoro visits his mother's grave for the first time since he was an infant. Ogami is tasked with killing a man who ignores duty to preserve the lives of his men. This is also the only story in the collection that advances the Yagyu plot.
4/5 stars since I would read these stories again.
Thirteen Strings is a story about Ogami getting involved in a drought-fueled dispute between starving peasants and their local samurai rules. This story is intriguing because the leaders of both sides are competent and have vision, unlike past instances where peasants starved from wanton administrators. The overall issue seems to be traditions and inability for the sides to communicate.
A Poem for the Grave is another reflection on what Daigoro and Ogami must sacrifice in their vengeance. Daigoro visits his mother's grave for the first time since he was an infant. Ogami is tasked with killing a man who ignores duty to preserve the lives of his men. This is also the only story in the collection that advances the Yagyu plot.
4/5 stars since I would read these stories again.
December 8, 2024
Read this as part of the omnibus. This is definitely one of the better volumes.
Talisman of Hades - lone wolf continues to hunt for cub. And we are reminded of Oami Itto's moral code - he'll kill for money and he'll kill assassins but he'll barely wound fools - except when he does more
Ailing Star - a really good Daigoro story with kind of an abrupt ending. An old lady living under a bridge
Thirteen Strings - the daughter is a brat but everyone else has honor and the lord and the peasants want basically the same thing. And Lone Wolf gets to listen and point things in the right direction. And meet up with Cub in the end. A bit long but a good story.
A Poem for the Grave - more showing of honor. In this case someone lets a castle go up in flames without his men dying at the cost of him needing to be killed. And maybe we learn how the secret of the Yagyu letter has been hidden but we don't seem to learn the secret. Still a good story with good art but a bit confused. But still a direct continuation of the story line.
Some good stories in continuity. It is good to see Lone Wolf and Cub alone and see who they are without the other.
Talisman of Hades - lone wolf continues to hunt for cub. And we are reminded of Oami Itto's moral code - he'll kill for money and he'll kill assassins but he'll barely wound fools - except when he does more
Ailing Star - a really good Daigoro story with kind of an abrupt ending. An old lady living under a bridge
Thirteen Strings - the daughter is a brat but everyone else has honor and the lord and the peasants want basically the same thing. And Lone Wolf gets to listen and point things in the right direction. And meet up with Cub in the end. A bit long but a good story.
A Poem for the Grave - more showing of honor. In this case someone lets a castle go up in flames without his men dying at the cost of him needing to be killed. And maybe we learn how the secret of the Yagyu letter has been hidden but we don't seem to learn the secret. Still a good story with good art but a bit confused. But still a direct continuation of the story line.
Some good stories in continuity. It is good to see Lone Wolf and Cub alone and see who they are without the other.
December 4, 2019
La historia comienza a centrarse menos en historias cortas auto contenidas y más en el conflicto central entre los Yagyu y Ogami y su hijo.
Vemos las consecuencias del conflicto del tomo anterior, padre e hijo separados. La carriola perdida, la carta de los Yagyu en su posesión pero aún sin saber cuál es el secreto que oculta.
El arte sigue siendo impresionante. Completamente inmersivo, cuando lo leo me transporto a esa época y puedo escuchar la lluvia y los ruidos de los combates.
Me rompió el corazón ver a padre e hijo separados. Es algo que sabía que eventualmente iba a pasar pero no pensé que tan pronto. Aunque pensándolo bien, vamos a la mitad de la historia, tampoco es que sea tan pronto.
Le puse cuatro estrellas al tomo porque aunque avanzamos un poco en la historia central, las aventuras individuales de los personajes no me gustaron tanto como otras. Se comienzan a ver repetidas estas aventuras y eso es algo que le resta un poco de calidad a la historia. Aunque también me agradó que el conflicto entre los Yagyu y Ogami avance.
Vemos las consecuencias del conflicto del tomo anterior, padre e hijo separados. La carriola perdida, la carta de los Yagyu en su posesión pero aún sin saber cuál es el secreto que oculta.
El arte sigue siendo impresionante. Completamente inmersivo, cuando lo leo me transporto a esa época y puedo escuchar la lluvia y los ruidos de los combates.
Me rompió el corazón ver a padre e hijo separados. Es algo que sabía que eventualmente iba a pasar pero no pensé que tan pronto. Aunque pensándolo bien, vamos a la mitad de la historia, tampoco es que sea tan pronto.
Le puse cuatro estrellas al tomo porque aunque avanzamos un poco en la historia central, las aventuras individuales de los personajes no me gustaron tanto como otras. Se comienzan a ver repetidas estas aventuras y eso es algo que le resta un poco de calidad a la historia. Aunque también me agradó que el conflicto entre los Yagyu y Ogami avance.
January 21, 2021
I'm not a fan of this... grecanisation(?) they've got going on with the mythical terms. I refrained from commenting after the last volume because it didn't seem like a huge part of the story but it's kinda grating at me now; they're really intent on keeping close to the Buddhist and traditional Japanese terms in the book, it seems like an insult to both the author's dedication and the reader's intelligence to have the anglicised titles refute that.
Also why does the cover show something that occurred in a previous volume? Is this poor planning or no planning at all?
Both of these issues (and the odd titles that I mentioned previously) seem to come from the Dark Horse team that collected and translated the works. I can't find much to criticise otherwise - it does seem like less of a self-contained adventure and more open-ended but that's the sacrifice made when broadening the scope and taking the stakes up a notch. I have a feeling there might be some recurring characters coming up.
Also why does the cover show something that occurred in a previous volume? Is this poor planning or no planning at all?
Both of these issues (and the odd titles that I mentioned previously) seem to come from the Dark Horse team that collected and translated the works. I can't find much to criticise otherwise - it does seem like less of a self-contained adventure and more open-ended but that's the sacrifice made when broadening the scope and taking the stakes up a notch. I have a feeling there might be some recurring characters coming up.
February 26, 2019
A middle part of the series that has Ogami and Diagoro separated for some time. This particular set is not all that action oriented, especially the stories where Daigoro leads.
While not my favorite set of Lone Wolf stories, Koike shows a lot of skill in being able to tell stories that don't just involve Ogami cutting down endless Yagyu enemies. On top of this, the consistently gorgeous art make even the slowest of stories a visual delight and little historical lesson about the time period.
I will always recommend Lone Wolf and Cub, but I would say that this particular one is not the way to introduce someone to the series. For those that have made it this far, keep on pushing forward.
While not my favorite set of Lone Wolf stories, Koike shows a lot of skill in being able to tell stories that don't just involve Ogami cutting down endless Yagyu enemies. On top of this, the consistently gorgeous art make even the slowest of stories a visual delight and little historical lesson about the time period.
I will always recommend Lone Wolf and Cub, but I would say that this particular one is not the way to introduce someone to the series. For those that have made it this far, keep on pushing forward.
August 27, 2020
I was so happy when Ogami and Diagoro reunited. Again another great edition in the series. One scene that really stood out to me was 2 different angles of the same simple scene of The Lone Wolf pushing the cart with his Cub down a street and as they passed by a man, the man looked over his shoulder at them. Although a simple scene, they took the time to show if from 2 angles. One from afar behind them and once through some branches of a nearby tree in front of them. Although simple I enjoyed seeing the same scene from two different angles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2023
Another superb entry in the series that finds Ogami & Diagoro still looking for each other while encountering other adventures along the way, with Ogami dealing with some overzealous samurai & Diagoro encountering a crazy woman living under a bridge. Koike delivers another brilliant slice of life in feudal Japan, covering everything from the peasants to the lords, all while moving closer to the ultimate Yaygu conspiracy. It is matched by Goseki Kojima's crisply realistic art, from life in Japan to its brutal action. One of the best manga series ever.
December 26, 2020
After 11 volumes, I finally felt a drop in engagement. Not that the art became any less, but that the excellence already shown in previous volumes can't help but settle into itself. My future self is envious that today I am near the middle of 20+ serene volumes with no idea how it will complete. I look forward to starting again with Vol 1 years from now with more patience and appreciation.
June 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this volume too, though as expected, it was a little weaker for me than the previous. The series course corrects itself and goes back to the standard storytelling format with stakes feeling a little bit lessened. However, it does still progress the story as a central unit. Looking forward to more!
December 18, 2021
Ogami: And yet there is something more forbidden than death we will come across on this path to hell...
Some dude who's probably gonna die in this chapter: Like mac n cheese with lots of ketchup!!! :D
Ogami: Maybe I should just kill all of humanity
Some dude who's probably gonna die in this chapter: Like mac n cheese with lots of ketchup!!! :D
Ogami: Maybe I should just kill all of humanity
August 6, 2019
Another excellent volume of LWaC!
February 19, 2021
Same as the first. Fantastic art, engaging action stories, not much to the characters.
July 7, 2023
4.5 stars
September 15, 2024
Some longer stories. Ogami Itto and Daigoro are separated. Will they get reunited?
April 26, 2025
The action is just getting better!
November 27, 2017
lo bueno del presente tomo es que lo noto mucho más centrado y la reunión de padre e hijo es bastante impactante. No me puedo quejar mucho con respecto a este tomo
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