Orient 4

オリエント [Orient] #4

by Shinobu Ohtaka

The only weapon that can vanquish a demon, and only those who overcome its “blade test” can become samurai and face off against the demon gods. However, something strange happens to Musashi when he takes the blade test. A mysterious shadow dwelling within him transforms his soul into black crystals, dredges up his past, and forces him to confront the childhood memories that he had buried deep within his heart...

Genres: Manga, Fantasy

189 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2019

About the author

Shinobu Ohtaka (大高 忍, born May 9, 1983 Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for the creation of the manga series Sumomomo Momomo and more recently, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.

Reviews

[Elijah · Rating 5 out of 5]

That's more like it!! Heartbreaking backstory for both Musashi and Kojiro that solidifies the reason for the dream as well as a very hisoka like character that's SUPER demented, made it my favorite volume yet and hopefully the quality will either stay the same, or steadily improve

P.S. gotta love these beautiful covers 👏🏾

[MajesticalLion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the four volumes I own, this one is my favorite. The first 5 star I gave to the series. Musashi has some of the most compelling and heartbreaking character development in this volume. It really puts his personality and goals into perspective. His dynamic with the Obsidian Goddess is one of my favorite things in the series, and this volume is what introduces it. It also introduces my favorite antagonist in the series so far, Shiro Inukai. His obsession with Demon Metal Blades and his interactions with Musashi are all so chilling. Few things are scarier than a happy and upbeat sociopath. I'm hoping to go grab Volume 5 from my local bookstore sometime this week, but until then that's all I have for Orient. 😅

[Yoshiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

PopKulturowy Kociołek:
Czwarta odsłona fantazyjnej treści przynosi czytelnikowi trochę wytchnienia od nadmiaru „widowiskowości” (przynajmniej początek mangi). Autorka uspokaja atmosferę i stara się zaserwować odbiorcy więcej szczegółów budujących zarówno wykreowany przez nią świat, jak i tło całej opowieści. Trio bohaterów wyrusza tutaj do górniczego miasteczka, w którym ma się odbyć wielka aukcja mieczy kitetsu. Czyli jedynego oręża, jakie jest w stanie pokonać demony zagrażające ludziom. Mushashi jest oczywiście bardzo zdeterminowany, aby zdobyć jeden z tych mieczy. Nie będzie to oczywiście proste i konieczne będzie przejście pewnego nader trudnego wyzwania.

Rozpoczęcie nowego fabularnego wątku jest również okazją dla autorki do bardziej intensywnego przyjrzenia się głównemu bohaterowi. Stopniowo zostają ujawniane pewne sekrety jego trudnego dzieciństwa, które mogą mieć ogromny wpływ na jego obecne zachowanie. W wielu fragmentach Ohtaka wręcz bawi się w psychologa, uzewnętrzniając drzemiące w nastolatku demony przeszłości. Ma to swój niezaprzeczalny urok i potrafi być dość intrygujące. Czasem jednak odnosi się wrażenie, że niektóre elementy historii autorka niepotrzebnie komplikuje.

https://gameplay.pl/news.asp?ID=148669

[LaPommequirougit · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://lapommequirougit.com/2020/11/...

Je remercie les Éditions Pika pour l’envoi de cette lecture. On retrouve nos chers Musashi et Kojirô. Avec à chaque fois, un peu plus d’action et de plaisir !

Musashi et Kojirô sont sur le point de passer l’épreuve des sabres de kitetsu. Cela leur permettra de savoir quelle arme est faite pour eux, afin qu’ils puissent combattre correctement les Onis.

Problème, c’est qu’autant, tout se passe très bien pour Kojirô, mais cela n’est pas le cas pour Musashi. Son épreuve va avoir un résultat inattendu, qui révèle du mythe…

L’histoire nous surprend ! Même si ce manga reste très classique pour un shonen, pour ma part il me plaît et fonctionne bien. Ce qu’on va apprendre dans ce tome, personnellement, je m’y attendais pas du tout. C’est justement cet effet de surprise qui m’a fait autant apprécier ce tome.

En bref, l’histoire continue à être très prenante et à nous amener des évènements inattendus. Comme toujours, le tome se termine d’une manière qui ne nous donne qu’une envie, posséder la suite !!! 😉

[Jed Kudrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Orient, Vol. 4" is where the soul of the series truly ignites—unleashing heartbreaking revelations, mythic stakes, and a villain whose cheerful malice chills to the bone. Musashi's emotional depth is finally laid bare, casting his fiery ambition in a tragic, resonant light, while Kojiro’s journey gains strength through heartfelt contrast. Shinobu Ohtaka masterfully balances rich world-building and intimate character studies, guiding us through myth-laced trials and psychological unravelings with elegance and weight. The arrival of Shiro Inukai—smiling, deadly, and obsessed—sets a terrifying new standard for antagonists in the series. With breathtaking art, narrative surprises, and emotional gravitas, this volume elevates "Orient" from entertaining shonen to something unforgettable.

[Sheepy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shiro looks so darn cool on this cover; look at those black crystals! (I had no clue what it was until I read this volume)

There was quite a bit to process in this volume, the way the story is developing is really good. Each explanation was easy to understand and I was getting more and more curious in what else is going to crop up. The Introduction of Shiro was rather quick in the previous volume so I was eager to know more about him as it felt like he was hiding something, which when I saw him on the cover I knew he'd be back and what he had to say, and what he was doing...damn.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: Feelings of Depression and Loneliness, Suicidal Ideation, Child Abuse

This series just keeps getting better and better! I love learning more about our main character, Musashi. We learn about his past, and why friendship and family is so important to him. I love the discussion of friendship and companionship. This is a fantastic shonen samurai series, and I can't wait for the next volume.

[Michael Schmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hat mir echt richtig gut gefallen. Es bleibt spannend und man erfährt endlich mehr von der Vergangenheit der beiden Protagonisten.

[Keeloween · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume made me cry 🥺