Lone Wolf and Cub. Omnibus. Vol. 10

Lone Wolf & Cub #10

by Kazuo Koike

Mentre infuria la tempesta, continua la caccia degli Yagyû, ormai con il fiato sul collo del Lupo Solitario. Undici appassionanti capitoli, l'inizio della saga conclusiva della serie firmata dai maestri Kazuo Koike e Goseki Kojima.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Comics, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

696 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2015

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

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

To shamelessly quote Yeats:
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere..."

[Roxana Chirilă · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been over a year since I read the 9th "Lone Wolf and Cub" omnibus volume. It feels like less. Kazuo Koike, the writer, died since then.

It's been nearly four years since I read the first volume and I knew fairly early on that this would be a great story. What I didn't expect was for reading it to become nearly a ritual, that I'd need to read it on warm days when I'm relaxed, and can focus, and I'm out having coffee somewhere. Because it's good and I don't want anything to distract me from it, and I want it to last.

The 10th volume forwards the main story. It very nearly brings *the* end, but a lowly scoundrel decides to try to kill both the protagonist and the antagonist to forward his own goals, thus distracting them from their vow to kill each other in order to serve the greater good and counter the scoundrel's unwitting damage.

It's a beautiful volume, and it's as epic as this series always has been.

[The Lion's Share · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this is really the Michelin of manga.

This was a 24 volume build up to the battle of the greatest and you just couldn’t write it yet he does.

Incredible writing and action packed, and it ends with a cliff hanger. Looking forward to the conclusion.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending is getting closer. In this volume we see the beginning of the final battle as Ogami Itto, the Lone Wolf finally meets the entire remaining Yagyu clan members in combat. However, a natural disaster (somewhat natural, the evil poisoner played a part in it) ends up threatening the entire city of Edo. So we see the Lone Wolf working hand in hand with the enemy in order to save the city. Then, we finally see the head of the Yagyu Clan meet the Lone Wolf in single combat. The swordfight we've been waiting for takes up almost half of this volume and doesn't disappoint. But then...well, that would be telling.

On to the next volume, and what a great series.

[I.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been reading the series this far you’re not shocked to see that this is still great and filled with awesome art and cool samurai action. This is largely devoted to the duel so it’s climax heavy. Only 2 left!

[Ewan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure if there's much point reviewing volumes this late into the series - if you're still with it by this point you're almost certainly committed to sticking it out to the end. There are a couple of points I think might be worth making though.

I'm still not a fan of the Abe-no-Kaii character, but I do at least appreciate that he serves a purpose at this point in the story. On re-reading this series you can see how well structured the plot as a whole has been, and that although the characters are in the right place by now, it would just be too early to have their final battle, and there are things still left to wrap up. So Abe is really there to fill this purpose in the story - to prolong this final stage in the narrative - and he does so, hindering the duels not once, but twice. This could be frustrating (and in a way it is), but in fact it's masterful storytelling as these hinderances create some totally new and unexpected situations for the characters that force them into some fascinating interactions, and revealing more facets of their character and Bushi mindset that we wouldn't have otherwise seen. Koike has always said that the focus of a story is the characters, so of course a great writer as he is, he can find ways to develop characters through the story, even this far on in a series.

The non-reveal of the Yagyu letter might seem like a bit of a cop-out, as if the author didn't actually have a solution to that puzzle, but rest assured it is not. It does pay off, just not yet, which is all I'll say for now.

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

At long last, the mystery of Lone Wolf's massive assassination fortune is addressed; it's something he planned for three years earlier at the outset of his journey into meifumado.

Abe the pee-drinking poisoner's treachery is discovered by both Ittō and Yagyu, but neither deigns him man or bushi enough to bother killing.

It took ten 700pp volumes, but I finally noticed the similarity between "Ittō" and "Edo". Perhaps meant to convey that Ogami is the true bushi, embodying the spirit of Japan?

Plot points:
--Abe pretends to hang himself to fool Yagyu, but his ruse is transparent.
--Explosives! That's what Ittō was spending his earnings on, so that he and Daigoro could fight a Yagyu army toe to toe. (Daigoro's face when the first bomb goes off is priceless. Kazuo Koike's hand is masterful.)
--In an attempt to kill both samurai, Abe opens a dam and accidentally floods Edo. The Yagyu army drowns.
--Ittō and Yagyu pause their feud to save Edo by blowing up a hill (I'm unclear on how that works but whatever).
--Yagyu saves a drowning Daigoro (and that's TWO honorable things the treacherous snake has done now). But he tells the little boy he'll have to murder him after he kills his father.
--Ittō retrieves the corpse of an apparently drowned Abe (who had actually put himself into a coma with one of his poisons to survive the flood).
--Abe finds Ittō and Yagyu's swords stuck in the ground. He poisons both blades and retreats to a rooftop in hopes of seeing them kill each other.
--At long last, the fated duel commences. Yagyu and Ittō are evenly matched and fight for something like 18hrs (and 170ish pages). It is epic and beautiful and very very dull.
--Daigoro finally collapses. The two samurai cough blood and realize they've been poisoned. Together they locate Abe and force him to brew them the antidote.

[Thresk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in a sitting.

Perhaps the very first time in the entire series where one of the central cons of lengthily-serialized manga - namely the spinning of narrative wheels in order to needlessly prolong the story - actually became noticeable, and some hugely unorthodox plot devices somewhat diffused the momentum of an otherwise faultless epic. (For lesser series, and lesser creators, this kind of contrivance would've been painfully evident many volumes ago -- but this is Lone Wolf And Cub.) For those reasons, this is the only volume I feel merits a less-than-perfect rating.

I'm looking forward to the conclusion -- but getting my hands on volumes 11 and 12 may prove challenging.

[Alexander Engel-Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7/5

Abe's purpose is purely to prolong the story from reaching its conclusion. He is an infuriating character, but in spite of that, Koike makes good use of the slimy prick to further showcase the honour and respect Itto and Retsudo (!!!) have for one another as bitter arch enemies when disaster strikes, delaying their final duel. Everything except Abe is perfect in this volume. Everything. Even the consequences of Abe's actions lead to some of the best moments of the series, in a series with a LOT of 'best of' moments throughout its run.

Absolutely sick of Abe's shit, though. I'm really hoping he meets his end soon.

Finished this in one sitting.

[WIZE FOoL · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now my new addiction!!!
A beautifully told story with hand drawn animation!
Where you learn about Japanese historical culture and lots of martial arts and political intrigue.
This is perfect for me and I am devouring them!
It's based on a samurai who is politically outplayed and loses his station and family. Just him and his boy are out to seek revenge!
I don't throw 5 stars around much. but this is totally a 10 stars!!! a 100 stars!!!!! a 1000 stars...... it's just great! Don't consider it, just read it!!!!
ENJOY!!!

[Yun Rou · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're wondering what a comic book is doing on a Daoist monk's reading list, forget what you think you know about comics. This is no mere graphic novel; this is a work of high Japanese literature. The storytelling is stunning, the graphics are powerful, and the message and compelling feel of this masterpiece of graphic fiction will keep you turning the pages and earn the whole omnibus an honored spot in your library, too.

[Chris Gifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are preparations to be finalized. Then it is time for the battle to the death which last for many hours through rain, flooding and snow. Poor Diagoro. The battle goes on for hours, even when Diagoro passes out from exhaustion from standing still and watching the battle rages on, until a flood. More poison, death and a return to awareness.

But we are left hanging, is there more?

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

178 pages of dueling! This volume has a lot of big action and environment scenes, a flood, a flash freeze, and the aforementioned fight. So while a lot happens, and again some confusing story telling about the awkward poisoner character, there are not many words. So, readers are encouraged to take their time and really enjoy the art or this is be the fastest read of the series.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even ages into the series, best one so far. Not repetitive
The kid’s involvement?
Some flashback of him as a baby?
The swords in the ground?
The poison?
Amazing

[R. Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in the series, in my opinion. I great mini-climax to the story that's been building through the previous nine volumes. A great mix of action and political intrigue, and the artwork is spot on, as always.