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竜馬がゆく #4
RYŌMA!: The Life of Sakamoto Ryōma: Japanese Swordsman and Visionary, Volume IV
土佐の郷士の次男坊に生まれながら、ついには維新回天の立役者となった坂本竜馬の奇蹟の生涯を、激動期に生きた多数の青春群像とともに壮大なスケールで描きあげる。総発行部数2500万部超！ 司馬遼太郎の永遠のベストセラーが半世紀の時を経て、電子版で新たによみがえる！
第４巻／志士たちで船隊を操り、大いに交易をやり、時いたらば倒幕のための海軍にする――。竜馬の志士活動の発想は奇異であり、”ホラ吹き”といわれた。そして世の中は、そんな竜馬の迂遠さを嘲笑うかのように騒然とする。長州の没落、薩摩の保守化、土佐の勤王政権の瓦解。激動の時代に、竜馬はついに一隻の軍艦を手に入れた！
第４巻／志士たちで船隊を操り、大いに交易をやり、時いたらば倒幕のための海軍にする――。竜馬の志士活動の発想は奇異であり、”ホラ吹き”といわれた。そして世の中は、そんな竜馬の迂遠さを嘲笑うかのように騒然とする。長州の没落、薩摩の保守化、土佐の勤王政権の瓦解。激動の時代に、竜馬はついに一隻の軍艦を手に入れた！
496 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 27, 2017
我個人不太相信，一個不重衛生（到處亂撒尿、口水亂噴）以及外型邋遢（不洗澡不洗臉不換衣）的傢伙，要怎麼能夠吸引三個年輕美女（外加一個歐巴桑）為他深情付出並枯等一世？宅男們若相信這種只顧為著理想向前衝、不斷鍛鍊自我身心、毫不體恤女性的個性，還會不斷有美女依戀在他身旁，那就太傻了。連人家 SAO 的「C8763」可是一枚白白淨淨的溫柔小正太哩……
July 8, 2021
8.5/10
February 3, 2021
It is to my regret that while I bought this the day it came out, I only now took the time to delve into the fourth and last volume of the ‘Ryoma!’ saga. Of course, the experience was very good throughout—not only Mr Shiba’s flowing style, but also the thoughtful tangents, revealing the future for so many of the characters that pass by the book, allow for an unmatched immersion.
The fourth volume traces the final months of Sakamoto Ryoma’s life, in the characters quick travels from Nagasaki to Kyoto and back, several times over. The scope of the thinker—that the reader sees depicted in Ryoma—is unmatched by any of the others around him. It is almost mesmerising how after a meeting with Ryoma, nearly everyone is converted to his way of seeing: a way that transcends narrow-minded loyalism to either the Emperor or the Shogun, and a way which promotes the value of every individual.
The best comparison isn’t, however, to what we can think today, but rather how far above his compatriots Ryoma stood. This is most importantly exemplified by what the reader knows will happen—the success of the Restoration. Thinking back, the relatively small battles that occurred after the Shogun gave up his power are nothing compared to what might have been. And, in trying to avert that ‘might be’, Ryoma also managed to settle a future within international law for the ascendant country.
As a last thought, the story of Iwasaki Yataro, which comes both in and out of this book, is another thoughtful tangent that connects the 19th century with the modern day. The way Mr Shiba managed to combine these pathways of events is nothing short of impressive.
Beyond this, the author’s moral remarks need to be highlighted. The author clearly respected people who did not resort to violence in justification of intolerance. Instead, careful thought and deliberation were the order of the day, and every word Mr Shiba wrote is a statement against parochial militarism.
This review was originally posted on my blog.
The fourth volume traces the final months of Sakamoto Ryoma’s life, in the characters quick travels from Nagasaki to Kyoto and back, several times over. The scope of the thinker—that the reader sees depicted in Ryoma—is unmatched by any of the others around him. It is almost mesmerising how after a meeting with Ryoma, nearly everyone is converted to his way of seeing: a way that transcends narrow-minded loyalism to either the Emperor or the Shogun, and a way which promotes the value of every individual.
The best comparison isn’t, however, to what we can think today, but rather how far above his compatriots Ryoma stood. This is most importantly exemplified by what the reader knows will happen—the success of the Restoration. Thinking back, the relatively small battles that occurred after the Shogun gave up his power are nothing compared to what might have been. And, in trying to avert that ‘might be’, Ryoma also managed to settle a future within international law for the ascendant country.
As a last thought, the story of Iwasaki Yataro, which comes both in and out of this book, is another thoughtful tangent that connects the 19th century with the modern day. The way Mr Shiba managed to combine these pathways of events is nothing short of impressive.
Beyond this, the author’s moral remarks need to be highlighted. The author clearly respected people who did not resort to violence in justification of intolerance. Instead, careful thought and deliberation were the order of the day, and every word Mr Shiba wrote is a statement against parochial militarism.
This review was originally posted on my blog.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews