Musashi #9, Vol. 1

9番目のムサシ [9-banme no Musashi] #1

by Miyuki Takahashi

Presents the adventures of Musashi #9, a sixteen-year-old girl who is an agent for the organization Ultimate Blue.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Action

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 1996

Reviews

[anenko · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a secret organization known as the “Other United Nations.” They are “Ultimate Blue,” and they aim to keep peace in the world. They accomplish this with the help of their highly trained agents, of which numbers 1 through 9 are the best. Of these, our heroine--code-named Musashi #9--is the very best.

Despite being a top secret organization, *everyone* seems to know about U.B. and it’s top agents: not a chapter went by without someone giving another character the run-down on the rumours surrounding Ultimate Blue. I found this unbelievably amusing, especially since everyone gives out the exact same information.

I liked a) the cross-dressing heroine, b) who kicked major ass. “Mission 3” was my favourite chapter, primarily because I thought the town was neat. We didn’t learn enough about Musashi #9 for me to like her as a person, and in general, I’m not fond of episodic series.

I wouldn’t be opposed to picking up another volume of the series, but it lacked a hook which left me desperate to find out more.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this was originally published in 1996, the work does not show any signs of age. The themes of terrorism, gun violence in mall and school, of teen obsession with weapons-until they realize the enormity of the consequences, of love, deception, and the desire for a saving force all play in to this first incredible GN of the series. Good art, good writing. Significantly before their time (and before it was acceptable in US and European writing), Musashi #9 is a gender queer Japanese teen international special agent who uses their good looks and magnetic personality along with complete bad-assery on the physical skill level (disarming gunmen with the use of non-weapon defense tactics? check! Flying a plane with one arm injured? check!) to save a number of fellow students, families, and foreign powers. Feel good book, in spite of the grave reality of the enemies. I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series.

[edel · Rating 4 out of 5]

World organizations like these confuse me, just like the United Nations. But the Ultimate Blue organization is much more interesting, and less confusing. U.B seeks out to create a balance in the world when it comes to human interactions and is composed of agents of every race, gender, and age.

An interesting concept but it does get a bit repetitive at times. Although Mission 3 was my favourite. It had a great twist that just made me want to yell out, "OH SNAP!"

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

repetative

[Leah Portz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay action sequences, but not a lot of shots with the character actually fighting . . . and the main character has no back-story.