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Vagabond is one of the 'Big Three' of Seinen manga and is renowned for the philosophical ideas presented through the development of its protagonist Miyamoto Musashi.

Story:

Vagabond follows the transformation of beastly Shinmen Takezo into the refined Miyamoto Musashi. Son of 'The Unequaled', Shinmen Takezo believes that all there is to life is killing others until he is killed. After a near-death experience, Takezo is reborn as Musashi with more regard for his own life. Musashi commits himself to the way of the sword in pursuit of becoming 'invincible under the sun', challenging famous schools throughout Japan. With each fight, Musashi slowly starts to unravel more ... about himself and the world around him, eventually changing his pursuit of strength to wisdom. Inoue takes his time telling the story. It is told at a meditative pace and complemented with phenomenal art, it is a story in which every page should be savoured.

9/10

Characters and Themes:

This is Vagabonds strong suit, and the reason for its insane popularity. Inoue tackles themes like talent, ambition, purpose, life, death and true strength from every angle with each of the characters in the story. Each fight is symbolic; at its surface, it is a battle of strength, but it is also a clash in ideologies. My personal favorite is the contrast between Musashi, Denshichiro, Seijuro and Matahachi. Musashi has ambition and talent; Denshichiro has ambition but no talent; Seijuro has no ambition but has talent; Matahachi has neither. Another key theme is the idea of true strength. Characters like Ittosai and Munisai embody the traditional idea of raw physical strength which Inoue challenges with characters like Takuan and Otsu, saying true strength comes from kindness.

10/10

Art:

In terms of sheer quality, Vagabond has the best artwork, as does all of Inoue's works. Each panel is a treat to look at, and has the intentional effect of getting the reader to slow down and take it all in thus regulating the pace of the story. It is a masterful blend of shading, texture and detail. The art has as much depth as the story.

10/10

Persona Enjoyment:

Vagabond demands you pause and reflect on its ideas. Sometimes the wisdom in the dialogue is a bit vague and cryptic, leaving you to sit there and decipher its many meanings. I can see why many people find this story to be life changing, but personally I found it hard to relate to and connect with. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the thorough exploration of the themes in the story.

8/10

Conclusion:

Vagabond is a masterclass in both art and writing. It is one of the few mangas that truly takes advantage of its medium to tell its story. Its the type of manga that you can't just read once and put down. Its a story that one can extract new wisdom from with every read.

9/10

I fell for the hype around this manga, and it is leagues out of proportion to the quality of this work.

Story:

Monster is slow and boring. While the premise is interesting, it long overstays its welcome. The story drags on and on in a very predictable fashion. The ending is very ambiguous leaving it up to interpretation. There isn’t anything wrong with that, the problem however is the fact that it feels extremely anti-climactic being at the end of a very drawn out story.

4/10

Characters/Themes:

Monster excels in this department, unfortunately it is also the only thing it has going for it. Dr. Tenma is a beacon of ... kindness, innocence and perseverance, Grimmer is an excellent show of humanity, but most importantly, the main villain Johan Liebert is the epitome of nihilism, cunningness and evil. But while these themes in and of themselves are very interesting and fun to talk about, the story doesn’t do anything but simply outfit these characters with it. The themes are not presented or played with in any interesting way, nor has Urasawa added on much of his own commentary on these themes.

7/10

Art:

The backgrounds and landscapes have definitely been drawn beautifully with an incredible amount of detail and masterful use of shading. However, the characters tend to look very similar to each other, making it hard to tell them apart. The paneling is very basic and straightforward adding onto the boringness.

6/10

Personal Enjoyment:

This manga was a slog to read. I dropped it multiple times but I eventually pushed through to the end because my friends wouldn’t stop talking about it and also wanted to hear my opinions on it. Grimmer was definitely my favorite character, I loved seeing him slowly regain his humanity as he was met with Johan’s inhumane actions as ironic as that is. Dr. Tenma is an extremely relatable character, he’s hunting down the monster that he feels guilty for saving while helping others along the way, his pure and innocent heart serve as an ideal example of a doctor.

5/10

Conclusion:

Although Monster and its themes can be discussed for hours on end, none of that can be attributed to the quality of its story and I feel that is where peoples perception of Monster gets warped. Most people get caught up in talking about how Johan is the greatest villain ever written but forget to judge Monster in a vacuum as a story, which I think is only decent.

6/10

Bleach has always felt like the odd one out from The Big 3 Shonen (Naruto, One Piece, Bleach). It’s characters are more complex, it’s themes are more mature and it’s writing has many layers.

Story:

What immediately sets Ichigo Kurosaki apart from other protagonists such as Luffy and Naruto is the absence of a lofty or ambitious goal. Ichigo is a normal high school student that happens to possess special abilities. Ichigo’s only motive is to protect those who are dear to him which he feels he is responsible for due to his unique powers. Each arc is kickstarted with Ichigo’s desire to save his friend/s: Soul ... Society Arc is about saving Rukia, Hueco Mundo is about saving Orihime and Thousand Year Blood War is about saving the Soul Society. Being a typical shonen manga, there are a lot of entertaining fights in each of these arcs with Ichigo getting super hype power ups in each one.

8.5/10

Characters and Themes:

This is where bleach excels compared to other shonen mangas. Kubo’s approach to character writing is quality over quantity; Bleach has a very concise but greatly developed cast of characters. Each character has a distinct style and personality which is further exemplified by the “Zanpakuto”—a sword that can transform up to 2 times once the soul of the user becomes engraved into it, giving rise to a unique power befitting of the character. Furthermore, Bleach explores different themes through is colorful cast, but mostly through its villains. Each member of the villain group in Bleach governs a certain aspect of death, those being: Isolation, Old Age, Sacrifice, Emptiness, Despair, Destruction, Intoxication, Madness, Greed and Rage. These aspects are clearly reflected in each members dialogue, character design and fighting style.

10/10

Art:

Early Bleach is characterized by a generic cartoony look but as the series progresses, Kubo’s art style starts to become more distinct and refined. While Kubo’s art is not exactly detailed, it is extremely stylized making it easily identifiable and now iconic. Kubo is a master of black and white, so much so that I feel bleach cannot be portrayed in any other style as adding color would diminish Kubo’s careful use of negative space. Rather than dynamically choreographed action sequences, Kubo opts for powerful clashes with carefully placed text bubbles in empty space to effectively convey the impact and emotion. Although far from detailed, Kubo has maximized every other aspect of drawing, making each panel a treat to just stare at.

9/10

Personal Enjoyment:

Although the beginning of Bleach was rough, Soul Society Arc and onwards have been fantastic with tons of iconic moments and cool characters like Urahara, Aizen, Byakuya, Ulquiorra and Nnoitra. I often find myself racing through chapter after chapter for hours on end, chasing the next plot twist, Bankai or flashback.

9.5/10

Conclusion:

Ichigo’s grounded motivations complemented with the multi-layered villains in this story sets Bleach apart from other mangas in the genre making it a fun read but also a thought provoking one, a balance that is no easy feat to accomplish. After reading Bleach, the influence it has had on modern mangas become very clear, I believe that says a lot about just how fantastic this story is

9/10

In a medium saturated by fantasy and the supernatural, Vinland Saga’s brutal realism is a breath of fresh air. With Vinland Saga in its final arc, I feel it is an appropriate time to review the story so far.

Set in the age of Vikings, Vinland Saga follows the journey of Thorfinn, Son of Thors through blood-soaked battlefields, ransacked villages, quiet farms, stormy waters and fertile land.

The War Arc:

Thorfinn, an innocent young child, after watching his father Thors die at the hands of Askeladd, the leader of a mercenary band, vows to avenge his fathers death and thus begins the war arc. Thorfinn “joins” Askeladd’s band ... and taking every opportunity he can get to challenge him to a fair duel. Wherever Askeladd is, you’ll be sure to find Thorfinn hiding in his shadow.

One of Vinland Saga’s greatest strengths is its character writing. The arc introduces several complex characters that age gracefully as the story continues.

What makes Vinland Saga stand out is just how raw it is. Askeladd and his band of vikings raid, kill, rape and take pride and pleasure in it all. Vikings don’t spare their victims, they can’t fathom mercy, their idea of heaven “Valhalla” is quite literally and endless war. Thorfinn doesn’t bat an eye at any of this, he will do anything if it means getting to challenge Askeladd to a duel, anything from scouting a village to taking the head of a commander. Thorfinn transforms into a killer, a fierce and skilled one at that, driven solely by revenge, it is all he can think about. Thorfinn’s character at this point in the story is extremely shallow, he just wants revenge.

Askeladd initially comes off as a pragmatic leader that pillages villages according to he hedonistic whims, however each move is a strategic step forward to reaching his goal. The key to Askeladd’s character lies in his background, his mother (a Welsh slave) instilled a deep sense of loyalty and pride for Wales which he feels is being threatened by the Danes that currently rule England. Askeladd is a master strategist, unlike a typical Viking that relies entirely on his brute strength, Askeladd analyses his situation and turns it to his advantage, but in order to lead his band he must put up a mask of barbarism so that the Danes that he secretly hates feel like he is one of them. Although he is regarded as the ‘villain’, Askeladd doesn’t quite qualify for this role and this is what makes him such an interesting character. Despite the fact the he will use underhanded tactics and commit atrocities, he is driven by a noble cause, a greater good which is peace and security for his people. His relationship with Thorfinn also muddies the water; despite being Thorfinn’s sworn enemy, he still keeps him alive despite winning countless times in his duels and opts to indirectly teach Thorfinn the futility of vengeance and the emptiness that follows once that desire is satisfied, a lesson which Thorfinn will have to learn the hard way in the end.

Prince Canute’s transformation is just as interesting as Throfinn’s in that they are polar opposites. Prince Canute is the heir to the Viking throne of Denmark, despite this responsibility however, he is weak-willed, timid and soft-spoken and as a result is overshadowed by his older brother Harald. Canute is always accompanied by his guardian Ragnar who is pretty much a helicopter parent, leaving Canute disconnected from the harsh realities of the Viking world that he was born to rule. Although King Sweyn dismisses Prince Canute, Askeladd’s keen eye sees potential in him. Askeladd orchestrates the death of Ragnar, forcing Canute to acknowledge the cruelty of the world. In this moment of vulnerability, Askeladd challenges Canute’s belief in God, claiming that God has abandoned humanity and it is up to us to create our own paradise here on Earth. Canute resonates deeply with this idea and takes it upon himself to claim his father’s throne and create his own paradise.

The Slave Arc:

With Askeladd dead and Thorfinn directionless, our protagonist is sold into slavery and is now working for his freedom as a farmhand in Ketil’s farm, thus beginning the slave arc. This is a major pivot in Thorfinn’s character, while previously he was filled with nothing but hatred, rage and vengeance, now he is broken, empty and lost. While working on the farm, Thorfinn is paired up with Einar who was a victim of a Viking pillage. While Thorfinn and Einar work together to cultivate the land and regain Thorfinn’s will to live, King Canute starts to gain notoriety and starts imposing heavy taxes and confiscating land.

This is Thorfinn’s redemption arc. We watch as Thorfinn becomes accustomed to a peaceful life on Ketil’s farm, sowing the wheat he used to trample on. We see Thorfinn reflect upon his life of violence so far and grow to regret his actions, to the point where he can no longer sleep soundly as every night he has the same nightmare of the people that he’s killed clinging on to him, demanding compensation. Thorfinn concludes that he must atone for the atrocities he has committed, and that he will do so by creating a land free of slave traders and far from the flames of war, he will cultivate Vinland so that the souls of his victims may rest easy. He then swears an oath of non-violence, however keeping to his oath in the Golden Age of Vikings will prove challenging.

Einar is the average civilian and therefore offers a fresh perspective on the ideas discussed so far. Einar lived a peaceful life in his village with his family until one day his village was raided by vikings who killed his family and sold him into slavery to Ketil. Einar serves as an affront to Thorfinn, Einar is not a warrior, he resents the vikings that killed his family but doesn’t desire revenge, he’s optimistic and chooses to persevere and work hard for his freedom. Einar’s introduction also gives us an insight into the side of war that has not been explored so far: the victims. Throughout the entirety of the arc, Einar’s optimism and unwavering belief in a brighter future brushes off on Thorfinn which is what allows him to envision a future without violence and find meaning in working hard to build something that burning it down with violence.

Canute, who is now King of Denmark, undergoes a completely different transformation compared to Thorfinn. While Thorfinn aims to rise above the brutality of the world, Canute sees it as a necessary evil; for Canute, the end justifies the means. He is similar to Askeladd in this regard, he has noble motives but will use any means necessary to achieve his goal of a utopia. This is seen through his gradual moral decline over the course of the arc, where he eventually stoops as low as to poison his older brother Harald in order to secure his position as King. His decision to seize Ketil’s farm results in a conflict that climaxes with his and Thorfinn’s fated reunion. In this confrontation, Thorfinn and Canute challenges each others ideals, Canute admits that his utopia by way of violence comes at the cost of oppressing a few, Thorfinn then makes it his purpose to create his own paradise on Vinland for the few that Canute oppresses.

The Eastern Expedition Arc:

After returning home from Iceland and reuniting with his family, Thorfinn hastily sets out to create his paradise on Vinland. He sets out to Greece in order to raise funds for Vinland, however this journey will prove to be a challenge for his newfound pacifist ideals as his bloody past attempt to drag him back onto the battlefield.

The main event of this arc is the War in the Baltic Sea which is a civil war between the Jomsvikings. The Jomsvikings are the strongest mercenary group in the story, they are a group of the most powerful Vikings in the world. Thors was arguable the strongest Jomsviking and had earned himself the title of “The Troll of Jom” for his accomplishments in battle. He married Helga, the daughter of the chief of the Jomsvikings at the time. After the birth of his daughter, Thors grew to see the futility of war so he faked his death and ran away to Iceland with has family to live a life of peace. At present day, Floki—the man who orchestrated Thors’s assasination— is attempting to secure control over the Jomsvikings which starts a power struggle between him and another Jomsviking leader Vagn. This internal conflict quickly escalates into a full blow war.

Early on into Thorfinn’s expedition, he meets a hunter named Hild. Thorfinn and Hild quickly realize that Askeladd had raided Hild’s village when she was a child and that Thorfinn had killed her father. Seeking revenge, Hild asks an old hunter to train her in the art of the hunt. Years later, Hild becomes a formidable hunter and challenges Thorfinn to a hunt for his life. Thorfinn attempts to solve the conflict without violence however he is quickly beaten by Hild. Thorfinn claims that he regrets his past and that he is living to atone by building Vinland but Hild is not convinced. She spares Thorfinn’s life however she tails him for the rest of the expedition, making it clear that she would kill him the moment she feels he isn't sticking to his ideals. At this point, the parallels between Hild and the young Thorfinn are crystal clear, she is also fixated entirely on revenge.

Being the grandson of the third chief of the Jomsvikings, Thorfinn is offered the position of Cheif of Jomsvikings as a solution to the internal conflict. This obviously conflicts with Thorfinn’s pacifism so he declines the position. Following his rejection, his crew gets captured by the Jomsvikings and so Thorfinn is dragged into the war regardless. Thorfinn still manages to fight a war without killing a single person and manages to capture Floki despite his hatred for him. He then claims the position of chief of the Jomsvikings and issues an order to disband it immediately, thus ending the cycle of killing.

Art:

Yukimura’s artwork is nothing shy of incredible. The attention to detail is some of the best in class and the gore does justice to the brutality of war. The quality of the art would not be possible if it wasn’t for the fact that this is a monthly manga which gives Yukimura time to pack in as much quality as he can. It is also clear that alot of thought and research has gone behind the items and landscapes that are illustrated. What really stands out is the way Yukimura draws his swords and daggers, in my opinion they look quite simplified and even childish at sometimes which is fits the immature nature of violence. Furthermore, there is alot of symbolism in eyes, Yukimura has eyes of kindness and eyes of hatred. In the beginning, Thorfinn had eyes of hatred and Canute had eyes of kindness, after the slave arc Thorfinn’s eyes became brighter and kinder whereas Caunte’s became darker and more hateful.

Personal Enjoyment:

Vinland Saga is my personal favourite manga of all time and is subjectively the best of ‘The Big Three’ (Berserk, Vagabond and Vinland Saga). It is a masterfully crafted story with a simple yet deep message that is explored by complex characters that vary in all shades of gray. Watching Thorfinn grow into a protagonist into one that I can root for is a kind of experience I have never had from any other piece of fiction, I truly believe this manga made me a better person.

10/10 Masterpiece