Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima

Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima

You will have noticed that I stopped reviewing individual TPBs of Lone Wolf and Cub especially since it was becoming hard to point out the differences between each, and trying to figure out what to write was getting in the way of me enjoying the reading. So here's a review of the whole saga, now that I have finished reading all 28 TPBs. 

Let me start by saying that it's a masterpiece, well deserving of its reputation. It does not conform to the graphical standards that have come to be associated with manga (oversized eyes, unrealistic depictions, etc.) but I guess it predates the period where these became a norm of sorts. It is eminently Japanese, with both feet in late medieval Tokugawa historical details, but also in its very contemplative nature, not what you would expect of a reputedly violent (and actually so) graphic novel. 

The whole thing can be broken in roughly three arcs, equal in length: the first third of the saga focuses on Lone Wolf and Cub, and establishes who they are and the backstory. In many ways, this is the most repetitive part, because in order to establish Lone Wolf's character of the assassin, we see many assassination attempts, and while there are variations, there's a bit of sameness there as well. At the same time though we are treated to many flashbacks that establish how we got there, who the Yagyu nemesis are, why Lone Wolf lives in relative peace from them, what the relation between Itto Ogami (Lone Wolf) and his son Daigoro (Cub) are, and why they walk the road to hell (Meifumado). The second part starts when Lone Wolf finds the Yagyu Letters (I won't say more for fear of spoiling). From that point onwards, the Yagyu start going after him actively, and Lone Wolf slowly makes his way to Edo, trying to understand the secret behind these letters. It's no longer about assassination contracts but rather about stealth, politics and some violent confrontations to the different parties that the Yagyu Retsudo pits against Lone Wolf and Cub. The last arc is the final confrontation, when Lone Wolf reaches Edo and all things come to a head. It's rather longer than I thought and very well scripted with many surprises and new characters coming in. And most importantly of all, the ending is amazing. 

I was actually worried that the series would end in an anti-climax, but I was wrong. This is a long winded review already, but trust me, if you like manga, Chanbara, samurai stories, feudal Japan, or any combination thereof, you owe it to yourself to read Lone Wolf and Cub in its complete glory.