Vagabond 9 (VizBig ed.)

Takehiko Inoue – Viz – 2010 – 33+ volumes
this is an omnibus containing vols 25-27

In the first of the three volumes, Musashi takes on Denshichiro for the second time. The duel is a sad thing, since Denshichiro knows he can’t win, Musashi knows Denshichiro can’t win, and neither one wants to fight. But, you know. Honor and all. The end of this fight is quite crushing, even when you know it’s coming.

Interestingly, the story takes a break from fighting at that point and has Musashi meet up with old friends. Matahachi’s mom is at the duel, and Otsu is spotted in the crowd as well. Later, Musashi meets up with Matahachi, and the two go drinking. This is a bizarre scene, since it leaves several opportunities for Musashi to make jokes, and he just doesn’t do that. It’s wrong, on some level. But highly enjoyable all the same. One of the issues discussed between the two is that Matahachi has built an image of Musashi in his mind that has little to no bearing on what Musashi is like now. It’s based solely on public opinion and Matahachi’s own perceptions of it. Harsh words are spoken. I loved that the incident between the two is implied rather than shown.

And there’s the Yoshioka school. Both their masters have been cut down by Musashi. Honor demands vengeance. But if Seijuro and Denshichiro couldn’t cut Musashi down, nobody can. They challenge Musashi, and he overhears plans about all 70 members of the school ambushing him and cutting him down on the appointed day. There’s no honor, but the school’s reputation will be saved when they claim one of their members demanded vengeance and succeeded.

Takuan randomly shows up, and he and Musashi discuss the fact that Musashi can’t engage in this fight. Musashi sleeps on it, and then takes the mountain road out of Kyoto.

I was slightly disappointed by this. I mean, Musashi was right. It’s insane to take on 70 swordsman. Why would he knowingly walk into a fight like that.

Then again, they don’t write manga about guys that don’t walk into a fight like that. Musashi turns around and engages. I’m not sure why I was fooled by this for a second. Maybe because these characters are actually rational, to some extent, and their decisions usually bear a resemblance to real logic. But at the same time, it’s very much like Musashi to take on 70 swordsman. He acknowledges he likely won’t walk away from the fight, which I would have believed at the time, but I know that there are more volumes after this, so it was less exciting.

This fight is given all the attention it deserves. Taking on 70 swordsman is no laughing matter, and what would be blown off as a simple feat of strength in any other series is an ordeal here. It lasts for two volumes, and it’s a terrible thing. The Yoshioka men are scared, Musashi acknowledges time and again that he can’t stop to think or he will be killed. Blood is spilled all over the field. The scared men die terrible deaths. Everyone dies a terrible death. I’d like to go back and count the engagements actually documented on the pages here, to find out if it really does show him cutting down 70 men individually. It sounds unlikely, but again, this lasts for two volumes. Almost every page has Musashi cutting a man down. I think it’s likely that it shows all 70 of the battles. And that is astounding. It shows just how much thought went into this fight.

The aftermath is just as terrible as the battle itself. The field is full of crows and blood and dismembered corpses. Dying men beg for mercy. Many pray. Musashi has to find the sword that was sharpened especially for him, and must pick among his opponents for it.

It’s a terrible thing. And astounding. I really can’t believe what I just read. And that Vagabond can still be so stunning, even after all the story I’ve already read. By rights, two volumes full of nothing but fighting guys should be boring. It’s not here, though. It’s heart-wrenching. Truly terrible.

What an incredible series. I lack the words to truly describe it. It deserves any and all the praise it gets, and I hope it is read as a classic for years to come.