Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Vagabond: Volume 21

by Takehiko Inoue, based on the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, 212 pages

Kyoto is the place to be this volume as various characters arrive at or set out for the city. There, Musashi accepts a challenge by the fiery younger brother of the Yoshioka school...only to find himself first happily fighting the far more skilled older brother by the light of a cold night's fire in a field. Meanwhile, Matahachi is tiring of tricking naive samurai out of their money and begins to long for the company of those who know him by his real name. He sets his feet on the road to Kyoto. At the same time, the rightful owner of his stolen name saunters into the city laughing, which unnerves the locals gawking at Yoshioka's posted challenge notice. And, hearing that Musashi may be there and getting into trouble yet again, Otsû and Jôtarô pull themselves together and set out after their troublesome loved one.

All roads lead to Kyoto, here. I wonder how many paths will actually cross, though? Musashi's about to have the entirety of the Yoshioka school on his backside in retaliation / face-saving, so I think he's going to be a little preoccupied for a while. Matahachi just desperately needs a familiar face, and Akemi is around to supply one that won't come with all the baggage Musashi's would. It seems a little too soon for Musashi and Kojirô to clash, as their reputations could use more time to grow and solidify into something legendary first (although they're certainly not dragging their feet in that department, on purpose or not). And Otsû and Jôtarô would love nothing more than to grab Musashi's kimono sleeve and never let him out of their sight; but with his nature being what it is, I think that wish is unlikely to be fulfilled anytime soon. Mmm, mmm, mmm. I love watching these lives weave in and out of one another, even when only in spirit.

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