by Takehiko Inoue, based on the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, 190 pages While Musashi sits in confinement, he and his old acquaintance the monk Takuan talk about the sword, the purpose of life, personal spiritual epiphany, and the choice that now lies before Musashi.
Philosophical musings on the nature of individual happiness fill this volume. For the moment, Musashi's future is in limbo. Should / can he continue to follow the path of the sword? Should he settle down and teach it, instead? While he and his loved ones debate the options amongst themselves, Kojirô's hosts mirror Takuan's concerns and wonder what will become of their elemental young guest. The world outside is changing. The country has grown more stable and the sword's relevance has faded in the wake of relative peace and gunpowder. What place could these two old-school souls call home in this new order? The reader's not sure how to answer that, either, but she hopes they're happy with whatever choices they eventually make.
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