Vagabond Vol. 15

Name: Vagabond Vol. 15
ISBN: 9789629988579

Takehiko Inoue / Eiji YoshikawaCosmos Books Ltd.2002

4.8

Series: Vagabond
ISBN: 9789629988579

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Summary

Vagabond is a long-running seinen manga by Takehiko Inoue, adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi. It has been serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Morning since 1998 and follows the young Miyamoto Musashi after the Battle of Sekigahara as he abandons the war, wanders the land with his sword, and pursues the path to becoming 'unrivaled under heaven.' This volume is the fifteenth in the series; the Japanese original was released by Kodansha in October 2002, and the Hong Kong edition is published by Jade Dynasty Publications (International) Ltd. The volume shifts its focus to Musashi's fated rival, Sasaki Kojiro: the genius swordsman later famed for the 'Tsubame Gaeshi' technique is still a young man living on beast-like instinct and innocence. Around him and his swordsmanship teacher, Kanemaki Jisai, who raised him, cling severity, care, and an unspoken compassion; his battle to defeat the local tyrant Fudo Yuzukisai on behalf of the villagers reveals the near-mad killing intent hidden in his blade. Compared with earlier chapters in which Musashi fights his way forward on brute courage, this volume reads more like a quiet profile: with ever more accomplished brushwork, Inoue depicts breath, gaze, and inner feeling, pressing the sense of a fate 'born for the sword' upon the reader. Kojiro's origins are filled in piece by piece, and readers come to see why the two geniuses must eventually meet at Ganryu Island.

Editor's review

如果说《灌篮高手》证明了井上雄彦画少年热血的天赋，那么《浪客行》证明的是他能把漫画画成艺术。本卷是整个系列的分水岭之一：镜头从武藏身上移开，交给日后与他生死相搏的佐佐木小次郎。井上画这位“天才”的童年与成长时，并没有把他画成一个早熟的高手，而是画成一个对剑、对世界、对情感都迟钝得近乎纯粹的野兽；师父钟卷自斋的严厉与沉默，同样落笔极轻，却字字有分量。值得一提的还有画风——从这一阶段起，井上逐步改用毛笔作画，这一卷的线条已能看出水墨般的质感，挥刀的动作干净利落、构图里留白也多是绝妙。若你在读前面几卷时觉得打斗过多，本卷会给你另一个答案：剑客故事最动人的，往往是刀回鞘后的沉默。作为系列第15册，它既可以看作小次郎篇的关键一环，也适合被当作一次单独的人像速写来欣赏。

Who it's for

A good fit for

已读过《浪客行》前十几卷、想补全小次郎来路的读者
喜欢井上雄彦毛笔水墨画风、偏重画面表现力的漫画收藏者
对宫本武藏、佐佐木小次郎等剑豪历史与《宫本武藏》原著感兴趣的读者
偏好青年向历史题材、接受慢节奏人物刻画的读者

Not a good fit for

完全没接触过系列、希望从零开始的读者，直接读第15卷会缺乏上下文
只追求高密度打斗与爽快节奏动作场的读者
对武士题材的暴力、斩击场面较敏感的读者

Reading tips

建议先读完前面几卷，尤其是武藏离开江户后用剑立威的章节，再进入本卷，才能体会到两个宿敌对照的分量。
阅读时留意画面线条的变化：本卷已能看出毛笔质感，可以对照早期卷册，感受井上画风的演进。
若同时读吉川英治的《宫本武藏》，可注意漫画中原文没有的小次郎童年部分，那是井上最见功力的再创作。
读完本卷后不妨先停下回看小次郎与钟卷自斋的几场对话，再看后续卷册，宿命感会更强烈。

FAQ

没读过前几卷能直接读第15卷吗？

勉强可以，但会有损失。本卷是小次郎篇的一部分，许多人物关系与时间线承接前作，建议至少先读第10至14卷，才能看懂武藏与小次郎两条线为何在这时并置。

这一卷主要讲的是武藏还是小次郎？

主角重心在小次郎。本卷描写他的成长、与师父钟卷自斋的关系，以及讨伐恶霸不动幽月斋的一战，同时为日后他与武藏的对决做铺垫。

中文版是哪家出版社出版的？

本卷常见的中文版为香港天下出版（国际）有限公司出版，繁体竖排、依日文原版编排；另有台湾等地区的繁体版本与英文版由Viz发行。

《浪客行》一共有多少卷，完结了吗？

日文单行本共37卷，2002年后原作进入长期停载状态，并未给出明确的完结结局。本卷属于中前期的佐佐木小次郎篇。

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About the author

Eiji Yoshikawa Author · Japan · 1892–1962

Eiji Yoshikawa (1892–1962) was a native of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and a leading author of Japanese popular literature, hailed as a “national writer.” After leaving school early, he worked as a printer and a shipyard worker, among other jobs, while continuing to educate himself. He entered the literary world in 1914 and later became known for his historical novels. His works are mostly drawn from Japanese and Chinese history, and he excelled at portraying personal growth and the sweep of an era within a framework of historical fact, in a style that is accessible and deeply engaging. His major works include Musashi, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The New Taiko Chronicles, Kuroda Josui, and Minamoto no Yoritomo. This library holds 46 of his works, including several volumes of the Three Kingdoms series and the complete Musashi. His historical novels have long enjoyed a wide readership and have had a significant influence on the development of Japanese popular literature.