Vagabond, Volume 24

Name: Vagabond, Volume 24
ISBN: 9789882151543

Takehiko Inoue / Eiji YoshikawaCosmos Books Ltd.2006

4.8

Series: Vagabond is a seinen manga by Takehiko Inoue adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi, set in the late Sengoku period through the early Tokugawa era. It tells the coming-of-age story of Miyamoto Musashi, a wild youth called "the demon child" by his village, who passes through setbacks, confusion, and self-reflection, gradually reining in his killing intent and seeking "the way of the sword." Volume 24 (the 24th volume of the Japanese original) stands in the transitional phase between the Yoshioka arc and the battle of Ganryū Island: Musashi is about to face the masters of the Yoshioka school in formal combat, and before the battle he steps back to look over his own path and state of mind, trying to face the coming fight with a higher level of self-awareness. In this interval he happens upon a deaf-mute swordsman—none other than the man later known as Sasaki Kojirō. The two playfully spar with branches in the snow, and a casual exchange becomes the earliest rehearsal for the duel later celebrated by posterity. This volume uses a great deal of silent psychological description and expressive brushwork to portray how the two swordsmen perceive each other before their blades truly meet, and it lays the groundwork for the most famous duel in the entire work.
ISBN: 9789882151543

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Summary

Vagabond is a seinen manga by Takehiko Inoue, adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi. Set in the late Sengoku period through the early Tokugawa era, it follows the growth of Miyamoto Musashi from a wild youth known to his village as "the child of a demon," through setbacks, confusion, and self-reflection, as he gradually tempers his killer instinct and seeks the way of the sword. Volume 24 (the 24th volume of the Japanese original) occupies a transitional phase between the Yoshioka arc and the duel at Ganryu Island: Musashi is about to face the masters of the Yoshioka school in formal combat, and before the battle he steps back to look over the path he has walked and the state of his heart, striving to meet the coming fight with a higher level of self-awareness. In this interval he has a chance encounter with a deaf-mute swordsman, none other than the man later known as Sasaki Kojiro. The two spar playfully in the snow with branches, and a casual exchange becomes the earliest foreshadowing of the duel later celebrated by posterity. This volume, through a wealth of silent psychological portraiture and expressive brushwork, depicts the mutual recognition of two swordsmen before they truly cross blades, and plants the seed for the most famous duel in the entire work.

Editor's review

《浪客行》常被视作井上雄彦在《灌篮高手》之后最成熟的作品：他把吉川英治笔下的宫本武藏拆开重写，画的不再只是招式与胜负，而是一个人如何学会与自己的暴烈共处。第24卷是全书气韵最特别的一册——大战将起而未起，节奏慢下来，几乎整卷都在「等」。也正是在这「等」里，武藏第一次不再以刀锋应答世界，而是以迟钝、笨拙的善意去接近另一个人。那一场雪中的树枝之戏，没有一个字的台词，却把两位剑客的一生说了七分。井上在这一卷把毛笔、水墨感的排线和极简的分镜用到了极致，雪地留白处几乎能听见呼吸。如果你是跟着武藏一路走来的人，这一卷会让你明白，他此前所有狼狈的逃亡与错手，都是为了此刻站着不动。

Who it's for

A good fit for

追读《浪客行》系列、想补齐吉冈篇到严流岛之间过渡情节的读者
喜欢井上雄彦水墨笔法与写意分镜、重视画面表现力的漫画读者
对宫本武藏、佐佐木小次郎等剑客题材与历史改编感兴趣的读者
读青年向漫画、能接受慢节奏心理描写多于打斗场面的读者

Not a good fit for

只想要连续激斗、追求每卷高密度打戏的读者
首次接触《浪客行》、完全没有前情基础的读者
年龄较小、不适合青年向漫画表现的读者

Reading tips

建议从第1卷顺序读至本卷，本卷的「静」与前后卷的「动」对照才成立。
雪中树枝交手一段可慢读，注意背景留白与无台词分镜的情绪传递。
可配合吉川英治《宫本武藏》相关章节与严流岛决斗的历史背景一并阅读。
读完本卷后可留意小次郎此前的伏笔，回看前几卷会有呼应之处。

FAQ

《浪客行》的原作是谁的小说？

漫画改编自日本作家吉川英治的小说《宫本武藏》。井上雄彦负责作画与改编，吉川英治的原著提供了故事骨架，因此各版本常把两人同列为作者。

第24卷主要讲了什么内容？

本卷处于武藏与吉冈一门对决前后，他战前回望自身、心境发生转变，并偶然与聋哑剑客佐佐木小次郎相遇。两人在雪地以树枝嬉戏试探，为日后的严流岛决斗埋下伏笔。

没有读过前面的卷能直接看第24卷吗？

不太建议。本卷几乎没有动作高潮，全部力量来自前二十余卷积累的人物关系与心境变化，缺少前情会觉得平淡且难以理解人物动机。

这本书有中文简体版吗？

《浪客行》中文版常见的是香港天下出版与台湾尖端出版的繁体版本，另有《浪人剑客》的台湾译名版本。购买时请留意版本与译者差异。

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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.