Vagabond Vol. 40

Vagabond is a long-running seinen manga by Takehiko Inoue, adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi. Serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Morning since 1998, it follows Miyamoto Musashi as he hones his swordsmanship from a fugitive defeated soldier toward becoming "peerless under heaven." This volume is the 40th of the color Chinese edition published by Hong Kong's Tin Ha Publishing (October 2003), one of the 41 volumes in that color edition. The serialization in this period shifts mainly to Sasaki Kojiro's past: taken in by Kanemaki Jisai, Kojiro has been tied to the sword since childhood; he meets Kamekichi, who longs to become a fine swordsman, and the two become friends through the sword. Itto Itosai Yagoro reappears, drawn by Kojiro's talent, and in bloody battles where one master after another falls, the ferocity within Kojiro and his obsession with combat are fully stirred; unable to hear sound, he still presses relentlessly toward the summit of swordsmanship. Meanwhile, Musashi continues his own path after earlier training and duels. This is Volume 40 of the series; the exact number of chapters included is subject to the physical copy.