Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Five (2014)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 712

"Love, affection, obligation, revenge! Joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure! Of the human emotions we choose revenge!"

Three years have passed since father and son set out on the road. In that time there's been much death and there's more to come. The Yagyū letter arc that featured in Volume Four continues into Volume Five. The Lone Wolf, Ogami Ittō, who carries the letter on his person, is hunting for his missing son Daigoro. The perspective is split between his journey and the lost and lonely Cub's search for his father. Even when separated the path on which they walk is unchanged, so neither of them neglects their other duties.

For Daigoro, even being close to death is no reason not to honour a father's teachings. For Ogami and Retsudō, history repeats. For the Yagyū clan, the retrieval of the letter is all-important because if the secret hidden within it is discovered the consequences for them would be grave. Everyone has something to lose and no one is prepared to be the one that does.

One of the things that fascinates me the most about the series, other than the two protagonists, of course, is the way Kazuo Koike is able to put us quickly and directly into the troubled mindset of the people that hire Ogami to kill on their behalf. They've reached the end of their tether and it's snapped, but does that justify paying a man with a child five hundred ryō to kill someone? If we sympathise with their situation, quite often the answer to that is a resounding yes.

The book collects together chapters 53 - 63 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Volume 10: Hostage Child; all of Volume 11: Talisman of Hades; and all of Volume 12: Shattered Stones).

5 wild dogs out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Four (2014)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 696

"They'll sacrifice anything to further the clan—even their reputation! That's why they're so dangerous!"

It's well-established that Ogami Ittō is a man of action and few words. Kazuo Koike takes that trait to extremes in the first half of Volume Four. I'm guessing the ratio of words spoken to people killed is almost balanced. The land is covered in snow, so even the normal ambient sound effects are muted, but it works because Goseki Kojima is as good a storyteller with his kinetic art style as Koike is with his minimal text. As in life, sometimes words just get in the way.

Retsudō, the head of the Yagyū clan, is a key player this time. It's all well and good to have a nemesis, but unless they have a suitably dramatic reason for wanting to kill the hero, then they're a walking cliché. Fortunately, Retsudō has a reason. We get to see the beginnings of his hatred for Ogami and better understand the fire that fuels his obsession. Drip-feeding info over an extended period of time can backfire if it's not done properly, but Koike has mastered it.

In desperation, Retsudō hires shinobi (ninja) to kill Ogami. The shinobi use tactics that an honourable swordsman wouldn't, tactics both direct and indirect.

No space left to expand upon how Ogami gets handy with the Nagamaki; the bitter-sweet way Koike explores a woman's anguish and the mechanics of personal sacrifice; or Daigoro’s determined countenance.

The book ends with a multipart story that delivered everything I'd hoped for, and more. It became my favourite part of the entire series so far.

The book collects together chapters 41 - 52 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Volume 8: Chains of Death; all of Volume 9: Echo of the Assassin; and the first part of the stories from Volume 10: Hostage Child).

5 weaves out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Three (2013)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 720

"Life, death… Both are meaningless to an assassin of meifumadō."

You'd think that by this stage in the story, over 2000+ pages, that both Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima would begin to show signs of running out of steam, but there's zero evidence of that. The plotting and art are as perfect as ever.

There's an occasional slight shift of perspective in some chapters, making Ogami Ittō more of a bit player, but it never once feels like an intrusion in the arc. And it has the added effect of further opening up the world. We get to see more of how the other half lives, which invariably helps in how we view Ogami.

One thing that should always be remembered is that, even when it’s not explicitly stated, the wicked Yagyū clan are never far from his thoughts.

The different regions that father and son travel through are often characterised by the number of hungry poor contrasted with the number of rich patrons eager to satisfy their vices. I don't think it’s a cliché that the poor people are more often than not the kindest of all; I think that's a universal truth in any era.

I found myself needing to consult the glossary of terms at the back of the book more often this time. The more depth Koike added to the world, the more new terms were being introduced. It's good that Dark Horse continue to include and add to it with each edition.

The book collects together chapters 28 - 40 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Vol 5: Black Wind; all of Vol 6: Lanterns For the Dead; all of Vol Vol 7: Cloud Dragon, Wind Tiger; and the first part of the stories from Volume 8: Chains of Death).

5 gora, gora, gora out of 5

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume Two (2013)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 712

"…[I]n this hardscrabble world, fealty won’t put food on the table!"

Ogami Ittō continues his journey across Japan in the second omnibus from Dark Horse. The manga is less linear than the films, so it occasionally jumps back to offer insight into earlier times. It tells us why Ogami and Daigoro are on the road, what sparked the quest for retribution and what happened to the young boy's mother, as seen in the first part of the first film, Sword of Vengeance (1972).

Ogami is strong-willed and fierce when it comes to dealing with enemies. Yagyū Retsudō's assassins and hungry mercenaries lie in wait at every turn, hoping to best the swordsman and claim the reward, but the rōnin remains resolute in his duty even when confronted with seemingly impossible odds. When not engaged in swordplay, he's comforting and practical when it comes to family matters.

Goseki Kojima's artwork continues to help define the series. There's often page after page without dialogue, but the imagery speaks volumes. He'll follow a two-page spread of excessive bloodshed and fury with a single branch of cherry blossom suspended over a still pond and it won't seem out of place. Instead, it'll seem like the most natural progression ever.

The ease with which he's able to convey what young Daigoro is thinking deserves the highest praise I can give. Daigoro is just three-years-old, so he rarely speaks, but his simple, heartfelt expressions mean we're consistently privy to the Cub's thoughts; even more so in this volume because he gets a lot more to do.

I noticed something about Daigoro's character that was given more significance this time, or perhaps I simply overlooked it before. Whatever the case, it's subtle but all-important to his worldview.

I neglected to mention previously that covers are by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, so aren't representative of the superior B+W artwork inside.

The book collects together chapters 17 - 27 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (the remainder of Vol 3: The Flute of the Fallen Tiger; all of Vol 4: The Bell Warden; and most of Vol 5:  Black Wind). Make room on your shelf because if they release the remainder of the books in the same manner, with approximately two and half of the original volumes per omnibus, there'll be 11 books.

5 more steps along the white path out of 5

(EDIT: The DH website shows there to be 12 books in total.)

Lone Wolf and Cub: Omnibus: Volume One (2013)

Author: Kazuo Koike | Illustrator: Goseki Kojima | Page Count: 712

"I beg of you. Use your sword to rid our lord of these jackals at his side."

Lone Wolf and Cub is the story of the swordsman Ogami Ittō and his young son Daigoro. Ogami was once the Shogun's loyal executioner, but now he's a hunted rōnin (a sword for hire). Together, man and child travel a path beset on all sides by enemies; it's a path of vengeance that'll take them directly into Hell.

Structurally it's episodic. Ogami roams from village to village, contract killing for money to buy food and shelter, but the bigger picture is never forgotten: the hunt for revenge is the reason he moves that way and he won't stop until it's achieved.

He's a superb tactician and a lateral thinker as quick with his wits as he is with his sword. Even when all around is death and fury, his concern for Daigoro remains paramount. The bond between them is unshakeable.

Creator Kazuo Koike's storytelling is masterful. Every word has purpose. Ogami says very little, so when he does speak we know to sit up and pay attention.

Much of the time Kazuo lets Goseki Kojima's amazingly kinetic black and white visuals carry the story along. It's not the typical, clean-lined, big-eyed style you may picture when you hear the word 'manga'. It’s grittier with deft strokes of the pen. When the blood starts to fly, Goseki captures the intensity better than any other manga artist I've ever encountered.

I'm happy to report that Dark Horse chose not to attempt to translate words with no direct English equivalent. Instead, they included a short but informative glossary of terms at the back of the book to explain the meanings.

The book collects together chapters 01 - 16 of the original Lone Wolf and Cub manga (all of Vol 1: The Assassin's Road; all of Vol 2: The Gateless Barrier; and the first part of the stories from Vol 3: The Flute of the Fallen Tiger).

4½ twisted ropes out of 5