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Kojima’s artwork is absolutely amazing. It is more realistic and mush less stylized than most manga art.

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Samurai Executioner

When the Demon Knife Weeps

Reviewed by Jim Lancaster

Author: Kazuo Koike

Artist: Goseki Kojima

Company: Dark Horse Manga

Length: 334 pgs (5 stories)

Category: Historical Action

Rated: NC-17 (Graphic violence, nudity, sexual situations, rape, language)

EXTERNAL EXAM

When young Yositsugu proves himself worthy, he inherits the office of O-Tameshiyaku, the sword-tester and executioner for the Shogun. He becomes the third Yamada Asaemon, also known as Kubikiri Asa or Decapitator Asaemon.

In his position as a Samurai Executioner, Asa doesn’t only test swords for the Shogun. He must calmly, and without hesitation, deal out fatal justice to all the worst criminals of Edo-period Japan . For the lowest of the low in feudal Japan , the day they meet Kubikiri Asa is their last day amongst the living.

“Punished is not the man himself, but the evil that resides in him.”

DVD VISION TEST

ARTWORK: Kojima’s artwork is absolutely amazing. It is more realistic and mush less stylized than most manga art. The amount of detail crammed into each panel is truly astonishing. It is clear that the artist really worked to bring authentic period details to his work. The action sequences are equally impressive.

SOUND EFFECTS: Because the art conveys the action so well, there is little need for sound effects. Those that are present are translated into English, but they create the intended effect without ever obscuring the art.

EDITS: As far as I can tell, there are no edits. Both the sexual and violent content are presented in unflinching detail.

EXTRAS: There are some great extras here! There is a note from the translators explaining some of their choices, bios of both creators, and a helpful glossary of terms.

WIDESCREEN REVIEW

STORY: This is the kind of story that really makes you stop to think about what you are reading. Though there is plenty of action, it is sheathed in a scabbard of samurai philosophy, Japanese history, and an examination of human nature.

TRANSLATION: The translator’s notes make it clear that every effort was made to be as accurate as possible. Many original Japanese terms are left untranslated, and these are explained in the glossary. This keeps the feel of the period intact, as well as giving the reader a bit of a lesson in Japanese.

FAN SERVICE: Though there is substantial nudity and quite a few sex scenes, none of it feels gratuitous. The impression is that these scenes are not there to titillate, but that they are meant to reflect the sometimes-grim realities of life in the Edo Period.

THE 2 VIEW

This series is written and drawn by the legendary creators of Lone Wolf and Cub, considered by many to be one of the greatest examples of manga or graphic storytelling in the world. Samurai Executioner will not disappoint fans of these manga greats.

Reading Samurai Executioner feels like reading a work of literature. And I mean that in a good way. These stories are extremely entertaining and fun to read, but they have a weight and depth that not all entertainment can hope to achieve.

Considering the main character’s occupation, it is understandable that most of the tales in this first volume are a bit on the dark side. In some cases, we follow the criminal to discover how they ended up on the wrong side of Asaemon’s blade. Some of the stories present the Decapitator with unique difficulties to solve before he can carry out his duty. All of these stories deal with the human condition, and the loves and hates that can drive people to the darker side of life.

The care and research put into both the artwork and the writing is very evident. Samurai Executioner entertains and shocks, but it also makes you feel like you have glimpsed a bit of life in Edo-period Japan .

Fans of the Lone Wolf and Cub series will also love Samurai Executioner. The same level of detail is present, the same action and drama are here too. Asaemon is much like Lone Wolf’s Itto Ogami, in that he is a man who is as hard as steel, and lives by a strict philosophy from which he does not waver. Asaemon’s story was actually written before Itto Ogami’s, and some fans may remember that an older Decapitator does meet the Lone Wolf. What makes these stories different is that Asa is not really the driving force behind most of the action. Those that he must punish are usually brought to his attention through their own choices. Asa represents justice, and is often passive until others demand his “attention.”

Though this series is not for the squeamish, the mix of action, history, samurai swords, philosophy and character is hard to beat. Anyone who likes a good samurai film, or has enjoyed Lone Wolf and Cub or Vagabond should absolutely not miss Samurai Executioner.

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