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Lenni Reviews: “Vagabond Definitive Edition” Vol. 3, by Takehiko Inoue

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After his defeat, Musashi is training to face Inshun for a rematch. We learn how Inshun came to be who he is and Natahachi runs into the granny who is still enraged with Musashi.

I do appreciate the spots of levity after how dark Inshun’s backstory turned out to be. After that, it’s a LOT of talking and we check in on Otsu and Musashi, trying to talk his way into challenging the Yagyu Sekishusai in order to increase his skills. In all the blood and guts, those little breaks are pivotal to me in enjoying the story as a whole. I do wonder if those asides to Otsu will come to impact Musashi’s story overall because it’s clear he’s left everything behind to pursue this single-minded obsession with being the best swordsman. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Firefly Wedding” Vol. 3, by Oreco Tachibana

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Satoko and Shinpei have plans to escape in secret in a small boat, despite Satoko telling him she must marry a man her father approves of. Shinpei is resolute and refuses to leave his love to another man.

I love how easily the art shows Shinpei’s dual nature so well. He can be such a doof but also really fucking dangerous. It’s one of the race cases where his red flag behavior doesn’t trigger me like Kyoya does because it’s clear what’s dangerous about Shinpei isn’t aimed at Satoko. He wants to be with her and make her happy, not tear her down. It makes me want a future for them where he won’t have to kill anymore, and she can be loved without being a commodity. I’m able to root for them. And Satoko is a badass. I love her character. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Elusive Samurai” Vol. 15, by Yusei Matsui

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tokiyuki has joined forces with Kitabatake Akiie and Go-Daigo’s southern court to seize Kamakura again but faces a powerful enemy when they try to get through the pass.

Shina is still the MVP. She’s so interesting and cool that the story had to nerf her just to make room for the others. I’d read a side series about just her. The other good thing about this volume is Takauji getting a brain blast to compare being 17 in two vastly different time periods. I think the message rings hollow to prefer being in blood, life threatening battles as a child instead of living in relative peace and worrying about the future of your job with the advent of AI. I’d rather worry about AI than worry about getting shot at, honestly. This was overall okay. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “The Elusive Samurai” Vol. 14, by Yusei Matsui

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After Tokiyuki’s loss to the Ashikaga forces, he has retreated from Kamakura. Two years later, Emperor G0-Daigo and Takauji are fighting for control of the land.

After a section dedicated to the use of human excrement as fertilizer and bomb-making material, we have Tokiyuki looking for allies so he can take on Takauji and they’re a bunch of weirdos. His new allies even include the son of his enemy, Nitta. It’s a twist for Tokiyuki to have to trust these new people in battle and navigate dealing with so many different types of warriors while increasing his own skills. He’s also not directly in charge, so things have changed for him and it’s nice to see most of this have tactical thinking. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Firefly Wedding” Vol. 1, by Oreco Tachibana

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Satoko is a Meiji Era noblewoman with a heart condition who has a duty to her family to get married; as she feels it will prove her worth. She knows her time is limited so when she is kidnapped, she offers the man hired to kill her – Shinpei – her hand in marriage in exchange for her life.

This manga manages the seriousness of the situation and the doofyness of our main pair very well. One second they’re fleeing Satoko’s captors in a bloody massacre and the next Shinpei is gushing about what married life will be like with the biggest puppy dog eyes. So, be aware there’s a ton of violence. I actually hope they work this out and get together as he’s really interesting and Satoko is stronger than most characters give her credit for. She’s like a less annoying Akemi. I am so excited to see what happens next. 4.9 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Vagabond Definitive Edition” Vol. 1, by Takehiko Inoue

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After the Battle of Sekigara, Tezezo Shinmen and Matahachi Hon’iden manage to survive. They get rescued but take vastly different paths. Matahachi wants to head back to his home village but Tezuko decides to become a vagabond as part of a goal to become a more skilled swordsman.

Be aware, this is very violent, has some nudity, and an odd number of fart jokes. The fight choreography is really good and the story is interesting but I’m not quite getting the appeal just yet. This is a legendary series for sure but “I wanna be the best at X” isn’t the most intriguing hook for me anymore. I’ll have to see where it goes from here because if it’s just hopping from sword school to sword school as Tezuko has the experience beaten into him, I don’t know if I’ll continue it. I think it’s because I don’t feel very invested in Tezuko as of right now because he’s a bit flat to me. I’m sure I’ll learn more about him. 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Witchcraft: A Graphic History” by Lindsay Squire

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Told through a young girl named Lindsay visiting Biddy, a the early 19th century Irish witch, this book tells the history of witchcraft through the ages.

First off, the art style if perfect for this. It captures the beauty of nature and magic; even gives biddy a knowing glint in her expressions. It’s exposition heavy in places but the book is trying to teach the reader. It’s a perfect entry point for someone curious about what witches do; past and present. It’s cute to me as a practitioner with 30 years under my belt but for someone new, this is an enjoyable introduction. 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “The Elusive Samurai” Vol. 13, by Yusei Matsui

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After the loss at Sagami River, Yorishige faces the consequences of supporting the Hojo rebellion. But Tokiyuki refuses to allow it, offering Ashitaka a challenge: If he can kill Tokiyuki, he wins. But if Tokiyuki escapes, Ashitaka loses everything.

I want Tokiyuki to win using all these abilities and lessons we spend 12 volumes watching him learn; to finally see everything come into play and feel satisfying. But, I felt kinda bored reading this one. At least the scene with the challenge was effectively done. Other than some of the creepier enemies I’ve seen in this series, it was nice for a one-on-one with “normal” combatants. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Shadows on the Ice: The 1972 Andes Disaster”, by Frédéric Bertocchini, Thierry Diette & Pacal Nino

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel details the events of the 1972 Andes disaster, where in Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed in the Andes mountains and the survivors had to do whatever they could to live long enough for rescue.

While I am vaguely familiar with this story, these details added by survivors are chilling (no pun intended) and so sad. If even half of this is true, it’s a tragic tale and really shows the various ways the strength and will to live a human being can really show itself. I’m not usually a fan of this art style; I find it blocky and a bit confusing sometimes but it’s just fine for this story. The bleak and cold are shown very well and overall the book treats this story with the dignity it deserves by not being overly gory. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “The Elusive Samurai” Vol. 12, by Yūsei Matsui

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tokiyuki is back home now in Kamakura with his retainers as the battle still is not over. They seek out master swordsmith, Masamune. Emperor Go-Daigo sends Takauji to kill Tokiuki.

Ya’ll I thought we were done. I really thought this was gonna end with the last volume because Tokiyuki and his army took back the city but yeah, I should have known this would keep going since Takuji is still out there. Other than that, the weapon upgrades in this were interesting and Shina is a great addition to the cast. I really want to see more of her. Her back story is compelling and utilizing her regularly would make for some unique battles. 3 out of 5.

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