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myra_rue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
brambresseleers's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thisotherbookaccount's review against another edition
3.0
My journey with Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal continues with volume 2, titled Cry of the Worm.
I want to start with the positives on this one. In the last review, I mentioned that Dark Horse seems to have done a subpar job at scanning the original manga pages, with some frames looking like rough drafts inserted into the comic book — complete with pixelation. This problem seems to have gone away for the most part in volume 2, which leads me to believe that it was, in fact, a production issue with the first volume of the series.
The art here is also a significant step up from the previous volume. It is strange to talk about 'cinematography' in the context of a manga or comic book. However, I feel that the framing has improved tremendously in volume 2 as well. It feels like the artist now takes more care of how a frame should look like, and there are several standout moments, including a beautiful 'shot', if you will, of the morning light falling on Ren as she awakens alone in a bedroom. The pencil work has also improved, with more disciplined lines that define the characters and settings better.
Another marked improvement is the translation, which, again, I think Dark Horse did a poor job before. One thing that I did not mention in the last review was how characters would say seemingly nonsensical things, and I suspect that to be the result of bad translations. This problem has been largely eradicated by volume 2, and characters actually talk more like human beings now — which is great.
Now, to the not-so-great aspects of the book. The action sequences and fight scenes continue to be poor on the visual front. There are two main sword fights in this book, and both of them remind me of Michael Bay's Transformers movies. Even though you know that two people are duelling it out on the page, you don't quite know who is doing what. It feels like the artist failed to map out the action-reaction on the page, so the reader is left to guess what is happening. I cannot tell you how a stroke lands a hit on Manji's shoulder, for example. All I can say is that Manji is not injured in one frame, then injured in the other. Everything in between is a blur. For a series called Blade of the Immortal, where sword fighting should happen frequently, I do hope that the action visuals improve as we go along.
One major plot point in this book is how Manji is poisoned and, as a result, the worms in his body are not quite able to mend his injuries. This turn of events is supposed to be crucial, akin to Superman coming in contact with Kryptonite for the first time. Yet, within three pages, his sickness is cured because Rin so happens to have some antidote with her. It does feel a little contrived and convenient, unless this plot point is addressed again in later volumes.
Speaking of unanswered questions, Manji apparently has some contacts with Magatsu? What's up with that? Maybe that will be answered later also.
I want to start with the positives on this one. In the last review, I mentioned that Dark Horse seems to have done a subpar job at scanning the original manga pages, with some frames looking like rough drafts inserted into the comic book — complete with pixelation. This problem seems to have gone away for the most part in volume 2, which leads me to believe that it was, in fact, a production issue with the first volume of the series.
The art here is also a significant step up from the previous volume. It is strange to talk about 'cinematography' in the context of a manga or comic book. However, I feel that the framing has improved tremendously in volume 2 as well. It feels like the artist now takes more care of how a frame should look like, and there are several standout moments, including a beautiful 'shot', if you will, of the morning light falling on Ren as she awakens alone in a bedroom. The pencil work has also improved, with more disciplined lines that define the characters and settings better.
Another marked improvement is the translation, which, again, I think Dark Horse did a poor job before. One thing that I did not mention in the last review was how characters would say seemingly nonsensical things, and I suspect that to be the result of bad translations. This problem has been largely eradicated by volume 2, and characters actually talk more like human beings now — which is great.
Now, to the not-so-great aspects of the book. The action sequences and fight scenes continue to be poor on the visual front. There are two main sword fights in this book, and both of them remind me of Michael Bay's Transformers movies. Even though you know that two people are duelling it out on the page, you don't quite know who is doing what. It feels like the artist failed to map out the action-reaction on the page, so the reader is left to guess what is happening. I cannot tell you how a stroke lands a hit on Manji's shoulder, for example. All I can say is that Manji is not injured in one frame, then injured in the other. Everything in between is a blur. For a series called Blade of the Immortal, where sword fighting should happen frequently, I do hope that the action visuals improve as we go along.
One major plot point in this book is how Manji is poisoned and, as a result, the worms in his body are not quite able to mend his injuries. This turn of events is supposed to be crucial, akin to Superman coming in contact with Kryptonite for the first time. Yet, within three pages, his sickness is cured because Rin so happens to have some antidote with her. It does feel a little contrived and convenient, unless this plot point is addressed again in later volumes.
Speaking of unanswered questions, Manji apparently has some contacts with Magatsu? What's up with that? Maybe that will be answered later also.
crookedtreehouse's review against another edition
4.0
I've been collecting the Blade Of The Immortal books for about twenty years, but never really sat down to read them because for Years, volume two was out of print and going for hundreds of dollars online. Dark Horse has some fantastic series but their collections editing has been pretty terrible for almost thirty years. If you have a thirty volume series, and volume two has been out of print since volume six came out, you're not going to sell as many books. They've since reprinted the volumes as omnibus edition trade paperbacks, and are currently printing them as Deluxe Hardcovers. If you're interested in the books, you should sntach them up soon because, again, they are grossly negligent at keeping series in print.
I lucked out a few years ago, and while looking for some Marvel books at a used bookstore, I found an unnumbered Blade Of The Immortal trade on a shelf, and it was Volume Two for $5. I snatched it up, paid for it, and sprinted out of the store before anyone looked at how much it was going for online. And then I put it on my manga shelf, forgot about it, moved, put it on a shelf, forgot about it, and moved again. And Now I'm finally getting down to reading it.
Volume two is an improvement, pacing and art-wise from the first volume, which was mostly very good. The one issue I have is that it seems a little early in an epic for The Immortal Protagonist to discover an Immortal Antagonist, given that the story is currently focused on dealing with a mortal antagonist who is mentioned several times in this book but neither he nor his henches are anywhere to be found. This is a trifling complaint, as I doubt Samura knew how long this story was going to end up being, though we're into volume two of an I Have To Kill A Thousand Bad Guys storyline, and I think we're only up to about twenty dead people.
The fight scenes are a little DC Live Action, as the actual fights look blurry, and you tend to see wounds without actually seeing how the combatant is wounded. But that could be just to show you how fast these people are with their swords.
I still think this is an excellent series for people looking to read an action manga, as the art is excellent and the storytelling is superior to most of the manga I've read.
I lucked out a few years ago, and while looking for some Marvel books at a used bookstore, I found an unnumbered Blade Of The Immortal trade on a shelf, and it was Volume Two for $5. I snatched it up, paid for it, and sprinted out of the store before anyone looked at how much it was going for online. And then I put it on my manga shelf, forgot about it, moved, put it on a shelf, forgot about it, and moved again. And Now I'm finally getting down to reading it.
Volume two is an improvement, pacing and art-wise from the first volume, which was mostly very good. The one issue I have is that it seems a little early in an epic for The Immortal Protagonist to discover an Immortal Antagonist, given that the story is currently focused on dealing with a mortal antagonist who is mentioned several times in this book but neither he nor his henches are anywhere to be found. This is a trifling complaint, as I doubt Samura knew how long this story was going to end up being, though we're into volume two of an I Have To Kill A Thousand Bad Guys storyline, and I think we're only up to about twenty dead people.
The fight scenes are a little DC Live Action, as the actual fights look blurry, and you tend to see wounds without actually seeing how the combatant is wounded. But that could be just to show you how fast these people are with their swords.
I still think this is an excellent series for people looking to read an action manga, as the art is excellent and the storytelling is superior to most of the manga I've read.
floyd_jpg's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rhymeswithshmo's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
count_zero's review
4.0
This volume makes things more interesting by putting some shades of grey in the *motivations* of the villains, while still making their acts incredibly monstrous.
remmii's review
4.0
This manga is great its packed full with fight scenes but is also very graphic but you feel very connected with the characters and empathise with them. while also feeling the romance and love develop between the two main characters. I love how this is adventurous, deadly but also romantic I love the sharing of this if it was coloured or had slightly more detailed art I would have rated 5 star but this is my personal preference for this book. Over all this was a great read I would highly recommend this manga if you are a fan as it is very good and well worth the money and time.
deren's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Death
miguel's review
5.0
In Blade of the Immortal's second volume, we are offered a ghastly mirror to Manji in the form of Eiku Shizuma. Mirroring a character is an underutilized narrative technique with a number of psychoanalytic valences (the alternate version might represent the unconscious, among other possibilities). Here, the utility is granting some insight into the possibilities for Manji without making him engage in existential exposition. Eiku carries the pain of eternal life through his 200 years and 1,000 murders. That anguish is a clear cautionary tale for Manji and it dovetails nicely with Manji's growing relationship with Rin.
What this second volume demonstrates is Samura is not satisfied with his kinetic action set pieces and great art but rather wants offer substantive ideas and character beats as the manga's foundation.
What this second volume demonstrates is Samura is not satisfied with his kinetic action set pieces and great art but rather wants offer substantive ideas and character beats as the manga's foundation.