Review by Karl Verhoven

Vagabond Vol. 7 was audacious storytelling from Takehiko Inoue. The ending to the previous volume pretty well set up a return bout between the skilled, but unfocussed Miyamoto Musashi and the supremely talented monk Inshun, yet it never happened. Instead Inoue spent the entire volume with preparations, private thoughts and assessments. The actual fight kicks off here immediately.

Inshun has already recognised a new inner strength to Musashi, and the psychological assessments of the previous volume have induced doubts in Inshun, a feeling he’s unused to. Having produced a long prologue in the previous volume, Inoue surprises by not prolonging the actual combat. He’s already drawn one extended battle between the pair, and even under the new circumstances Inoue realises another would merely be repetition. Instead we’re shown Inshun’s past, providing an explanation as to why he’s so driven and so detached.

While spiritualism has been a part of Vagabond from the start, there’s a touch of mystical realism as Musashi here hears a voice from beyond telling him “In a matter of years you will become an extraordinary fighter”. It coincides with the opinion of the dying first master of Hozoin temple.

Inoue again broadens his artistic approaches, here adding the darkness of night via predominantly black panels with some dark grey highlights picking out features and details. Elsewhere he supplies what have become business as usual pages that would astound from anyone else. Because Inoue is so good and so consistent, there’s a danger of under-rating him. The action sparkles, the conversations resonate, the emotional impact is felt and the scenery is beautifully rendered.

A process of healing redemption is followed, but not the obvious one, and by the time Musashi takes his leave to wander into Vol. 9 it’s been quite the journey.

The final two chapters focus on Musashi’s former friend Matahachi, now masquerading as a famed swordsman. So far the reputation of the name alone has kept him safe, but he now encounters an unwinnable challenge. It’s not what you might think, though. From the start Matahachi has never thought more than a moment ahead, and the volume ends with him making another foolish decision.

This volume along with the previous and next are now more easily found combined as Vagabond VizBig Edition Volume 3.