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Review - Blade of the Immortal: Dreamsong TPB
Reviewed by Brandon Blatcher Aww yeah, it is on now. This third collection of the monthly Blade of the Immortal (BotI) comic puts creator Hiroaki Samura fully up to speed. The first one made you sit up and take notice, while the second makes your jaw begin to drop. Now, with the third book you're saying "Wow" and mumbling about how good the series while co-workers pick up the slack for you at work, 'cause dammit, you can't put the book down. This is good stuff, starting off just right: "I dreamed...an old dream." The words are spoken by Kagehisa Anotsu, the villain of the series and the dream is based on a memory from his childhood. It describes his first meeting with Makie Otono-Tachibana and the bloody result that followed. Yes, the focus has shifted. The badguys have taken center stage. Anotsu is responsible for a lot of death and destruction but there's a method to his madness. He has a dream and it all started with that fateful meeting with Makie. If you're familiar with Blade, you know the background of the series. If not, here it is: Anotsu, leader of a sword school in feudal Japan is attempting to wipe out all other sword schools in the country. Two years ago, he and his men murdered the head of one particular school and then raped and killed his wife. Their daughter, Rin, who has sworn vengeance. She has enlisted the aid of an immortal samurai, Manji and he's managed to kill several of Anotsu's men. All this happened in the first two volumes. Now, seeing what a threat Manji is to him, Anotsu enlists the aid of Makie, an astonishing skilled swordswoman who has also been a prostitute. Yeah, it's a bit of a cliche, but it works. The strange mix is explained via events from her childhood, a common occurrence with BotI characters. It hints at the idea of fate, while encasing the series with tragic elements. Had this or that gone differently, then much death and destruction would have been avoided, yet due to Japanese society of the time, it could not go differently. It's even worse for Makie, because as a women she's viewed in a certain light, no matter her formidable abilities with the sword. There's a duel of course, between Makie and Manji and it's one of Samura's best. Manji is literally in the fight of his life, while Makie seems to barely break a sweat. But the there's more to this fight than winning or losing. Makie has the born skill of a samurai, yet her desire for it is based in hatred. It's not what she wanted, only what she fell into. Manji reveals just how badly his past haunts him, while Rin comes to some conclusions in her own quest. Samura's art? it's great, pure and simple. If I had a million dollars, I'd spend it on drugs, liquor, women, small furry animals and copies of the Blade of the Immortal paperbacks for the world. It's better than any trite cliche's I can come up with. Run to your nearest comic book store (remember to pause at the stoplights!) and get this book. Recommended
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Written and Drawn by Hiroaki Samura
