Blade of the Immortal Volume 5: On Silent Wings II

(Readers please not that this is a review of the second part of this two volume series. I am making every effort to avoid any spoilers, but it is impossible not to give away some information. Please keep that in mind if you read this review before actually reading Part One)This volume opens with a very dark episode recalling the rape and murder of Rin's mother. While this story has been told before (see 'Blood of a Thousand') the focus is quite different. For at the end of this grim vision we find Rin in the house of mask maker Kawakami Araya, one of the worst of the killers. Recalling her grandfather's warning about the price of vengeance Rin has decided to try something different. She demands an apology rather than the artist's life. Kawakami, frightened at the possibility of exposure and the effect on his young son, rejects her offer, and at first it looks like history might repeat itself. Manji intervenes, and the usual titanic struggle ensues. The artist has a fighting style all his own, which provides an interesting variation on the usual mayhem worked on Manji's immortal body. These episodes are exceptionally thoughtful. Rin is beginning to see through her own illusions and question not only whether vengeance will heal her own hurts, but also whether it offers any hope of closure either. As such, she is maturing, not just becoming a woman, but developing wisdom as well. Even though there can be no real end to the violence as long as the itto-ryu swordsmen seek the lives of both Rin and Manji. Surprisingly Manji, who normally plays the cold-hearted killer, shows surprising thoughtfulness and sensitivity to the young woman's internal crisis. Writer/artist Hiroaki Samura brings home the essentially tragic nature of violence while retaining the basic context and theme of the overall manga. As is always the case, the artwork and imagination seem to step completely beyond the bounds of the simple, black and white media. The dark fight sequence and its aftermath underline what is happening in the story line. This fine artwork and the stories willingness to question its own meaning are two of the things that set this series apart from the typical historical manga.

The night her parents were murdered before Rin's eyes, Kawakami Araya raped her mother. Now she meets him again, but has he changed that much since that night?Samura delivers the followup to another bloody story of revenge, as Rin seeks out the men who killed her parents. With the help of Manji, an immortal ronin, she might just accomplish her task.As usual, Samura delivers magnificent artwork, interesting characters which I cared about, and unrivaled drama that I love in Blade of the Immortal. With an excellent translation to increase the quality of the manga, On Silent Wings II will not disappoint any fans of the series, or any new comers to the manga.

What can i say about this wonderful masterpiece that have not been said by me in other reviews or by other fans? First for those who do not know about the history (others bear with me). Rin is a young girl who is looking to avenge the murder of her family at the hands of a rival sword school; she meets Manji, a samurai cursed with inmortality until he kills a thousand evil guys. What follows could have been a cheesy samurai opera where, in every chapter Manji kills an "evil" guy until they find the boss of all the minions and kill him after a dramatic battle. Well, that is not the case for this series. Mr. Samura manages to make the best story i have read so far by playing with the meaning of good and bad masterfully, the first books had its compliment of gore, but from the third book so far, each fight gets harder not because of the physical might or swordmanship but for the moral reasons to pursue vengeance, at every corner Rin must face real flesh and blood adversaries, not just plain evil antagonists, each with a reason for what they did. This is the second part of a story that centers around Rin, we finally find out what she really thinks, and specially how she feels, about what she is doing. She and Manji find one of the guys responsible for the death of her family, he is now a mask maker with a little boy under his care. Instead of blindingly killing him, Rin tries to figure out if he really has reformed or if it is just another mask he is wearing now . And she also has to solve the dilemma that by killing him she would make an innocent boy a vengeance filled monster just like her. The ending is great and you really begin to ask yourself if you could keep going after all, even with such good reasons as the one Rin has

Finally, after many volumes, we get some real exploration of Rin as a charater. Both 'On Silent Wings' and 'On Silent Wings II' deal with Rin's inner struggle. In this volume, Rin describes the rest of the events that occured the night her father died. It is both a sickening and an illuminating scene. This scene is very telling about several members of the Itto Ryu - some of them are even worse than they seem, others prove themselves more worthy than Rin would be willing to admit. This series is really begining to flesh out. The question raised by the On Silent Wings story arc is, what will Rin do? She can't seem to stop killing the men she hates, yet deep inside she knows it to be wrong. One thing is for sure, Rin is tearing herself apart with self-loathing and doubt. Meanwhile, Manji is becoming more protective of her, but at a loss as to how to help her.As to the artwork, it is beautiful as always. One picture that I particularly enjoyed was one of Manji holding the unconcious Rin in his arms, looking at her with the most boyish expression I've seen on his face so far. It is a beautiful moment, and Samura captures it perfectly. Another interesting moment in the artwork is Rin's dream, which marvelously illustrates her feelings of doubt and anger, as well as her growing respect for Anotsu.A great manga series. I think everyone should read it, especially those of you who think that 'comic books' are kids' stuff. The intricate plot, the detailed, realistic artwork, and the fascinating characters all contribute to make this one of the best books I've ever read