A worthy retelling of the classic Japanese story.
Creative Staff
Story: Mike Richardson
Art: Stan Sakai
Color: Lovern Kindzierski
Letters: Tom Orzechowski and Lois Buhalis
Editorial Consultant: Kazuo Koike
What They Say
Japan’s enduring national legend comes to comics! The tale of the 47 Ronin and their epic mission to avenge their wronged master epitomizes the samurai code of honor, and creators Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai have done justice to their story! Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated, this collection of the acclaimed miniseries recounts this sweeping saga of honor and violence in all its grandeur. Opening with the tragic incident that sealed the fate of Lord Asano, 47 Ronin follows a dedicated group of Asano’s vassals on their years-long path of vengeance!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The saying goes that to know the story of the 47 Ronin is to know Japan. A true tale of honor, duty, and sacrifice, the 47 Ronin were the vassals of Lord Asano, who was forced to commit seppuku by edict of the Emperor and whose lands and holdings were seized by the government. These 47 warriors engaged in a long plot to avenge their lord and regain his honor while at the same time honoring the code of Bushido, and this is why this story has resonated so much in Japanese culture.
Lord Asano was a well-respected, honorable daimyo and in 1701 he had to make a trip to Edo to spend time in the Shogun’s court. However, being a country lord whose han was many miles away from the palace, Asano needed instruction in proper court etiquette, which he attempted to learn from an official named Kira Yoshinaka. Kira demanded a bribe for his instruction, which Asano would not pay being as Kira was only doing his duty as a court official. Kira never forgot the incident and delighted in insulting Asano at every chance he got. He finally provoked Asano too far and the Lord, losing his temper, drew his sword to kill the odious man. Unfortunately, drawing a sword within the Shogun’s palace was an act punishable by death and even though Asano committed seppuku, his honor and lands were stripped from him.
What followed after was an amazing tale of deception, revenge, and honor. The lengths that Asano’s former samurai went to allay Kiri’s suspicions over their retaliation were often painful and humiliating. These men gave up their lives in more ways than one in order to restore their master’s honor, and what makes the story even more amazing—and even more significant to the Japanese—is that they exacted their revenge honorably, holding strictly to the code of Bushido.
To describe the story any further would be to rob readers of a real treat, because this is a very good miniseries. The time, care, and research that Mike Richardson put into the story is readily apparent, and Stan Sakai was an inspired choice as the artist given that he was the writer/artist/creator of Usagi Yojimbo, the samurai rabbit. His lines are clean and simple, yet quite expressive, and he utilizes the style of Ogata Gekko, who was an important artist in the Meiji period, in order to create a sense of history and authenticity to his art. There’s nothing experimental or nontraditional in the art. In fact, the panel placement, pacing, and use of gutter space are very simple and traditional, but that fits the subject of the story being told.
Ultimately, this miniseries serves as a great introduction to this story and presents a side of Japan during this period as well as samurai culture that is far more genuine and interesting than most of what we get in popular culture. I already knew the basic story, but seeing it played out here really brought home the sacrifices that these men made in the name of honor, and it certainly has sparked a desire in me to learn more about these men and this story.
In Summary
In some ways 47 Ronin is a study in minimalism. The art is clean and simple, as is the dialogue and narrative captions. This is a comic that sets out to honor these historic men and their brave act, and I think it does just that. The real strength in this work is the story that it tells, and it’s almost like the people creating it knew that. It feels like Richardson and Sakai stood back and let the story tell itself, which I liked. Fans of Japanese culture and those interested in knowing more about this story would do well check out this trade. Recommended.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: A
Age Rating: N/A
Released By: Dark Horse
Release Date: March 12, 2014
MSRP: $19.99