Creative Staff
Writer/Artist: Rinko Ueda
Translated by: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
What They Say
Hanzo is waiting for Usagi to qualify as a ninja before marrying her, but Usagi doesn’t seem to be getting any closer to achieving her goal. Frustrated by the long wait, her great-grandfather decides to call off the engagement!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With this volume, the downturn that Ueda sensei managed to avoid for the last volume or two finally comes into play. Will the (re)introduction of a handsome and mysterious samurai save this volume from the feeling that we’ve seen so much of this before?
At the end of volume six, the engagement between Hanzo and Usagi had been broken by Usagi’s great-grandfather with Usagi returning to Hojiro in tears. Seems that this was just a feint on Ueda sensei’s part, for after about 40 pages into volume 7, there is a reconciliation of sorts and a reason to reestablish the engagement. Hanzo and Usagi must go undercover as a tea planter and his wife at the summons of Oda Nobunaga, who wishes to meet with the tea master who blended the exceptional brew he has recently tasted. (This is Usagi’s herbal diet mixture. Usagi being Usagi, this never did work as a weight loss aid, but it was exceptionally refreshing, nonetheless.) Hanzo and Usagi are to use this opportunity to find out what plans Nobunaga may have against the local ninja groups for which he has an intense hatred. If this mission is successfully completed, Usagi will qualify as a ninja and be able to marry Hanzo. (Is this likely to happen? This is seven volumes into a 15 volume series. Face it, the reader is looking to see how Usagi messes this up, not if she does!)
One complication is Ranmaru Mori, Nobunaga’s page, whom Usagi has seen before, albeit briefly. (So has the reader.) Although she is disguised, Usagi is concerned that he will recognize her and remember that she is a ninja, putting both her and Hanzo in danger. If Mori recognizes her, he doesn’t seem to let on. While the audience with Nobunaga doesn’t quite go off as planned, Mori presents Usagi with a gift from Nobunaga as thanks for her tea. During this exchange, which takes place away from Hanzo, Mori and Usagi share a secret that, on the surface, is guaranteed to fuel Hanzo’s jealousy.
In Summary:
It’s obvious that Ueda sensei is having a bit of trouble creating meaningful dramatic moments now that Hanzo and Usagi have been officially affianced. (And then unaffianced and then reaffianced.) The dissolution of the engagement was very clumsy and pointless, and the reader is right to feel used and abused at the quick and easy resolution. As a symptom of the flailing storyline, the funny little bits of Usagi schtick that had been present in earlier volumes are either missing or not as funny as they had been previously.
Content Grade: C+
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: October 30th, 2007
MSRP: $8.99
