Vagabond vol. 37

Is it a good thing when the end of an arc makes you go, “About damn time!”  That’s the conundrum I faced when I got to the end of this volume and Musashi finally set out on his way to Kokura Castle, a confrontation with rival Sasaki Kojiro, and (presumably) the end of the series.  The problem is that after the past four volumes, released over the course of two years, the title’s momentum has effectively ground to a halt.  That’s mainly due to the fact that this whole arc has been focused around one specific plot point:  Musashi’s quest to find his Eye of the Tiger become a less bloodthirsty fighter.  As mangaka Takehiko Inoue has developed it, this has led to lots of ponderous musings from his protagonist that retreads a lot of familiar ground regarding his development over the course of the series.  This, combined with the length of the arc and lengthy release schedule has made it real difficult to get invested in Musashi’s development for a while now.  I’m willing to bet that, much like “Slam Dunk,” this will all read better in one sitting.  Right now, this whole storyline has felt more interminable than anything else.

Of course, Inoue is one of the best in the business and I shouldn’t feel as surprised as I do that he manages to get the title’s momentum going again at the end.  Musashi’s transition to a man more at peace with himself and those around him is highlighted well here as he pledges to go to Kokura in exchange for the supplies needed to keep the village alive.  We also see him interacting with the villagers in a relatively normal way as he starts training some of the women in swordplay.  Then there’s his relationship with crotchety farmer Shusaku who has been his main antagonist/source of inspiration for this arc.  It reaches a fitting end as Shusaku provides the final bits of wisdom, and an actual impetus, for the swordsman to finally move on after all this time.  As a result, we now have a kinder, gentler, but no less formidable Musashi ready to prove his skills against one of the best swordsmen and most demanding officials in the land.  It’s a good setup that leaves me feeling optimistic about the title’s direction going forward.  You know, whenever we get around to seeing the next volume.