Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze

Vol. 11 of “Wave:  Listen to Me!” has been delayed until April 2026.  The next volume of “Die Wergelder” won’t be arriving until who knows when.  So what’s someone to do if they need their fix of new manga from Hiroaki Samura this year?  Fortunately Kodansha has us covered with the release of “Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze,” a one-volume story originally released back in 2014.  While I’m grateful for the publication of any new manga from the legendary creator of “Blade of the Immortal” in English, there’s no denying that this is easily the least good one I’ve read from him.

The year is 1933 and the story opens at a lakeside estate in the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.  A girl in a wheelchair, Bielka, being pushed by a young man, Shchenok, approaches a man painting by the lakeside as three other men appear to be fishing out on a pier.  Bielka asks the painter if it’s possible that they may stay in the estate for a while, and is told that this isn’t possible since it’s the property of the State.  The girl isn’t about to be denied, as something important to her was hidden in that estate.  Something which will prove that she was loved by her parents even as it ties into one of the most infamous moments in Russian history.

That mystery is what drives most of the storytelling through “Snegurochka” and its twisting path through the Russia of this time.  According to the notes at the back of the volume, there are A LOT of actual historical figures in this story.  Something which I imagine might prove more distracting to people with much more familiarity with the nation’s history than me.  Imagine a regular parade of “Hey, it’s that guy/girl!” if you will.  The irony here being that people with more familiarity with the nation’s history are likely to get more out of this story than I did.

I know enough about Russian history to understand why the revelations about Schenok and Bielka’s parents are a big deal.  It’s just that when we finally get to that point, the actual reveal feels like “Oh, that was it?”  You get the feeling that Samura was banking on it being a real mind-blowing moment, but the story never quite achieves enough momentum in that regard to make it feel worth it.  The majority of the narrative feels like a general stroll through history punctuated with the occasional glimpse of the ruthlessness of the State, the occasional bit of violence, and some sexual assault as well.  (Whoever described this volume as “erotic” on the back cover was either way off the mark, or possesses an internet search history we’re better off not knowing anything about.)

Still, Samura does work all of this into a coherent story with some interesting characters.  Bielka and Shchenok are interesting enough protagonists, though the latter doesn’t come into his own until we learn his secret.  Their master at the estate, Victor, also emerges as a complex character with conflicted loyalties, regardless of his sexual drives.  There’s also Bielka’s stepfather who, at least as he’s portrayed here, gives the impression that the story of his life might’ve made for a more interesting manga.

Samura’s art is still lovely to behold here with its rough look belying a significant amount of detail to it.  He’s always able to convey the characters’ emotions well, and this is probably the most restrained his work has been in terms of tamping down on the irreverent bits seen in his other titles.  It all makes for an eminently readable experience, but not necessarily a compelling one.  As a committed fan of this modern master, I certainly didn’t regret picking up or reading “Snegurochka.”  However, anyone looking for a better one-volume sampler of his talents is advised to check out “Ohikkoshi” or “Emerald and Other Stories,” in that order.