Archived Reviews
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Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 1
Writer: Kazuo KoikeArtist: Goseki Kojima
twi-ny.com, December 2005
In 1970, the Golden Duo of manga, writer Kazuo Koike and illustrator Goseki Kojima, began collaborating on KAZURE OKAMI, a serial about the adventures of assassin Lone Wolf and his young son, Cub. Framed by the Yagyu clan, Lone Wolf - also known as Origami Itto, former kogi kaishakunin (official executioner) to the shogun - sets out with his curious, mysterious child, Daigoro, on the road of meifumado, the Buddhist Hell. As they make their way through the six paths and the four lives. Lone Wolf becomes a personal assassin of vengeance for anyone who will pay him, as long as they tell him the absolute truth about why the killing must be carried out. But Lone Wolf is no mere sword for hire - his Zen beliefs make each tale a compelling journey into the hearts and minds of troubled men and women on each end of his weapon. Koike sets up every story with superb character development and fascinating snippets of Japanese history, and Kojima's marvelous, cinematic black-and-white drawing breathes pulse-pounding excitement into panel after panel. But be warned - this is an addictive series that is most definitely not for children, as it features rape, torture, bloodshed, beheadings, and other forms of violence. It's also just plain awesome, with a haunting soul that will leave you begging for more. (Note: Each pocket-size trade paperback contains several chapters.) 
