Oro?

The quintessential “Aku Soku Zan”

Over the weekend, I used a gift card I received for my birthday and some coupons to pick the first 3 volumes of Viz’s re-releases of the Kenshin manga in their new VIZBIG line (basically wideban re-releases). I’ve been seeing compilation/collection volumes, as well as the occasional wideban for quite awhile now, but have never bought any of them (mainly because I already owned the individual volumes. Kenshin though was different.

Rurouni Kenshin is easily one of my favorite anime series of all time. Unfortunately, I haven’t read all of the manga for it. I’ve read the the Jinchu Arc, but never really touched the original versions of either the Tokyo Arc and the Kyoto Arc, so going back through the story from the very beginning has been a treat.

Viz honestly crushed a home run by re-releasing the wideban, especially for those who either never read the manga or never bought all 28 volumes of it. Let’s face it, unless you started buying them early, 28 volumes is a large financial commitment (even at a cheaper $7.99 a volume). With VIZBIG you get 3 volumes for $17.99, plus a whole lot more. I can’t comment on the original Viz releases because I never purchased them (so all this stuff may already be available), but the higher quality is worth it.

The larger size is probably the biggest selling point for me. It’s not massively larger, but the added area really lets you appreciate Watsuki Nobuhiro’s artwork. Once the Kyoto Arc really gets going and the action basically triples, the larger size will definitely be more appreciated. Just image reading Negima with larger pages. Also, the pages are of a much higher quality compared to the pedestrian manga volumes we’re more accustomed to reading. Everything is clear, clean, and readable. The colored pages are vivid and clear, as are the individual cover art for each volume (which are included at the end each book).

The translation notes, are not necessarily translation notes in the sense that they explain why a phrase was translated a certain way or explain the meaning of a phrase, but are more of a glossary of terms. Those who are familiar with Kenshin know it can be historically heavy and loaded with kenjitsu and martial art terminology. Thankfully, it’s all collected and defined/explained at the end of each book. I’m not sure how someone who has never been exposed to the Kenshin world would react to all the terms and historical references because I’ve watched the anime a number of times before ever touching any of the manga. However, I would assume that unless one is at least familiar with the late Towugawa Period and the Meiji Restoration it can get a tad confusing.

When I was first exposed to Kenshin there was no Wikipedia, so the information Viz provided would have been a godsend. Terms, people, locations, and events are all defined. No need to fire up Wikipedia (at least in the middle of reading)–it’s all there in the the book. In addition, the second and third books include more details about specific historical events and people that are mentioned in the story. Volume 2 gives more information about the Bakumatsu and volume 3 explores the history of the Shinsengumi. None of it is necessary reading, but simply knowing a bit more about the historical context adds more depth to the fictional characters and story. Viz also did a nice job of including just enough information to appease your curiosity, but didn’t get too detailed that you get sidetracked. There are textbooks and seminars about what’s going on in Kenshin’s world, but Viz gives just enough for comprehension of the story at hand.

Unless you already own all 28 volumes of the Kenshin manga (or absolutely must know what happens in the story), this is the version to pick up. Yes, it is just 3 volumes stuck together, supersized, and given better paper, but would much rather read this way. Sure it’s not as portable, but it is much cheaper in the long run. About 9 volumes of the wideban at $17.99 (excluding tax) would be $161.91. Twenty-eight separate volumes at $7.99 would set you back $223.72. That’s a difference of $61.81, which could be spent on the Nanoha DVD collection or Alter’s Vita figure. For those who haven’t read this manga or who never purchased it, now is a great time to splurge. The fourth book is out in October.

I <3 Misao

I <3 Aoshi as well. Need more GAR characters like him.