Blade Of The Immortal Volume 13: Mirror Of The Soul: Mirror of the Soul v. 13 [Paperback]

Blade of the Immortal, in brief summery:

Think it would be great to live forever? Manji, a ronin of eighteenth century Japan, doesn't agree. Cursed to immortal life for prior misdeeds, he must dispatch a thousand evil men to the judgment of the Buddha in order to die himself. Joining a young girl on her quest for vengeance against the rebellious Itto-Ryu sword school, Manji soon has dire need for his twelve blades as he faces a motley assortment of hardened warriors, prostitutes, psychopaths and philosophers. The thousand-man requirement is met by the painful stroke of give-and-take, and is told in a fashion that puts most modern epics to shame.

Throughout what I like to call BotI's `second phase' (graphic novels #6-#14), the story-arc has gradually moved away from the adventures of the immortal rascal Manji and focused more and more upon the 22-year old sword-genius Anotsu Kagehisa. A revolutionary leader of Edo-period Japan - "the pillar upon which a thousand men stand" - Anotsu has dealt some major suffering in his bid to unify the disparate sword-schools of the samurai; the karmic repercussions begin to unfold in this, the thirteenth BotI volume released on U.S. shores.

(warning: spoilers follow)

*Mirror of the Soul* contains two major reunions for long-term readers. The first occurs when Anotsu, returning to Edo after his `vacation' at the Shingyoto dojo, happens upon an unconscious girl sprawled upon Mt. Hakusan. After tending to her condition, he is shocked to discover that the girl is Rin Asano, whom he orphaned some two years previous during the Itto-Ryu's initial insurgent rampage. During that time Rin has honed her warrior-skills with the whetstone of hatred: along with Manji, she's reduced the Itto-Ryu's army by a good dozen and tracked its leader's path all the way to Kaga. Yet other swordsmen are questing Anotsu's blood on this fine autumn day. Over the course of the entire series the reader has been told, again and again, how dangerous Kagehisa-domo is: in *Mirror of the Soul* we are finally given graphic display of this ability when he takes on four hooded assassins and manages to completely slaughter these opponents without even breaking a sweat. For Anotsu, no sword can cross the path of ambition: "Those who face me, knowing my name, take up arms against the thousand followers bound to me. You interfere with my grandfather's dream and block my own path to the future. And so - feel the weight of my blade! Scatter like leaves on the wind!" But the only thing scattered here are severed limbs and decapitated heads...

The second reunion involves the return of Makie Otono-tachibana, an ex-prostitute and the deadliest woman in Japan. Last seen in BotI vol. 3, *Dreamsong,* Makie has abandoned the way of the sword for a quiet, peaceful existence in the Kaga mountains, weaving travel-mats for merchants and smoking opium to dull the pain of her tragic past. The past will not relent, however: ghosts haunt her memories, and former lover Anotsu cannot tolerate to see natural talent go to waste.

*Mirror of the Soul* is a pivotal volume in Blade's second-phase storyarc. Alongside the significance of these two reunions, Anotsu also discovers that he had been betrayed by the Shogun's bakufu; he is forced to flee into the backcountry of Kaga, injured and increasingly ill, while revenge-seeking students hunt for his head and Rin Asano doggedly follows his step, waiting for her own chance to avenge her slain parents. The threads developed in *Mirror* will explode in the next BotI volume, *Last Blood,* wherein old friends and bitter enemies shall dance to the song of steel, fighting for honor, for revenge; for the past and the future; for love and the ruin thereof. In other words, it's an all-out brawl between the Itto-Ryu and the Shingyoto-Ryu, with a certain wisecracking immortal thrown in the mix for good measure.

An essential chapter in the Blade of the Immortal saga, *Mirror of the Soul* comes with my highest recommendations. Five Stars.

Additional Note: In my observation, there are roughly three storyarc `phases' to Blade of the Immortal. The first phase (graphic novels #1-#5) focuses on Manji and Rin as they wander around Edo [ancient Tokyo], hunting members of the Itto-Ryu. The second phase (graphic novels #6-#14), introduces a host of new characters and complications into the main storyline, with increasing focus on the political ramifications and emotional trauma of Anotsu's revolution. The third phase is the ongoing `prison' story-arc, currently being published in Japan: a perusal of import bookshops on the `Net should gain the diligent reader access to the four (untranslated) graphic novels currently in print. Cautious calculations estimate Blade of the Immortal could run up to 20+ English volumes before the story is finished!

While Hisoka's character initially comes off as dull and diminutive, she is actually an extremely tragic character (and not because she is sick.) I literally cried when Hisoka made the choice that she did; here is a woman who has never decided anything for herself, ever, and this is her one time to choose her own destiny. Yes, it is bittersweet; however, I was able to overlook the "sad" overtones and see this woman's only chance at freedom, and a freedom that she has chosen for herself.

I would reccomend reading this one if you care more about story than battle. There is a fight or two, but mostly this volume focuses on human fates and how much control we have over what happens.

Compared to vol. 12, Fall Frost, this one proceeds at a more dignified but depressing pace. We return once more Anotsu, whose involvement with Kensui-dono and his beautiful daughter Hisoka deepens.

Personally, I found this arc a little tedious; Hisoka never really captured my interest. Ah, I wish Anotsu would hurry up and rejoin his crazy Itto-ryu buddies. However, I *did* enjoy seeing new facets to his character through his treatment of the three women who appear in this volume: Hisoka, Rin and Makie (yes, *she* returns!).

Manji doesn't make a appearance. Hopefully he'll reunite with Rin soon.