Peacemaker Kurogane Volume 1 - Softcover

Chrono, Nanae

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1413901611 ISBN 13: 9781413901610

Publisher: ADV Manga, 2004

Synopsis

With Japan in the midst of a bloody revolution, an elite cadre of samurai swordsmen known as the Shinsengumi must protect the embattled city of Kyoto. Tetsunosuke Ichimura has spent his life dreaming of working at the Shinsengumi, and his wish has recently been fulfilled. As a page for Vice-Commander Hijikata Toshizo, he is privy to a wealth of secrets and is among Japan's highest ranking officials, some of whom are actual historical figures. When a strange gun-toting swordsman, Ryoma Sakamoto, recognizes Tetsunosuke and his brother as the sons of someone he calls the "Peacemaker," trouble brews and the other Shinsengumi run the outsider out of town. Full of action, this sword-fighting and gun-toting story is centered on the bakumatsu, a chaotic and bloody time of revolution that would ultimately result in the disbanding of the samurai and the opening up and Westernization of Japan. Fifteen-year-old Tetsu must witness the war around him, and perhaps gain some amount of wisdom about the samurai.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Nanae assumes anyone reaching for this volume is intimately familiar with past Peacemaker stories, which makes this installment a struggle for newcomers to read. While the introductory material is enough to give a general idea of past Peacemaker sagas, it isn't enough to make this period piece any less confusing. The story is set sometime after 1860 and involves revolution and warfare in Kyoto. It almost appears to be a realistic tale until a catlike woman and a few other magical elements appear in the plot. The art is pretty, but dominated by head shots, poses or panels of just eyes or another body part. There isn't much substance aside from a handful of action sequences that open up and show more than just one or two stationary bodies. Even with these fight scenes, the sketchy storytelling makes it difficult for readers to understand what the altercations are based on. Although it's possible Nanae will explain in future volumes, there isn't enough here to make the average reader want to continue with the series.
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About this edition

• Publisher: ADV Manga
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1413901611
• ISBN 13: 9781413901610
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 194