Musashi #9 Vol. #10

By Eduardo M. Chavez     January 24, 2007
Release Date: February 28, 2007



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Takahashi Miyuki
Translated by:Tony Ogasawara
Adapted by:Tony Ogasawara

What They Say
The Red Fortress mission continues and Musashi #9 steps up the action to rescue young Michiru from her ruthless kidnappers. Will she place the girl's own brother in mortal danger in order to save her? Later, a new assignment begins as a group of foreign terrorists take an ambassador hostage in a Japanese department store.

The Review
To me espionage manga is a delicate subject to cover. It can make for a topic that can prolong the life of a series for years. There is never a lack of threats and dangers out there to feed upon. Readers will find others to fear anywhere as long as the writing can establish a sense of danger. And when one threat is eliminated another one or ten are waiting in the recesses to strike on the innocent. Good stuff that does not have to rely on fantasy giving the sense of fear more relevance to the reader.

Takahashi Miyuki's Musashi takes on the subject efficiently by sticking to the basics from the start. As I have said this reads like a shojo/josei version of Golgo in many ways. The difference being that the main character is so much younger and therefore so much more versatile than the Assassin could have been. It is so much easier to trust a young teen than a hard-boiled edgy (and horny) old man.

So when I see No. 9 taking on the Russian Mafia watching their every move via satellite imagery, I have to step back and say... How is this not animated or in live action?!

No. 9 takes the mission on with nerves of steel. Using her vast intelligence network nothing escapes the watch of her group Ultimate Blue. This organization puts the CIA to shame in every way imaginable and leaves the football in the hands of teens!! No. 9 can assess a situation like the kidnapping of the grand-daughter to a multi-millionaire as quickly she can take on a hostage crisis involving a foreign embassador. Every life is significant and ultimately maintaining the peace is her true goal. The stakes are high. The drama is extremely tense from start to finish. And knowing that behind it all are a bunch of teenagers makes this story seem a little wicked to me. This title continues to push the right buttons while maintaining a sense of excitement on a few levels.