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オリエント [Orient] #1
Orient, Vol. 1
Ancient Japanese warriors, invaders from another world, and... motorcycles?! You don't want to miss this crazy, action-packed shonen manga by the creator of Magi!
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2018
About the author
Shinobu Ohtaka
206 books255 followersShinobu Ohtaka (大高 忍, born May 9, 1983 Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for the creation of the manga series Sumomomo Momomo and more recently, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 6, 2021
I received this book from Kodansha/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
While I still have plenty of Magi to read (this is the same mangaka) and I still want to watch the show, I just couldn’t resist it when I saw this one on Netgalley. The art looked so vibrant and since I really liked the first volume of Magi, I just had to give it a shot.
Meet Musashi, a boy who wants to be a bushi, someone who defeats demons. He trains hard, but people are seeing bushi as the bad people and he cannot state he wants to be one. So he just tries out for miner. With a scythe.
Yes. A scythe. Why is his pickaxe actually a scythe? I mean I recognise a scythe everywhere (because some of my favourite anime/manga characters have one). I thought it was a translation error because who the hell who mine ores with a freaking scythe? In the mean time the MC calls his pickaxe which is actually a scythe his demon-killing katana, aka sword. UMMMM? UMMM? HELLO? Someone points it out but they call it a pick-axe… do these people need glasses?
I have to say that I was kind of wondering how the story would go on as I got to page 30. So far we have one idiotic but very genki MC with a scythe he calls katana and others call pick-axe. We have one white-heared dude whose father was bushi and who is being ignored by the townfolk. There are some other characters. But thankfully when the whole ceremony happens we find out some delightful shocking things. And haha, no, I won’t spoil you, but it reminded me of some other manga and I was just clapping in delight. YAS.
Things get really heated up, and once again I will stick that our MC is the typical shounen boy. Nothing can faze him. Nothing can beat his genkiness out of him. Which on the one side was totally cool for me, on the other hand, dude? You are a total wreck, how can you still smile.
I did love that while Musashi was being a trainee miner he actually trained hard for his dream as bushi. He tried poses, he tried stances. Go dude!
We also get some background story on the characters and I always love that those are added.
The battles in this story are typical shounen style but I just love them. At least so far it hasn’t reached Dragonball levels in which it takes a long long time for them to finally defeat a bad guy. 😛 Though they were, just like in many shounen books a bit too much at times. I mean these guys are just beginning and voila, look at what they achieve. The power of dreams is very much true in shounen.
Can I say that I am in love with the fact that this feels like old Japan, but in the mean time the bushi guys ride on freaking motorcycles that look like they came out of Yu-Gi-Oh!.
The rest of the manga just continues with plenty of action and I just couldn’t tear my eyes away from the manga. Holy wow. Awesome art, great characters (though a bit shounen-typical), and I think I found a new girl to like. She looks crazy and awesome, my kind of girl!
I cannot wait for the next volume to come. I need to know more. What will be next for Musashi and Kojiro? What more awesome battles and art can we expect?
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
While I still have plenty of Magi to read (this is the same mangaka) and I still want to watch the show, I just couldn’t resist it when I saw this one on Netgalley. The art looked so vibrant and since I really liked the first volume of Magi, I just had to give it a shot.
Meet Musashi, a boy who wants to be a bushi, someone who defeats demons. He trains hard, but people are seeing bushi as the bad people and he cannot state he wants to be one. So he just tries out for miner. With a scythe.
Yes. A scythe. Why is his pickaxe actually a scythe? I mean I recognise a scythe everywhere (because some of my favourite anime/manga characters have one). I thought it was a translation error because who the hell who mine ores with a freaking scythe? In the mean time the MC calls his pickaxe which is actually a scythe his demon-killing katana, aka sword. UMMMM? UMMM? HELLO? Someone points it out but they call it a pick-axe… do these people need glasses?
I have to say that I was kind of wondering how the story would go on as I got to page 30. So far we have one idiotic but very genki MC with a scythe he calls katana and others call pick-axe. We have one white-heared dude whose father was bushi and who is being ignored by the townfolk. There are some other characters. But thankfully when the whole ceremony happens we find out some delightful shocking things. And haha, no, I won’t spoil you, but it reminded me of some other manga and I was just clapping in delight. YAS.
Things get really heated up, and once again I will stick that our MC is the typical shounen boy. Nothing can faze him. Nothing can beat his genkiness out of him. Which on the one side was totally cool for me, on the other hand, dude? You are a total wreck, how can you still smile.
I did love that while Musashi was being a trainee miner he actually trained hard for his dream as bushi. He tried poses, he tried stances. Go dude!
We also get some background story on the characters and I always love that those are added.
The battles in this story are typical shounen style but I just love them. At least so far it hasn’t reached Dragonball levels in which it takes a long long time for them to finally defeat a bad guy. 😛 Though they were, just like in many shounen books a bit too much at times. I mean these guys are just beginning and voila, look at what they achieve. The power of dreams is very much true in shounen.
Can I say that I am in love with the fact that this feels like old Japan, but in the mean time the bushi guys ride on freaking motorcycles that look like they came out of Yu-Gi-Oh!.
The rest of the manga just continues with plenty of action and I just couldn’t tear my eyes away from the manga. Holy wow. Awesome art, great characters (though a bit shounen-typical), and I think I found a new girl to like. She looks crazy and awesome, my kind of girl!
I cannot wait for the next volume to come. I need to know more. What will be next for Musashi and Kojiro? What more awesome battles and art can we expect?
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 5, 2021
Musashi and Kojiro have been friends since childhood and they kind of always wanted to be part of the Bushi group, which were people who killed demons. But now these demons are treated like gods, brain-washing pretty much every village.
Still, a 15 y/o Musashi doesn’t want to become a miner just like everybody else and when the time comes, he fights against a demon god. Kojiro helps him and eventually a band of real Bushi appears before them.
Now, this is the first time I’ve ever read something by the author, so I’m not really familiar with their work, though I think this was just like any shonen out there. The premise does seem interesting but so far we’ve only had the introduction of the characters, their main goal and random past scenes that kind of give us a little context, just to keep us interested.
I think this story would be perfect for fans that like samurai-themed manga or shonen in general. I do hope the next volume is far more entertaining though.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Still, a 15 y/o Musashi doesn’t want to become a miner just like everybody else and when the time comes, he fights against a demon god. Kojiro helps him and eventually a band of real Bushi appears before them.
Now, this is the first time I’ve ever read something by the author, so I’m not really familiar with their work, though I think this was just like any shonen out there. The premise does seem interesting but so far we’ve only had the introduction of the characters, their main goal and random past scenes that kind of give us a little context, just to keep us interested.
I think this story would be perfect for fans that like samurai-themed manga or shonen in general. I do hope the next volume is far more entertaining though.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2021
A solid start to a new Shounen title!
If you enjoy fantasy Shounen, or you enjoyed this author's previous work, Magi, then I think this will be a title for you.
When 2 young boys swear to protect their world from the demon gods currently ruling it, they choose different ways to train. When they come back together, it's like no time has passed in their friendship. An engaging Shounen!
If you enjoy fantasy Shounen, or you enjoyed this author's previous work, Magi, then I think this will be a title for you.
When 2 young boys swear to protect their world from the demon gods currently ruling it, they choose different ways to train. When they come back together, it's like no time has passed in their friendship. An engaging Shounen!
December 2, 2020
Musashi and Kojiro are childhood friends. They live in a version of our world, but a 150 prior to the warring states period it was envaded by demons. There are bands of heroes called The Bushi who fight and kill demons. The boys grew up in a small village where the elders teach everyone that the demons are good, the village folk even worship them. But Kojiro's father always told the boys a different story. And right at the beginning Musashi and Kojiro find out just how right Kojiro's father was.
I really loved Magi back in the day so I got so excited for a new series from the same creator. And it was alright. I mean it wasn't terrible, not by any means, but it definitely wasn't great as beginnings go. It has that typical Shonen style where a hero has a big dream, all moves have names and the action takes up the majority of the book. Those are all attributes of the genre, they are expected and well loved. But the story still has to have something unique going for it and I didn't see anything like that in here. It was too generic. I remember how Magi captured my attention right away from the first volume and I had to keep reading, but this new series left me feeling just okay. I will keep track of this series just because I love this author's work a lot and because I hope that it gets better and develops its own style.
P. S. The artstyle was great as I new it would be, Shinobu Ohtaka is a great mangaka.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved Magi back in the day so I got so excited for a new series from the same creator. And it was alright. I mean it wasn't terrible, not by any means, but it definitely wasn't great as beginnings go. It has that typical Shonen style where a hero has a big dream, all moves have names and the action takes up the majority of the book. Those are all attributes of the genre, they are expected and well loved. But the story still has to have something unique going for it and I didn't see anything like that in here. It was too generic. I remember how Magi captured my attention right away from the first volume and I had to keep reading, but this new series left me feeling just okay. I will keep track of this series just because I love this author's work a lot and because I hope that it gets better and develops its own style.
P. S. The artstyle was great as I new it would be, Shinobu Ohtaka is a great mangaka.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2021
Получих това томче като "предварителен читател", тъй да се каже, от което съм особено горда xD
Имам високо мнение за Шинобу Отака, нейните истории са в класическия шонен жанр, но винаги изпъкват с нещо интересно. Тя е избрала да твори в "ориенталски" стил и да работи с легенди от цял свят (или поне от Япония до Близкия изток със сигурност). Така постъпваше в поредицата си "Маги" и тук, в новата ѝ поредица, също се предусеща, че ще имаме нещо подобно. Този път, обаче, поне в този първи том, историята е класически японска, за самураи (буши) и демони... които в очите на хората някак са си разменили местата на добри и лоши.
Първият том е с доста наситено и интензивно действие, главно бойни сцени, затова се чете много бързо (и всъщност малко досажда, ако не си чел подобно нещо отдавна). Главните герои са в калъпа на шонена... Мусаши, по-големия напетняк, през цялото време ми приличаше на Луфи от One Piece, не мога да кажа защо, но не беше чак толкова безмозъчен, разбира се.
Графичният стил на авторката невинаги ми е красив, тоест - всичко изглежда много по-добре в цвят и... в аниме (което бе обявено наскоро, специално за тази поредица). Но се привиква.
Като цяло съм доволна, макар че се затруднявам да кажа, че тази творба е по-силна от "Маги". По-скоро не е, развитието на първите чаптъри е твърде характерно за жанра, представянето на героите - малко хлабаво. Няма го чаровният дечко Аладин с неговите мистични кули със съкровища, ех...
Имам високо мнение за Шинобу Отака, нейните истории са в класическия шонен жанр, но винаги изпъкват с нещо интересно. Тя е избрала да твори в "ориенталски" стил и да работи с легенди от цял свят (или поне от Япония до Близкия изток със сигурност). Така постъпваше в поредицата си "Маги" и тук, в новата ѝ поредица, също се предусеща, че ще имаме нещо подобно. Този път, обаче, поне в този първи том, историята е класически японска, за самураи (буши) и демони... които в очите на хората някак са си разменили местата на добри и лоши.
Първият том е с доста наситено и интензивно действие, главно бойни сцени, затова се чете много бързо (и всъщност малко досажда, ако не си чел подобно нещо отдавна). Главните герои са в калъпа на шонена... Мусаши, по-големия напетняк, през цялото време ми приличаше на Луфи от One Piece, не мога да кажа защо, но не беше чак толкова безмозъчен, разбира се.
Графичният стил на авторката невинаги ми е красив, тоест - всичко изглежда много по-добре в цвят и... в аниме (което бе обявено наскоро, специално за тази поредица). Но се привиква.
Като цяло съм доволна, макар че се затруднявам да кажа, че тази творба е по-силна от "Маги". По-скоро не е, развитието на първите чаптъри е твърде характерно за жанра, представянето на героите - малко хлабаво. Няма го чаровният дечко Аладин с неговите мистични кули със съкровища, ех...
December 17, 2020
I was excited to give this one ago, because I loved Magi and the premise for this one intriguing. The art style was fantastic, and the plot was promising, it was just the pacing that threw it off a little for me and I didn't quite sync with the characters either. However, this is just the first volume and I am eager to see where this series goes, so I will definitely be picking up future volumes.
February 10, 2021
Ok I have never read or watched Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 1, so this is my first taste of Shinobu Ohtaka. I can say that even though I never read Magi these characters look really familiar which I think is kind of cool. I like the homages mangakas make to their other works. But, I also wasn't super impressed by these characters.
Musashi was cool and very typical of a main protagonist. He is strong willed, headstrong with a little spice of dim witted added in for good measure. His friend I liked a bit more, Kojiro, because he of course is the perfect balance to Musashi. Kojiro is a bit insecure, level headed and apathetic. They make a pretty good team, but again I wasn't particularly WOWed by them.
I think that I will be checking out the rest of the series though. It had lots of action and I like the idea of our heroes, the Bushis, being looked down on in this world filled with demons. I think right now is a great market for demon stories with The Promised Neverland, Vol. 1 & Demon Slayer, Vol. 1 being so popular. It's also different enough from those to stand on it's own, but I personally think that has more to do with how unique & engrossing Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer are.
All in all this was a solid read. The art is beautiful, the action is there and the story is coming to fruition.
Musashi was cool and very typical of a main protagonist. He is strong willed, headstrong with a little spice of dim witted added in for good measure. His friend I liked a bit more, Kojiro, because he of course is the perfect balance to Musashi. Kojiro is a bit insecure, level headed and apathetic. They make a pretty good team, but again I wasn't particularly WOWed by them.
I think that I will be checking out the rest of the series though. It had lots of action and I like the idea of our heroes, the Bushis, being looked down on in this world filled with demons. I think right now is a great market for demon stories with The Promised Neverland, Vol. 1 & Demon Slayer, Vol. 1 being so popular. It's also different enough from those to stand on it's own, but I personally think that has more to do with how unique & engrossing Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer are.
All in all this was a solid read. The art is beautiful, the action is there and the story is coming to fruition.
December 4, 2020
Check out my review over on my blog! : https://hdsreadinglife.wordpress.com/...
arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
This manga was epic from start to finish!
We follow two boys who dream of becoming Bushi to defeat the evil demons that have taken over the world. But as they grew up, the people around them started to love the demons and tried to brainwash everyone else into loving them too. But our heroes, especially our main hero, Musashi never believed them and kept up his hope and training of becoming a Bushi.
I really enjoyed this manga! The progression of these characters seemed natural and right for each of them. I loved Musashi’s dedication to becoming a Bushi and I loved Kojiro’s strength, especially when it came to wanting to help Musashi when he needed it. I’m super excited to see where these characters go in future volumes!
This manga is packed full of action scenes! I usually am not the biggest fan of that but in this case, I loved it. It was easy to follow along and the demons were so creepy! I really hope we get to see a wider variety of demons in future volumes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this first volume and I would love to continue on with this series!
4/5⭐️
TW: violence, death, blood, gore.
arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
This manga was epic from start to finish!
We follow two boys who dream of becoming Bushi to defeat the evil demons that have taken over the world. But as they grew up, the people around them started to love the demons and tried to brainwash everyone else into loving them too. But our heroes, especially our main hero, Musashi never believed them and kept up his hope and training of becoming a Bushi.
I really enjoyed this manga! The progression of these characters seemed natural and right for each of them. I loved Musashi’s dedication to becoming a Bushi and I loved Kojiro’s strength, especially when it came to wanting to help Musashi when he needed it. I’m super excited to see where these characters go in future volumes!
This manga is packed full of action scenes! I usually am not the biggest fan of that but in this case, I loved it. It was easy to follow along and the demons were so creepy! I really hope we get to see a wider variety of demons in future volumes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this first volume and I would love to continue on with this series!
4/5⭐️
TW: violence, death, blood, gore.
December 11, 2020
7.75 out of 10 stars!
Cool and I'm certain younger audience will love it.
Keywords: manga, fantasy, samurai, demon, shounen
REVIEW
Orient is about two boys, Musashi and Kojiro, who dreamt to become a bushi, samurai warrior who defeat demons to keep mankind safe. But it turns out bushi were not respected and demons were revered in their village. Will Musashi and Kojiro strayed from their dreams?
Overall the concept of this manga is cool. I like the character and monster' designs. A band of samurai wearing armor and riding metal bikes? Two boys single-handedly defeating demon? That's pretty cool. I am sure my younger self would like this manga. I also like how the mangaka blend some of mythological aspects to the designs.
Alas I don't really like the pacing. It feels too fast and lack of emotional connection. Everything feels too abrupt or too loud. Perhaps it's just because I'm not the targeted demographic of this manga. A 20-something adult like me might not enjoy it, but teenager and younger will still love it.
Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for giving me an arc of this manga in an exchange of honest review.
Cool and I'm certain younger audience will love it.
Keywords: manga, fantasy, samurai, demon, shounen
REVIEW
Orient is about two boys, Musashi and Kojiro, who dreamt to become a bushi, samurai warrior who defeat demons to keep mankind safe. But it turns out bushi were not respected and demons were revered in their village. Will Musashi and Kojiro strayed from their dreams?
Overall the concept of this manga is cool. I like the character and monster' designs. A band of samurai wearing armor and riding metal bikes? Two boys single-handedly defeating demon? That's pretty cool. I am sure my younger self would like this manga. I also like how the mangaka blend some of mythological aspects to the designs.
Alas I don't really like the pacing. It feels too fast and lack of emotional connection. Everything feels too abrupt or too loud. Perhaps it's just because I'm not the targeted demographic of this manga. A 20-something adult like me might not enjoy it, but teenager and younger will still love it.
Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for giving me an arc of this manga in an exchange of honest review.
August 12, 2021
CW: Violence, Blood, Scary art, Possible Grief exploration/Family Trauma
This manga was a big surprise for me. I'm not one for Shonen battle manga usually. I decided to step outside of my comfort zone with this one, and I'm glad I did!
This one follows a young boy named Musashi in an alternate version of the Edo Period. Japan has been invaded by demons masquerading as Gods. They threaten the livelyhood of the world, and our young protagonist is here to stop them.
While this does have a lot of the generic shonen tropes, I found this so fun! The art is gorgeous, and the main protagonist Musashi is a young samurai with a positive yet slightly unhinged personality. I'm definitely picking up the next few volumes and reading them immediately!
This manga was a big surprise for me. I'm not one for Shonen battle manga usually. I decided to step outside of my comfort zone with this one, and I'm glad I did!
This one follows a young boy named Musashi in an alternate version of the Edo Period. Japan has been invaded by demons masquerading as Gods. They threaten the livelyhood of the world, and our young protagonist is here to stop them.
While this does have a lot of the generic shonen tropes, I found this so fun! The art is gorgeous, and the main protagonist Musashi is a young samurai with a positive yet slightly unhinged personality. I'm definitely picking up the next few volumes and reading them immediately!
January 29, 2021
I really like Magi so when I saw this new series from that author I knew I wanted to read it. Thanks to Kodansha and netgalley I'm able to read it for reviewing purposes.
Musashi and Kojiro promise to become Bushi, warriors that are against the demon gods that have invaded earth, but they were ten year olds when they made this pledge. Now they are 15 and while Musoshi still has his purpose clear, Kojiro has lost interest and will need to be reminded of his dream.
I really love the art in this new series, it's just as amazing and detailed as it is in Magi and while we don't get much into plot yet, it really is an interesting first volume. I can't wait to read the next one.
Musashi and Kojiro promise to become Bushi, warriors that are against the demon gods that have invaded earth, but they were ten year olds when they made this pledge. Now they are 15 and while Musoshi still has his purpose clear, Kojiro has lost interest and will need to be reminded of his dream.
I really love the art in this new series, it's just as amazing and detailed as it is in Magi and while we don't get much into plot yet, it really is an interesting first volume. I can't wait to read the next one.
December 16, 2020
A manga full of action and of amazingly well-drawn scenes
Key words: manga, adventure, action, fantasy, demons, shonen
First of all, wow. The drawings are so detailed and gorgeous. I really admire Shinobu Ohtaka’s talent. I had never read any manga by this author before, though I have heard a lot about her series “Magi”. That’s why I thought it could be interested to look at her new series Orient.
I liked it a lot, but for the moment it doesn’t classify as one of my favourites. The story is promising and I feel something is going to happen between our Musashi and Kojiro. Musashi seems to be a really determined young man while Kojiro is a bit doubting what he really wants to do with his life. There was a lot of action and the drawings of these scenes were impressive but as often, I feel like action scenes are difficult to follow, especially when there are many. It might be just a personal feeling; I remember I had the same problem with One Piece. I am sure I will enjoy the second volume more because for the moment, it just feels like a typical story where the hero fights the bad guys with his friend. I recommend this series if you like action.
3.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.
Key words: manga, adventure, action, fantasy, demons, shonen
First of all, wow. The drawings are so detailed and gorgeous. I really admire Shinobu Ohtaka’s talent. I had never read any manga by this author before, though I have heard a lot about her series “Magi”. That’s why I thought it could be interested to look at her new series Orient.
I liked it a lot, but for the moment it doesn’t classify as one of my favourites. The story is promising and I feel something is going to happen between our Musashi and Kojiro. Musashi seems to be a really determined young man while Kojiro is a bit doubting what he really wants to do with his life. There was a lot of action and the drawings of these scenes were impressive but as often, I feel like action scenes are difficult to follow, especially when there are many. It might be just a personal feeling; I remember I had the same problem with One Piece. I am sure I will enjoy the second volume more because for the moment, it just feels like a typical story where the hero fights the bad guys with his friend. I recommend this series if you like action.
3.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.
March 21, 2022
Love the art and I love the Ohtaka Shinobu as she is the creator of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic which is a series that I'm thoroughly enjoying and should eventually pick back up at some point 😅. A little too cliché as a start point, but im liking the direction and have faith that she can wow me! Looking forward to reading the next volume and until the next review 👊🏾😎
December 8, 2020
The art is amazing. The plot is so good too.. This volume was really great start and I hope other volumes will be even better. This manga has a great potential.
April 6, 2021
The main character reminds me of Midoriya from My Hero
June 5, 2020
Took me a while to get into the mood of starting orient after finishing magi over 2 years ago now. It still feels weird but it seems to get quite interesting after all! Looking forward to the next volume!
January 17, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing an e-ARC of this manga in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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I was so excited to read this!
The artwork was stunning, dynamic and evocative.
The story follows Musashi, a young boy intent on becoming a bushi and defeating demons. The same demons that his village worships as gods and makes offerings of minerals to. Musashi works as a miner in his village, a position of high esteem.
I would have liked the pacing to be a bit slower in the beginning as I felt it was kind of rushed but it soon settled.
I really like Musashi's transition from wanting to blend into the crowd in order to protect himself to wanting to be true to himself and his friend, a boy who is shunned by the village for being the son of a bushi.
I really love the setting and how it seems to be an older era but then a gorgeous motorcycle pops out and I want to see more of this blend!
Plot-wise, this is similar to many popular shounen stories but the ideas are great and I'm excited to see where this goes!
This is definitely a great start to a new and exciting story from the mangaka of Magi!
Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5 stars
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I was so excited to read this!
The artwork was stunning, dynamic and evocative.
The story follows Musashi, a young boy intent on becoming a bushi and defeating demons. The same demons that his village worships as gods and makes offerings of minerals to. Musashi works as a miner in his village, a position of high esteem.
I would have liked the pacing to be a bit slower in the beginning as I felt it was kind of rushed but it soon settled.
I really like Musashi's transition from wanting to blend into the crowd in order to protect himself to wanting to be true to himself and his friend, a boy who is shunned by the village for being the son of a bushi.
I really love the setting and how it seems to be an older era but then a gorgeous motorcycle pops out and I want to see more of this blend!
Plot-wise, this is similar to many popular shounen stories but the ideas are great and I'm excited to see where this goes!
This is definitely a great start to a new and exciting story from the mangaka of Magi!
Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5 stars
October 9, 2021
I've been collecting the physical volumes for Orient for a couple months now, and so I thought it was about time I read through the 4 that I have. 5 by next week. Orient quickly became one of my favorite current series I was reading, and I knew it was one I had to add to my collection. Shinobu Ohtaka is one of my favorite writers, having created masterpieces like Orient as well as one of my top 3 pieces of fiction, Magi. While Orient doesn't quite live up to it's predecessor, it's still an incredibly enjoyable read, and Ohtaka is just as good at character writing as ever. I can't wait to both read the new chapters as they come out, and re-read through this amazing story in a physical release with an official translation!
September 12, 2021
150 years ago, the Land of the Setting Sun was run by samurai warlords who oppressed the peasants and ruined the land in constant fighting. Then the gods arrived and defeated the samurai. Now the gods rule the land and have brought peace and prosperity. Or at least that’s the official story.
But village orphan Musashi hears a different story from the father of his best friend Kojiro Kanemaki. The Kanemaki family are the last known samurai descendants in the village. As such, they are oppressed and mocked by the villagers as punishment for the sins of their ancestors. Kojiro’s father claims that the “gods” are actually demons who rule Japan with an iron fist, and the last free samurai bands wander the land fighting their oppression. He secretly trains Kojiro and Musashi in the fighting arts.
While Musashi has no samurai heritage that anyone in the village is aware of, he’s very enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming a samurai alongside his buddy Kojiro and working together to free the Land of the Setting Sun.
Five years later, however, Musashi has been drafted into the village’s miner training program and spends most of his time working with a pickaxe to join the village’s pit miners at graduation in a few days. Secretly, he still plans to become a samurai, and has modified his pickaxe so it can also work as a katana, but publicly he complies to avoid persecution. Kojiro sees only the compliance, and has become cynical and uninterested in a demon-fighting career.
Once outside the village at the mine, Musashi and the other neophyte miners discover that Kojiro’s father was right about the demon thing. The miners are slaves to the demons, with sycophantic human quislings acting as their overseers. Musashi decides now is the time to finally reveal his true colors, and a reluctant Kojiro rejoins him to do battle!
This newish fantasy manga is by the creator of Magi, which I have reviewed here before. It’s getting an anime soon, which is presumably why the manga got a print release.
There’s some interesting monster designs, and the motorcycles the samurai ride look cool.
The setup seems a little off though. Inside the village, adult compliance with the fiction of the gods is 99%, with only Kojiro’s father differing, and then only in secret. But the second you’re past the village gate, the pretense is dropped instantly. That’s a remarkable amount of discipline on the adults’ part. Perhaps there’s some form of magical brainwashing going on? That would explain why no one noticed the obvious signs something odd was up with Musashi.
Oh yes, it turns out the roving bands of samurai freedom fighters thing is also true. One such shows up coincidentally just as Musashi and Kojiro find out the difference between normal demons (can be taken down) and demon lords (not so much.) Presumably our heroes will be joining this squad for advanced training and more supporting characters.
Not sure what’s going on with the title. It may be explained in a future volume.
Content note: Fantasy violence, socially-approved bullying, slavery, underage smoking.
Overall: This first volume is kind of a mess, and uneven in tone. The society depicted seems unworkable, and the setup a bit too pat. I am told later volumes improve in tonal consistency, but this isn’t an encouraging start.
But village orphan Musashi hears a different story from the father of his best friend Kojiro Kanemaki. The Kanemaki family are the last known samurai descendants in the village. As such, they are oppressed and mocked by the villagers as punishment for the sins of their ancestors. Kojiro’s father claims that the “gods” are actually demons who rule Japan with an iron fist, and the last free samurai bands wander the land fighting their oppression. He secretly trains Kojiro and Musashi in the fighting arts.
While Musashi has no samurai heritage that anyone in the village is aware of, he’s very enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming a samurai alongside his buddy Kojiro and working together to free the Land of the Setting Sun.
Five years later, however, Musashi has been drafted into the village’s miner training program and spends most of his time working with a pickaxe to join the village’s pit miners at graduation in a few days. Secretly, he still plans to become a samurai, and has modified his pickaxe so it can also work as a katana, but publicly he complies to avoid persecution. Kojiro sees only the compliance, and has become cynical and uninterested in a demon-fighting career.
Once outside the village at the mine, Musashi and the other neophyte miners discover that Kojiro’s father was right about the demon thing. The miners are slaves to the demons, with sycophantic human quislings acting as their overseers. Musashi decides now is the time to finally reveal his true colors, and a reluctant Kojiro rejoins him to do battle!
This newish fantasy manga is by the creator of Magi, which I have reviewed here before. It’s getting an anime soon, which is presumably why the manga got a print release.
There’s some interesting monster designs, and the motorcycles the samurai ride look cool.
The setup seems a little off though. Inside the village, adult compliance with the fiction of the gods is 99%, with only Kojiro’s father differing, and then only in secret. But the second you’re past the village gate, the pretense is dropped instantly. That’s a remarkable amount of discipline on the adults’ part. Perhaps there’s some form of magical brainwashing going on? That would explain why no one noticed the obvious signs something odd was up with Musashi.
Oh yes, it turns out the roving bands of samurai freedom fighters thing is also true. One such shows up coincidentally just as Musashi and Kojiro find out the difference between normal demons (can be taken down) and demon lords (not so much.) Presumably our heroes will be joining this squad for advanced training and more supporting characters.
Not sure what’s going on with the title. It may be explained in a future volume.
Content note: Fantasy violence, socially-approved bullying, slavery, underage smoking.
Overall: This first volume is kind of a mess, and uneven in tone. The society depicted seems unworkable, and the setup a bit too pat. I am told later volumes improve in tonal consistency, but this isn’t an encouraging start.
January 2, 2021
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Orient, Volume 1, by Shinobu Ohtaka
★★★☆☆
194 Pages
Orient is a story of two boys who dreamed of saving the world from demons. It begins when they're kids, showing their determination and eagerness to train as warriors, then flips forward years later to show the world has accepted the demons as their Gods and their dreams have been shattered. But, through hard work, determination, and the strength of friendship, they find themselves in a situation that proves they really are needed as the warriors of justice they always wanted to be.
The story is super cute, a perfect shonen, full of action, adventure and friendship while fighting. It focuses on Musashi and Kojiro, how both have to battle inner demons as well as literal ones, to find their place in the world. At only fifteen years old, they're perfect protagonists for young boys. The story tackles some good teen-related issues like self-doubt, standing up for what's right, holding back from fear of losing friends, and learning to choose between what's popular and what's in your heart.
The art is cute, clean and simple, very similar to chibi and anime. Unlike some of the manga's I normally read, it began as a clean and clear story, not clogged with numerous expression/action terms that can often make the page feel crowded and displeasing to the eye. But, once it got into the action scenes, it became littered with them, and it was hard to keep track of the action. The images were so full of action the tags made it much harder to see what was happening, especially when the demons got involved, as they were all made of multiple intricate parts that made the illustrations busy and chaotic, at times.
While I enjoyed the story and the mix of action/adventure with a rekindled friendship, I found the ending disappointing. Not only did it end on a cliffhanger for the main character Musashi, but it ended on a bit of a sour note for him, as well. It wasn't a happy ending at all, which was disappointing after the big build up. I think I'd have been happier if the cliffhanger came without a resolution to the fight, so there was no clear winner until the next volume, because the reveal of the winner was deflating and devastating for Musashi.
Overall, while I liked the plot and the characters, the execution with the action tags and the abrupt ending left me feeling deflated. I might pick up the next volume, if it becomes available on Netgalley, but I'm not sure I'd want to make the commitment of buying the next issue, yet. I'd want some reassurance that the plot progresses further first.
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Orient, Volume 1, by Shinobu Ohtaka
★★★☆☆
194 Pages
Orient is a story of two boys who dreamed of saving the world from demons. It begins when they're kids, showing their determination and eagerness to train as warriors, then flips forward years later to show the world has accepted the demons as their Gods and their dreams have been shattered. But, through hard work, determination, and the strength of friendship, they find themselves in a situation that proves they really are needed as the warriors of justice they always wanted to be.
The story is super cute, a perfect shonen, full of action, adventure and friendship while fighting. It focuses on Musashi and Kojiro, how both have to battle inner demons as well as literal ones, to find their place in the world. At only fifteen years old, they're perfect protagonists for young boys. The story tackles some good teen-related issues like self-doubt, standing up for what's right, holding back from fear of losing friends, and learning to choose between what's popular and what's in your heart.
The art is cute, clean and simple, very similar to chibi and anime. Unlike some of the manga's I normally read, it began as a clean and clear story, not clogged with numerous expression/action terms that can often make the page feel crowded and displeasing to the eye. But, once it got into the action scenes, it became littered with them, and it was hard to keep track of the action. The images were so full of action the tags made it much harder to see what was happening, especially when the demons got involved, as they were all made of multiple intricate parts that made the illustrations busy and chaotic, at times.
While I enjoyed the story and the mix of action/adventure with a rekindled friendship, I found the ending disappointing. Not only did it end on a cliffhanger for the main character Musashi, but it ended on a bit of a sour note for him, as well. It wasn't a happy ending at all, which was disappointing after the big build up. I think I'd have been happier if the cliffhanger came without a resolution to the fight, so there was no clear winner until the next volume, because the reveal of the winner was deflating and devastating for Musashi.
Overall, while I liked the plot and the characters, the execution with the action tags and the abrupt ending left me feeling deflated. I might pick up the next volume, if it becomes available on Netgalley, but I'm not sure I'd want to make the commitment of buying the next issue, yet. I'd want some reassurance that the plot progresses further first.
June 23, 2020
https://lapommequirougit.com/2020/06/...
Je remercie les Éditions pika pour cette lecture. La première chose que je me suis dit en découvrant ce manga, c’est « woooaaaaouuuh », car la jaquette du manga brille ! C’est vraiment magnifique et c’est le genre de petits détails qui ont pour moi sont importances ! De plus, j’avais souvent entendu parler de cette mangaka grâce à son titre Magi, mais je n’ai jamais eu la motivation de commencer cette série qui contient pas mal de tome. C’est donc avec empressement, que j’ai eu envie de découvrir Orient – Samurai quest, car cela me donnait l’occasion de la lire.
Dès le début, l’histoire commence avec deux jeunes garçons de dix ans. Masashi et Kojiro, ce dernier est un descendant des bushi. Mais qu’est-ce qu’un bushi ? Ce sont des samouraïs, qui ont envie de se battre pour la justice. C’est plus fort qu’eux, ce sont dans leur gène !
D’ailleurs, les bushi sont les seuls remparts pour sauver les humains des Oni, des monstres, qui mettent sous leur joug tous les habitants du Japon. C’est ainsi qu’avec ces histoires que leur a racontées le père de Kojiro, ces deux enfants se font une promesse : devenir un jour le plus puissant des clans de bushi.
Oui, mais tout cela était sans compter, que le temps a passé depuis (cinq ans) et que les Oni, ont complètement manipulé toute la population. Au point, que ces derniers font passer les bushi pour d’horribles monstres. Mais Masashi sait la vérité, il sait que les monstres, ce sont les Oni. Il n’a pas renoncé à son rêve et compte bien, quoi qu’il arrive, devenir le puissant Bushi qu’il s’est promis d’être !
J’ai aimé cette histoire, l’action, les dessins. J’étais vraiment prise dans l’histoire et je suis bien contente d’avoir le tome suivant sous la main, car il aurait été difficile de devoir attendre pour découvrir la suite.
Cela reste un Shonen avec des codes basiques, en tout cas, pour ce premier tome. Cela n’en reste pas moins intrigant et prenant. Ce manga m’a rendu curieuse et j’ai hâte de voir ce que la mangaka nous réserve. 🙂
En bref, un Shonen type, mais qui fonctionne bien. De l’action, un gamin avec de la détermination et qui veut atteindre ses rêves à tout prix. De beau dessin. Que demander de plus pour un Shonen ? Pour ma part, je ne me suis pas ennuyée un seul instant et c’est tout ce que je demande, un manga qui me captive ! 😉
Je remercie les Éditions pika pour cette lecture. La première chose que je me suis dit en découvrant ce manga, c’est « woooaaaaouuuh », car la jaquette du manga brille ! C’est vraiment magnifique et c’est le genre de petits détails qui ont pour moi sont importances ! De plus, j’avais souvent entendu parler de cette mangaka grâce à son titre Magi, mais je n’ai jamais eu la motivation de commencer cette série qui contient pas mal de tome. C’est donc avec empressement, que j’ai eu envie de découvrir Orient – Samurai quest, car cela me donnait l’occasion de la lire.
Dès le début, l’histoire commence avec deux jeunes garçons de dix ans. Masashi et Kojiro, ce dernier est un descendant des bushi. Mais qu’est-ce qu’un bushi ? Ce sont des samouraïs, qui ont envie de se battre pour la justice. C’est plus fort qu’eux, ce sont dans leur gène !
D’ailleurs, les bushi sont les seuls remparts pour sauver les humains des Oni, des monstres, qui mettent sous leur joug tous les habitants du Japon. C’est ainsi qu’avec ces histoires que leur a racontées le père de Kojiro, ces deux enfants se font une promesse : devenir un jour le plus puissant des clans de bushi.
Oui, mais tout cela était sans compter, que le temps a passé depuis (cinq ans) et que les Oni, ont complètement manipulé toute la population. Au point, que ces derniers font passer les bushi pour d’horribles monstres. Mais Masashi sait la vérité, il sait que les monstres, ce sont les Oni. Il n’a pas renoncé à son rêve et compte bien, quoi qu’il arrive, devenir le puissant Bushi qu’il s’est promis d’être !
J’ai aimé cette histoire, l’action, les dessins. J’étais vraiment prise dans l’histoire et je suis bien contente d’avoir le tome suivant sous la main, car il aurait été difficile de devoir attendre pour découvrir la suite.
Cela reste un Shonen avec des codes basiques, en tout cas, pour ce premier tome. Cela n’en reste pas moins intrigant et prenant. Ce manga m’a rendu curieuse et j’ai hâte de voir ce que la mangaka nous réserve. 🙂
En bref, un Shonen type, mais qui fonctionne bien. De l’action, un gamin avec de la détermination et qui veut atteindre ses rêves à tout prix. De beau dessin. Que demander de plus pour un Shonen ? Pour ma part, je ne me suis pas ennuyée un seul instant et c’est tout ce que je demande, un manga qui me captive ! 😉
December 7, 2020
I received a copy of Orient Vol. 1 in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Orient Vol. 1 is the start of a new shonen manga, created by Shinobu Ohtaka (known for Magi), and published by Kodansha Comics.
In a world where demons are real, what is a person to do? Well, there are a few options. They could lie down, and accept the lies that they are being told (that demons are gods, and worthy of worship). Or they can rise up and fight the demon overlords.
You can probably guess which option Musashi chose. He had always been enchanted by the tales of the Bushi, as told by his best friend, Kojiro's father. So it didn't take much motivation to convince him to take up the battle, and try to create his own Bushi clan.
Orient Vol. 1 is the story of two very different friends. One, Musashi, is stubborn to a fault, and determined to become a Bushi. No matter the cost. The other, Kojiro, feels the weight of his ancestors, as well as the perceived pain and guilt they dumped on him. He loved the idea of becoming a Bushi – as a child. But he has since grown past that point.
Or so he thought. His friend is stubborn, and apparently quite good at getting into trouble. That's really the entire premise of this first volume. There's a lot of backstory, hopes, dreams, and fighting to be found in Orient Vol. 1.
The artwork is pretty bold – which is no surprise, given the genre we're talking about. There's a ton of fighting sequences and dramatic poses. Sometimes expressions (and eyes) seemed slightly...off, and that was mildly off-putting. But overall I enjoyed the art style, and everything it had going for it.
All things considered, this was far from a bad introduction to the world or the characters. Though I'll confess that I'm not as fully invested as I had hoped I would be. Then again, some of my favorite manga took a few volumes before I was head over heels, so I'd be willing to read a bit more before I wrote off this series.
Check out more reviews from Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Orient Vol. 1 is the start of a new shonen manga, created by Shinobu Ohtaka (known for Magi), and published by Kodansha Comics.
In a world where demons are real, what is a person to do? Well, there are a few options. They could lie down, and accept the lies that they are being told (that demons are gods, and worthy of worship). Or they can rise up and fight the demon overlords.
You can probably guess which option Musashi chose. He had always been enchanted by the tales of the Bushi, as told by his best friend, Kojiro's father. So it didn't take much motivation to convince him to take up the battle, and try to create his own Bushi clan.
Orient Vol. 1 is the story of two very different friends. One, Musashi, is stubborn to a fault, and determined to become a Bushi. No matter the cost. The other, Kojiro, feels the weight of his ancestors, as well as the perceived pain and guilt they dumped on him. He loved the idea of becoming a Bushi – as a child. But he has since grown past that point.
Or so he thought. His friend is stubborn, and apparently quite good at getting into trouble. That's really the entire premise of this first volume. There's a lot of backstory, hopes, dreams, and fighting to be found in Orient Vol. 1.
The artwork is pretty bold – which is no surprise, given the genre we're talking about. There's a ton of fighting sequences and dramatic poses. Sometimes expressions (and eyes) seemed slightly...off, and that was mildly off-putting. But overall I enjoyed the art style, and everything it had going for it.
All things considered, this was far from a bad introduction to the world or the characters. Though I'll confess that I'm not as fully invested as I had hoped I would be. Then again, some of my favorite manga took a few volumes before I was head over heels, so I'd be willing to read a bit more before I wrote off this series.
Check out more reviews from Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
February 1, 2021
Musashi and Kojiro are childhood friends who have grown up with a shared dream to become bushi - warriors who are tasked with ridding the world of evil demons. Bonding over their shared dream, and spending all their free time training to achieve their goals, the pair realise that bushi are not the revered warriors that they've always imagined, and are actually outcasts in their world.
Musashi begins to train to become a miner; allegedly the most esteemed occupation in their world. Musashi and Kojiro begin to drift apart as their lives move towards separate points, but events cause the two to converge again and their dreams align once more.
Though the majority of the story is current time, the manga is peppered with flashbacks to Musashi and Kojiro's childhood, showing their training and their school lives. It's really cool to see how their different backgrounds had an impact on the two characters, and how they were both influenced differently by the same events.
Orient does seem like a pretty generic shounen manga at this early stage and ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to shounen tropes. That said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Orient does drama well, and the battle scenes are really exciting to read and have you rooting for the characters.
There are some really interesting titbits peppered through the manga, none of which I want to spoil in case it ends up being a bigger point than I anticipate at the moment but it definitely adds a layer of intrigue that makes me want to check out future volumes.
For a first volume, Orient does a fantastic job of world creation and getting the reader invested in the plot and the fates of the characters. It does often feel like too fast-paced and that too much is crammed in and one thing is happening after another in rapid succession without much time to process what has just happened. Though this does feel like an issue at times, it does also work for the manga because as at the end of the volume you do feel fully invested as a reader.
Musashi begins to train to become a miner; allegedly the most esteemed occupation in their world. Musashi and Kojiro begin to drift apart as their lives move towards separate points, but events cause the two to converge again and their dreams align once more.
Though the majority of the story is current time, the manga is peppered with flashbacks to Musashi and Kojiro's childhood, showing their training and their school lives. It's really cool to see how their different backgrounds had an impact on the two characters, and how they were both influenced differently by the same events.
Orient does seem like a pretty generic shounen manga at this early stage and ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to shounen tropes. That said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Orient does drama well, and the battle scenes are really exciting to read and have you rooting for the characters.
There are some really interesting titbits peppered through the manga, none of which I want to spoil in case it ends up being a bigger point than I anticipate at the moment but it definitely adds a layer of intrigue that makes me want to check out future volumes.
For a first volume, Orient does a fantastic job of world creation and getting the reader invested in the plot and the fates of the characters. It does often feel like too fast-paced and that too much is crammed in and one thing is happening after another in rapid succession without much time to process what has just happened. Though this does feel like an issue at times, it does also work for the manga because as at the end of the volume you do feel fully invested as a reader.
January 12, 2021
4/5
Trigger Warnings:
I received this eARC Copy from VIZ MEDIA and NetGalley in Exchange for an honest review.
Shonen mangas can be a hit and miss with most people including me. How do you keep the same genre still relevant as the media evolved and the tropes no longer seems to work anymore? Sure you can keep having a hero destined to save humanity, give them a sappy sad story of vengeance, or their this epic prodigy that was born for this holy quest but it's all repetitive and bore at a time. So what about admitting that your hero knows absolutely nothing because of his rushed idiocy? Here we have a Shonen manga with a surprising good start! In a world where demons now rule as gods humanity is forced to worshipped them and provide metals as its substances. Only a handful of skilled and powerful warriors known as BUSHI are capable of facing them but alas none much are left thanks to the public antagonizing them.
Musashi and Kojiro both set out to fight the demons after years of oppression and at first it seems they know what they doing but it all crumbles down like a tower of dominos. The demon can regenerate fast, their so called katana are too frail against their skin and they are risking themselves so foolishly. Then we witness a true band of Bushi fighting together and thanks to Shinbou Ohtaka artwork it is a marvel. The demon desgins are fresh, the battle scenes are satisfying and they convey the emotion so majestically. I am exhilarated to see what she is planning with this new series considering Magi was one of a kind Shonen and one of my favorites for this exact reason why Orient prevail compare to other current running Shonens in the market currently. Don't miss on it, guys!
Trigger Warnings:
I received this eARC Copy from VIZ MEDIA and NetGalley in Exchange for an honest review.
Shonen mangas can be a hit and miss with most people including me. How do you keep the same genre still relevant as the media evolved and the tropes no longer seems to work anymore? Sure you can keep having a hero destined to save humanity, give them a sappy sad story of vengeance, or their this epic prodigy that was born for this holy quest but it's all repetitive and bore at a time. So what about admitting that your hero knows absolutely nothing because of his rushed idiocy? Here we have a Shonen manga with a surprising good start! In a world where demons now rule as gods humanity is forced to worshipped them and provide metals as its substances. Only a handful of skilled and powerful warriors known as BUSHI are capable of facing them but alas none much are left thanks to the public antagonizing them.
Musashi and Kojiro both set out to fight the demons after years of oppression and at first it seems they know what they doing but it all crumbles down like a tower of dominos. The demon can regenerate fast, their so called katana are too frail against their skin and they are risking themselves so foolishly. Then we witness a true band of Bushi fighting together and thanks to Shinbou Ohtaka artwork it is a marvel. The demon desgins are fresh, the battle scenes are satisfying and they convey the emotion so majestically. I am exhilarated to see what she is planning with this new series considering Magi was one of a kind Shonen and one of my favorites for this exact reason why Orient prevail compare to other current running Shonens in the market currently. Don't miss on it, guys!
May 28, 2024
In a world ruled by demons
From the creator of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 1 and Sumomomo, Momomo: The Strongest Bride on Earth, Vol. 1 comes a buddy adventure about facing insanely powerful beings who have manipulated the human population after taking over many years ago. Raised on stories from the father of his best friend, Musashi is raised in a society that glorifies their demonic overlords even though he dreams to one day join the legendary ranks of the Bushi warriors that have fought against the demonic influence as best they can.
You see, this manga has typical kind of stuff you can expect when it comes to a story targeting primarily young males which makes sense considering Shinobu Ohtaka likes creating big action series that explore what motivates the characters in the world. That said there is not much in the way of fanservice in the first volume which is fine by me because it is an action packed story about boys becoming men. Certainly Musashi has a fire in his soul and it is easy to cheer him on but then again when the bad guys are obviously bad it is easy know which side to root for. Maybe in the future we will see more subtle villains but for now this is a good way to start a journey. :)
From the creator of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 1 and Sumomomo, Momomo: The Strongest Bride on Earth, Vol. 1 comes a buddy adventure about facing insanely powerful beings who have manipulated the human population after taking over many years ago. Raised on stories from the father of his best friend, Musashi is raised in a society that glorifies their demonic overlords even though he dreams to one day join the legendary ranks of the Bushi warriors that have fought against the demonic influence as best they can.
You see, this manga has typical kind of stuff you can expect when it comes to a story targeting primarily young males which makes sense considering Shinobu Ohtaka likes creating big action series that explore what motivates the characters in the world. That said there is not much in the way of fanservice in the first volume which is fine by me because it is an action packed story about boys becoming men. Certainly Musashi has a fire in his soul and it is easy to cheer him on but then again when the bad guys are obviously bad it is easy know which side to root for. Maybe in the future we will see more subtle villains but for now this is a good way to start a journey. :)
January 8, 2021
Orient starts the journey of Musashi and Kojiro, two best friends who grew up with dreams of becoming bushi together to take on the “benevolent” demons that oversee their world. Kojiro’s father comes from a bushi line, their family marked by having to carry a katana on them, Kojiro and Musashi were told stories of how bushi are the real heroes and demons the enemy.
The rest of their village only sees the good side of the demons though and Kojiro starts to doubt. Five years later Kojiro is a cynic about those dreams and Musashi is about to become a miner. However, on the day of his miner ceremony reveals the truth behind the “benevolent” demons and Musashi’s hand is forced to going forward (or is that back) to his dreams of being a bushi and proving that what they are taught about the demons in the village is wrong and humans do need to be protected from them.
***
I generally like to give a manga a couple volumes to test how I really feel about a series but so far I find this enjoyable and interesting. As the creator of Magi I have hopes that I’ll continue to enjoy this.
The friendship between Kojiro and Musashi is fun, you can feel the length in their friendship, and not just because you’re told it. It’ll be fun to see how they grow and develop as the story goes.
***
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The rest of their village only sees the good side of the demons though and Kojiro starts to doubt. Five years later Kojiro is a cynic about those dreams and Musashi is about to become a miner. However, on the day of his miner ceremony reveals the truth behind the “benevolent” demons and Musashi’s hand is forced to going forward (or is that back) to his dreams of being a bushi and proving that what they are taught about the demons in the village is wrong and humans do need to be protected from them.
***
I generally like to give a manga a couple volumes to test how I really feel about a series but so far I find this enjoyable and interesting. As the creator of Magi I have hopes that I’ll continue to enjoy this.
The friendship between Kojiro and Musashi is fun, you can feel the length in their friendship, and not just because you’re told it. It’ll be fun to see how they grow and develop as the story goes.
***
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2021
Orient is a stereotypical shonen manga - aimed at teen boys, full of lots of reckless hothead action, and chock full of comically large weapons , hyper-detailed armor, and possibly magical powers. Basically, it will remind folks a bit of Bleach or Naruto. It's a story which follows young Musashi, and his best friend Kojiro, who dream of growing up and becoming Bushi, a class of warriors who fight powerful demons that subjugate mankind. The only problem is, Bushi warriors are outcasts in society, and humans have taken to worshipping the Oni (demons) who rule over them, because, well, probably because it's easier than being eaten. That's main gist of the plot - at 15, Musashi is primed to graduate and become a miner working to feed the demon gods metals, which is the opposite of his dream of killing them as a bushi warrior. He starts his first day at his new job, and then gets to hacking and slashing right away, with the help of Kojiro. Some other Bushi warriors show up. That's pretty much it - it's one of those manga that are probably great for your thirteen year olds, and even more fun when read serially, but in one complete volume, not much actually happens despite all the flipping and martial arts and action. The storyline might develop into something interesting eventually though.
January 8, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Shinobu Ohtaka for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This manga takes a spinoff of the famous Musashi legend. At age 10, Musashi and his friend, Kojiro, are determined to become Bush and slay the terrible demon monsters of the world. In their small town, everyone becomes a miner and they call Bushi the monsters. When the next batch of teenagers are taken to mine, they learn that demons are controlling their village, and it's hard to break the beliefs of those who follow the demon Gods. Musashi now has his chance to become a Bushi and show everyone in his village just how wrong they are about demons.
I enjoyed this manga. I thought it was cute in regard to seeing a character passionate about his goal, so passionate he would even die to achieve his dreams. That was a very wholesome concept. I also enjoyed the art. It is a mech of simplicity and fine details, and the flight flows very well. This manga kind of gave me nostalgia for the kind of Shounen I was interested in during my early teen years. This was a fun first volume and I'd certainly recommend it to the right audience, as well as be interested in seeing what happens next.
This manga takes a spinoff of the famous Musashi legend. At age 10, Musashi and his friend, Kojiro, are determined to become Bush and slay the terrible demon monsters of the world. In their small town, everyone becomes a miner and they call Bushi the monsters. When the next batch of teenagers are taken to mine, they learn that demons are controlling their village, and it's hard to break the beliefs of those who follow the demon Gods. Musashi now has his chance to become a Bushi and show everyone in his village just how wrong they are about demons.
I enjoyed this manga. I thought it was cute in regard to seeing a character passionate about his goal, so passionate he would even die to achieve his dreams. That was a very wholesome concept. I also enjoyed the art. It is a mech of simplicity and fine details, and the flight flows very well. This manga kind of gave me nostalgia for the kind of Shounen I was interested in during my early teen years. This was a fun first volume and I'd certainly recommend it to the right audience, as well as be interested in seeing what happens next.
December 3, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been a big fan of this mangaka’s previous series Magi, so I desperately wanted to read their newest release. They have a talent for creating new and interesting worlds, following our characters as they explore new places, so this was a departure from usual, as so far the story stays in one location.
The art is beautiful, with cute character designs, and spectacular imagery. This was definitely an introductory volume. Everything was built to set up the foundations for future arcs and getting to know our main characters. I like them enough. I like their friendship and banter, I like their designs (even if they look exactly the same as previous characters from the mangaka’s other works) and the lore is interesting to explore. Because it spent so much time building things up, it did lag in places, especially with the last fight scene, but despite that I did enjoy this. I can’t say for certain if it’s as strong as Magi, but time will tell.
This is an enjoyable first volume, and I can’t wait to delve into more of Ohtaka’s work.
I’ve been a big fan of this mangaka’s previous series Magi, so I desperately wanted to read their newest release. They have a talent for creating new and interesting worlds, following our characters as they explore new places, so this was a departure from usual, as so far the story stays in one location.
The art is beautiful, with cute character designs, and spectacular imagery. This was definitely an introductory volume. Everything was built to set up the foundations for future arcs and getting to know our main characters. I like them enough. I like their friendship and banter, I like their designs (even if they look exactly the same as previous characters from the mangaka’s other works) and the lore is interesting to explore. Because it spent so much time building things up, it did lag in places, especially with the last fight scene, but despite that I did enjoy this. I can’t say for certain if it’s as strong as Magi, but time will tell.
This is an enjoyable first volume, and I can’t wait to delve into more of Ohtaka’s work.
December 19, 2020
Orient combines demons and samurai ideals in an interesting way. As kids Musashi and Kojiro made a promise to become bushi, hero warriors that would fight the demons. They live under a demon rule only to notice that the bushi isn't just a story and that the supposed benevolent demons are actually nasty monsters eating minerals and well, killing people. Musashi's determination is strong, but along the way Kojiro lost his will until a demon is about to use the miners as slaves for food. Obviously we'll see how these boys will become the best warriors, so this is your basic shounen adventure. This first volume moves fast and sets the story rapidly with awesome fight scenes.
Ohtaka is good at drawing the demons and fights and angles, but people's faces are the weak point. The humans look somewhat angular and they have this 1990s vibe to them. We don't really get to know our characters enough aside from the burning passion to fight demons, which makes this lacking in depth. I hope that'll get better though. An OK start, but nothing miraculous. Slowing down the pace would've made this better surely.
Ohtaka is good at drawing the demons and fights and angles, but people's faces are the weak point. The humans look somewhat angular and they have this 1990s vibe to them. We don't really get to know our characters enough aside from the burning passion to fight demons, which makes this lacking in depth. I hope that'll get better though. An OK start, but nothing miraculous. Slowing down the pace would've made this better surely.
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