Lone Wolf and Cub v26 - Struggle in The Dark

Lone
WOLF AND
story
KAZUO KOIKE
GOSEKI KOJIMA
h
DARK HORSE MANGA
translation
DANA LEWIS
lettering & retouch
DIGITAL CHAMELEON
MATT WAGNER
MIKE RICHARDSON
assistant editor
MIKE CARRIGLITTO
TOREN SMITH for STUDIO PROTEUS
STRUGGLE ^
IN THE DARK 3*
By KAZUO KOIKE
tx
Wi
& GOSEKI KOJIMA tlR
VOLUME
26
Lone Wolf and Cub is famous for its carefully
researched re-creation of Edo-Period Japan. To preserve
the flavor of the work, we have chosen to retain many
Edo-Period terms that have no direct equivalents in
English. Japanese is written in a mix of Chinese
ideograms and a syllabic writing system, resulting in
numerous synonyms. In the glossary, you may
encounter words with multiple meanings. These are
words written with Chinese ideograms that are
pronounced the same but carry different meanings. A
Japanese reader seeing the different ideograms would
know instantly which meaning it is, but these synonyms
can cause confusion when Japanese is spelled out in
alphabet. O-yurushi o (please forgive us)!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tales of the Grass: Nindo Ukon
Struggle in the Dark.

Song of the Spirit.
Scarlet Summer, Silver Fall....

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Fill
GLOSSARY
By Tim Ervin-Gore
Symbolism and meaning in Lone Wolf and Cub
pages of Lone Wolf and Cub without gathering some extra meaning
and subtext from the story. For the American reader, it might not be
so obvious. It's hard to cram the situation of the obsolete samurai
seamlessly into a Western perspective. In the end, though skill is the
basis for expressing bushido, it is the spirit that remains alive in society.
It becomes somewhat obvious, the effect Itto Ogami has on samurai

society: he's cutting it down, destroying it, the very society he was
once part of. In one way, it's saddening, and Ogami even sheds a few
tears seeing that which he respects go down in so many pools and
ultimate goal amongst samurai to be the very best at the way of the
reputation on a path that could be considered obsessive. Itto Ogami

challenges the best swords in all of Japan for four years straight, and
beats every one, all the way up to the top of the ladder. From the very
first story, "Son for Hire, Sword for Hire," when Ogami assassinates
a ban lord using tactics unused for years in a post-war society; through
the defeat of the Bentenrai brothers, who respected Ogami's sword
work even in death; in every honorable samurai cut down in Ogami's
path: Shino Sakon, Yagyu Gunbei, Yamada Asaemon, Ishine Ozuno
of the Kurokuwa, the former Makabe Sh5gen, and so forth, Ogami
is testing modem bushido. In this way, he's filtering out the impurities.
But it's not simply prowess with the sword that works as a filter.
Those characters who watch the ways of Itto and Daigoro, those who
recognize true bushido often remark how rare it is, as if it's been
decades since one has seen such honor and dignity. It happens
obvious as the series progresses. Back in Volume 3, when Torizo of
the bohachi brothels tortures Ogami, who is protecting a young girl,
she marvels that "there are so few of them left," referring to the
Ogami's perfection in bushido when he's already been sliced in half!
and honor. In this very volume we see a monk remark of the rarity
of true samurai, asking "the scent of a bushi...when did I smell it
last?" And the sentiment is echoed by just about every slice of life
as we pull in to the end of this epic series.
In searching for subtext and deeper meaning in Lone Wolf and Cub,
face of modern business: ruthless, talented, and sly, but corrupt with
power. But where does Ogami fit in the equation? Is he representative
of bygone innocence? Given his experience in war, it's likely that
innocence is not the subject. And then there's Daigoro's shishogan
eyes, in which the innocence of a child is combined with the soul
of someone who has seen more death than is imaginable. These
elements suggest that maybe innocence is beside the point, that it's
honor itself, and discipline that has withered on the vine, or been
plucked and thrown away altogether. But how does this transfer to
proud of our past? It's certainly not a simple warrior spirit that drives
Ogami. Tactics and intelligence don't quite cover it, because confidence
and culture seem to be just as important. It's possible that Lone Wolf
from the archaic systems. Or maybe Koike and Kojima are trying to
tell us that humanity has been in decline for quite some time. Despite
our new age of international community and modern ways, one
thing remains obvious when reading Lone Wolf and Cub, we've got a

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Lone

researched re-creation of Edo-Period Japan. To preserve

the flavor of the work, we have chosen to retain many

Edo-Period terms that have no direct equivalents in

English. Japanese is written in a mix of Chinese

ideograms and a syllabic writing system, resulting in

numerous synonyms. In the glossary, you may

encounter words with multiple meanings. These are

words written with Chinese ideograms that are

pronounced the same but carry different meanings. A

Japanese reader seeing the different ideograms would

know instantly which meaning it is, but these synonyms

can cause confusion when Japanese is spelled out in

alphabet. O-yurushi o (please forgive us)!

Struggle in the Dark.

Scarlet Summer, Silver Fall....

Symbolism and meaning in Lone Wolf and Cub

It becomes somewhat obvious, the effect Itto Ogami has on samurai

reputation on a path that could be considered obsessive. Itto Ogami

Ogami's perfection in bushido when he's already been sliced in half!

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