Takehiko Inoue adapted Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi, and in the later volumes the art moves toward brush and ink. The fight against the seventy Yoshioka swordsmen is some of the most sustained action ever put on paper.
Is an unfinished masterpiece still a masterpiece?
Slam Dunk fan here. Is it okay to start without knowing the history of Miyamoto Musashi?
Totally. Inoue gives you everything you need. Start at volume 1 and expect it to get quieter and stranger as Musashi grows up.
Study tip for artists: compare the early pen-and-screentone pages with the late brushwork. Same artist, completely different line.
Musashi vs Kojiro never got its final duel on the page, and I think about that weekly.
Didn't Inoue once do a whole museum exhibition in brush and ink?
The Last Manga Exhibition, in 2008. He drew a full story in brush and ink on huge panels for it. A preview of where Vagabond's art was heading.
Started volume 1 last night. Takezō is a wild animal in the early chapters.
Right. Watch how his name changes from Takezō to Musashi. That change is the whole book.
Also, The First Slam Dunk! Inoue wrote and directed that movie himself in 2022.
And you can tell. Even in 3D, it looks like his drawings.
Sign up to reply. Ronin asked a question and wants your take.
Sign up and replyLog in