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Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 20: A Taste of Poison (Lone Wolf and Cub, Volume 20)

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When at the end of the previous volume Ogami Itto and Daigoro "walked on the Moon" and entered Edo, I was prepared for a new chapter in the quest of Lone Wolf & Cub. But Volume 20, "A Taste of Poison" finds Kazuo Koike and Goseki... See more » When at the end of the previous volume Ogami Itto and Daigoro "walked on the Moon" and entered Edo, I was prepared for a new chapter in the quest of Lone Wolf & Cub. But Volume 20, "A Taste of Poison" finds Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima surprising us again, as this is far and away the most thematic collection to date. "A Taste of Poison" is basically a novel with the epic manga series, although as such the story within the story does not end here. The Shogun has endured the pathetic attempts of Retsudo Yagyu and his retainers to kill Lone Wolf long enough and loans the head of the Yagyu clan the services Abe-no-Kaii, the head of the Kuchiyaku. As the "official mouths" of the Shogun, the Kuchiyaku were the tasters who check food for poisons. Abe-no-Kaii is a master of poison and this entire volume is devoted to this sordid man and his efforts to kill Lone Wolf & Cub. WARNING: This manga was never a story for children and that has never been truer than it is with regards to this volume. There has been strong sexual content in previous stories, but Abe-no-Kaii's depravity extends well beyond such things. (98) "Good Fortune, Ill Fortune" introduces us to Abe-no-Kaii and finds the Shogun ordering Retsudo Yagyu to bring him the Wolf's head in ten days. The master poisoner explains his plan to bring Ogami Itto to bay by poisoning Daigoro. However, neither Abe-no-Kaii nor Retsudo Yagyu trusts the other, and each has murderous plans for when Lone Wolf and Cub are dead. (99) "Lair of the Nighthawks" refers to the prostitutes who walk the streets of Edo by night. Into their world comes the Yakuza thief O-Tsohi, the "Silk Spider." Addicted to Abe-no-Kaii's kizami narcotic, she becomes a key part of his plan to poison Lone Wolf & Cub. (100) "Blighted Leaves" tells of how Ogami Itto and Daigoro are finally spotted and Abe-no-Kaii's plan is put into motion by O-Tsohi. Clearly we have entered a realm where Lone Wolf's sword may not be able to defend him and his son. (101) "Abe-No-Kaii" finds the master poisoner taking a more active role in the effort to kill Ogami Itto and Daigoro. Along the way, he captures a ninja assassin sent by Retsudo Yagyu, which ups the ante on their conflict as well. But the emphasis here is on the series of traps set for Lone Wolf and Cub. (102) "A Taste of Poison" shows the ruthlessness of Abe-No-Kaii in trying to kill Daigoro, as he puts his most dangerous poison in a river just to achieve his goal, without caring about the consequences for everybody else who lives downstream. Meanwhile, the ninja assassin he captured becomes an unwilling pawn in the struggle between the master poisoner and Retsudo Yagyu. By this point it is no longer surprising that even as we cross the 100th episode mark that Koike and Kojima continue to raise the level of their epic story (compare with what happened to Spider-Man when his comic hit issue #100). Not since father and son were separated for several stories have we had a similar "novel." With the introduction of Abe-no-Kaii and O-Tsohi we finally have a couple of supporting characters playing major roles in a series of stories instead of the long stream of one-short appearances we have been seeing for the most part. But behind Abe-no-Kaii and Retsudo Yagyu, there is the Shogun (who we finally see in this volume) and who may well be the final obstacle in Ogami Itto's guest along the Assassin's Road. Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? See less »

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Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 20: A Taste of Poison (Lone Wolf and Cub, Volume 20)

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