SHI NO KAGE #5, from Blackbox Comics on November 24th, 2021, begins Hachiro’s long recovery from his battle with the Red Hand. When he learns how his rescuers are, the truth of the Samurai’s betrayal becomes clear.
The Details
- Written By: Neil Davis
- Art By: Gus Mauk
- Colors By: Michael Yakutis
- Letters By: Gus Mauk
- Cover Art By: Gus Mauk
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: November 24, 2021
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Was It Good?
Whoa, Nelly! We’ve been following Shi No Kage since the first issue but this is our first opportunity to review it, and we’re glad we did.
For anyone new to the title, it follows the exploits of Hachiro as he’s called upon to endure a deadly gauntlet to earn a spot as one of Master Shoma’s trusted (and uniquely masked) Samurai. Surviving the gauntlet as few have in the last decade, Hachiro emerges as a proven warrior only to learn his village and his sister were killed in his absence as part of a rival warlord’s invasion, helped by the betrayal of the Samurai he sought to join. His quest quickly turns from becoming a defender of his people to a sword of vengeance.
The story reads as well as any Samurai epic with a modest amount of mysticism and monsters thrown in for good measure. The challenge with these sprawling epics is the number of characters, names, and backstories that get introduced. Sometimes the volume is overwhelming and confusing. However, Davis smartly keeps the focus on Hachiro and keeps the number of side plots and flashbacks to an absolute minimum. The net result is an epic story that feels big without the need for notes to keep track of who’s who and what’s what. On top of the clarity of the plot, is a whole range of emotional beats that motivate each character and stir emotions in the reader to make you want to root for the hero and hate the villain. The best kind of writing is writing that can make the reader feel something, and Davis nails it.
The clarity of the story is further enhanced by Mauk’s smart choice of outfitting each Samurai with a unique and easily identifiable mask. The designs stand out to help the reader along (again) with who’s who, making this issue a solid example of the art enhancing the writing.
Mauk also isn’t afraid to get dirty with the amount of violence and gore in this series. The gore isn’t so gratuitous as to seem over-the-top or absurd. It’s appropriate, it fits the story, and Hachido took some serious damage in the last issue, so the consequences of violence are used as a plot point to the story.
Overall, this is a mature, powerful, epic Samurai tale that stands up as a memorable revenge story.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Hachido waking up after washing ashore following his losing battle against the Red Hand. His body isn’t beyond repair but he won’t be able to take on any serious challenges for a while. What shocks him the most is the identity of his rescuers – Daisaku and Makato
Hachido lashes out in anger as he assumed all of Master Shoma’s Samurai had betrayed the land to join with the warlord Kazu. Humbly, Daisaku explains he and Makato went along with Kazu’s initial offer in the hopes that they could find some way to defeat him from within, but it soon became clear Kazu’s forces were too strong and they went into hiding after Master Shoma’s betrayal was executed.
Daisaku explained the circumstances of Kioshi’s (the first Samurai to be found killed) death, and how it was a betrayal by his Samurai brethren, Eichi. Daisaku only found Kioshi after the ambush, and he knew then that his fellow Samurai had committed to removing any obstacles to effect Kazu’s takeover of the land.
We conclude the issue with a display of how low Daisaku’s grief and shame had taken him, a reveal that signifies a sign of trust, and a pledge to elevate the Shi No Kage’s reputation even further.
Final Thoughts
SHI NO KAGE #5 pauses Hachido’s journey while he recovers to reveal the truth behind Kioshi’s death and the Samurai’s involvement in Kazu’s invasion. The story feels big without introducing too many threads or characters, and the flashback battle depicting Kioshi’s end is filled with stirring honor, righteous anger, and heavy heartbreak. That kind of emotional complexity is exactly what you want out of a Samurai revenge story.
Score: 9/10
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