Review: 47 Ronin #3

I didn’t plan it going into college, but in pursuing a history degree, I’ve ended up stumbling towards a focus in Japanese history. In the course of this, I’ve studied the legend of the 47 Ronin multiple times in multiple formats, from looking at the objective history of it (or as close as objective history can get, really) to examining the many Chushingura, or fictionalized accounts of the 47 Ronin legend. Yes, it gets its own category; it’s that significant. The artist Stan Sakai, of Usagi Yojimbo fame, says it himself: “Almost anyone of Japanese descent who knows anything about his or her culture must know of it.” That’s true of anyone who’s passingly familiar with Japanese history. That said, while I have not read the first two issues of Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai’s 47 Ronin, I know the story. I picked up this issue to see how the story is translated into comic form, and I was not disappointed.

The art style is beautiful. I’ll say that flat out. It’s evocative of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, a personal favorite of mine, from the color palette to the features on the characters’ faces. It flatters the story, as this is such a quintessential Japanese legend that it would almost feel wrong to see it in a non-Japanese-inspired style. The “title” pages for each chapter are particularly breathtaking, as they set the following scene and have additional line details that really drive the woodblock print feel home. They’d feel quite at home next to my Hokusai Great Wave print, without a doubt.

For clarification, I’m going to pause here to define some terms: samurai belonged to the upper and middle warrior class and followed a set of specific values that the tale of the 47 Ronin actually reinforces (more on that shortly).  They did ultimately end up filling more of a bureaucratic role, however, but they’ve been highly romanticized as these timeless, morally righteous warrior paragons. Samurai in particular served a lord (daimyo). Without this lord, a samurai became a ronin, a samurai rendered master-less due to the death of his lord (such as in the case of the Asano retainers) or, less often, due to banishment by their daimyo, or due to a choice to become master-less. Ronin did not have the status samurai did, and their lot was not particularly desirable.

Okay, history lesson done. Back to the review: this notion of the samurai code of ethics is highly present here. A concern for accuracy is clearly implied by the fact that they took care to have a Japanese consultant on staff, but it becomes even clearer as you listen to the samurai on the cusp of becoming ronin speak. You might think that the many mentions of honor throughout this issue feel vaguely Prince Zuko-ish (I swear I make comparisons to things other than Avatar: The Last Airbender, honest), but you’re really just seeing where he gets it from.  The legend of the 47 Ronin is taught as an insight into the samurai-turned-ronin mindset, a picture of the romantic history of Japan, and this adaptation does not fail to utilize the opportunity.

What I find particularly interesting is how this adaptation seeks to tell both sides of the story. We don’t just follow the Asano retainers seeking redemption for their maltreated lord; we see Lord Kira Yoshinaka as well, a fearful man concerned for his well-being…

… and I just lost my train of thought as I’m writing this out because the phrase “good wife, good mother” was just used. If that’s not a nod to the “good wife, wise mother” ideal for Japanese women of the time, I don’t know what is. Very cleverly done, indeed!

Back on track, we see both Kira and the tale of Oishi and the Asano retainers. One side is clearly favored, but that’s always the way with this tale. Oishi is set up as the noble hero to Kira’s slimy villain, and it leaves me wondering how exactly the initial conflict between Asano and Kira was handled in this adaptation. That’s always a good thing: when jumping in the middle makes you want to go back and read from the start.

Issue #3 is the turning point in this tale; it’s when the Asano retainers truly become the 47 Ronin of legend, and that particular panel is very skillfully done. The care for the story is clear in every aspect of its execution, as can very clearly be seen by the interview with Stan Sakai included at the end. As I said in the opening, I haven’t read the first two issues, but I have every intent to go back and do so now; I’m a big fan of history being told via comics, and this is a splendid example of that being done well. At $3.99, 47 Ronin is a well-researched, beautifully done adaptation of the famous tale, well worth looking into for any comic fan and an absolute must for a history enthusiast. 

Jeni Hackett, aka Science Whyzard, has probably spent more time studying early Japanese history than she cares to admit. She enjoys gushing about the oddities of history and loves it when her geekier pastimes mesh with it. This is so extensive that graphic novel histories of the Manhattan Project feature prominently in her history honor’s thesis… which she should probably be working on right now. You can find her on twitter under the name @allonsyjeni, email her at jeni.is.a.geek@gmail.com, or find her on tumblr at hellomynameisgeek.