Samurai Deeper Kyo Volume 35

The end is nigh. That’s what it says in big letters on the back cover. And indeed it is, as Samaurai Deeper Kyo draws closer to the final volume. It nearly didn’t end at all though, as despite having published 34 volumes, Tokyopop decided for whatever reason to drop the series. Fans were faced with being left in limbo with just 4 volumes left of the manga’s run to go. Fortunately for the fans, Del Ray came riding into view like a knight in shining armour to rescue the series from oblivion. This is the first of the releases from Del Ray, and it’s a bumper volume containing the Japanese volumes 35 and 36.

Akimine Kamijyo’s Samurai Deeper Kyo is set in an alternate take on feudal Japan which mixes fictional and supernatural elements with events based on real life figures and events. The titular samurai ‘Demon Eyes’ Kyo is a legendary warrior who has killed over a thousand men, who is forced to share a body with his rival Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyoshiro is a member of the feared Mibu clan, a mysterious race who have ruled Japan from the shadows for many years.

The action in this volume picks up with Kyo facing off against the final two elders, Fubuki and Hishigi. As he gets ever closer to his goal of reaching the former Crimson King, he takes part in a number of spectacular battles which take up the lion’s share of these volumes. Most enticing for the fans is the main set-piece of the book, where Kyo must face his fiercest foe to date – none other than Kyoshiro!

The lighter, more adventure-based feel of the early volumes has gone as the series enters it final stretch. As things begin to reach the conclusion, the stakes are high and events become more dramatic and serious in tone. This volume is basically wall-to-wall action, with a few scarce quieter moments to allow you to catch your breath. The action scenes are well drawn and exciting, compelling you to keep reading to see where the fight will go next.

The action scenes are not your everyday samurai battles, as the supernatural nature of most of the characters leads to spectacular clashes that are more Dragon Ball Z than Samurai Champloo. Kamijiyo draws the kinetic action with flair, but the character designs are just as well done. The art has certainly come a long way since the first volume, and it shows a artist who has developed and honed his skills over the years.

There may be more samurai scraps than you can shake a katana at, but that doesn’t mean there’s no plot. During battles, revelations fly almost constantly (there is an unusually large number of flashbacks) and important character developments and growth are presented through dialogue. Kamijiyo puts considerable depth into characters on both sides, so it’s not simply a case of two-dimensional good and evil. Even ‘bad’ characters are portrayed as having real motivations and being somewhat sympathetic.

Also worthy of note is Del Rey’s edition. Containing two of the original volumes, plus a very generous amount of bonus material at the back (or technically the front) of the book, this is exceptional value.

For those who have been collecting the series this is pretty much an essential purchase. It is a good continuation of the story that nicely sets up the series finale (also being released in a double volume). If you’ve come this far you might as well see how it ends! To outsiders the plot is pretty impenetrable and I couldn’t really recommend it as a standalone, unless all you want is some serious samurai action and don’t mind not understanding the plot.

So while it’s basically a series of super powered, supernatural samurai showdowns, there’s nothing wrong with that. It might not doing anything particularly revolutionary, but what it does, it does very well. Definitely recommended to fans of the series.