Vagabond - An Overview

“There is no light for those who do not know darkness.” Are you trying to be a better person both emotionally and physically and want a piece of pop-culture media to get you hooked on the idea of it? Then you have landed in the right place! Vagabond is a Japanese manga (Manga – Comics made in Japan) of the seinen (Seinen – where the protagonist is an adult) genre that is highly regarded in the community, solely because of the inclusions of martial arts and philosophical ideals. Vagabond is written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue, one of the best seinen mangakas (Mangaka(s) – Comic artist(s) from Japan) of all time. Inoue is known best for Vagabond, although his other works are no exception. His popular creations include Real, Slam Dunk and Buzzer Beater.

Vagabond follows the fabricated life of Miyamoto Musashi, a samurai from Japan whose teachings affected many lives around the world, then and even now. Musashi’s understanding of nature and its elements is very reverential. Musashi in his early years has been the victor of over 70 duels. After realizing that his ways of life are very dishonest and cruel, he wanders for purpose. He seeks happiness and salvation. Even though he had many loved ones who accepted him for the person he was, he still did not want anyone’s help in his journey of seeking happiness. In many of his books, he refers to this journey as the ‘way’. Throughout the entire story, Musashi encounters many people who give him insight into life in itself. Namely; Sasaki Kojiro; a samurai (he is shown deaf in the manga), Takuan Soho; a monk, and Matahachi Hon’iden; his childhood friend.

Vagabond’s serialization started on September 3, 1998. Takehiko Inoue based it off of Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel ‘Musashi’. In the early 2000s, Vagabond became one of the best seinen mangas alongside Berserk and Vinland Saga. Vagabond’s philosophies are so complex and intricate that it affects the author’s mental health. Because of this, the author went on a hiatus in 2015. Even though there have been no new official releases since then, his creation still manages to help me and many others now. I would like to quote one of my favourite lines from the manga - “Rely not on the future or the present. Just stay in the now.” Vagabond will forever remain one of the best pieces of media that I have experienced and I am forever grateful to Takehiko Inoue for creating this masterpiece.