“Rokunosuke, the child of a poor farmer, lives a quiet albeit impoverished edo-era life…which crumbles when his family is ordered to pay cruelly high taxes. Rokunosuke swears revenge, but a hooded woman named Oyuki appears and warns him: “only demons murder people.” Rokunosuke vows to live in peace once more, but…” (Star Furit Books)
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The newest digital release from Star Fruit Books, sees them working once again with Kakio Tsukarawa (“Sawanabe Zombie”) to bring another one of the independent mangaka's work to the West. Where “Sawanabe Zombie” showed the visual and comedic flair of the creator, this newest release (which got over 100,000 likes when first posted on twitter) cements his talent as both a storyteller and artist, making him one of the most exciting creators to come out of the Star Fruit Books catalogue.
Stylistically, the work offers up a diverse vision of Tsurukawa's aesthetic, as action, sci-fi, horror, and period piece all combined together to form the story of Rokunosuke's plight. From humble beginnings to a face off against a giant skeleton (Gashadokuro), the art style flows with confidence that never contradicts the story or visuals. In addition, Tsurakawa's full command of the his visual approach, even hand drawing the SFX, makes the work feel like a complete and personal reflection of the creator's artistic approach.
Exploring such a wide arrange of themes, “Ikyoudo” builds an engaging narrative in just over 100 pages worth of content. At its core, the story is a tale of revenge for a farmer wronged by a corrupt government. However, as the story evolves, we learn the origins Rokunosuke, and the gift of obscene power that catapults him to a hero of legends. While lofty in concept, the narrative escalates in a rather clever way that never rushes this realization. Action is minimal but stylish, and the manga ends on a note that allows the audience to speculate the heroes future. Ultimately, Kakio Tsurukawa is able to pack a lot of story in a few pages without feeling convoluted or rushed.
On the negative side, what little story there is will leave the reader wanting more content. Essentially, the tale of Rokunosuke has all the making of an epic long run series. Consequently, looking to other titles that also blend historical and elements of fantasy/horror, “Ikyoudo” feels like a potential standout that will never come to fruition. A rather sad realization off the back of such a well executed short.
An absolute blast that is somewhat bittersweet due to length, “Ikyodou” is a wonderous mash-up of genres punctuated by a sharp visual style. Undeniably, Tsukarawa is a talent to keep an eye on; hopefully readers will continue to see his work translated here in the West towards the possibility of a long running series.
