One lazy autumn day Miyamoto Usagi's travels lead him to a small town where he encounters a one-armed ronin Mizuna Takashi. Saving the talented swordsman from an ambush on the road by a group of thieves, the two spend a short time together as Usagi learns the fellow's tragic tale before they part as friends. Months later another choice encounter brings him upon both Takashi and the villainous Te, the samurai responsible for the loss of Takashi's sword hand.
The One-Armed Swordsman is a bit of a melancholy tale, punctuated with action that our hero is witness to but not often involved in, but the single issue and the pair of unexpected encounters not only allow Usagi to meet a fellow honor-bound ronin but also witness a measure of justice exacted in Takashi's revenge over Te. Stan Sakai is quick to point out it wasn't solely revenge that drove the ronin into seeking out and challenging Te once more but also a driving need to prevent the villain from continuing his evil work any longer. Worth a look.
[Dark Horse, $3.50]
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