Title: Shaman Warrior Vol 7
Author: Park Joong-Ki
Publisher: Dark Horse
ISBN: 9781595823328
May Contain Spoilers
The confrontation with Yuda blazes out of control, and Yaki and Batu battle for their lives against the deadly warrior and hordes of Kugai soldiers. Genji makes a timely appearance and turns the fight in their favor. Can the three of them take down the man who murdered Yaki’s father?
This volume made me look at Batu in a different light. He is a man so blinded by the desire for revenge that he will do anything, sacrifice everything, to achieve it. Never mind that Yarong, the master he loved and admired so much, would not have wanted to see what he has become. Batu’s only focus is on destroying the Kugai empire that betrayed Yarong and caused his death. When he’s given the opportunity to kill Yuda, Batu is oblivious to anything else. In a moment of overpowering rage, he throws everything away and abandons the one person he was trusted to protect.
Yaki gets dumped on again in this volume, and if ever there was a kid who deserved a day at Disney, it’s her. She’s orphaned as an infant, handed over to a bunch of assassins when she’s a child, and left to fend for herself. Wresting enough food to keep herself alive was a daily battle, as was staying alive. Most dogs are treated better than Yaki was, so it’s no wonder that she is now a cool, killing machine. Underneath her hard exterior, though, is a girl who just wants to be loved and protected. It is so sad that she will never have the luxury of being taken care of or of feeling safe.
Lots of excitement and turmoil in this installment, and I am chomping at the bit for the next one. Nejo makes a reappearance, a darker, more lethal version of his former self, and I am so curious to see what happens when he and Yaki run into each other again.
Shaman Warrior continues to pick up the pace as it charges closer to its conclusion. In this battle of life and death, I have to wonder if anyone can possibly be a winner. Death and disaster seem to follow everyone like shadows, and the only certainty is heartbreak.
Grade: B
Review copy provided by Dark Horse
January 18, 2010 at 11:16 am
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