List of Vagabond story arcs
This article is a list of all the story arcs in Vagabond, the epic martial arts seinen manga series by Takehiko Inoue.
Takezō arc[edit]
(Chapters: 1—21, Volumes: 1—2)
The story starts in the autumn of 1600, in the aftermath of the decisive Battle of Sekigahara. Two 17 years old teenagers who joined the losing side, Takezō Shinmen and Matahachi Hon'iden, lie wounded in the battlefield and pursued by survivor hunters. They manage to escape and swear to become Invincible Under The Heavens (天下無双, Tenka Musō). After days of fighting and not eating well, they pass out from exhaustion. However, they are rescued by Okō and Akemi, two women thieves that sell the equipment of fallen soldiers. But their break doesn't last for long: they soon are attacked by the Tsujikaze gang. In the confusion of the fight their paths separate: Takezō decides to become a vagabond and wander the world challenging strong opponents, and Matahachi chooses to stay with Okō and Akemi.
Takezō returns to his hometown, the Miyamoto village, to tell Matahachi's mother, Osugi Hon'iden, that his son is alive. However, Osugi reacts hostile: the village detests Takezō for his extremely violent and antisocial tendencies, Osugi believes that Takezō dragged Matahachi to war, and the whole Hon'iden gentry family's future is compromised now that their heir Matahachi is missing. Osugi pulls strings to accuse Takezō of being a criminal, and the local lord, Aoki, orders an attack. Takezō fights his pursuers, but is eventually caught by the monk Takuan Sōhō with the help of Otsū, who is Takezō's childhood friend, Osugi's adopted daughter and Matahachi's original fiancée. Takuan hangs Takezō on a tree and makes him reconsider his purpose in life. Without Matahachi, Osugi hopes the Hon'iden line continues if Otsū marries Aoki, but Otsū renounces the Hon'iden after discovering what Matahachi did. The bandit Kōhei Tsujikaze attempts to kill Takezō, but Takuan scares him off with his enormous ki, and decides to conclude Takezō's matter.
In the arc's epilogue, Takuan frees Takezō and, to make him start his life anew, renames him Musashi Miyamoto. Musashi, Takuan and Otsū leave the Miyamoto village.
Kyōto arc[edit]
(Chapters: 22—35, Volumes: 3—4)
The story timeskips to when Musashi Miyamoto is 21 and arrives to the capital, Kyōto.
Spring. Musashi, in his quest to become Invincible Under The Heavens, intends to challenge the famed Yoshioka swords. But in the way there, his arrogant attitude provokes that a young man in the street draw his sword and put it at his neck before he can even react. He heads to the Yoshioka dojo nonetheless and challenges them using only his wooden sword against their steel swords. The Yoshioka accept, but state that first he must fight the low-level members. He kills 5 of them, then briefly fights Ryōhei Ueda, the rank 3. Then the two Yoshioka brothers appear: Denshichirō, the rank 2; and Seijūrō, the Yoshioka head, who Musashi recognizes as the young man he met in the street earlier that day. Seijūrō leaves a scar on Musashi's forehead to scare him off, then leaves. But Musashi stays nonetheless, and Denshichirō decides to fight him. Though Musashi has much less skill than Denshichirō, they fight to a standstill. Denshichirō has his left shoulder dislocated, while Musashi loses a lot of blood from his wounds in his forehead and torso. Just when they are about to engage in a final collision, the dojo catches fire. Denshichirō tells Musashi that they will have a rematch in one year, then everyone escapes.
In the meantime, the story shows Matahachi, now a lazy bum who lives on Okō and Akemi's money. Matahachi has an argument with Okō because he can't tolerate their jobs in Kyōto's pleasure quarters, and Okō kicks him out. Frustrated, Matahachi passes by the Yoshioka dojo, and hears Musashi's fight. He is glad because the Yoshioka are regulars in Okō's quarter. He sneaks into the dojo intending to help Musashi, but instead drinks much of the stored sake and gets so drunk he accidentaly sets the dojo on fire. He spots a wounded Musashi and carries him to an inn, then leaves. However, after realizing the man is his childhood friend Takezō, he starts the inferiority complex that would shape his life.
In the arc's epilogue, Musashi recovers and regains consciousness surrounded by Takuan Sōhō and an orphaned kid that wants to become Musashi's disciple: Jōtarō. Takuan notes Musashi for trying to hide his love for Otsū, and a flashback reveals Musashi turned down Otsū's proposal to travel together. Takuan urges Musashi to be sincere with himself and to truly sense everything. The three leave Kyōto and split: Takuan heads to the famed Yagyū swords to visit friends, while Musashi and Jōtarō head to the famed Hōzōin spears to challenge. Regarding the Yoshioka, Denshichirō heads to the Yagyū to challenge their head Sekishūsai; while Tōji Gion, the rank 4, sets out as a Yoshioka assassin to kill Musashi. Regarding Matahachi, he becomes a fugitive accused of burning the Yoshioka dojo, much to the dismay of his mother Osugi, who is also in Kyōto. She is travelling accompanied by Matahachi's uncle Gon. Both realize Musashi is Takezō.
Hōzōin arc[edit]
(Chapters: 36—78, Volumes: 4—8)
Spring. Musashi and Jōtarō arrive to the Hōzōin temple and intend to challenge his head In'ei. An old monk receives them and gives them words of wisdom, food and housing. That very day, Tōji Gion arrives, amputates a monk's arms and leaves announcing he will return everyday and do the same until Musashi comes. The next day, Musashi comes and meets Agon, Hōzōin rank 3. They fight. Agon unarms Musashi, but Musashi gets inside the spear's range, knockout punches Agon and wins. Tōji appears, then Inshun, Hōzōin's heir. The 3 have some brief bouts, then Inshun fights Musashi. Inshun's superior technique and stamina prove to be too much for Musashi, who relies on his brute force. Musashi is consumed by fear, escapes and passes out.
When he regains consciousness, he is in a house, surrounded by the same old monk from before and Jōtarō, who parts ways saying he is disappointed after his escape. The monk then reveals that he is In'ei Hōzōin. He takes care of Musashi's recovery and training, stating that he needs him to become Inshun's ultimate rival: Inshun is excellent in physique and technique, but because of this, he never had a life-threatening fight and thus never developed his spirit. Musashi spends months training with In'ei in the mountains.
Early autumn. At last Musashi and Inshun have their rematch. This time, Inshun wields a lethal, cross-shaped spear. The fight turns out to be a clash of spirits. Musashi, now much calmer and attentive, makes Inshun nervous. Inshun thrusts with his spear but Musashi dodges it, only gaining a scar in his right cheek, and once inside the spear's range he counter-attacks smacking Inshun's head with his wooden sword. Musashi wins. In his celebration, Musashi briefly reverts to his savage self. Inshun's backstory is then shown in flashbacks; the real reasons In'ei wanted such a fight was to make Inshun stop trying to bury his traumas and start to have empathy with the others.
In the arc's epilogue, Musashi and Inshun recover. In recognition, Musashi is presented with formal clothes and a pair of steel swords. Inshun, now much friendlier and closer to his mates, becomes the Hōzōin head. The two part ways, vowing to have another match, which won't be life-threatening. On his way out, Musashi finds Jōtarō, who has changed his mind, and they both head to the Yagyū estate.
Regarding Otsū, she now lives with the Yagyū; she is the favorite of their head Sekishūsai. Denshichirō Yoshioka arrives to challenge him, but is rejected. Tōji Gion also appears, completely demoralized after witnessing Inshun's high ability, and tries a suicide attack on Sekishūsai, who easily disarms him and sends him back to the Yoshioka to reconsider his purpose in life. Then Otsū tells Sekishūsai about Musashi, and he responds he once was young and vehement like him. A flashback is shown with Sekishūsai and In'ei in their youth losing to master Hidetsuna Ise no Kami Kami'izumi, who delivers his supreme lesson: he can fight unarmed and disarm opponents because his sword is one with heaven and earth.
Regarding Matahachi, he works in the construction site of the Fushimi Castle when he witnesses the execution of a young samurai. He takes a pouch from the corpse and abandons the castle. The pouch has money and a swordsman certificate awarded to a Kojirō Sasaki. He interprets that is the dead man's name, and sets out to find his parents to give them their son's keepsake. After travelling for clues, he stops at Ōsaka. In a conversation with a rōnin, Matahachi lies saying he is Kojirō Sasaki, and is scammed into handing over his money with the promise of a recommendation at a local lord. Ashamed, Matahachi finds the scammer and kills him. A local inn hires him as a protector, and he becomes famous. However, one day a seasoned samurai, Shōjirō Kai, challenges him. Matahachi escapes, but bumps into his mother Osugi and uncle Gon. In the family reunion, they catch up on their stories. Osugi confesses to Matahachi that they travel to take revenge on Musashi and Otsū, who according to her, ran away together and are now a couple. This brings dismay to Matahachi, who was originally bethroted to Otsū and still wants her. Matahachi lies again, showing them the certificate while saying he is now a renowned swordsman that goes by the name of Kojirō Sasaki.
Yagyū arc[edit]
(Chapters: 79—106, Volumes: 9–11)
Autumn. Otsū gives a letter to Yagyū head Sekishūsai that delights him: his grandson and heir, Hyōgonosuke, returns. At the same time, Musashi and Jōtarō arrive to the Yagyū estate. While they are deliberating how to enter the headquarters, they go to the local communal baths, where they find a young man who talks with Musashi and instantly recognizes him as an equal in ability. That same man appears in the Yagyū dojo: he is Hyōgonosuke. He is inducted as the new Yagyū head. Meanwhile, Denshichirō Yoshioka gets tired that his requests to challenge Sekishūsai are rejected time and time again, and leaves. On his way out, he finds Musashi, the two rivals restate their commitment for a future rematch. However, after Denshichirō makes a graceless cut on a stem, Musashi notices that his own level is already higher than Denshichirō's.
Musashi finally crafts a scheme: he sends Jōtarō with a cut stem and a letter, in which he requests to see who made a cut so splendid. The 4 Yagyū senior disciples realize that the cuts in the stem, one by Musashi and another by Sekishūsai, are identical, and grant Musashi a meeting with them. After a peaceful chat, Musashi begings to provoke them into a fight, hoping that after defeating them, Sekishūsai will accept a challenge, but the 4 seniors don't follow his taunts. However, the meeting is interrupted after Jōtarō kills the Yagyū pet dog because it attacked him. The disciples are about to kill Jōtarō, but Musashi claims that, as Jōtarō's master, punishment must fall on him instead. Jōtarō runs away. Musashi briefly fights some low-levels, then the 4 seniors fight him all at once. After some bouts, Musashi brings the fight to a bridge so that attacks only come from one direction, but at one point he falls into the water. The 4 seniors almost succeed in killing him when they use an underwater chokehold, but Musashi frees and escapes to a bamboo forest. He realizes they fight desperately because Sekishūsai must be near. He arrives to Sekishūsai's cottage, where he has a brief but emotional reunion with Otsū, who hides him in the cottage. Musashi finds Sekishūsai and tries to kill him, seeing he is old, sleeping and with just a backscratcher on his hands, but is immobilized by Sekishūsai's enormous ki, which reflects Musashi's own fears. Sekishūsai, half asleep, throws his backscratcher into Musashi's head, making him fall to the ground. Musashi's noises awake him. They have a brief but influential talk about strength, in which Sekishūsai delivers his supreme lesson: Invincible Under The Heavens is just a word. Musashi then leaves before the 4 seniors arrive.
In the arc's epilogue, Musashi sees that Otsū is waiting for him on a bridge, intending to leave the Yagyū. He watches her rescue Jōtarō, who fell in a trapping pit, and concludes that they both will be better under the care of the Yagyū. He then walks away in solitude, heading to his next opponent. Otsū and Jōtarō, however, determine to travel together to meet Musashi again, knowing they will find him if they look for strong fighters. Otsū is now firmer after training with the Yagyū, and in a tavern fight with some low-levels wounded by Musashi, she stops them. Takuan visits the Yagyū. He, Sekishūsai and Hyōgonosuke talk about the sword, Musashi and Otsū. Sekishūsai is sad for Otsū's goodbye. Hyōgonosuke leaves to continue his training. Takuan renews his wandering.
Baiken arc[edit]
(Chapters: 106—127, Volumes: 11—13)
Late autumn. Musashi continues training, climbing mountains and challenging fighters. He gets wounded in his left foot when he steps on a nail, but he recovers.
Matahachi is cornered by his uncle Gon, who starts suspecting his fame as renowned swordsman Kojirō Sasaki is a fraud, as he never practices with a sword and is the same careless bum as before, though Matahachi's mother Osugi protests against Gon's inquiries. Pressured, Matahachi runs away. Osugi orders Gon to bring him back. Later, Osugi follows Gon's trail. When she's by a river, she has a heart attack and falls into the water. She is rescued by Otsū and Jōtarō, who pass by while looking for Musashi's possible next opponent: Baiken Shishido, the master of the chain and sickle who lives in the deepest of the mountain. But half asleep, Osugi pronounces the purpose of her journey, which disturbs Otsū. After running for a while in a mountain trail, Matahachi sees a little girl hunting a pigeon with a chain and sickle. The girl vanishes. Unfortunately for Matahachi, Shōjirō Kai appears with a minion of his, Torajirō. They are also looking for Baiken. Shōjirō still wants to challenge Matahachi, but after tricking him, he uncovers his fraud. Shōjirō and Torajirō attack Matahachi. Right then, Gon arrives and starts fighting Torajirō, Matahachi escapes with Shōjirō chasing him. Torajirō kills Gon, but gets seriously wounded, and is mercy killed by an imposing warrior that appears: Baiken Shishido. Shōjirō stops chasing Matahachi when they meet the same girl from before, and Shōjirō follows her thinking she must be Baiken's daughter. Eventually they fight, and Shōjirō defeats her, but Baiken appears and kills him. Matahachi was spying but is spotted, Baiken orders him to bury the 3 corpses. Matahachi finds his uncle Gon dead and cries feeling guilty. In a flashback, it is revealed that it was Matahachi's idea to go to war, contrary to what his mother says about him "being dragged to war by Takezō". Just when Matahachi completes the burials, he sees Musashi coming, and escapes.
Musashi is looking for Baiken Shishido, but is really hungry and scurries to a nearby hut. The old man living there gives him food and what he knows about Baiken. Musashi continues his march and finds another hut. He enters and finds Baiken. However, they find they already know each other: Baiken is Kōhei Tsujikaze, the same bandit that 4 years before attempted to kill him. Baiken accepts Musashi's challenge and asks him to step outside. Musashi proceeds but the girl ambushes him: he dodges her attack at the last second. Baiken tells the girl, whose name is revealed to be Rindō, not to interfere. It seems this surprise attack is how all the other challengers were defeated, as Rindō comments that Musashi is different. The fight starts with Musashi receiving blows, he soon realizes he didn't come mentalized for mortal combat. Baiken dominates the fight and almost kills Musashi wrapping him with the chain, but he frees, now mentalized for mortal combat. Musashi realizes he can't win in the present state of the fight. He remembers his father lessons and draws his short sword, intentionally wielding dual steel swords for the first time. Baiken snatches one of his swords but Musashi, instead of resisting like before, lets it go: he advances and defeats Baiken with his other sword. In the fight's aftermath, Rindō tries a surprise attack on Musashi, but it is blocked by a masked Matahachi, who was spying. Musashi gets angry for this stranger's interference, and Matahachi escapes. Rindō opens a cut on herself to give blood to a seriously wounded Baiken. Baiken says he abandons the spiral of death, and asks Musashi to save him and Rindō. Musashi is last seen walking the late autumn's dry grassland. As Baiken's eyes close, he reveals he was defeated by Kojirō Sasaki.
In the arc's epilogue, Kōhei Tsujikaze's backstory is shown, completing the other flashbacks shown through the arc that dealt with his meeting with Rindō and his transformation into Baiken Shishido.
Kojirō arc[edit]
(Chapters: 128–179, Volumes: 14–20)
The story stops, and goes back in time to 17 years before the events shown at the story's start. Kojirō Sasaki's backstory is shown.
Late spring of 1583. The Kitanosho Castle is about to be destroyed in the Battle of Shizugatake. The baby Kojirō is sent to his father's former master, Jisai Kanemaki, to avoid death. Jisai adopts him. The story then shows Kojirō's difficult upbringing: Kojirō is deaf and has a natural gift for the sword; Jisai is an old fallen swordmaster, now living in poverty, who lost his status when he was defeated by his student Ittōsai Itō, thus he tries to keep Kojirō away from the path of the sword; both live marginalized by the villagers.
All changes when Kojirō is 9. After a bad year for fishing, the village hasn't resources for the tribute to their protector, Yūgetsusai Fudō, who also takes their girls when they turn 14. They decide to kill him, and ask Jisai for help, knowing he is a swordmaster. He accepts. Kojirō makes friends with the local kids after defeating them in a fight, their leader Tenki Kusanagi becomes his best friend. However, Fudō arrives. The village prepares the attack, but Kojirō and Tenki get ahead and burn Fudō's house, starting the fight. Fudō defeats Tenki, but Kojirō amputates his right arm. However, Fudō continues and is about to defeat Kojirō. Right then, Jisai and the villagers arrive. Jisai kills Fudō. The village celebrates and gives Jisai honors, but he declines and continues living humbly. His classes start to have many students, but he denies entry to Kojirō. From then on, Jisai and Kojirō battle everyday, with Jisai always winning and repeating he won't teach him the sword.
Timeskip to when Kojirō is 17. Autumn. The village uneases in the prelude of the Battle of Sekigahara. Ittōsai Itō returns, much to the dismay of his former master Jisai, and meets Kojirō. Contrary to Jisai, Ittōsai affirms that Kojirō is a natural fighter. That night Ittōsai is at the beach, when he is challenged by a group of 5 swordsmen that includes the Yoshioka members Denshichirō Yoshioka and Ryōhei Ueda. Ittōsai sees Kojirō nearby and invites him. Then, Ittōsai orders the men to fight each other until there is one left standing, who will fight him. A fighter is killed, then Kojirō enters and defeats other two. Then Kojirō fights Denshichirō. The two are novice and have numerous problems during the fight. After they have lost too much blood, they hurry to a final collision. Kojirō wins. In the fight's aftermath, while Kojirō and Denshichirō recover, all characters coincide that Kojirō's destiny is to become a formidable fighter. Jisai finally understands this and concedes. He entrusts Kojirō to Ittōsai. After Kojirō recovers, he departs with Ittōsai. Some time later, Jisai writes a swordsman certificate awarded to Kojirō, and entrusts Tenki to find Kojirō and give it to him. The story then implies that Jisai passes away.
Now travelling together, Ittōsai names Kojirō's style as Ganryū (巌流, rock style) and, to get challengers, advertizes him as Invincible Under The Heaven. The fighter Gonnosuke Musō also claims that, and fights each one: both defeat him. Gonnosuke joins them, but is told he is not mentalized yet for mortal combat. Eventually, the 3 go to the Battle of Sekigahara, but they arrive when it is already over. A young soldier approaches them: Takezō Shinmen (who will be Musashi Miyamoto). The 4 fight together against squads of survival hunters, killing many. Eventually, Takezō is defeated when his left leg is shot by an arquebus. Ittōsai kills the gunman and scares off the last hunters remaining. The 3 leave the battlefield, while Takezō lies wounded, setting the events shown at the story's start.
In the battle's aftermath, groups of peasants that lost all because of the battle are vengefully hunting soldiers. Ittōsai abandons Kojirō in the confusion of these fights, to toughen him up and convert him into his ultimate rival. Reluctantly, Gonnosuke follows Ittōsai. The story then introduces a squad of 6 soldiers that fought for the losing side and are now hiding from the manhunt. They are led by captain Sadakore. They vow to return to their lord in Ōsaka. Then all characters in the story are shown fighting for their lives. During a night combat, Sadakore's squad takes 2 casualties. They make a plan: they will dress as peasants and cross the nearby mountain to reach Ōsaka; if they find enemies, Sadakore will sacrifice himself, as the squad's oldest, so the rest can continue; if things go so bad that only one of them must survive, it will be Ichizō, the squad's youngest. Sadakore's squad reaches the mountain summit, but they find a threatening Kojirō, who has been running and fighting for days without sleep, food nor drink. The squad follows the plan and Sadakore stays to fight Kojirō. Sadakore dominates the fight with his manrikigusari, disarms Kojirō and takes his sword. Kojirō seems to be escaping, but he returns with his left arm wrapped in fabric, which he uses to block Sadakore's sword swings. Eventually the fabric unwraps, revealing that Kojirō was concealing a dagger. Kojirō kills Sadakore. However, the rest of Sadakore's squad has returned. Koun, the squad's strongest, fights Kojirō so vehemently that he breaks Kojirō's sword. Unarmed, Kojirō starts to fight Ichizō instead; he throws him and picks a sword behind him. Ichizō hesitates for too long and Kojirō kills him, to the dismay of his brother Shinjirō who can't fight due to his wound in his left leg. Kojirō renews his fight with Koun. The two are in top physical form and even become faster over the course of the battle. Both have a few close calls. In a final clash, Kojirō kills Koun. The story implies that Shinjirō, the last of Sadakore's squad, dies alone in the mountain's summit.
Yoshioka arc[edit]
(Chapters: 180—269, Volumes: 21—30)
The story returns to Musashi Miyamoto, picking up where it left. Now it's the new year's eve and he has returned to the capital, Kyōto.
Winter. Denshichirō Yoshioka formally challenges Musashi for a rematch, Musashi accepts. The city anxiously awaits the duel, due in 9 days' time. Many of the story's major characters are in Kyōto: Kojirō, Matahachi, Takuan, Otsū, Jōtarō and Osugi. Seijūrō Yoshioka knows his brother Denshichirō doesn't stand a chance against Musashi, so he sets to secretly assassinate Musashi before the duel. 1605 arrives while Musashi is resting in the Rendaiji temple's field. Seijūrō ambushes, but Musashi dodges, and the fight starts. Over the last year, Musashi has advanced so much that now his strikes and blocks are lightning-fast, and can clearly see Seijūrō's attacks. One of these, intended for his eyes, cuts instead his forehead, leaving Musashi with one more scar. Seijūrō starts to get frustrated that he can't finish Musashi. Right then, Musashi enters a no mind state, and splits Seijūrō's body in two. In the fight's aftermath, a wounded Musashi scurries to the Yoshioka dojo and leaves a letter reporting the situation. Then he goes to a river to cleanse, and finds famed sword polisher Kōetsu Hon'ami. Tired, Musashi asks him for housing, and Kōetsu accepts. He is also housing Kojirō, who passes his days playing with Kōetsu's mother Myōshū.
News of Seijūrō's death storm the city. The Yoshioka communicate he died of sickness, but rumors grow. The Yoshioka are caught in a difficult situation: the duel is in a few days and Denshichirō's skills worsen everyday. They realize why Seijūrō did that. But if they try another ambush on Musashi, everyone would know the truth. They decide, for the moment, to send teams to find Musashi's whereabouts. Musashi recovers and goes to check out the duel's site, the Rengeōin temple. Later, he tensely meets his rival, when Tōji Gion appears. Tōji, now crazy and unkempt, attacks Musashi against Denshichirō's orders. Musashi kills Tōji, then leaves. The Yoshioka track him to Kōetsu's place: an ambush is discarded. That night, Ryōhei Ueda plans that Kojirō fight in Denshichirō's place so that the Yoshioka are not compromised. Denshichirō refuses this plan, but it is accepted by the Ten Swords, Yoshioka's highest students, and teams are sent to find Kojirō's whereabouts. Matahachi, who is living as a scammer and using Kojirō's name, is caught by the Yoshioka and taken to the outskirts. Right then, Kojirō appears. Matahachi realizes he is the Kojirō who was awarded the swordsman certificate he carries. The Yoshioka start a fight and Kojirō kills 2 of them, but Matahachi manages to stop him and persuade him to go to the Yoshioka dojo. He plans to pose as Kojirō's interpreter in his path to stardom. The Yoshioka resent Kojirō's kills and Matahachi's burning of their dojo the year before, but they accept them with honors. That night, Matahachi has a chance to give Kojirō his certificate, but he skips it. Later, he finds the truth about the Yoshioka's plan, which is secret to the public. Fearing he and Kojirō will be killed after a behind closed doors duel, Matahachi escapes, but is soon caught and jailed. Kojirō also leaves, having lost interest after Ueda refused a challenge, and returns to Kōetsu's place. There, Musashi and Kojirō meet and play like it was a fight, using light sticks and a snowman. They start to be friends. Without Kojirō, now the only course of action is that Denshichirō fight. Luckily, Denshichirō improves. He has an argument with Ueda over his plan, and expels him. The night before the duel, Kōetsu polishes Musashi's sword. It is revealed he also polished Kojirō's.
The day of the duel comes. Under steady snowing, a big crowd gathers in the Rengeōin temple, including many major characters. Musashi goes to the fight, but in the way there Ueda threatens him, he continues nonetheless. Musashi arrives, late, to the temple, and the duel starts. There isn't contest: unarmed, Musashi realizes 8 ways to draw his sword and kill Denshichirō. He offers Denshichirō to call off the duel, in vain. After having enough of Denshichirō's passionate charges, which he easily dodges and blocks, Musashi finally attacks: he amputates Denshichirō's left arm, then takes his opponent's short sword and uses it against his owner, ripping his belly. Denshichirō dies. Musashi leaves. The crowd disperses.
Upon Denshichirō's death, Ueda becomes the Yoshioka head, following orders left by Denshichirō in a letter. The Yoshioka's reputation is shattered now that all say their 2 brothers were killed by Musashi, and they plan revenge. Ueda orders to deny Musashi exit from Kyōto, find him and give him a letter requesting a definitive duel at the black pine in the Ichijōji temple's field. Musashi receives the letter and ponders what to do. Matahachi, who has escaped from captivity, reunites with him. But after a peaceful chat, a drunk and susceptible Matahachi ruins all and insults Otsū, who Musashi still loves. Musashi punches him and parts ways. The Ten Swords go to check out the duel's site. Then, Ueda reveals the plan: they will attack Musashi with the 70 Yoshioka ganging up on him. And, as the place is always empty, nobody will see the execution and they could invent that a single Yoshioka exacted revenge on Musashi, thus restoring their reputation. Unbeknownst to them, Musashi has overheard all from the pine's heights. But after punching Matahachi he has reverted to his hotblooded self: he falls from the tree to fight them right there. Ueda manages to make a light wound upon him. Takuan passes by and stops them. Everyone leaves. But the Yoshioka decide not to change their plan. While having dinner in the Konpuku temple, Takuan notes Musashi for having lost composure, but Musashi responds he will leave Kyōto by another trail. He does so, but at the last second, he changes his mind and runs back to fight.
Before the battle, Musashi plans his strategy. It won't be a 1 vs 70 fight, but a 1 vs 1 fight done 70 times. But he will sense everything instead of fixing his mind in only one target. And will follow the flow and use any element. True to his habitual tricks, Musashi starts the fight half an hour earlier when his enemies aren't on guard, comes from the mountain when his enemies think he will come from the main road leading to Ichijōji's pine, and eliminates early the group's strongest fighter (Ueda) so the rest loses composure. Using lightning-fast moves, Musashi kills his enemies in just one attack. He uses enemy swords for much of the fight: by the time he uses one of his own swords, he has already killed 49 enemies. Seeing that the battle is going wrong, a different plan is devised by Yoichibe Nampo, one of the Ten Swords: cluster, throw mud into Musashi's eyes and attack him from all directions at the same time. After waiting for Musashi to fatigue, they execute the plan. The result: Yoichibe manages to pin down Musashi and orders his men to pierce through both, but they hesitate for too long and Musashi breaks Yoichibe's neck and gets up, returning to the fight. Later, Hikozo Tagaya, one of the Ten Swords, leaves another scar on Musashi's forehead before dying. Musashi continues until he kills the last in the field, but Ueda, who is revealed to have been wounded instead of killed, plans a last attempt along with Kurando, one of the Ten Swords. Having finished, Musashi sets to leave the battlefield, but first he wants to retrieve his sword that was polished by Kōetsu (he doesn't care about his short sword). He finds the sword, but Kurando and Ueda ambush him, and his right leg gets seriously cut. He kills them, picks up his sword and finally leaves. After the battle, Musashi is approached by Akemi, who confesses she always wanted him, then dashes to stab him with a dagger, in vain. Akemi says she was Seijūrō's woman, then jumps off a waterfall, committing suicide. That night, Musashi lies wounded in the snowy loneliness in the mountains.
In the arc's prologue, a flashback is shown expanding on the backstories of Kojirō Sasaki and Kōhei Tsujikaze.
Winter. Musashi regains consciousness in the Konpuku temple. He is surrounded by Otsū, Jōtarō and Takuan. It is revealed Matahachi rescued him after finding him lying wounded in the snowy night in the mountains. Musashi's cut in his right leg is found to be so serious that he won't be able to battle, and maybe even walk, ever again. News of Musashi's victorious battle single-handedly killing 70 men storm through the whole country, and many want to employ him. Many of the story's characters are shown reflecting on Musashi's accomplishments and the future. A squad of officers come to Konpuku and arrest Musashi for killing 70 men in his battle.
Musashi is imprisoned in the Nijō Castle. The local governor, Itakura Katsushige, reveals to Musashi's friend Kōetsu that the measure is in truth a protective custody, to give the wounded Musashi shelter now that he is so famous that many want to kill, challenge or employ him. Thus Musashi won't be officially punished with death. Musashi is treated fairly while in jail. His friends visit him. Takuan talks Musashi to make him reconsider his path in life, stating that now he has finally become Invincible Under The Heavens, and so he could abandon the fights, get a sword-teaching job with a lord, find a place to call home, and form a family. The story starts to show Musashi's inner demon next to him, visually representing the primitive part of his conscience. A flashback shows the fate of Baiken Shishido and Rindō, both deceased. Ueda's ghost, who still holds grudges, starts to torment Otsū and Musashi. Itakura and Musashi have some philosophical conversations, where Musashi shows he is starting to question the path he has come so far, stating he has wasted his 22 years. Itakura gives him the same advices as Takuan. Takuan and Kōetsu also have philosophical talks.
Early spring. Musashi has been imprisoned for some time. The jail guards are delighted with meeting Musashi and invite him to a practice in their dojo, where Musashi is applauded. But just when they are returning from the dojo to Nijō, Musashi smacks the guards in their heads and escapes into the woods, claiming he wants to fight again, not for the title of Invincible Under The Heavens but to see how far his skill can go.
Regarding Matahachi, he has made so many mistakes that the other characters ostracize him when they are with him in the Konpuku. He gives up on wanting Otsū and encourages Musashi and Otsū to form a couple. Then Matahachi adopts sober looks and leaves, intending to return to his mother so that both return to the Miyamoto village and he becomes the Hon'iden heir, as originally planned. He finds her in a temple, but she is very ill.
Regarding Kojirō, Myōshū starts to think he should lead a respectable life. Right then, the Hosokawa clan send some envoys to Kōetsu's place: the chief retainer Gakupe Iwama has come to Kōetsu to polish a sword of his, though Kōetsu arguments he is retired. Then Iwama says they could arrange a match between his companion, the young samurai Ienao Ogawa, and some good fighter around there like Musashi. Ogawa is then practicing with light sticks when Kojirō finds him and they begin to fight. Kojirō's fame has grown so much that Ogawa is shocked to find he is the renowned deaf sword fighter. Kojirō defeats Ogawa, who feels his defeat was so soundly that he renounces his post as one of the Hosokawa sword-instructors, and offers Kojirō his post. Kojirō accepts and has an emotional farewell with Kōetsu and Myōshū, who knows she is seeing him for the last time. The 3 sail to Kokura.
Wandering arc[edit]
(Chapters: 270—301, Volumes: 31—34)
Early spring. Musashi sets to visit Sekishūsai Yagyū and a cave near Miyamoto village that he used to visit in his childhoold, but his wounded right leg makes it more difficult. On the way, he is attacked often, but he develops an economizing technique, where he draws around himself a circle on the earth, and kills any attacker that enters that circle. In the outskirts of the Yagyū estate, he finds a threatening man that recognizes him as the Invincible Under The Heavens Musashi Miyamoto. Musashi escapes, fearing a possible duel, and goes to an inn. The same man finds him again there and reveals who he is: Ittōsai Itō. Musashi is shocked, as Ittōsai was his idol during his childhood. Ittōsai forces Musashi to a challenge. Musashi employs his economizing technique, but Ittōsai pushes him and leaves him unconscious. It seems Ittōsai has won, but later in the woods it is revealed that Musashi has made a worse cut in his torso than originally thought. Ittōsai rests and a flashback shows when Kojirō returned from his fight against the Sadakore's squad and attacked him, splitting his right hand. Ittōsai gets up and intends to resume his march, but he feels he is about to get a cold.
Musashi regains consciousness in the inn and reflects on his apparent defeat: he may have lost the fight, but Ittōsai is much more weaker spiritually than him. He resumes his march but jumps off a waterfall after a group of men spot him. Unbeknownst to him, they are men from the Hosokawa clan sent to hire him, they are led by the samurai Toyozaemon. Musashi is rescued by a peasant family, who house him. To lay low, he says his name is Takezō. Living with the family, he reflects on his life and learns about the wood carving trade, which the father in the family do for a living. He is even offered marriage, which he refuses. Eventually, he reveals his true name, and some time later he leaves the family in an emotional farewell. His journey resumes as previously, with his reflections, bandit attacks and Toyozaemon's tracking.
Regarding Matahachi, he tries to return to the Miyamoto village carrying her ill mother on his back but she dies on the way. Matahachi returns to the temple and buries her. A flashback is shown when a middle aged Osugi Hon'iden just widowed and the folks wonder how will the Hon'iden family continue as she is childless, she then adopts a baby boy from a widowed vassal woman, and renames him "Matahachi", claiming that he will become the heir of the Hon'iden family. Then the story's narrator is revealed: it has been an aged Matahachi all along. From now on, scenes with the aged Matahachi will pop up: he appears to have finally become a honest person, and he earns a living as a storyteller, sitting everyday on a bridge and telling stories about Musashi, Kojirō and himself to an ever increasing group of passerbys. He tells that after Osugi's death, he was offered to become a monk, but he refused and went instead to Kokura when he heard that Kojirō was there.
Regarding Kojirō, he and the Hosokawa envoys arrive to Kokura. There, just after he lands in the docks he starts playing with a balloon from some kids, but he bumps into a guard and soon ensues a fight against multiple men, all while he keeps doing keepie uppies with a ballon. The men stop when they see a kid on a boat on the Murasaki river that was going to drift away to the high seas, he is one of the guards' son. Kojirō takes off his clothes and jumps off the bridge, and rescues him while catching again the balloon at the same time. The rest of the guards and sailors also jump off the bridge to swim to the boat and carry it back to land. After that event, Kojirō becomes the talk of the town and the folks start to salute him on the streets and offer him benefits in their workplaces. Kojirō is then introduced to the head of the Kokura castle, Tadatoshi Hosokawa, but doubts about his capability arise due to his deafness and his flamboyant clothes, and also because the Hosokawa already have many chief sword instructors. While they are deliberating, Kojirō gets up, goes outside and tames Mogura, the horse of former clan head Tadaoki Hosokawa which was thought to be impossible to tame. After Kojirō returns, a fight is arranged between him and Kaede, one of the chief sword instructors, but the fight is short: Kojirō exposes Kaede's breasts (much to the chagrin of many of the Hosokawa samurai, who didn't know that Kaede was a woman) and gets distracted by her rosary, this greatly embarasses Kaede who smacks him, leaving him unconscious. At that very moment enters Ujiie, Tadaoki's former comrade in arms now turned chief sword instructor. He is unimpressed by Kojirō and his lack of etiquette. Tadaoki tells Tadatoshi, in a private conversation, that he intends to use Kojirō to diminish Ujiie's influence in political affairs.
Farming arc[edit]
(Chapters: 302—322, Volumes: 34—37)
Spring. Musashi is wandering in the woods when he senses a sword being polished, he finds the source: a boy that was about to chop the corpse of his dead father. He stops him and delivers a proper burial. They introduce each other: the orphan boy is named Iori, but Musashi still wants to be called Takezō. They begin to live together. Musashi sees that Iori has a very rough lifestyle, often eating bugs, and sets to turn his barren field into crops. Musashi is ploughing when some villagers pass by, quickly realizing he is a samurai. They tell Musashi to stop due to the uselessness of the field, but Musashi carries on. He completes the task, but that night a heavy storm makes the nearby river overflow its banks and flood the field, ruining his work. He tries again the next day, with the same results. Musashi intends to leave the place, but a sad Iori persuades him to stay. Musashi soon devises a new plan: he intends to create a stone floodwall around the river banks. Though he completes it, the river trespasses and the plan fails. The villagers approach Musashi and they introduce to each other. They tell him Iori's story. Musashi encourages them to take actions to prevent floods. Musashi's third plan is to dig a deep canal in the soil around his house to channel the floods instead of stopping them. The villagers start to help him. They finish the canal several months later, and come the next heavy rain, the canal proves to be a success.
Early autumn. Musashi realizes that none of the fields are fertile. Iori guides him to the only nearby rice field to hopefully get some seeds, but his owner, the old and gruff Shūsaku, doesn't help much. The local feudal lord, Sado no Kami, receives word that Musashi is working his lands, and hurries Toyozaemon's squad to nab him and take him to Kokura. Meanwhile, Musashi makes progress recovering from his injuries. However, soon news arrive about a coming locust swarm, which also means that bandits will come to steal. When the bandits arrive, Musashi stands ground and defeats them singlehandedly. Everyone realizes that this Takezō is the renowned Musashi. The locust swarm arrives and destroys all the crops, Shūsaku's included. Sado no Kami and Toyozaemon enter Musashi's house and try to persuade him about leaving to Kokura, even more now that the village seems doomed. However, Musashi rejects again the offer: he wants to grow the crops and he "doesn't want to become strong, but be strong". Toyozaemon tries to force him, but Musashi quickly defeats him. After the locusts, food in the village becomes increasingly scarce. A famine ensues and it grows harsher as the autumn goes on. Shūsaku begins to share his reserves with the other villagers, but villagers die nonetheless. Musashi tries flooding his field to make a rice paddy field, but the soil quickly dries. He continues to try to understand Shūsaku's secrets. Seeing all the actions that Musashi did since arriving, the villagers start to help him with his field. After some work, he notices that the soil changed. But they flood it again and it remains dry. However, a remark from Iori leads to them to discover that the nearby land can retain water, and they begin to expand the land. Shūsaku helps with seeds and some of his soil. They manage to finish it before a critical land freeze. When they flood it, it retains water. Now they only have to endure the winter: they will plant the rice buds when the climate warms up on the next spring. That very night, the first snow falls upon the village. Soon, the village starves to death. When Musashi sees that Iori is beginning to agonize, he is finally convinced and takes off to the place of the local lord Sado no Kami. A starving Musashi bends to the ground and asks the lord for help. Sado no Kami concedes, but with a condition: that Musashi accepts to travel to Kokura after the situation is fixed. As part of the deal, Toyozaemon will live with Musashi, to keep an eye on him and also to record about Musashi in his diaries. Musashi and Toyozaemon return to the village with food, and the villagers rejoice.
Now that the villagers are recovered from their hunger, they ask Shūsaku for two things: to teach them how to grow rice, and his permission on expanding the fertile lands around his field. Shusaku accepts both requests. Meanwhile, the village women ask Musashi for some sword lessons, he accepts: these are his first group lessons. Over the next months, Shūsaku teaches the villagers all his secrets in agriculture. Shusaku reveals that the reason that he is gruff and stays away from the villagers is because he doesn't want to be poisoned by humans. However, he confesses he is delighted that Musashi, which by now has been in the village for a year, chose to stay with them. Summer, the time for the harvest is finally here. It is revealed that 30% of the crops were lost due to many factors, but according to Shūsaku it is a very good ratio nonetheless. While helping the villagers with the final measures, he succumbs due to the summer heat and old age. The villagers bid an emotional farewell to Shusaku. Now that the harvest is over, Musashi, Iori and Toyozaemon set off to Kokura.
Hosokawa arc[edit]
(Chapters: 323—present, still unpublished in volumes)
Summer. Musashi, Iori and Toyozaemon are on the way to Kokura. Musashi and Iori want to take detours to visit other places, but Toyozaemon hurries them to arrive quickly and without detours. Some bandits attack Musashi but he makes quick work of them. Eventually, they arrive to Kyo, Sanjo, the retirement estate of Yūsai Hosokawa, grandfather of the current head Tadatoshi Hosokawa.
Meanwhile, it is revealed that both Otsū and Jōtarō are living in the Yagyū estate. Otsū does some cooking and plays with the local kids, while Jōtarō, now 15, is a promising sword apprentice.
Back in Kokura, doubts about Kojirō's capabilities still linger on, but he quickly wins all the matches arranged to prove his mastery. Tadaoki concludes that Kojirō is a valuable asset but presently he is unrefined and has to be educated. Thus, he appoints Ogawa and Kaede as his etiquette teachers. Matahachi arrives to Kokura and briefly encounters Kojirō, he tries to give him the certificate but Kojirō flees with his horse. Matahachi then sees a Christian missionary and ponders about religion, his reflections make him gain sympathy with a local family, which house him. Much as Ogawa and Kaede try, Kojirō doesn't cooperate and sabotages the classes, writing that he misses his friend Musashi. Some days later, the Hosokawa have lunch, and everyone finds that Kojirō hasn't made progress into etiquette. Furious, Tadaoki complains that Kojirō behaves like a monkey and demands Ogawa and Kaede an explanation.
References[edit]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This article "List of Vagabond story arcs" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:List of Vagabond story arcs. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
