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Kojiro is a struggling young teacher and the supervisor of his high school's kendo club. He barely has enough time or resources to support himself, let alone his students. However, when an old friend challenges him to a bet involving a year's worth of premium sushi, Kojiro finds a new mission: to defeat his friend's kendo team! But before he can arrange a match between the two schools' teams, he needs to assemble a five-member female squad. The first person he targets is Tamaki Kawazoe, an exceptional kendo athlete and the daughter of a renowned dojo master. Unfortunately, she isn't particularly interested in practicing kendo for fun. How can Kojiro persuade her to join the team?
(Source: Yen Press)
Note: Originally published with 117 chapters, it was later condensed into 102 chapters in the tankoubons. Additionally, there are 5 special stories, bringing the total chapter count to 107.
Bamboo Blade was published in English by Yen Press from May 12, 2009, to August 21, 2012, and became available digitally on April 22, 2014. It has also been published in Italian by Panini Comics under the Planet Manga imprint since October 10, 2015.
Bamboo Blade is one of those manga you stumble upon on a random manga site and decide to give it a shot. Then, you find it at your local bookstore and buy it just because you have some extra cash.
At least, that's what happened to me.
Bamboo Blade is a manga with a very slow pace. If you've watched the Bamboo Blade anime, you probably noticed this since it also moves slowly. The story is quite simple: Tojiro needs to win a kendo match and gather five girls for this match, or he risks giving his sensei a beaten-up trophy. I gave the story a seven because it's a very normal and straightforward plot. Nonetheless, it's still entertaining.
The art is good, but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. The art is just, well, a little lacking for me. However, I find that the art is starting to grow on me, and man, Tama-chan is so cute!
The characters are great. Why? Because they all fit together nicely and have distinct personalities. Take the five girls on the team for example: Tama-chan, the quiet, underdeveloped girl with unbelievable kendo skills; Kirino, the bright, funny, sarcastic girl who seems to illuminate whatever room she's in; Miya-Miya, Dan-kun's gorgeous girlfriend with a split personality and a sadistic love for whacking people when he's not around (she's my personal favorite); Saya, who always quits in the middle of doing things and looks too tall to be a girl; and finally, Satori, a naive, strong kendo-playing girl who is always concentrating on her studies and was tricked by Miya-Miya into joining the club thinking kendo would improve her grades. How about that cast?
The enjoyment factor is a ten because I find that a lighthearted story with a nice crop of characters, fights, and laughs is an enjoyment in its own right. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes corny jokes, all-out kendo battles, and gorgeous, sadistic girls.
I read this manga when I was in middle school. Now, as an adult, I barely remember its story, only that it was somehow good. When I decided to reread it, I realized I had stumbled upon a treasure.
To start, this manga is a relaxed read for the first half. However, it subtly and smoothly transforms into something else in the second half. Initially, it's your typical shounen manga centered around kendo. But later, it transitions into a seinen genre without abandoning its shounen roots. Doesn't that transformation make it messy? No, it doesn’t.
Transitioning smoothly from one genre to another is incredibly challenging, if not nearly impossible. Yet, shifting from shounen to seinen can be as natural as a teenager becoming an adult within a year. Shounen tends to focus on "what I want," filled with burning passion and hard work. The first half of this manga does just that but in a very laid-back manner. Almost every character focuses on what they want to do in their daily lives (not specifically referring to Saya).
In contrast, seinen often emphasizes "what I have to do." It reflects an adult mentality that only someone who has experienced adulthood can truly relate to. This genre delves into the gravity of duty, responsibility, and commitment. In this manga, the transition between the two halves is seamless, transforming desires into necessities without losing any of its shounen essence. This is evident in UmexUra battles and Tama’s discovery of her reason to wield her shinai.
That transformation naturally leads to consequences, primarily character development. This aspect makes this manga a true treasure. Character growth here shines brightly, potentially rivaling other notable anime and manga titles. These developments are extensive and profound, but Ishida's stands out. His journey feels incredibly realistic, honest, and touching.
There are two sad points I’d like to highlight personally. First, this manga could have gone further. Even the author, Masahiro Totsuka sensei, had envisioned what would happen after Hiryuuki. Unfortunately, it stopped, which was disappointing. Second, there's a noticeable gap between the anime and manga versions in terms of story and style. Personally, I prefer the manga version because it handles development more smoothly and impactfully. But that’s that.
Give this manga a try. I hope you enjoy it and, more importantly, that it impacts your life. 😊
A Fun Read:
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD;;; (37 chapters released at time of writing)
I came across this manga while browsing a manga website. Initially, it didn't grab my attention, but I decided to give it a try out of sheer boredom.
The plot is straightforward: A teacher who runs the Kendo club makes a bet with his former school senior. If his girls' kendo team can defeat the senior's team, he wins a year's worth of free meals at the senior's restaurant. However, assembling even five girls for the competition proves challenging. But then he discovers the incredible skills of a young girl whom he is determined to recruit for his team.
I found this manga to be fun and lighthearted—a blend of slice-of-life, sports, and high school life. Although these elements aren't usually what I look for in a manga, I enjoyed it. The characters are well-developed, especially Tama-chan, whose background has been intriguing so far. The other characters are colorful and possess unique traits that are either humorous or interesting to read about.
In summary, read this if you're in the mood for something light and not too serious. Even if the plot doesn't fully capture your interest, the characters will likely draw you in enough to keep reading. I am definitely looking forward to upcoming chapters in this series.