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The recently released Vagabond Definitive Edition Vol. 1 is on sale for $43 (was $55) at Amazon. Published on January 21 by Viz Media, Vagabond Definitive Edition is a 728-page book collecting the first three volumes in Takehiko Inoue’s beloved manga in one handsome hardcover. Vagabond is regarded as one of the best manga of all time.
$43 (was $55)
This new edition of Vagabond is presented in oversized hardcover format, which should make Inoue’s beautiful and brutal visuals really shine. So far, 37 individual volumes of Vagabond–collected in 12 books–were published before Inoue took a break from the series to focus on his health and other projects. The pursuit of perfection and weekly publishing schedule took its toll on Inoue, and a year after the hiatus, he returned to his basketball roots with the series Real, an inspiring sports story focused on wheelchair basketball.
If you’re new to Vagabond and don’t want to drop $43 to check it out, most of the previously released paperbacks, which contain three volumes each, can be purchased from Amazon for around $20 each.
There’s no indication that Inoue will return to Vagabond in the future, but the current volumes are worth reading for their intricate plotting and mesmerizing visuals.
If you’ve never read it, Vagabond follows the tale of Shinmen Takezou through 16th-century Japan. Also known as the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, the manga is a fictionalized account of his life and is based on Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel Musashi. A decades-spanning story, Vagabond focuses not only on the battles that made Musashi a legend but also on the more intimate moments of his life as he strives for enlightenment, through stunning art.
For more deluxe manga, you should also check out Trigun, Vinland Saga, and Berserk collections. Based on the early teaser of Vagabond’s cover art, the definitive edition has an understated aesthetic reminiscent of these recent deluxe edition hardcovers. Berserk and Trigun are published by Dark Horse Manga, while Vinland Saga is from Kodansha Comics.
