The Worst Ronin
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
When an unlikely pair of female samurai join forces, what begins as your run-of-the-mill quest for glory and revenge evolves into something much more complicated. Turns out fighting actual demons doesn’t mean you’re not running from your own internal ones. Nimona meets Attack on Titan in this edgy, unexpectedly hilarious, genre-defying young adult graphic novel.
Being a samurai isn’t easy. Sixteen-year-old Chihiro Ito knows that more than anyone. Her father is renowned among the samurai, but the only thing Chihiro is known for is spending way too much time on her phone obsessing over Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiro’s idol and the first woman to be accepted into Kesi Academy, a prestigious samurai school.
So, when Chihiro’s father is conscripted for service and the opportunity arises to work with Tatsuo in his stead, Chihiro jumps at the chance to prove that she’s worthy of a spot at Kesi Academy and the samurai title. Their mission: kill the yamauba demon terrorizing a village. With a legendary samurai like Tatsuo by her side, Chihiro is convinced victory is inevitable. But Tatsuo isn’t at all like the hero Chihiro imagined. Foulmouthed, quick tempered, and a terrible drunk, Tatsuo completely turned her back on the samurai way and is now a ronin working for hire as a means of escaping the grief that haunts her. Forced to work together, the two are thrust on a treacherous journey filled with epic battles and twisted conspiracies as they must put aside their differences to save the village and face the demons of the past.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Female samurai with cell phones and Wi-Fi turn feudal Japan upside down in this humorous, genre-bending graphic novel by Tokuda-Hall (The Siren, the Song, and the Spy) and animator Schaffer. Nineteen-year-old Tatsuo Nakano's status as the first female samurai results in awe and scorn from peers and strangers alike. When she's unable to protect her best friend, she denounces her duties and becomes a ronin. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Chihiro Ito, who must undergo a military mission when her disabled father cannot, seeks a ronin to help successfully complete the task. A big fan of Tatsuo and hoping to learn the way of the samurai from her, Chihiro seizes the opportunity to hire Tatsuo when she encounters her during a brawl. Tokuda-Hall deftly balances serious examinations of gender roles and melancholy atmosphere with smart dialogue and toilet humor, and cynical Tatsuo and naive Chihiro's oddball pairing results in witty exchanges and heartfelt scenes of personal reflection. Schaffer's expressive figures adeptly convey emotionally heavy moments while flashbacks in dramatic b&w juxtapose vibrant present-day occurrences. Characters are portrayed with varying skin tones. Ages 14–up.