Essential Highlights
- The acclaimed Vagabond manga by Takehiko Inoue is set to be reissued in a Definitive Edition.
- This new format will mirror the popular 3-in-1 collections, with pre-orders accessible through various retailers.
- Vagabond is celebrated for its martial arts narrative, drawing inspiration from historical swordsman Musashi Miyamoto.
An exciting teaser released on VIZ Media’s official YouTube channel has announced that the renowned Vagabond manga, crafted by Takehiko Inoue, famous for Slam Dunk, will soon be reprinted. The inaugural volume of the Vagabond: Definitive Edition is anticipated to launch on January 21, 2025.
The upcoming edition will follow a similar structure to the common 3-in-1 volume sets found in many lengthy-running manga series, in addition to the traditional stand-alone “tankōbon”format. Pre-orders can be placed at a variety of retail outlets. You can watch the Vagabond: Definitive Edition teaser trailer below.
What is Vagabond?
An Esteemed Seinen Manga
Vagabond, created by Takehiko Inoue, is a monumental martial arts manga that portrays a fictionalized biography of the famed swordsman Shinmen Takezō, celebrated as Musashi Miyamoto. The narrative is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa’s 1935 novel Musashi and has been serialized in Kodansha’s seinen magazine, Morning, since September 1998. So far, the series has been compiled into 37 volumes as of July 2014, with VIZ Media managing its English publication.
Although Vagabond has been on an indefinite hiatus since May 2015, it continues to hold a significant place in manga history with sales reaching 82 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga series ever. The series was also distinguished with the 24th Kodansha Manga Award in 2000 for the general category and received the Grand Prize at the sixth Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize in 2002. Furthermore, the U.S. edition was nominated for a Will Eisner Award in 2003 in the categories of Best Writer/Artist.
VIZ Media describes the first volume of the Definitive Edition as follows:
At just 17, Miyamoto Musashi—known initially as Shinmen Takezō—emerges as a headstrong young man on his early swordsmanship path. Following the epic Battle of Sekigahara, Takezō finds himself a lone survivor on the vanquished side, living as an outcast even within his own hometown. With his brutal reputation leading to his persecution, he faces a crucial turning point in his life, where an eccentric monk and a childhood friend are his only guides towards redemption.
Mark your calendars for the release of Vagabond: Definitive Edition Volume 1 on January 21, 2025.
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