I would like it to be known that I definitely made a lot of mistakes in this review so I apologize in advance and I advise you to read at your own discretion because there will be spoilers.

This was the second manga I read all the way through, after Chainsaw Man, and started me on my obsession with reading and collecting manga. Reading Vagabond, it feels like you're going on the journey with Musashi as he becomes a better person and fights his battles, both external and internal. Beginning the manga, I expected it to turn out the same way most stories I've seen that fit this format, with Musashi becoming the strongest swordsman. Even that, the first part of the manga, where Musashi is essentially going around and fighting anyone he can to establish himself as being incredibly strong and a worthy opponent for other swordsman, was enjoyable to read. That part is crucial to his character development, plus the fight scenes just look cool.

I love the wide range of personalities Musashi encounters, and it's fun watching him defeat all of them. He feels like an underdog for the longest time, even though we know how powerful he is. The character of Sasaki Kojiro is also written really well, in the way he contrasts Musashi, as they're both some of the strongest swordsmen but Kojiro seems so much sillier compared to the sometimes serious to a fault Musashi. I love Musashi and Otsu and I pray Inoue brings them together somehow because the way it is between them as of now is incredibly unsatisfying.

Seeing Musashi realize that his true strength doesn't come from his ability to kill as many people as possible and instead comes from kindness is amazing. It seems really cliche, and I agree, it is, but it's just so well written and Inoue is such an amazing mangaka that it feels organic and, I guess the best way to put it, not lame. It's cringey to say but reading Vagabond changed my view on a lot of things and made me reconsider how I view strength. Though I'm not nothing like Musashi, as I haven't even gotten close to killing someone, it's easy to look at his life and draw parallels to mine, and I think essentially anyone can do that with his character. It's also good to add that Vagabond's artwork is flawless and has brought me some of my favorite manga panels ever.

I think everyone should read Vagabond, even though it's kinda long it's 100% worth it, and though I understand people who call it overhyped, I think it's anything but. There isn't much I wouldn't do to be able to experience this work of art for the first time again. I can't wait until Inoue finally comes back and until then I'll be slowly reading other mangas and never completing them.

"All truly strong people are kind."

"Preoccupied with a single leaf, you won’t see the tree. Preoccupied with a single tree, you’ll miss the entire forest."

"Inside, I am infinite."