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the Complete Review
the complete review - fiction



Musashi

by
Yoshikawa Eiji


general information | review summaries | our review | links | about the author

To purchase Musashi


Title: Musashi
Author: Yoshikawa Eiji
Genre: Novel
Written: 1939 (Eng. 2026)
Length: 1692 pages
Original in: Japanese
Availability: Musashi: vols. one, two, and three - US
Musashi - UK
Musashi - Canada
Musashi - France
Musashi - Deutschland
Musashi - Italia
Musashi (I) - España
from Bookshop.org - vols. one, two, and three (US)
  • Japanese title: 宮本武蔵
  • First published serially, between 1935 to 1939
  • Published in three volumes (corresponding to the eight volumes of the original Japanese book-publication of the work): Earth, Water and Fire; Wind and Ether; and Moon, Sun & Perfect Clarity
  • Translated and with an Introduction by Alexander Bennett
  • Previously translated by Charles S. Terry (1981; with a Foreword by Edwin O. Reischauer)

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Our Assessment:

B : Somewhat simple but good and satisfying adventure-fun

See our review for fuller assessment.



Review Summaries
Source Rating Date Reviewer
The NY Times Book Rev.* D 13/9/1981 Sheldon Frank
Sunday Times* . 22/4/1990 .

(* review of the earlier translation)

  From the Reviews:
  • "One can safely assume that Yoshikawa's epic has struck a responsive chord with Japanese readers, to understate slightly. (...) Perhaps "unifying thread" is too strong a word for the weak filament that ties the episodes together so loosely. Musashi is so severely episodic and dramatically sluggish that the mind wearies after a few hundred pages or so. (...) What meager coherence Musashi does have rests largely on an almost ludicrous series of the most remarkable accidents and coincidences. (...) The Way of the Samurai has become the Path of the Tedious, and even the most ardent Japanophiles will doze." - Sheldon Frank, The New York Times Book Review

  • "The story is episodic in a way unfamiliar to Western readers, but has substantial enough characters and storylines to hold the attention" - Sunday Times
  Quotes:
  • "These two-dimensional people swarm through their two-dimensional settings at the pace required by daily newspaper installments, each section a cliff-hanger. (...) In continuing to search for reasons for Musashi's current American popularity, I would mention its rendering into English. I have nothing but praise for Charles Terry's translation. Though he himself possesses a distinguished English style, both clear and lucid, (apparent to any who have read his other work), he seems to have realized from the beginning that such would not benefit Musashi. So he took, I think, a calculated risk and translated into an exquisite pastiche of pop-book style. (...) He has also energetically pruned. Indeed, this translation is only (...) two-thirds of the original book. I think this, and his other simplifications, a good thing, and cannot imagine that the missing third could add anything to our pleasure." - Donald Richie, Japanese Literature Reviewed (2003)

Please note that these ratings solely represent the complete review's biased interpretation and subjective opinion of the actual reviews and do not claim to accurately reflect or represent the views of the reviewers. Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. We acknowledge (and remind and warn you) that they may, in fact, be entirely unrepresentative of the actual reviews by any other measure.

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The complete review's Review:

       The Musashi of the title is an historical figure -- Miyamoto Musashi (ca.1582-1645) -- of considerable renown, even though relatively little about him is ascertainable, with translator Alexander Bennett noting in his Introduction that author Yoshikawa himself maintained that all that was known of him made for: "a life distilled down to '60 or 70 lines of printed text'". Bennett points out that, by now, considerably more is known about Musashi; regardless, Yoshikawa's protagonist is a very freely drawn one, even as this enormous work of fiction is well-grounded in (other) historical fact and detail.
       The action in Musashi only covers about a dozen years, from 1600 to 1612, concluding with Musashi literally sailing off -- if not quite into the sunset, at least here into the left-unknown, Yoshikawa leaving open the questions: "Where did he direct the boat ? Where did it land ?" Musashi lived another three decades, and seems to have led a fairly eventful life beyond what is presented in the novel; he also completed a written work of his own, The Book of Five Rings.
       'Musashi' appears as such only well into the story, near the conclusion of the first of the eight main books of the novel. Until that point, it is the story of 'Shinmen Takezō' -- though of course readers can guess this character is, or at least will become, Musashi. This is more obvious in the Japanese original, as the kanji used to write 'Takezō' -- 武蔵 -- can also be read as: 'Musashi'. (Many Japanese/Chinese characters have multiple possible pronunciations, depending also on their meaning.)
       The opening of the novel finds: "Takezō lay sprawled among the corpses, as if dead already himself". He and buddy Hon'iden Matahachi had gone, like so many others, to fight for glory in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) -- a defining conflict, where: "In just half a day the fate of the nation and the destinies of thousands of men were sealed -- their legacies set to unfurl from this battlefield for generations", with the many aftereffects, from political and social upheaval to the many former and still-want-to-be warriors trying to find a place in the quickly changing world, rippling through the story. Takezō and Matahachi are among those that have survived -- with Matahachi the more seriously injured -- but are still in danger; they find refuge with the widow Okō and her fifteen-year-old daughter Akemi.
       When they first encounter her, Takezō notes to Matahachi: "That girl, Akemi, doesn't she remind you of Otsū ?" -- Matahachi's betrothed, left behind without a word when they went off to fight in the war. Yet Matahachi will find himself ensnared by the domineering Okō for the next few years, living in their household (finding himself: "the plaything of a flirtatious widow, condemned to a life of humiliation, mockery, and shameful impotence")-- while both Akemi and Otsū will pine over and seek out Musashi, their paths repeatedly crossing with his -- as, for example: "Not a single day passed without Otsū thinking of Musashi -- a burden that weighed heavily on her", while Akemi comes to see: "No matter how passionately she might yearn for him, there always lurked the feeling that such longing was hopeless. Meanwhile, Matahachi's mother, Osugi, blames Takezō/Musashi for what has become of Matahachi -- first fearing that he had been killed, then outraged by how he has dishonored and failed the family, and she too makes it her mission to seek out Musashi and make him pay. (She's not too happy with Otsū, either, and will hunt after her for years as well.)
       For all his manly fighting prowess, Musashi isn't much of a ladies' man, however, even as he is occasionally distracted and disturbed by his own lustful longings. While he never shies away from a fight, he often turns tail when he fears being waylaid by one of his female admirers; avoidance is his default reaction. As someone points out to Otsū: "it seems that no matter how earnestly you offer him your love, Musashi runs from it, doesn't he ?"
       Even when, after a long separation, Musashi again encounters Otsū and can't deny his feelings, he struggles to open up to her:

Now, more than ever, he wanted to speak just one sincere word to Otsū. It seemed to him the greatest kindness he could show her. Truth. But he couldn't speak it. The truth filled his heart completely, but the harder he tried to voice it, the more impossible it became. Instead, he could only look at the sky, at empty spaces -- anywhere else but into her eyes.
       And even when he can actually profess his love ... well, as he makes clear, that's not quite enough:
I love you. Not a single day has gone by without you in my thoughts. You have no idea how many times I've wished I could leave it all behind and spend my life with you. But there was always one thing that held me tighter, something I love even more -- the Way of the sword.
       Musashi makes moves towards a closer union with Otsū, but always with that slight reservation:
Whatever she asked of him when they met today, he would gladly consent. So long as it did not corrupt his swordsmanship -- so long as it did not make him stray from his path of training.
       He does mess things up by then coming on too strong, unable to fully contain himself, leaving Otsū wondering: "Are all men like that ?" -- but unable also to deny the strong feelings still surging through her, "unsettling her to the core". Still, it puts a damper on their relationship -- and they are soon separated again; Yoshikawa seems to find it easiest not to keep female temptation too close at hand too often. That said, Musashi is mostly a goes-his-own-way kind of guy anyway -- not quite a loner, but a wandering rōnin, unattached to any particular school. (An amusing contrast to Musashi's noble path is the very different one of hapless Matahachi, who struggles for any sort of hold and makes a hash of pretty much everything he touches along the way.)
       So, Musashi has a dash or two of romance, but it is first, foremost, and mainly a novel of the samurai-life, with a focus on honor -- family and personal --, fighting-prowess, and tradition.
       Other significant figures in the story include the young scamp Jōtarō -- "an impossible brat, utterly spoiled" -- who latches onto Musashi as his disciple, even though he initially suspects Musashi isn't all that impressive a warrior. Even with Jōtarō as his disciple, Musashi continues to often go his own way, while Jōtarō befriends Otsū and they variously wind up together. Eventually, Musashi also takes on another disciple, orphan San'nosuke, also then called Iori. And there is also Takuan, the playful Zen monk who, when the novel opens, had lived at Otsū's temple for the past three or four years; typically, the first scene in which he appears has him appear indifferently nude in front of Otsū. His path, too, will repeatedly crisscross with that of the other significant figures.
       (There are many, many more figures that play prominent roles in the novel -- especially adversaries of Musashi --, and the novel could certainly have used a cast-of-characters listing for reference. Volumes two and three do each begin with a helpful and quite detailed recap-chapter of the previous volume, but a reference list simply of the characters would be very welcome.)
       Early on, Takezō is on the run, and it is Takuan who captures him -- and, eventually, gets to decide his punishment (saving Takezō from otherwise pretty certain death). Takezō is locked away for three years. Takuan had criticized him, maintaining: "Your fundamental way of thinking is flawed", and now, in this punishment, gives him the opportunity to change and prepare for the future. Takezō's cell is stuffed with books -- "The room could almost be described as entombed in books" -- and Takuan encourages him:
Think of this dark room as your mother's womb, preparing you for rebirth. To the naked eye, it's just a sealed, dark chamber -- but look carefully. Here lies the brilliance of the sages of Japan and China. Whether this place becomes a dungeon of darkness or a treasury of enlightenment depends entirely upon your mind.
       There's little description of Takezō's three-year-stay and what he reads and learns, but it seems to do him some good -- and when he is finally free to go again he is, and styles himself, a new man. As Takuan suggests:
And from today, as you emerge from the dark womb of that chamber into the world of light, let's call you Musashi instead of Takezō. Change your first name using the same characters to write it, but with a different reading. Today marks the first day of your rebirth. Everything begins anew.
       (Still, Musashi then does sometimes wonder, for example: "I'm not sure reading all those books was a good thing or not" .....)
       As Musashi ventures out his first major test comes from the Yoshioka school, which has seen better days. The founder of the dojo was: "a man of great stature"; his sons Seijūrō and Denshichirō ... not so much. Still, they haven't completely run the place down yet, their father's legacy still quite impressive: "Their estate was magnificent and their disciples numerous enough to be considered unrivaled in Kyoto, the very center of Japan". The Yoshioka disciples don't fare well against Musashi, and eventually it comes to a duel between Musashi and Seijūrō -- which another significant figure, Sasaki Kojirō puts the ... final touches to.
       Kojirō, the scion of a distinguished family who had already founded his own school, despite his youth, is already known as: "a true master of the sword", wielding his favorite weapon, a sword known as 'Drying Pole', and he will come to be Musashi's foremost adversary -- and, as Akemi recognizes:
Kojirō ... Kojirō was different. He might not fit society's typical notion of a villain, but he was undeniably sick. He found joy not in human happiness but in the miseries and tragedies of others, using their suffering as nourishment for his own warped pleasure.
       He is also ruthlessly ambitious -- indeed:
     "I have no ambitions for a stipend." Though he often said this, every fiber of his being was charged with ambition. It was inconceivable that he lacked a desire for recognition. He pursued fame and advancement to the very limits of his abilities. Otherwise, why endure the grueling trials of training ? It was all for achievement, for renown, for the day he could return to his village bathed in glory. It was to fulfill every facet of what it meant to him to be a human being.
       So he is, in almost every respect -- save fighting-prowess -- the opposite of the noble Musashi, who comes to be convinced that:
     If swordsmanship is a true path, surely it must offer more than mere killing. It should enable one to improve society. Thus, Musashi now believed he could use the Way of the Sword not just for personal growth, but to help contribute to society as well.
       Kojirō also figures some in Musashi's conflict with the Yoshioka-followers, though mainly as a middleman -- with even the Yoshioka men noting: "There's something off about that bloke". When it comes to big duel pitting the Yoshioka men against Musashi, his opponents are willing to do whatever it takes to defeat the lone warrior, including tactics that they admit are cowardly and might attract public scorn; no matter:
     The priority is Musashi's death, not our reputation. Victory allows us to shape public opinion afterward. But if we fail, the truth won't matter; people will dismiss or explanations as mere excuses.
       The clash is led by Seijūrō and Denshichirō's uncle, Mibu Genzaemon -- but officially fought in the name of Genzaemon's heir, his teenage son Genjirō, the last in the Yoshioka line. Dad reässures the kid:
Today's duel is in your name, but fear not. The actual fighting will be handled by other disciples. You're still too young, so just wait here and observe while they take care of business.
       Of course, the only one who takes care of business is Musashi, despite being so outnumbered, and with the other side hardly playing fair -- beginning with a shocking but certainly effective blow by Musashi.
       Minor irritants and challenges continue to crop up, but for a while Musashi's life becomes less eventful. When he comes across young San'nosuke/Iori, he even settles down and tends to the land for a while -- here too proving very successful. He also helps the local villagers finally turn away the bandits that had repeatedly plagued them.
       It is a period of great change in the Japan of these times, not least with a geographical shift of power. As even Matahachi understands, Edo (now Tokyo) is on the rise:
I've heard it's becoming the new power center of Japan. Osaka and Kyoto are old news; around the new Edo Castle, a vibrant city's emerging, apparently.
       Musashi also realizes time are changing:
     The long era of tangled chaos seemed on the verge of yet another turning point. The days when unbridled human nature was celebrated had passed. [...] It was a shift -- from disorder to order, from ruin to renewal.
       In a sense, Musashi had been in the vanguard, and certainly this is part of what Yoshikawa wants to convey:
His path had diverged entirely from that of the conventional swordsman, leading him in a fundamentally different direction. Rather than seeking to serve a Shōgun as a sword instructor, he felt compelled to take the hands of farmers and common folk, using his skills to carve a path toward governing and improving the land. The sword of conquest, the sword of killing -- those had been wielded to their limits by the people of the past, and their purpose had already run its course.
       Of course, the transition isn't entirely straightforward, and Musashi's path does continue to include some sharp turns. He also comes to the attention of the illustrious Hosokawa clan, where eldest son Tadatoshi oversees family affairs in Edo. One of the clan's retainers, Iwama Kakubei, is eager to have the clan take on Sasaki Kojirō, who seems: "a promising candidate for service in the House of Hosokawa", and strongly supports his candidacy (though Kojirō himself hems and haws about going into such service). Meanwhile, elder retainer Nagaoka Sado can't help but be intrigued by what he's heard about Musashi.
       Before they are pitted against each other, however, both Kojirō and Musashi have other issues to deal with. Kojirō takes on (many) members of the Obata Military Academy, disgracing them, while Musashi seems to run away from a fight, in what is taken to be a cowardly retreat. Musashi's reputation -- as well-spread by his many enemies -- continues to be a stumbling block regarding any sort of official advancement, here or also then later, when he is to be appointed instructor to the Shōgun, "a role of immense prestige", with the offer quickly rescinded (among the knocks against him: "Particularly striking was the claim that his most relentless opponent was an elderly woman over sixty years of age", as Osugi hasn't given up her quest for vengeance ...).
       Musashi isn't particularly troubled at not getting an official position, quite happy to be able to continue to go his own way. For quite some stretches later in the novel, he doesn't figure prominently at all, including a time when he is imprisoned. Later, too, he chooses perhaps unexpected paths -- explaining:
Living in the back alleys and experiencing the diverse lives of the townsfolk is a form of training. I'm not idly waiting for the master's return; I'm also undergoing my own training by living among the people
       Indeed, much of what he does and experiences is only very generally presented, much of it simply summed up:
Musashi's path had been unpredictable, appearing one day and vanishing the next like a floating cloud among the mountain peaks. His journey seemed to have a purpose and a certain method, yet at the same time, it appeared entirely aimless.
     To Musashi himself, it felt as though he was resolutely following a straight path, free from distraction. Yet, to anyone observing from outside, he seemed merely to wander freely, drifting here and there, stopping and starting at whim.
       Meanwhile, we follow the adventures of some of the other characters. Several had found their way into the orbit of the "mysterious and enigmatic figure" of 'Daizō of Narai': Akemi had become one of his "exclusive mistresses, bound to serve his whims", while Jōtarō, long separated from his master, Musashi, "served him with unwavering loyalty as an adopted son". And, yes: "It was almost inevitable that someone as naive as Matahachi would be lured into becoming his pawn". Daizō is behind some brazen thefts and the plans to assassinate the new Shōgun -- but is he a plain, greedy criminal or a kind of Robin Hood ? Jōtarō, for example, is convinced: "What we do is for the people -- to redirect wealth for the greater good". It takes Takuan's involvement -- yes, he show up here, too -- to sort things out, including sending Jōtarō and Matahachi on new paths, with Matahachi settling in to a new, if rather unexpected, lifestyle and career for a while (though even this one doesn't completely take -- though at least he abandons it for a good reason, for once doing the right thing).
       Musashi's wanderings continue -- with Otsū, and a possible future with her, still coming frequently to mind. But there are show-downs that can't be avoided -- including Osugi finally catching up to Otsū ..... But, of course, it all comes down to one grand face-off:
     Musashi had long anticipated that a confrontation with Sasaki Kojirō, now known as Ganryū, would be inevitable. Finally, that time had arrived.
       Well, not so fast ... Yoshikawa draws out the suspense; it's only in the closing pages, after a long build-up that includes Musashi's voyage to the chosen battlefield (with a meeting -- one last one ? -- with Otsū along the way), that the two finally do battle. It is, of course, a clash of styles and more:
Kojirō believed in the sword of technique and force; Musashi trusted in the sword of spirit. That was the crucial difference.
       Describing an earlier confrontation, Yoshikawa writes:
Even among men who spoke of martial arts daily and wielded swords and bows as naturally as chopsticks, witnessing an actual duel -- beyond the controlled confines of training -- was a rare and electrifying event, one they might only experience a few times in their lives.
     If asked, hypothetically, which is the more terrifying -- fighting on the battlefield or a one-on-one match in peacetime -- and if the many samurai present were to answer honestly, they would all, without exception, declare it to be the match. War is the action of a collective, where individuals find some solace in numbers. A match, however, is the ultimate confrontation between two individuals. There is no room for retreat, no margin for error. It is a fight where one must either win or risk death or permanent injury. Every fiber of one's being -- from the big toe to the smallest strand of hair -- must work in perfect harmony, exhausting every ounce of vitality, skill, and doggedness to prevail.
     In a duel like this, there is no reprieve, no chance to catch one's breath while others fight. It is a relentless, solitary contest.
       So also the arc of Musashi takes its protagonist from being one among many on the battlefield in its opening scene to a final, one-on-one clash (on an island, no less). (Musashi has fought individuals along the way, but it is also noteworthy that most of his battles have had him face more than single adversary.) The duel between Musashi and Kojirō is the culmination of what each has been working towards and living for, a be-all, end all -- and so also: "Their conflict unfolded in an absolute void".
       Yes, the ending might feel a bit easy -- Musashi sailing off into the not-quite-sunset (as noted, he lived -- and was active, in various capacities -- for another three decades) -- but it's an appropriate highpoint to have built towards, and Yoshikawa pulls it off quite well; it is a satisfying enough ending to the novel.
       Originally published as a newspaper serial, the narrative is presented in chapters that are further subdivided into short subchapter of more or less uniform (about two-page) length, with things moving along at a good clip, with some sort of action or drama almost always packed into each of the short installments. The serial set-up makes for a very even-paced narrative, for better and worse, but Yoshikawa spins his stories skillfully enough that the structure doesn't feel too awkward; yes, there's an almost rhythmic steadiness (and sameness) to how the narrative advances, but it doesn't feel plodding.
       There's a great deal of dialogue throughout -- and, presumably to save space, some of the alternating dialogue is even presented in the same lines, which can get a bit dizzying/irritating:
     After a while, Musashi asked, "Much further ?"
     "Where ?" "The main gate of Koyagū Castle."
     "Are we going to the castle ?" "Yes."
     "Are we going to staying at the castle tonight ?" "We'll see."
     "It's right there, just ahead, the main gate."
       [The editorial slip here -- the missing be -- of course doesn't help here, either ..... There are a handful of typographical errors in the text, but this is about as grievous as it gets; not too bad for a text of over half a million words.]
       Alexander Bennett's English tries to capture the novel's various registers -- from stylized-ritual to very roughly conversational (very rough, at times; e.g.: "This wee rat 'ere done spotted us an' was fixin' t' skitter off an' tip someone th' wink"), apparently reflecting Yoshikawa's original (the previous translation by Charles S. Terry apparently takes a similar approach, with much of the language intentionally pulpy). At times Bennett seems to try too hard, and the word choices can sound off -- "Have you gone completely potty ?" or: "We should punish all those dorks", or: "She's caring and pretty -- a serious babe", for example. Some of the wordplay seems a bit of a stretch, too -- "What the fugu ... ?" and similar variations crop up repeatedly -- with some of the word-choices regarding the sexual perhaps too ... on point, as when Seijūrō tries to express some remorse (or something like that, anyway) at having raped Akemi, telling her:
It's not just me ... most men are like this. One day, you'll understand. My love was too penetrating, too much for you to handle, and it scared you.
       And apparently Bennett couldn't resist, given that the renowned young swordsman has a pet monkey, to have Sasaki Kojirō joke:
That's just because I'm still immature. Once I get myself a woman, I'll probably forget all about spanking that monkey.
       While a samurai-story, Musashi isn't just one battle after another; in fact, Yoshikawa doses them well, and also offers a good variety -- it isn't just the same kind of sword-clash, time after time. The coïncidences -- especially the chance meetings (and near-missings, as one or another character slips away rather than meet someone face to face ...) -- can, however, be a bit much; if there is anything Yoshikawa relies on (far) too much, it's this. (Two of the characters who had thought they were without family also come to learn that they are siblings -- though, of course, not immediately or then easily reünited .....)
       In following the storylines of a variety of the characters, the novel is pulled in a few different directions -- but with too little seen through: we get episodes from the lives of others, but then they are ignored for years and long stretches; yes, Musashi could have been a much longer work, as certainly some of these lives would have been interesting to follow more closely. Oddly, too, Musashi is left to his own devices for some rather long stretches as well, his life and progress continuing off stage, as it were. Despite all that, Yoshikawa generally quickly and quite casually fills in what readers have missed, by the bye -- to the extent that the rare occasions when he is more explicit it stands out, e.g.: "Yet here, we must pause to explain how it came to be that Otsū found refuge in the Yagyū household"; for the most -- practically the entire -- part, Yoshikawa rarely pauses in this (or any) way.
       Musashi exemplifies the lone fighter -- even as he is often called upon to deal with several attackers at the same time. As teenage Takezō, a foot-soldier among many fighting in the Battle of Sekigahara, he is a failure, and while he comes close to getting a position that would make him part of a larger organization several times, ultimately he can only remain an unattached individual. The pro and contra show themselves already in the type of fighter he becomes:
Because Musashi had never submitted himself to a master, he had certainly faced many hardships and disadvantages in his training -- but precisely because he was masterless, he had gained something valuable as well. He had never been confined to existing styles or forms. His swordsmanship was bound neither by convention nor by prescribed secrets. Rather, his was a nameless, formless swordsmanship born solely from the fusion of imagination and practical action in boundless space.
       Musashi's tale unfolds against a rapidly changing Japan -- with Yoshikawa understanding that he can only limitedly be a hero of (t)his time. Even in the closing paragraphs Yoshikawa notes how: "Even long after the duel, there remained those displeased with Musashi's actions that day" -- and, at the end, Musashi sails off into some unknown distance, rather than returning to the mainland. (Though, of course, the real Musashi would eventually continue to be active in Japan proper for quite a while.)
       Musashi is certainly a good -- if quite tangled -- adventure yarn, and offers lots of simple enjoyment. There is more depth to it as well, even if Yoshikawa does not do as much with much of the potential here -- from Musashi's spiritual journey to the politics of the age -- as he might. Without annotations, this edition sometimes leaves readers somewhat at sea -- though really, what would have helped most would have been a simple cast-of-characters list (there are a lot characters -- and yes, quite a few go under more than one name). Bennett's translation is -- intentionally -- uneven, reflecting the narrative's and characters' different registers and tones, and while there are some cringe-worthy turns of phrase it mostly reads well.
       (Charles S. Terry earlier translation was apparently abridged and while reviews of it suggest critics found that what was on offer was more than enough (and were grateful there wasn't more ...), this edition and translation -- touted as unabridged -- doesn't feel overfull and I can't see any obvious excess we'd be better off without. If anything, Yoshikawa offers too little as far as some storylines and characters go -- including parts of Musashi's path. (I have not seen the Terry translation, so I can't compare the two reading experiences.))
       All in all, this is a good, fun long read.

- M.A.Orthofer, 8 March 2026

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Links:

Musashi: Reviews (* review of the earlier translation): Other books of interest under review:

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About the Author:

       Japanese author Yoshikawa Eiji (吉川英治) lived 1892 to 1962.

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© 2026 the complete review

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