バガボンド [Vagabond] #25

The close-cropped, intensely rendered face of a battle-worn swordsman dominates this volume's cover, rendered in Takehiko Inoue's characteristically meticulous linework — a pine tree silhouetted behind him lending a spare, classical mood. The Japanese tagline speaks of a year's passage and a life-or-death divide between two men, setting a tone of quiet but charged anticipation. Volume 25 is a fine example of why this long-running series continues to be celebrated for its artistry and its meditative take on the samurai genre.