Review Manga : Musashi #9 Book 4

While the first books of the series were action movie-like, Book 4 adds soap opera elements to the mix.

Musashi has been guarding Shingo, a student who wound up with incriminating photographs that caused gun smugglers to try to assassinate him. Shingo develops a crush on the powerful and mysterious superspy, which complicates his protection. Musashi, meanwhile, has been given another mission, so when she’s otherwise occupied, the organization sends a duplicate who looks just like her to attend school and watch Shingo in her place. Only the double is really a guy instead of just looking like one, which adds to Shingo’s confusion.

Those readers familiar with Silver Age superhero stories will find some of this sounds a little familiar, although with reversed genders. Manga fans, meanwhile, will recognize some key elements of shôjo stories, such as gender swapping. The result is an exciting action/adventure/romantic comedy, with something for everyone and beautiful delineated art.

Shingo is constantly reminded, through both lecture and actions, that Musashi is a world-class agent with life-changing responsibilities. He has no hope for her attention, let alone anything more. His bad attitude is a result of having his crush denied, multiplied by his issues over having a girl (no matter how skilled, experienced, and talented) protect him. She’s so unusual that she’s simultaneously a source of attraction and frustration.

It’s rare to see a male Lois Lane type in American comics. There have been superhero boyfriends, but they’re shown as much more competent than Shingo is, and usually there’s a subtext that the female should settle down with him eventually. That’s not the case here. It’s clear that his love is impossible, so the story is more about making him realize it than in winning her heart.

In the new mission, Musashi is going undercover as a high school girl to obtain missile launch codes that accidentally wound up in the purse of a teenager. That girl, the daughter of a politician, has a bad attitude because her boyfriend just dumped her.

Along the way, she learns a new way to be female from Musashi. I really appreciated the way Musashi’s shown as a kind of role model, demonstrating that women don’t have to be traditionally retiring and weak. As a trade, Musashi learns that there are other ways to get what you want beyond demanding it — she helps the girl score reputation points on her ex in return for the information she needs. Musashi’s gorgeous as either boy or girl, by the way.

One of the key characters in this story masquerades as an American naval officer, so there’s an explanatory chart of officer rankings at the beginning of the book. That’s a nice plus, but in an unfortunate oversight, the character is a Commodore, and that rank isn’t included on the chart. Book 4 also includes a short story in which a young Musashi and two other kid agents save a hijacked plane. The main story from Book 4 concludes in the next volume.

Musashi #9 Books 1 & 2

Musashi #9 is a teenage secret agent, sent to rescue often clueless kids from danger. The back cover gives away the surprise, such as it is — although everyone thinks Musashi is male when first seen or talked about, she’s really female, making her talents and impressive skills even more unusual. In short, this is a set of adventures featuring a teenaged female James Bond.

The character’s got presence. Within the story one student thinks, upon first seeing the agent but without knowing who s/he is, “He’s not doing anything. And yet, everyone is sort of blown away by him. He seems so … heavy.” The same feeling of significance extends to the reader through the art, with panels revolving around the quiet, stone-faced Musashi.

In the first story, a spoiled schoolgirl with airs above herself becomes an assassination target. Although she’s used to being the center of attention in class, acting out to make sure she draws everyone’s eye, once she finds out she’s really important, enough to kill over, she collapses. The kids’ behavior is realistic, and the art is nicely detailed, capturing their attitudes.

I didn’t like Miss Priss, but I wanted to keep reading about her to find out what happened. It was also nicely different to see that she was a target simply because of genetic lottery. I found that reflective of the randomness inherent in today’s violent events.

Musashi is drawn with all of the aloof competence and accomplished superiority that a superspy requires. She’s always the center of attention and always draws the eye from elsewhere on the page. I found myself frequently stopping to admire the beauty and elegance of the linework, which made this a denser read than the plot description might suggest.

In other chapters, a girl looking forward to welcoming her older brother home finds their reunion marred by a downtown explosion and two kidnappings; a scientist’s son becomes a pawn under governmental pressure; and two gun-obsessed boys learn what weapons can really do. For being ten years old, they’re still timely stories, looking at the meaning and effects of violence during a time of life change.

Book 2 plays more with the gender-bending expectations of a teen girl super-agent. In the first story, she’s sent to infiltrate and rescue a group of basketball players being held hostage. After her co-workers laugh at the idea of her needing to act to successfully complete the mission (her lack of emotion has been noticed by others, it seems), it’s enlightening to note how quickly the team, even under the threat of automatic weapons, turn from compatriots sharing danger into boys, determined to protect her regardless of how foolhardy their actions might be.

Next, teen beauty Serika wanders into one of Musashi’s missions. She’s used to every boy around falling for her, but she’s bored with it all. When she sees Musashi protecting an old man, she develops a crush on “him” for being different and exciting. Of course, it can’t work out, but her involvement teaches her something about the world being bigger than just her interests and perceptions.

This series is a “what if”, exploring how normal people — schoolkids, mostly — would honestly react to being placed into an action movie. It’s not exciting and glamorous; it’s pretty darn scary, and only the insertion of a larger-than-life character, someone firmly in the mold of the classic outsider savior (think Westerns), can protect them.

More information is available at the publisher’s website.