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Review: The Witcher: Ronin

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The Witcher: Ronin

As the recent news of Henry Caville giving up his role as Geralt in the Witcher dropped, the world wondered how the role could be carried on. In the same breath, they announced that Liam Hemsworth would be taking over the role, a visual that many fans of the franchise may not be ready for. Still, the franchise has translated to streaming very seamlessly with a prequel miniseries coming before end of the year. This makes one wonder how much more of this world we have not seen? What else is to come?

 Is there a chance Witchers would live in different parts of the world as every culture in the world has their own manifestations of evil?  If that is true, it must mean there is evil everywhere and a justifiable answer to this evil must match. This leads to wonder if such an evil existed in Japan  and if there was someone who could fight them off. In The Witcher: Ronin, we find an alternate version of Geralt in Japan, where he fights Yokai and Oni in a quest for the person who controls it all.

We are taken to feudal Japan, where a mysterious traveler has entered a small village where he catches the attention of some local trouble, but they are soon deterred when they realize he is a Witcher, he is Geralt. In his first adventure,  he is attacked by some Kappas which he quickly dispenses with, as his quest for a ghostly woman at the center of all the Yokai in Japan known as Yuki Onna. As he looks to make some money, he is hired by a wealthy villager to kill all the Kappas, which brings Geralt to their lair, where he finds out that the village has their own ulterior motives. In the second chapter,  he a finds a man who tormented his dead wife and blamed her death on a Tengu. In the 3rd chapter, he fights a Yamanba, leaving chaos in its wake. In the last chapter,   hr fights off soldiers of Yuki Onna, who finally reveal exactly where she is.

Overall, The Witcher: Ronin is a fun manga which shows the White Wolf can thrive anywhere. The story by Jaki is powerful. The art by the creative team is gorgeous. Altogether, a book that makes bold choices and pays off in spades.

Story: Rafal Jaki Art: Hataya
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Bookshop – Amazon – comiXology/Kindle

Geralt Takes on Creatures From Japanese Inspired Myths and Legends in The Witcher: Ronin

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Dark Horse Comics and CD PROJEKT RED present a new story in The Witcher universe based on the rich traditions of Japanese folklore. In The Witcher: Ronin, the role of a witcher is just as essential—as dangerous spirits and demons are constantly on the prowl. Concept and story written by CD PROJEKT RED’s Rafał Jaki, illustrated by manga artist Hataya, and lettered by Aditya Bidikar, The Witcher: Ronin sees Geralt trail the mythical Lady of Snow in this original manga set in an ancient-Japanese-inspired world!

In this world inspired by Edo-period Japan, Geralt is faced with difficult moral choices while battling a variety of yōkai and oni, creatures inspired by Japanese myths. Each encounter drops a clue in his desperate search for a mysterious apparition known as the Lady of Snow, yuki onna, for she is the key to the one Geralt seeks, but finding her won’t be easy . . .

The Witcher: Ronin trade paperback collects the main story arc of the successfully kickstarted manga from CD PROJEKT RED and sports a new cover by Jen Bartel. It will be in comic shops October 19, 2022 and in bookstores November 1, 2022. It is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local comic shop and bookstore.

The Witcher: Ronin