Tag Archives: william scott wilson

Review: The Book of Five Rings: A Graphic Novel

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The Book of Five Rings: A Graphic Novel

The word “bible” is usually thrown around a little too literally. The word was and is still used to describe the King James Bible and contained both the Old and New Testaments. Copywriters who struggle to describe any concise book about a subject tend to use this very term to describe their product. Whether or not it’s apt is a completely different matter but the intention is clear and sometimes is very appropriate.

Either way, very few books fit this description and rarely do they even compare. Holy books stand on their own but books that examine a certain subject must stand on its own. Books in this category that are not part of some collection or a holy book must be extraordinary to fit in this category, what some call, classic. In this graphic interpretation of Miyamoto Musashi’s The Book Of Five Rings, we get an adept love letter to a book which has changed the world.

We dive head first into the ring of “Earth”, where we learn the philosophy which drives martial arts through Musashi’s stories which shows how one can use it the “Way of Martial Arts” to defeat an opponent or multiple foes. In the ring of “Water”, he pushes the adage of being like water, something that Bruce Lee made famous, but few knew he got this way of thinking from Musashi, as he relates his story of how he thought Tadadoshi, his two-sword style, one which encourages the swordsman to deeply consider their opponent. In the ring of “Fire”, he describes how to use the energy and fury of fight within battle to focus one’s energy, as he urges the reader to make their foe react while the subject leads how the fight will go .In the ring of “Wind”, he takes his time to admire the different martial arts and how they compare to his style and the usefulness of knowing them all, as he tells a tale of own master who challenged him and lost, by not even being able to touch Musashi.  In the last ring of “emptiness”, he urges the reader to become the other four elements, thus combining them to move naturally in their ways, in the way of Emptiness, as tells how one of his last students dying , eventually lead him to write down what he learned for future generations.

Overall, an engaging and beautifully written graphic novel about not only martial arts but how to strategize against anything and anyone. The story by Miyamoto Musashi and Sean Michael Wilson makes this book even more accessible and still is very much enjoyable. The art by Chie Kutsawada is simply gorgeous. The translation by Williams Scott Wilson is well done. Altogether, another essential book by Sean Michael Wilson, which shows that he is a writer more comic fans should know.

Story: Sean Michael Wilson Art: Chie Kutsawada
Translation: William Scott Wilson
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Advance Review: Tao Te Ching

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Within some of the greatest religious texts that have ever been produced throughout the world, one fundamental underlying theme usually inhabits them all, truth. I remember the first time I read the Quran, and I came across the verse:

“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between your affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.”

This was one lesson I never heeded or understood until I was a full-grown adult. In my younger years, I never looked for a partner but girlfriend. It wasn’t until I got married and found what being in a marriage was supposed to be. I saw it eventually in other marriages including my parents, the balance suggested this Quranic verse. Needless to say, just about every religious text contains “pearls of wisdom” that we can use to guide our everyday lives. In the latest and most easily understood version of the Tao Te Ching, the average reader gets a vast, thorough, and accessible version of this great Buddhist text.

The book quickly dives into humans need to categorize and separate one thing from the other, giving readers both a simplistic and contemporary comparison. This goes for every concept contained within the text, as the reader is never talked down to, but does what every great graphic novel, it makes the concepts visceral. One of the best explanations is contained in “Heaven is forever; earth is ages old,” which dives into the materialism that plagues most of society, and how the enrichment of the soul is more important. In the verse “The soft and weak will be victorious over the hard and strong,” they go over how often strength is confused with durability when being soft is confused with unreliability. Another interesting verse is “The softest in the world dominate the hardest just as you would whip forward a horse,” which reinforces the saying “the meek shall inherit the earth.” In the verse “The Way is the storehouse and kitchen of the Ten Thousand Things,” it speaks to the fact that no one gets anywhere alone in life but is helped by many on their journey. In the last verse that I will highlight is “The Way of heaven does not engage in nepotism,” it talks about how society eventually goes the way of the man that is good, even though those who usually get away with things, only seem victorious in the long run.

Overall, the graphic novel is an extensive explanation of this important religious text which both forms the basis of Buddhism but also has contributed to worldwide philosophy. The presentation by Sean Michael Wilson is engaging, well researched, and very relatable. The translation by William Scott Wilson is thorough. The art by Scott Kwok is alluring and vivid. Altogether, the creative team has made this essential text even more compelling not only for those interested in theology but also philosophy.

Story: Sean Michael Wilson Translation: William Scott Wilson Art: Scott Kwok
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Graphic Policy was provided with a FREE copy for review