Aug 21, 2021
Surprisingly, this manga has no reviews. It's such a travesty that the first (probably one of very few) review I write will be on the masterpiece that is Hawkwood.
When pondering the best genre of manga there is one which is vastly underappreciated. The genre of historical manga.
Many popular and well received mangas fall into the historical genre. Classic titles such as Vagabond, Vinland Saga and Kingdom easily come to mind. In this review I will contend that in terms of quality, Hawkwood belongs in that league.
Normally a summary is ill advised, but seeing as a synopsis doesn't actually exist on the site as of
...
writing this review I will provide a brief one.
John Hawkwood is the leader of a band of mercenaries in the land of France. They fight on behalf of their employers, not for pride or honour but on the promise of coin. With the invasion of France by King Edward III of England many job opportunities arise for Hawkwood and his band. Battles ensue in a manner somewhat faithful to the early stages of the Hundred Years War.
The driving force behind Hawkwood is the ingenuity and resourcefulness of its main character. Through complex reasoning Hawkwood is able to formulate strategies and tactics which allow his small force of mercenaries to succeed in war between the armies of entire nations. He maneuvers himself into advantageous situations using a combination of negotiation, clever tactics, and straight up combat skill. He is able to survive even the worst of situations because of these qualities.
Like most stories of its nature Hawkwood starts off the story with victory against simple minded opponents he fools easily. As things progress other intelligent characters utilize strategies of their own, and the intertwining of motivations from different parties makes for incredibly engaging conflict. Because Hawkwood is a neutral player in the war working only for his own benefit, sides are only taken on the quest for coin. Indeed all other forces potentially help or hurt his cause depending on how they are used.
The strategies involved in this story take into account countless factors, but a simultaneously simple enough to be understood and even predicted by the reader. Events are across the board reasonable based on the established standards and things play out in a realistic fashion. Parts of the story which seem ridiculous and contrived are perhaps paradoxically due to the fact that they are the enactment of true historical events; lending the story neatly to the phrase "truth is stranger than fiction".
The artwork is clean and very effective. Medieval arms and armour are rendered beautifully. One can argue that it exaggerates the musculature of not just the people but also the horses, the size of the weapons (especially hammers), as well as the level of damage weapons inflict. As artistic license this is acceptable especially compared to most other medieval depictions in manga. It also correctly depicts longbows as being utilized best by buff characters because the draw weights are so massive.
As a whole Hawkwood is exciting, insightful and intense. It's an amazing read which I strongly recommend.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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