Vagabond, Vol. 7

The Distant Ocean

Real-life figure Miyamoto Musashi was the most celebrated samurai of all time. The quintessential warrior-philosopher, Musashi authored A Book of Five Rings, a classic treatise in the canon of world philosophy and military strategy. But the path to enlightenment is an endless journey, and to get there through violent means—by way of the sword—makes mere survival an even greater challenge.

In the aftermath of the bloody Battle of Sekigahara, Sasaki Kojirō, the man destined to be Musashi's opponent in the most famous duel in Japanese history, finds himself alone amidst desperate refugees and vicious hunters. Despite being pushed to his limits, Kojirō is far from daunted by his peril and instead thrives with an almost supernatural serenity. Driven by his macabre thirst for battle, Kojirō is transformed into the ultimate swordsman.