The literal translation for this manga would the Keiji of Hana, Far Away into the Clouds, and I always wondered what the second part really meant. Into the clouds, as if this guy is a living demi-god, where he floats on air with huge rose petals beneath his feet, and a peaceful mist surrounds his aura wherever he roams. He does have all the features of a gallant hero, with his mane-like hair tied in a bundle, wrestling softly against the wind as he rides on his titanic stallion, every shot of him signifies the brilliance of being a γγΆγθ (kabukimono), which is a term for warrior in ancient Japan. His entire appearance and profile definitely resembles a cross between Ryu from Fist of the North Star and Takeshi Kaneshiro on steroids. And if you're wondering about the connection between Keiji and Fist of the North Star, both works are indeed drawn by the same artist Tetsuo Hara.
The visual treat that is offered here cannot be understated, but what is even more impressive other than the drawings of the characters is his depiction of Marukaze, the demon horse than accompanies Keiji in his travels. This beast is probably the biggest, most monstrous horse ever seen in a manga, it is so vast and big that it frequently stomps people to death in the battlefield, and leaves them crawling with their squished intestines hanging out. This horse even have his own backstory, which was told in a short chapter, you actually get to feel the pain the horse went through as he was ostracized from his own hoard simply because he was a deformed giant compared to the rest of the horses. The scene where Marukaze battles other horses for territory was brilliantly and furiously drawn. After finishing this entire manga, I have to commend the artist Tetsuo Hara, I feel that he is probably the best manga artist I have ever seen.
As for the story in Hana no Keiji, it is filled with many historical lessons and issues. In fact, the final volume was so crammed with words and sideplots that it seriously felt like I was reading a Japanese history textbook. Every major character who appears seemed to have his own mini-biography, a page of narration and wisdom devoted to the upbringing of this glorious being who propelled Japan into the Sengoku era waving their soul-savoring swords and giving swooning speeches that can make impregnate every man and woman within a 10-mile radius. Although none of this harms the manga as a whole, it does bring down the enjoyment level and can be a minor distraction simply because for a non-Japanese person it can be really hard to remember any of these characters. However, a lot of them fulfill their roles and leave some sort of dignified impression of an old-feudal Japan that still beats proudly in people's hearts.
And thump as loud as drumsticks do they ever, because we hear it thundering in Keiji's heart. In merely a few pages and a few drips of dialogue, we understand Keiji and where he comes from. He simply lives for Japan, and he dies for Japan. The idioms and the words he speaks, or rather manifest, seems fit to be written in golden ink archived in ancient scrolls. Some of the dialogue in this historic piece are simply gripping with personality, and a wonder to read, especially in Japanese. Keiji is also one of the few manga characters who actually represents the country not because of duty or pride, but simply out of pure love. Keiji is simply a character that is filled with compassion, and it only ever grows as we follow his journey, which takes course over a few years of his life, where he grows from a motivated youngster into a mature, humble Buddhist. This is of course in no way undermines his ability in the battlefield, because once the blood rushes into the veins of this gentle warrior, he becomes an unstoppable terror to his enemies. He will die for Japan, but he will also die for a good battle, which is the way of a kabukimono, as they call it.
It was never explained anywhere in the story as to how or where Keiji got his unrivaled strength. He towers over his opposition, and destroys them effortlessly with a forceful swing of his spear. It does not matter whether they are foot soldiers or fearsome warlords with biceps as big as their scalp, they are merely ants in Keiji's eyes, and also treated as such in the manga. I was extremely impressed and fascinated at the storyline progression and the immense buildup towards the inevitable showdown between Keiji and his villains, if not only for the faux climax where it comically betrays the readers as Keiji toys with his arch-nemesis, sending them groveling on their knees with a swift kick to the crotch. The author playing and countering the conventions of storytelling is actually a good thing, in so many stories we see the hero in an epic battle and winning despite being over-matched, and escaping with a narrow victory. Here, Keiji clearly and loudly erects his huge and thick middle finger in the face of everyone's favorite shounen archetype, and delivers a mean malicious bitchslap to its face as well. Keiji does not hold back, and is ruthless when need be, he also strikes first at his first advantage, which is something rarely seen in the prototype anime character. In the entire story, there were only two or three characters who stood their ground against Keiji, most notably an evil Christian named Carlos, a memorable villain whose skill and strength came close to killing to our beloved main character.
The most enjoyable parts of this manga however are not the battles, as intensely depicted as they are. The beautiful aftermath that follows the savageness is like a rare silence, a breath in the ocean, the waves resting in calmness. Those scenes are invaluable to the reader, and this is where the manga succeeds. Every villain, except for one, goes through a change. It's as if fighting Keiji has opened up a world he's never seen, a world of love and forgiveness. Every warlord who has beheaded thousands, every stone-cold killer who buries his victims, all repent for themselves in a way I've never seen in any previous manga. This is the crucial theme that the author is repeatedly impress upon the reader's heart, and it so often strikes that sensitive spot, and as strange as it sounds, it does it extremely well. It's no surprise that the journey of Keiji ends with him retiring from being a warrior and becoming a peaceful monk. This manga is undoubtedly one of the best I've ever read, it showed me that Japanese manga is the perfect medium that can break through the cliches of anime, and it can tell stories that re-define the genre and capture the hearts of readers. Hana no Keiji accomplishes that on nearly every page, and that is highly deserving of praise.
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