Deciding the Strongest Ever! After Reading the Manga 'Lone Wolf and Cub'

Before reading 'Lone Wolf and Cub', all I knew about it was the 'shito-shito-picchan' sound, the 'Chan!' catchphrase, the fact that the father's job is an assassin, that Daigoro is 'only three years old,' and the Bon Curry commercials—other than the information from the TV drama theme song.
After watching the film version starring Tomisaburo Wakayama broadcast on BS,
I thought, 'What is this? This is amazing.'
And, 'I want to read the original work, too.'

Conveniently,Kindle Unlimited had it available, so I read it.
'Lone Wolf and Cub,' all 142 episodes.
10 volumes in the Amazon Kindle 'Complete Collection' edition. 28 volumes in the standard tankobon format. It's a very satisfying read. More than satisfying enough.

Lone Wolf and Cub Complete Collection 1: I Lend My Child and My Sword

Lone Wolf and Cub Complete Collection 10: Protecting

I mean, he's just strong. Too strong—the former Shogunate executioner, Itto Ogami. And his son, Daigoro (only three years old).
When I watched the film version, I thought,
'What is this? They must be exaggerating because it's a movie.'
But it actually followed the original work (mostly) quite faithfully.
I don't know, I'm not an expert on period dramas, but isn't Itto Ogami the strongest in the history of period dramas?
He breaks through one after another the overwhelming, 'isn't that cowardly?' style attacks from Retsudo Yagyu, the leader of the Ura-Yagyu.

To begin with, Retsudo Yagyu was the one who had Itto Ogami ousted through underhanded means. Fearing revenge, he will do anything to kill Itto Ogami and his only son, Daigoro.
He sends hundreds of subordinates, but they all get killed.
He even sends his own children, only for them to be killed, over and over again. Retsudo Yagyu has a lot of children.

Towards the end, he even plots poisonings that make you wonder if he's really a samurai.
Against Retsudo, who becomes so desperate, Itto Ogami upholds the way of the samurai and human compassion while claiming to 'live in the path of the underworld.' The outcome as a human being has already been decided.
Both the way of the samurai and human compassion become shackles for survival, but Itto Ogami and his son Daigoro (only three years old) cut through everything without discarding those shackles.

Retsudo, who had been watching Itto Ogami all that time, finds his heart leaning towards Itto's way of life by the end.
There is even a moment of emotional connection between Daigoro and Retsudo.
Until then, I was reading while thinking, 'Come on, Retsudo, you keep losing even after doing such cowardly things,' but by the end, that didn't matter anymore.
I found myself on edge during Retsudo's crises, wanting him to somehow be saved.
The power of a story is just amazing.

And then, the final confrontation.
The climax of a long story.
Amazing, the art is just amazing.
I thought it was amazing up to that point, but the greatness of the story and the greatness of the art spiral together and close in on you.

So, it was a long journey, but I'm glad I read it. It's no wonder it was adapted into films and dramas. It's interesting (though I've never seen the drama version).

Lone Wolf and Cub Complete Collection 10: Protecting

There are 6 films in the movie series.

Lone Wolf and Cub: I Lend My Child and My Sword