Blade of the Moon Princessa brand new Shonen Jump manga from the author Spy x Family, a retelling of a classic Japanese folk tale with a new twist. The story becomes an action-packed adventure about growing up and becoming an impressive leader. It imbues classic elements with futuristic aspects in a fun and engaging combination.
VIZ Media has published the first volume of Blade of the Moon Princess in English. Tatsuya Endo’s pattern of casting strong women in action roles continues in this work, as Princess Kaguya Takenouchi prepares to ascend the throne at the Silver Court of the moon.
Blade of the Moon Princess is a thrilling reimagining of a mythical figure
Blade of the Moon Princess volume 1 collects the first three chapters of the new series. It brings a sci-fi action twist to The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, in which a princess from the moon comes to Earth. In this iteration, Princess Kaguya is the daughter of Fujiya Takenouchi, the 44th Silver Empress. Kaguya is rough and acts rashly with good intentions, but is far from being a stereotypical princess. When her throne is usurped by a threat, she is forced to flee until she can reclaim it.
Defiant and vulgar, Princess Kaguya Takenouchi is not the heir to the Silver Court on the moon as her mother’s servants had hoped. But when the queen falls ill during a wave of terrorist attacks, Kaguya is determined to do right by her people and seizes the opportunity.
Unfortunately, Kaguya’s enemies were one step ahead of her, and she was ejected from the moon and trapped in the primordial Contamination World below. Can she find her way back to the moon and reclaim her throne from usurpers?
This story takes the basic elements of the iconic folk tale and imbues it with plenty of action and political drama. It manipulates elements, like suitors, and turns them into new enemies called “Pursuers.” These new twists create an exciting new vision for the legend, bringing it to new audiences in a way that only Tatsuya Endo can. Like in Endo’s previous works, Kaguya is a strong young girl in difficult circumstances, much like Yor from Spy x Family or Tista from her series of the same name. The young princess is tough and has a kind heart, but is inexperienced and has a lot to learn – making her an approachable and fun heroine.
Even though the story of Princess Kaguya is older and has been adapted many times, there is nothing old about this manga. It has a fun cast that expands significantly in subsequent chapters and a heroine who challenges expectations of what a princess should be like. It takes traditional ideas and respects them, as it embraces futuristic actions and weapons. The blade itself is one of the most interesting components, placing limitations on its wielder through its response to intent and energy usage. Blade of the Moon Princess is an exciting narrative that breathes new life into a classic story, putting the life and determination of Princess Kaguya at the forefront.
Blade of the Moon Princess is available now through Viz Media.
