The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Volume 3 manga review

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Graphic Novel Volume 3 cover image

The Legend of Zelda is a high-fantasy themed action-adventure video game series that debuted in 1986 and is published by Nintendo.  Nintendo has also officially endorsed and commissioned manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda for over two decades.  The Legend of Zelda revolves around Link, a brave knight/warrior, and Princess Zelda of Hyrule, who guides, encourages, instructs, and summons Link to battle evil.

VIZ Media has been publishing manga based on The Legend of Zelda in America, and the latest is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which is written and drawn by the mangaka duo known as Akira Himekawa.  The series focuses on a great darkness that is trying to rule over Hyrule and the “World of Light” and and also the shadowy “Twilight Realm.”

As The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Vol. 3 (Chapters 18 to 26) opens, Link and the imp Midna (who was once the “Twilight Princess”) head towards Death Mountain.  Around the same time, the children of Ordon are reunited, but soon find themselves facing something strange.  Link and Midna enter the Twilight Realm, and Link returns to his wolf form.  There, he again meets the “Golden Wolf,” the one who can point Link towards being a true brave warrior.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have previously written that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess manga features some truly beautiful art.  This art ably depicts how dark this series is, which is a change from the playful Zelda manga I read before it.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Graphic Novel Volume 3 is basically a time of reunions in which the characters learn more about themselves, their situations, and perhaps, their fates.  I continue to be surprised by the work of Akira Himekawa (the pen name of manga creators, A. Honda and S. Nagano).  They have produced one of the best epic fantasy comics aimed at middle school and early teen readers.

The desires of the characters resonate, and the emotions seem genuine.  I find myself really caring what happens.  The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has a tone that is somewhat similar to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.  The quest in Twilight Princess feels true and the endgame, whatever that might be, matters to me.  This may be the best Zelda manga yet, and Vol. 3 is the best volume of the series, thus far.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of The Legend of Zelda and of dark fantasy manga will want to try The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

A
8 out of 10