A Short And Solid Martial Arts Story That Has A Strong And Focused Vision

“This old martial arts book has been passed down from generation to generation. It’s the ultimate bible for an aspiring martial artist.”

• Isami Neruma, Chapter 1

Bugei Michiyuki NERU was a short series conceived by Hiraga Minya that was serialised as a digital exclusive in 2020. Later on, it would be briefly re-conceptualised and released in print for Weekly Shōnen Jump only to, unfortunately, find itself cancelled after eighteen chapters. It is a shame that Hiraga was unable to demonstrate his talents in the latter release as Bugei Michiyuki NERU showed the potential they had to make the story work when given longer chapters to work with.

As this series was never formerly translated into any language outside of Japanese I will be unable to include too many comments on characterisation and more detailed plot moments as my translation skills are abysmal. However, Bugei Michiyuki NERU was a series that took its central theme of martial arts and remained focused, allowing the fights to take centre stage while giving a satisfying level of characterisation to the characters. By not having too many different plot lines, Hiraga puts the martial arts at the forefront and gives the main plot time to develop in a natural manner. Readers quickly grasp onto how Neruma struggles to fit in with the society around him as he tries to stay true to his way of living, something that is both relatable and well-handled. The other characters are introduced at a steady enough pace that we get to know them a little and it is interesting to see how their fighting styles match their personalities. This makes martial arts feel like an intrinsic part of the characters, much like how it is intrinsic to the narrative.

What stands out most was the art; especially how the movement was conveyed in a dynamic manner. It let the reader understand how Neruma’s mind works while creating an engaging flow that keeps the fight scenes feeling fresh. The panelling was also really solid and, while not doing anything too revolutionary, it fit the tone of the series well. The fights also felt full, with the chapters focusing on both the fight itself and the combatants in the fight. This meant that, despite its limited length, each character felt fleshed out while still being opponents of considerable skill. This makes the pacing of Bugei Michiyuki NERU a well-paced read that, despite its short length, feels complete.

Overall, if you would like to read a solid martial arts-based series that offers an interesting interpretation of the genre then have a look at Bugei Michiyuki NERU. It is a short read that offers a lot and handles its fight scenes well and tells an interesting enough story.