The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vol. 1 by Hiromu Arakawa

I really like Arslan as both a character and especially as the main lead. He’s not a typical hot-blooded shounen or JRPG hero. He’s kind but also can’t turn his eyes away from the war. He’s sensitive and wants his parents’ affections, but he doesn’t whine about it. Speaking of Arslan, I was worried he would be nothing but a crybaby, at least early in the story. But it does plant the seed of knowledge into the prince. He doesn’t go through some huge monologue about whether to believe the slave or not, and he does not immediately rebel against his country’s traditions. In the first chapter, Arslan realizes there is much to learn. While this practice is abhorrent in modern society, to Arslan, it just seemed natural to not question it. This series chooses more to focus on “decent confinement versus freedom with difficulties” aspect. The topic of slavery is at the forefront, which is always a sensitive topic. This is a refreshing change from the Far East or Western period settings many manga and light novels choose. The Heroic Legend of Arslan is set in a fictional version of the Middle East. I feel like the full team is probably assembled, but Arslan has some leveling up to do in order to face the Final Boss and retake his kingdom. If Arslan was a game, then it feels like it’s still in the early stages. Level 1 Arslan Class: Prince teams up with Lancer, Archers, and other party members to retake his kingdom. Ironically, as I alluded to earlier, this actually feels more like an adaptation of a video game than a light novel series. This series is also the second manga adaptation, so it has another level of complications. The series is based upon a legend, and the author created The Heroic Legend of Arslan with inspiration from the original story and his own imagination. Some faults and strengths may be because of the manga itself or a part of the original source work.

Reviewing a manga adaptation is usually harder than reviewing an original series. If you’re the type of person who loves the stories in JRPGs like Final Fantasy (particularly the older games), then this series is right up your alley. But when the followers of Yaldabaoth attack, Arslan must face many trials and decisions in order to reclaim his kingdom. He is surprised to learn some view slavery as a cruel, that all men are considered equal under the god Yaldabaoth. Shounen – Action, adventure, fantasy, war, historicalĪrslan is the prince of Pars, a country with great wealth and slaves. ARAKAWA Hiromu (art), TANAKA Yoshiki (story)

The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vol. 1 by Hiromu Arakawa