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Title:  Tail of the Moon #4

Author:  Rinko Ueda

Publisher:  Viz

ISBN:  9781421508160

May Contain Spoilers

On the Mountain of Death, Usagi and the gang are still searching for the hermit in hopes of finding the elixir of eternal youth.  They finally meet up with the incredibly old geezer and his pet bear, Ku.  After healing Goemon’s leg, he gives Usagi the elixir, but, as she watches, aghast, Yukimaru tosses it in the fire! 

This volume has some really funny moments.  My favorite was Hanzo and the rabbit.  While I can understand how he would fall under the spell of the cute bunny, I am mystified why a hard-working, dedicated guy like him could fall for a slacker like Usagi!  When a thieving rabbit is captured by one of the villagers, he wants to make a hot pot with it.  Berating him for wanting to eat meat, which makes body odors stronger, (an obvious no no for a ninja!) Hanzo takes the rabbit far from the village and lets it go.  Only to have it follow him.  Again and again.  In a moment of weakness, he thinks the rabbit looks like Usagi, and he takes it home as a pet.  Poor guy. He’s obviously delusional.  Even playboy Hanzou thinks he’s an idiot.

When Usagi asks Yuri how babies are made, Yuri’s not quite sure, but thinks it has something to do with cuddling naked on the futon with your husband.  As Usagi ponders a lean, naked Hanzo reaching out for her, she’s overcome with excitement.  And promptly lets loose a geyser of blood from both nostrils.  Not only did this attract a pack of starving wolves, it was incredibly funny and showed, once again, that Usagi is most definitely not the sharpest shuriken in the cupboard.

Unbelievably, Usagi seems to have made another conquest!   Yukimaru, possibly suffering from a lack of oxygen due to his foppish, neck-strangling attire, has fallen for Usagi.  I guess this makes sense, as Yukimaru, only a few volumes back, had an unreasonable loathing of women.  Usagi is most likely the least feminine girl he will ever meet, so his attraction to her only seems natural. 

In an effort to keep her from leaving Ieyasu’s household, Yukimaru throws the hard won elixir of eternal youth into the fire.  When Usagi begs the hermit to make her more, he refuses, and imparts some wisdom upon our travelers.  Eternal youth, he thinks, is not such a blessing, as those that you love grow old and die before you. While the astute words prove the intelligence of the old guy, I’m not too sure the self-serving Ieyasu will buy into the theory.

This was another light-hearted foray into historical Japan. Hopefully, for Honzo’s sake, Usagi will do something about that drooling problem she’s developed. 

Grade:  B

Rated for  Older Teen