Jintetsu’s drifter existence often finds him falling into trouble. This time he’s arrested as a drug peddler and now must clear his name. He will unravel a secret, meet a clever con woman, and be reunited with Makoto who still swears vengeance upon him. The bulk of this final volume however focuses not on Jintetsu, but a new character, Koyoi. She was raised by a samurai family but comes from a lowlier background and a heartless father. When Jintetsu is named as his murderer, Koyoi goes out to avenge her father. Having hated the man who sired her, what is her real motive in avenging him? When Makoto interferes, declaring the only one to kill him will be her, what will both women learn about themselves as they cross blades and possibly face ending a life or the end of their own?

Unlike the previous volumes which focused on stories from Jintetsu’s perspective, this final volume of the manga series looks at things more from the viewpoint of others. It leads to a detached sense of what Jintetsu is going through, lacking some of the stronger dramatic impact of previous volumes. It is still an interesting tale of feudal Japan, showing the harsh life where lives came and went on the whim of those in power, where you are little more than a slave depending on the status of your family, and few options of escape existed except to tread an aimless road of violence. And what kind of true freedom is that? A thought provoking series throughout, this final volume ends with characters continuing their paths. One with a sense of renewed purpose, one with an awakened perspective on the road trod, and one continues to drift alone…although perhaps not as alone as he has been.

Extra includes translation notes.

IN SUMMARY:
Kuro Gane has been a thought provoking series about the unforgiving realities of life in feudal Japan seen from the viewpoint of a lone and tragic character. This final volume concludes on an open ended note.