▪	RELEASED BY:		VIZ MEDIA
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		YUMI TAMURA
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		200
		▪	RATING:		T+
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		11/13/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		10/25/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

The sweeping epic comes to an emotional plateau in the conclusion of Basara. Although there are two more volumes to the series, the main story about the battle to unify Japan and the fight between the Red King and Sarasa comes to an incredible finale in these pages.

The battle has reached its final hours as Sarasa has defeated the mad King Ukon and has taken the battle right into the palace halls! However, the palace begins to crumble from the attacks and Sarasa, along with Shuri, Ageha and Asagi, are trapped within its falling walls. Fearless, Ageha braves the underground labyrinth with its deadly traps in order to find a way to slow down the palace’s destruction and save Sarasa. But in these last moments, the odds of surviving are dwindling and the fate of a nation hangs in the balance of what happens next.

Dramatic in the telling and epic in scope, this has been a momentous shojo fantasy series. There are the moments of extreme strength, courage and self-sacrifice that cannot fail to move the reader. Ageha’s efforts to save those he cares for, Sarasa’s heart torn by her love for Shuri and her people’s wish to kill him, and perhaps Asagi’s final moments, are all contained within this specific volume of this superb fantasy series. Love and honor are what’s at stake and one might have to be sacrificed for the other. The way the story is told, the portrayal of the characters throughout, has a way of sweeping the reader up along with them. In the moments when Sarasa makes her decision in regards to Shuri, the outcome is one of the most moving I’ve ever read. It brought me to tears.

Now although the main story seems to have concluded, this manga contains the first of two “appendixes” which are in depth background stories. One can only conclude that the remaining two volumes of Basara will also hold more background and epilogue type stories to cover the wide cast readers have grown to care so much for. The first of these stories is called Madara - White Story: Fig. It tells of Lady Ginko’s, the White King, history, the tragedies that led her to the title and the horrors that made her the ruler she became. The second story is called Hazama – Blue Story: Loquat and is the background story of Ageha. Here you will learn the full background of how he became the warrior of the wind that he was and the pivotal events that molded his life. Both of these bonus stories are in part tragic tales showing the inescapable brutality of these two peoples’ lives, and the consequences or triumphs of their choices following them. They are moving tales but ones that lie heavy in the heart even as they expand our understanding of the characters. 
 
IN SUMMARY:
The final battle in Basara comes to an emotionally sweeping conclusion in this volume. It also contains deeply moving bonus stories. Basara is an astonishing feat of fantasy storytelling. It’s stirring, epic, and unforgettable.