Kento Ankokuden Cestvs

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1C3M4N

Guest
And its sequel series, Kento Shitouden Cestvs. Manga about a slave boxer in the times of Emperor Nero, published by young animal, I've even read that the author and Miura went to highschool together. Don't know how true that is, but it doesn't seem totally unlikely. Anyone read or heard of it? It's a historical/seinen/martial arts manga.

Been a lurker on this site for many years and haven't seen any posts about it. I wasn't even aware of it until spring 2018. I really like it a lot. If you like martial arts series in the vein of Hajime No Ippo, Ashita No Joe, even Baki (though it's not as over the top and fairly realistic in comparison), but also historical/seinen series like Vinland Saga or Historie, you'd probably enjoy it.

I'm refraining from comparing it to berserk because they're not much alike, other than they both have a pretty amazing art style, and the fact that it's currently on hiatus (ouch). It's not quite as emotionally deep or as dark as berserk but it's still pretty deep in its own right.

Something to temporarily fill the emptiness in your soul left by berserk, only to for the abyss to expand once you're current. Masochistic? Maybe a little, but the life of a struggler is pain after all. There's 247 chapters out, so there's a good bit of it to go through.

Anyway just thought I'd share this, figured a few of you out there might like it. Thanks for reading.
 
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I've even read that the author and Miura went to highschool together. Don't know how true that is, but it doesn't seem totally unlikely.

Yes, he was part of Miura's close group of friends since high school, that is a known fact. If I remember correctly he was also an assistant under Miura at some point, but I might be wrong about this. (Aazealh can probably verify)

Been a lurker on this site for many years and haven't seen any posts about it.

Well, first of all welcome, hope this isn't your first and last post.

You might have found discussion about him if you had searched for "Wazarai Shizuya" or "Blaster Knuckle" which was his debut manga, and which is a lot more reminiscent of Berserk in its art direction.

I've had Cestus on my backlog for a while, but haven't yet got around to reading it. I can enjoy a good martial arts series, and I'm also curious to what degree of authenticity the historical era is depicted, because there is potential for interesting stuff.
 
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1C3M4N

Guest
Yes, he was part of Miura's close group of friends since high school, that is a known fact. If I remember correctly he was also an assistant under Miura at some point, but I might be wrong about this. (Aazealh can probably verify)

Now that's pretty cool huh?

Well, first of all welcome, hope this isn't your first and last post.

Thanks man, I planned on sticking around. Didn't want to make an account on here and not use it. I thought that'd be kinda rude after someone went through the trouble of verifying my account lol.
Figured this would be a good first post.

You might have found discussion about him if you had searched for "Wazarai Shizuya" or "Blaster Knuckle" which was his debut manga, and which is a lot more reminiscent of Berserk in its art direction

I see. I haven't read that one but I've read the synopsis. It honestly didn't interest me as much, but I'm sure it has something going on that makes it worth the read.

I've had Cestus on my backlog for a while, but haven't yet got around to reading it. I can enjoy a good martial arts series, and I'm also curious to what degree of authenticity the historical era is depicted, because there is potential for interesting stuff.

As a guy who's been boxing and doing mixed martial arts since my teens, the level of knowledge and detail that goes into every fight scene blows my mind. He really knows his martial arts, ancient and modern.

As for historical accuracy, it doesn't contradict anything as far as I know, and I'm kind of a stickler for that sort of thing. It goes into great detail about the era. He seems to make a point of having characters from all over the world, and has clearly done an exhausting amount of research. Of course some liberties are taken here and there, but nothing that seems out of place.

Things like there being a "Pankratos Legion", a small elite group of Praetorian Guardsmen that focus solely on the usage of hand to hand combat to protect the emperor, who are so badass they don't need melee weapons. Maybe a little unrealistic, but slightly more realistic than say the Golden Age arc? (Not historical but you get my point). Ancient Pankration was pretty legit though.

Anyway, it's a good one. I highly recommend it. Especially if you're missing berserk.
 
I see. I haven't read that one but I've read the synopsis. It honestly didn't interest me as much, but I'm sure it has something going on that makes it worth the read.

It's not bad at all, and only 3 volumes, so not much of a time investment. The themes are cool and the art is decent for a first time manga too. You can definitely identify some of the techniques used by Miura when drawing early Berserk. The premise of the story surrounding this outlaw warrior who goes after monsters because of a tragic personal past is also pretty similar.

In regards to historical liberties, some are taken here as well, namely the KKK which were not supposed to have been around anymore during the 1880s when the story is taking place, but it's still a close enough representation, clearly referenced from various real life sources and materials and doesn't deter from the overall feeling of an early Southern American setting too much.

Miura based some of the members of the Band of the Hawk on his school friends, didn't he? I wonder if Wazarai was the inspiration for any of them.

Yeah, so he said, but he never specified which was inspired by which, aside from Pippin who he said was based on himself.
 
1

1C3M4N

Guest
It's not bad at all, and only 3 volumes, so not much of a time investment. The themes are cool and the art is decent for a first time manga too. You can definitely identify some of the techniques used by Miura when drawing early Berserk. The premise of the story surrounding this outlaw warrior who goes after monsters because of a tragic personal past is also pretty similar.

In regards to historical liberties, some are taken here as well, namely the KKK which were not supposed to have been around anymore during the 1880s when the story is taking place, but it's still a close enough representation, clearly referenced from various real life sources and materials and doesn't deter from the overall feeling of an early Southern American setting too much.

Interesting. Thanks for the reccomendation, I'm sure I'll flip through it at some point.


Miura based some of the members of the Band of the Hawk on his school friends, didn't he? I wonder if Wazarai was the inspiration for any of them.

Really makes you wonder. I bet they were a chill group of dudes lol.
 
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