The Fall 2023 Manga Guide

Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Manga

What's It About? 

Years after the fall of the Galactic Empire, a solitary bounty hunter is given a simple mission. Find and return the Child to the Imperial Remnant, all that remains of the once all-powerful Empire. This mysterious orphan has a power that can possibly turn events in their favor, and acquisition of that power is paramount. Instead, the bounty hunter goes on the run with the Child to protect him from the forces that would do him harm. Here is the story of The Mandalorian, and his desperate quest to save the Child and himself.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Manga has a story and art by Yūsuke Ōsawa based on the story by Jon Favreau and written by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Christopher Yost, and Rick Famuyiwa. The English translation is by Caleb Cook. The lettering and retouching is by Brandon Bovia, with design by Jimmy Pressler and editing by David Brothers. Published by Viz Media LLC (September 12, 2023).

Is It Worth Reading?

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Rating:

Some people will say that The Mandalorian was one of the best things to come out of Star Wars in the past couple of years. While I haven't seen the TV series, it was nice to experience the first season's story in manga form. It translates well to different media since much of the storytelling falls under the “show, don't tell” variety, given that our titular character barely talks. We don't even see his face, considering it is almost always in a helmet. But much like how cinematography can convey a general tone and emotional intention without using words, this book's panel layouts and artwork accomplish the same phenomenally.

A single panel of The Mandalorian can give off an incredible intensity that establishes this man's history as a bounty hunter. I know nothing about him for most of this book, yet I know everything I need to know about him. The artwork's use of shading and heavy shadows was an excellent choice to convey this rustic and Western setting. You can even note the different textures of all the metal on some of the characters' armors, which are legitimate plot points. If you're a Star Wars fan already, I think this is worth buying and adding to your collection. If you were already a The Mandalorian fan, then why not pick it up to see how the story is handled compared to the original series? All I can say is that I am curious about the future of this part of the galaxy and its characters, so maybe I'll finally add watching the series to my list after this.