I feel like the manga industry would benefit from a seasonal approach to their serialized projects. Like take a quarter off the year from production to slow down and prepare for the next season. Do this staggered accross authors so there is always content in the magazines

I totally get why he hasn't picked it up yet. It makes no sense to work on something when you don't feel like it at the moment, it will only bring forth a product that is worse in quality compared to the former stuff. Great documentary dyl. Loved it.

There's a certain sad irony in that Inoue's approach to Vagabond is similar to Miyamoto's journey before he made his realization in the story

As an author myself, there's a kind of emotional burden we have to carry in order to see thru the lens of the characters all to breath life into the story. The mc Musashi, clearly is not an easy character to write. You need to be equally capable of handling the emotional stress that character is having in order to understand its journey. That's the kind of toll Takehiko is taking in the creation of Vagabond.

Yup, Slam Dunk was the reason why I played basketball and why I tried to join the school team back then. Even though I was not good, and I didn't end up on the team, I still had a sense of direction in my life and wanted to do something. That was really what gave me the motivation to try to achieve something for the first time in my life back then. Those were the days and Slam Dunk will be one of the most important manga that helped to shape up my life.

Honestly, the hardest thing about Vagabond and continuing it is that it... honestly can just end at any point. In a way, most of the essence was already said in the first few arcs, and what happens after is just reiteration of the same themes, same meditations in greater detail. The arcs are so self-sufficient, so intense with visual and Buddhist metaphor that you don't even really need to see how it ends to "get it". I've read it up to volume 20, and even at this little-over-half point I feel like I have experienced a true work of art that urges you to look within with each encounter, and is only richer the more life experience you as a reader have. So how do you conceivably deliver more of *that*? Even if Inoue does not draw another chapter of Vagabond, it has cemented its place in history as one of the absolute peaks of the medium.

Thank you for making this and showing sensei such compassion. It’s easy for people to say just draw the damn manga already. But as an artist myself, I related to everything he’s going through on such a painful level. When something means too much to you, and to top it off you have a perfectionism issue, and feel this enormous pressure brought upon by the expectations yourself and others have on you, the weight is unbearable and it truly becomes a crippling paralysis.

Funny story: I was hired by a writer to draw a comic he was working on that was set in Heian era Japan. He told me that Kurosawa's movies, especially the Samurai trilogy, were a big inspiration. I'm not a movie buff, but I was very familiar with the Vagabond manga, so I looked to it as a guide for my art style and getting right historical details of feudal Japan. It was only when the writer and I started talking about how I would draw a panel where a character is hung from a tree that we realized the Samurai films and Vagabond manga had identical plots because they were both adapted from the same novel, a fictional retelling of the life of Musashi. We had a good laugh over how we had unknowingly been on the exact same page but in two different media!

The hardest part about the indefinite hiatus was just how close to completion it was. It really was just the last fight left. There are plenty of adaptations of the novel, most notably the critically acclaimed Samurai Trilogy starring Toshiro Mifune, so the conclusion is out there i guess but inoue's stunning art adds so much to that story.

I fully respect his need to distance himself from his work. I really thought the manga was considered finished where it left off. Hearing you recount his recent interview where he states he intends to return to it someday is incredibly relieving.

Like most people I came to know Takehiko Inoe through Slam Dunk. How you put his apprehension in completing Vagabond is great. Thanks for making me like the guy even more!! Every time I see a spread page of Vagabond is like masterpiece in itself. Thanks again for making his struggles more understandable.

I just wanna say one thing, Inoue has assistants and does not draw his backgrounds, so his backgrounds are still drawn in pen by the time he switches to brush in 15, and I believe there's still some pen work in some of the panels. I'm not sure when he fully makes the switch to brush, but it's definitely not long after this. So, inoue does all the characters, the assistants do all the backgrounds, which are not in brush unless the scene calls for it (which he might also do himself)

I'd rather have an unfinished masterpiece than a masterpiece that slowly turns to shit

Inoue should reread Musashi, he'd probably find his enjoyment again since he's appropriately following a similar arc to the novel version of Musashi, who reconciles his personal quest and achieves his goal through a lateral idea.

Great video ❤

Great video! There are interesting parallels with Inoue and Takezo's journey in the manga - learning from masters and then surpassing them, sickness and slow recovery, mellowing with age, striving for perfection... I feel like once Inoue has gone through what he needs to go through, he'll be ready to authentically tackle those final chapters.

My wife is from Isehara, Kanagawa, and after watching this video I asked her if she read Slam Dunk in school (because i knew she played basketball in middle and HS). She said everyone on her team read it constantly

This was great. I guess I don't need to make an Inoue video now.

My man, this is incredible. Your storytelling and editing is out of this world, holy crap. Gotta get you popping off.

Phenomenal video, I could really hear the passion in your voice when you spoke on how ordinary it is to feel so much pressure and fear when it comes to finishing something that is regarded as your greatest work. I am humongous fan of Inoue and of Vagabond, and I constantly tell people to read it to this day, even though I know its quite possible that it is never truly finished. It's that great.

Thanks for making this! I always love learning more about Inoue

That also happens to the Guyver manga. Nobody knows why it wasn't continued but rumors say that the author quit and went back to being a dentist after the death of his patner...

So glad I found this channel 💜💜 I can feel the passion and true love of this medium radiating from you. And the empathy and research you extend towards the artists *wipes tear* Beautiful.

As someone who wants to get into Vagabond but read about its ongoing hiatus, I'm so glad someone covered this topic in the way that you did. This video provides a logical and respectful amount of speculation as to where his motivations lie. Even if it's been said a lot already, I still would like to say that this video is very well edited, paced, and written. One can feel the level of respect and research you put into this video essay delving into such an interesting point of focus on a mangaka as culturally significant as Inoue-sensei. This is my first video from your channel that was ever recommended to me and I'm glad I clicked on it. You have my sub and like, looking forward to your future videos. Cheers!

Dylcor, I cannot thank you enough! This video really helped reassure me in my own struggles as a creator. Without getting to self-indulgent; I've spent over a decade working on my own Magnum Opus - A story that I may not even publish, but is still deeply personal and important to me. Working on something with such self-imposed importance is isolating and often demoralising. I feel like I can sympathise with Inoue's position somewhat, where doing your concept and ideas “Justice” can drive a creator to maladaptive perfectionism and even avoidance. This video help me realise I'm not alone in this, and that solidarity is so very inspiring. I am in your debt, my friend!

Insanely well edited video, great job. Looking forward to see more content.

This is crazy well made, keep it up man. 🔥

Such a great & compelling video. From the points being made to the editing, and everything in between. Not only did you inspire me to pick up Inoue's other works but lit the flame the resides inside myself. To create something. Thank you for being you and giving us such a masterpiece, you deserve a lot more attention.

you really described well the artist struggle bro... I want to make aswell, but definitely feeling the same feelings as Inoue. I don't know his experience, his life or anything, but I can sympathise with him. Not to the degree of knowing the external pressures, but the internal pressures.

been wondering for a long time what happened to Vagabond and why it hasn't been picked up yet. thanks for the video man! learned a lot, take love!!!

great video man! you covered everything you needed to and the chill vibe is appreciated 🙏

Thanks for the content. Vagabond is amazing, and I respect Inoue for wanting to complete a series with a high standard, and not just because of external pressure. At least he is enjoying doing what he loves. Thats most important.

i have to be in awe on the mangaka of one piece. he just delivers weekly. i guess not all mangaka are created equal.

halfway through but thank you so much for this video essay, vagabond is such a special manga in my life, and Inoue's decision to ink it is something i seriously appreciate. his brush strokes are so meditative, I don't know how to explain it, but reading the manga while enjoying every linework he meticulously has placed on the paper is a whole other level of experiencing discipline and the desire to be perfectionist. everytime i read the manga again, i just feel like i'm going through a saint's prayers. maybe it's too reverent of a description Edit: As an artist myself, I get it...I was sad, but after hearing his lamentations abt how he needs to enjoy to make manga again, I really get it. Art is so painful when you have no desire to create. Not sadness, not happiness, but no desire. Especially imagining someone like Inoue, who has made so much and probably been so productive, it must be really painful to be unable to work on it despite knowing he could do it. He's made 34 volumes, I will be content with that. The fact that he even shared his works and still produces such good quality is enough proof of his love, and I hope he seeks love wherever else he can until the desire comes back. And if it never does, it's still more than okay. Nobody did what he did, and that alone is amazing

What an amazing video. I love Vagabond and Inoue too. Very inspirational. Thanks a lot. Great work on your video editing. Subscribed!

To be fair I get why berserk went on hiatus I respect him for choosing his wife and his irl life over the manga

I appreciate this being a non-spoilery history of this. I haven't started reading Vagabond yet, while it's definitely on the top priority list, I just don't want to start another manga series with indefinite future rn (Berserk and HxH manga reader...). I probably will soon anyway but I was definitely curious why it was currently on hiatus, so was a pleasant surprise seeing this on my feed

Wow this is such a well put together video. I love the series he created. The insight is great and the commentary really adds little tidbits to the video.

You just helped me love Inoue even more. Thanks man. Wonderful video.

I just recently finished vagabond and honestly it’s my favorite story I’ve consumed this video was very informative and well edited gives me motivation to get back on my UKposts grind too ! Keep up the good content bro

These artists being so creative and prolific, it has to be hard to make compelling art at the same time they don't feel they have to or it's their job to create it. It's burnout! I really appreciate how he's taking time away until he feels like what he did is what he wants it to be. Art is a very personal exercise.

Congrats on the success of the video. It was super informative as I'm looking into starting the series. I'm a comic artist so his work really stands out.

This was a great, well told short story. UKposts algorithm loves this stuff, keep it up.

I know this video mainly talking about Vagabond but, oh my god Real is just emotional roller coaster, I don't know how many times I've read it while tears flowing down through my cheek, especially the wrestling match, it's just so heartbreaking but also inspiring at the same time.

Great video! I recently finished reading the book Musashi, it gave me the closure I needed. I can now patiently wait for the manga.

What a well constructed video! I had no idea how Inoue-sensei felt, and I can fully understand why he found it necessary to step away from them. I hope one day he can find enjoyment once again in his work and finish them, not just for us fans, but for himself.

thank you so much tho, its been probably a year or two now that i finished vagabond but i never knew why he stopped, i really enjoyed the video, thats nice and quality content!

This was awesome in-depth analysis of Takehiko Inoue. Good job! 👍

Brother, you have a GREAT video essay voice. Your videos and quality are so good for how small your channel is. Love to see your channel start with top quality, stay consistent and I could see your channel getting a lot bigger. ❤ Incredible video though, never read Slam Dunk or Vagabond, but now I want to read them both.

Loved your video! I think I'm gonna go and grab some volumes from the next book store in a couple of days.

This was a really good video and I found myself learning new things about manga I havent invested in yet. I'm definitely going to dive into Inoue's work now! :)

Takehiko Inoue is a genius and can't wait for Vagabond to come back. Great video

Great video! I wonder if a part of Inoues hesitance on Vagabond is also the deeply affecting emotional similarity he must feel as a mangaka to Musashi. You said it yourself that he’s someone who clearly loves and appreciates being a part of a team, but his process is such a laborious and lonely practice that I would imagine it’s hard not to work on Musashi and see himself. A young, talented kid who honed his craft to the point of near universal acknowledgement only to be lonely, crash and recontextualize his life ( farm saga ) and take all of his collective experiences to forge a new path forward that’s purpose driven. Compared to Real which is all about overcoming adversity through the connections and support people give each other. Besides it being his magnum opus and perfection I imagine a contributing factor is how much Vagabond can really be meta to the creative process and subsequently Inoue himself

Vagabond I'm still holding hope for, its so damn good! This also reminds me of Ai Yazawa gonig on Hiatus from Nana....both heartbreaking! Great episode my dood.

I have never seen or read any of this man's work, but this was an amazing video. Thank you! I wanted to watch "The First Slam Dunk" movie in theaters but I couldn't sadly.

This was a very well edited and narrated video! I hope to see your channel grow 😊

Great video. Inoue did a Vagabond art exhibition in 2008 where he drew and displayed an epilogue for the manga (presumably set after where it would eventually finish). Its availabile online and is a beautiful read. He included a bit about his feelings towards the manga in it too

You should make more video essays like this, the vibe and the writing on this video is immaculate

This video was very informative, I enjoyed it a lot! I was surprised to see such a good video coming from a smaller channel. Keep up the great work!

I don't like reading mangas too much because they are mainly black & white but Vagabond cought my attention with it's awesome art style. I really like how you depicted the struggle of artists with their perfectionism and how it dauntes us to not achieve our own standards and therefore makes us procrastinate. It was really spot on.

I absolutely didn't expect such a low number of subscribers when I exied the full screen at the end of the video. You did an incredible job, thank you and please keep going.

I don't even read manga anymore and your video essays have me ENTRANCED. Inspiring me to create more content for my ownself. Good shit dude you earned a sub today

This was a very well done video, I love a video that gives me a completely new insight into it's topic.

This is your greatest video, and that says a lot. Just wow, brother

Real is my favorite manga of all time.

Loved your editing and storytelling Dyl!

I absolutely love Vagabond, as much as his previous work, Slam Dunk, as it was part of my childhood. I was deeply saddened when I heard it went on a definite hiatus, but hearing from you that Inoue sensei hasn't completely abandoned it, has given me hope that someday I'll be able to continue and hopefully finish reading this masterpiece.

I think that the greater the manga is, and the more the artist revere/love his/hers creation, the less they are willing to compromise and want it to be perfect. This is a very hard task to achieve and will create long hiatuses because it's that more challenging to create a chapter that you're actually satisfied with. There's a reason there's such a big difference in quality between ex. Vagabond and the weekly Shonen's.

Kinda sad most people know him for Vagabond and Slam Dunk, but few mention REAL, which is insanely good, arguably just as good as Vagabond, if not better at some points. Recentl, it seems he will pick up the pace to draw REAL for the next months on schedule, hopefully this will motivate him to give Vagabond some love too, but honestly, even if Vagabond ended there I wouldn't mind, the last arc was peak because it explored the meaning of true strength, that goes beyond slashing enemies with the sword like Musashi thought for so long.

excellent video, very well made! cant believe you have only 1.6k subs.

Thank you for dedicate your efforts into humanized and had some compassion over this talented men. We( the public) are eager almost desperately seeking the new thrill, the new chapter of our beloved mangas , but at which cost? I’m pretty sure this kind of video essay bring light and warmth . ❤

I had no idea he had a hiatus that long. Omg that is awful and devastating. Really loved his work. I get it though burn out happens to all of us.

Vagabond has gotten so spiritual and contemplative, I feel like he's motivationally done with it. The character organically reached such a serene state.

Your videos are getting so much better. Very well stitched together, keep it up.

Amazing video (gonna sub), I've always heard about Vagabond and how amazing it is, but always wonder what had happen. Thank for the video, I respect Inoue's decision and wish nothing but the best.

Immaculate video as always. I really need to get back to Vagabond

Two words that affects all artists... >>>>>>> Burn out. You gotta understand, artists are deeply tuned to their emotions on creating things. It's hard to explain like how hard it is to have depression. BTW, depression is so prevalent on artists. Either if an artist is successful or struggling, the sense of dreaded depression occurs.

Super pleased the algorithm has picked this video up, your content is fantastic!

Incredibly informative - thank you ^^

I just finished reading Vagabond & it was even better than i thought. Berserk & HxH are my other 2 favorite manga. Its frustrating always wondering if these 3 series will ever finish

I understand as an illustrator and artist to want to make Peak work but make it satisfying at the same time. You can't just rush something when you want to make sure it's at your best. I understand he's been given a lot of time to work on his masterpiece, so hopefully he's been able to reflect on what methods who wants to continue doing so in the future. With that said, Im sure he'll get that spark again that will help his creativity Blossom even further!

Its good to see this, I love takehikos works and philosophy, and appertly you too.

This video was amazing, given I'm biased since I'm quite fond of Inoue's work. GJ Dylcor, I would love it if you could turn this into a series where you focus on the Mangaka - everyone tends to focus on one piece of their work instead, and it's always the one that's mainstream also.

Inoue and G.R.R.M are different. Also there is a difference between writers that look at writing as a job, as opposed to writers that believe they need to be “inspired”. Any artist in the latter camp is pretty much relegated to having a very low oeuvre, and beginning artist will probably never ever complete anything because the perfect conditions to create are almost never going to emerge. So you create because you have to create whether you feel like it or not.

“The perfect manga, huh? There is no such thing as perfect in this world. That may sound cliché, but it’s the truth. The average person admires perfection and seeks to obtain it. But, what’s the point of achieving perfection? There is none. Nothing. Not a single thing. I loathe perfection! If something is perfect, then there is nothing left. There is no room for imagination. No place left for a person to gain additional knowledge or abilities. Do you know what that means? For artists such as ourselves, perfection only brings despair. It is our job to create things more wonderful than anything before them, but never to obtain perfection. A artist must be a person who finds ecstasy while suffering from that antimony." - Tite Kubo favorite character Mayuri Kurotsuchi

Okay god damn finally I have found this! I forgot the name of the manga I read years ago. Now back to watching the video. I can just say it was one masterpiece and I thank the author for creating this great art :) vagabond ❤️

This was a video that actually captivated my attention, which is always being taken away by distractions, well done!! I love this video ❤

I love his manga. They resonate with me so much that I think I can see those characters. I would imagine the author working on multiple drafts and throwing away many days work because they failed to meet his own standard. Wish him the best of health and the best of heart

I don't blame him for stepping back on Vagabond. And it's like you've said, that an artist/writer pours their soul into their work. I go through that all the time with my art, and get disheartened sometimes when it's not received like in my mind/thoughts. But this feeling just makes me try harder at least, so that's not so bad.

Congrats on 1 million views it's nice to see this video and channel blow up! I first found out about you from hidden island's streams and I hope you continue to make great videos like this one.

I love this video. You have a talent for presentation and research; I was surprised to see such a low sub count. I subscribed--hope you blow up, dude. Excited for more.

Of course it was Musashi. lol Everything i have been studying this past month circles back to Musashi in some form. Kinda amazing really. Thanks for putting your heart into this, its such a good video dude. 10/10

I’ve written two of three books in a trilogy. The third book is stressing me out more than the first two because it’s the end. It’s the send off. It’s supposed to be the best one. That kind of stress doesn’t leave, and I understand someone else’s desire to step away.

Amazing job thank you for this wonderful video.

I like your video. I hardly ever subscribe anyone but your video is insightful, well crafted and most of all with a calm voice not yearning to grab my attention.

That was quite the documentary, man ! Awesome ! Question, did you shoot yourself all the footage of Japan, or did you get them on stock footage site ? They're gorgeous ! As someone who's been drawing ever since I was a kid, and been working in animation for 15 years, I went through a period of extreme burnout due to the gruesome working conditions of the industry, to the point that I can't even touch a pencil anymore. Luckily, I still have photography as my second passion to still create visual arts, but it's been at least 7 years since I last drew something personal, let alone work in animation anymore. Some things, you need to be in the flow to keep it going. Once the flow has been broken, it's extremely hard to get it moving again, like trying to move a massive boulder. So I can totally understand why he stopped drawing Vagabond. When the masterpiece is growing ever bigger than the artist himself, to the point it becomes a traumatizing chore to keep at it, it's better to just leave it as is, unfinished, rather than keep at it while being mentally dragged and risking to ruin the legacy of the entire work by delivering a crappy ending. Look at Game of Thrones, the TV series : For 5 years in a row, it was the most talked about show on the entire planet, and now that the finale came and went like a wet fart, how many people are still talking about it ? Most people have completely forgotten about it, or want to forget all about it, as it never existed, as the final 3 seasons were an insult to the rest of the series that has the world so enthralled and gave 10 years of their lives to it ! Only to finish in the most unsatisfying way possible, which millions around the world took as treason and utter disrespect to the audience's intelligence and time from the showrunners. A fate like this for Vagabond would be truly devastating, both for the world, and for Inoue Sensei. I actually really enjoyed that he's found a new creative life by directing the animation movie The First Slam Dunk, that came out this year, which is a masterpiece of the medium ! You can tell was directed by a true artist, dedicated and passionated. Who knows, maybe animated film in the vein of The First Slam Dunk is the way he's gonna end Vagabond ?

Inoue seems to be following the path of the character Musashi in Vagabond. Finding the meaning of life and identity outside the pen and sword. Sometimes fictional characters must die, so that real people may live. A resurrection to Vagabond may come, but his peace of mind is what we should pray for principally . But if you think about it, we all have an idea where this story may go. Look at Guts, Thorfinn, Vash Self sacrifice and the pursuit of peace above all, is the true path of a spiritual warrior, they just have to realise it. From shedding blood, to giving it. From hate to love. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 They will follow the path of Buddha and Jesus with a bit more blood involved.

I watched this video a couple of months ago, and It was recommended again. And yet again, I couldn't resist watching the entire thing ❤

man you did amazing! THis is really greatly done and interesting. Have you thought about doing this kind of Videos to other Famous Mangaka as well?