Had this series remotely resembled any of Akira Kurosawa's works, it'd be more enjoyable than it is. Instead, it's all Nocenti with her trademark confusion and looseness, with some forgettable art attached. Read Full Review

Katana is pretty much the same as it was in prior issues -- it's kind of weird (hint: there's a scene in which our hero hits a dude with a bowling ball), there's lots of combat and Katana once again fights the karate wino while wearing a cute outfit that doesn't look like she was dressed by some beardo comics artist. I think Nocenti is (wisely) giving her artists photo references. Read Full Review

I want to love "Katana," and when Nocenti describes escaping souls smelling of bitterness, mold, and yearning, I'm on board. But those little moments aren't quite enough to hold my attention. If "Katana" doesn't get a sharper edge soon, I might have to set this dulled comic aside. Read Full Review

However, where this issue suffers the most is in the art. Cliff Richards takes over pencil duties, but his line work isn't really the problem. The problem is that there are four different inkers on this book. All four of these inkers bring something to the table and the end result is that every few pages there is a drastically different visual aesthetic. It only adds to the stuttering narrative and wonky structure. It comes down to this: Katana has a long climb to become the series many of us hoped it would be. A long, long climb. Read Full Review