The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Manga Review

As many Zelda fans will likely tell you, Ocarina of Time is one of, if not the best, Zelda games of all time. It is little wonder why they think that way: the game is chock full of innovative features, gripping plot points, intense battles, engaging side quests, and more. An already amazing story is improved upon in a manga series written and illustrated by Akira Himekawa. Originally released in Japan in the late 1990s, the saga was translated into English and released in two volumes in late 2008 by Vizkids. If you are a Zelda fan, and even if you know the game by heart, you will be amazed and impressed by the superb artwork and incredible tale that these books have to offer.

If you have played the game, you know the basic story behind the mangas: the land of Hyrule is in great danger because Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo tribe, wishes to claim the mystical Triforce that will grant him the power to conquer the world. Link, a young Kokiri boy from a once peaceful forest, sets out to claim the Spiritual Stones that he hopes will help him prevent the Triforce from falling into the wrong hands. Eventually, he claims the Master Sword and ends up being sealed in the Sacred Realm for seven years until his body matures into that of a brave hero. During that time, Ganondorf and his minions have taken over the world. Now with the help of such characters as Navi the fairy, Epona the horse, and the mysterious Sheik, Link will need to awaken the magical Sages so that he may rid Hyrule of Ganondorf forever.

While the books are rather faithful to the game, there are added plot points and facts not touched upon in the game. A shining example of this happens during Link's battle against Volvagia the dragon. In this version, Link and Volvagia are actually childhood friends, but Ganondorf's curse has made the dragon turn evil. Link is therefore hesitant to destroy Volvagia, even though not doing so will doom the people of Hyrule. His attempts to get Volvagia to remember him are in vain, and with many lives at stake, realizes that he has no choice but to kill his old friend. It is only right before Volvagia dies that the curse is lifted and he recognizes Link. Understandably, Link vows to never forgive Ganondorf for forcing him to sever a longtime friendship. This is also one of several sad moments in the manga, and the artwork and storytelling really make you feel the sadness that Link experiences.

As in the game, there are plenty of fierce battles, epic adventures, and a touch of humor to lighten things up at points. Not everything in the game is covered: for example, Link is not seen visiting the Shadow Temple and awakening Impa in this version. Instead, the old woman trains him in fighting, and Link's new found skills serve him well when he battles a dark, shadowy version of himself. What is featured, however, is nothing short of great storytelling. Even those who have beaten the game many times will be amazed by all of the new and altered twists presented here. Reading the mangas may take some getting used to, however, as the books read from right to left, just like in Japan. Once you get adjusted to doing this, however, the story becomes really easy to follow.

The saga is split into two volumes. The first volume covers Young Link's quest for the Spiritual Stones and begins to cover Adult Link's journey up through his adventures in Kakariko Village. The second volume goes from having our hero return to Lon Lon Ranch to the final battle against Ganondorf. The latter also includes some bonus stories. First, there is a two-part story that takes place before the events in Ocarina of Time come to pass. It has Link meeting a mischievous Skull Kid and dealing with an evil tree who wishes to rule the entire forest. In the other bonus tale, occurring during Link's quest as the Hero of Time, he finds himself looking after a trouble making prince named Rouru, a member of the birdlike Watarara tribe, until he is reunited with his family. All of these tales are just as engaging as the main story, and whether or not you end up considering them to be part of the actual Zelda canon, you cannot help but realize that there is some superb storytelling at work here.

Having these mangas arriving in official English translations has been a long time coming, but the wait was definitely worth it. Everything about these graphic novels, from the beautiful artwork to plot points that you might never expect, is nothing short of incredible, and the mangas are just as engaging, if not more so, as the game itself. In fact, more Zelda mangas have been brought to the United States. Presently, there are mangas based on Majora's Mask, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, The Minish Cap, and Four Swords Adventures, with the latter also available in two volumes. A manga based on A Link to the Past (different from the comic that appeared in Nintendo Power in 1992) is due out in February. In the meantime, Zelda fans everywhere owe it to themselves to check out the amazing two-part manga series based on Ocarina of Time. If you loved the game, you'll love the mangas as much as I did.