Title: 十兵衛ちゃん〜ラブリー眼帯の秘密〜レターン (Jubei-chan~Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch~Return)
Artist: むっちりむうにい (Muchirimuni)
Creator: 大地丙太郎 (Akitarou Daichi)
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 192pp., w/o furigana
Volume: 1/1
Rating: 4/4

Since the second season of Jubei is going to be released on DVD soon (actually, I have the preview disc right beside me), I though I might refresh myself with the Jubei story. I've had this manga for quite some time now, ever since it first came out (8/15/2002), but never got around to reading it. Oh, I may be a little biased.

The story follows the first seasons pretty well, although it's a condensed and places more focus on character development, especially that of Mikage and Jiyu's family. Koinosuke also has a different fate in this story. There are various jokes in the manga that you would only understand if you watched the anime first. Overall, I believe it's an improvement.

I don't know if it's a first edition bonus, but my first edition copy comes with an extra booklet, "Jubei-chan Secrets Book" which has 30 some pages of rough sketches and some 4 panel comics.

一の太刀　出会えた二代目強かった。(First Sword, The Successor I Was Able to Meet Was Strong): This chapter pretty much follows the first episode (if I remember correctly) of the anime. Jiyu is heading off to school and meets Shiro, and then Koinosuke who wants to hand her the eyepatch. After school, she defeats her teacher as Jubei II.

二の太刀　さっそく弱点バレちゃった。 (Second Sword, At Once, Her Weakness Was Revealed): This chapter has Jiyu's first encounter with Mikage, who is first known as Francoise, wife of Mick. She sneaks into the Nanohana household, abducts Koinosuke and Jiyu's father. Jiyu hands Francoise the eyepatch in exchange for the hostages, but she can't handle its powers.

三の太刀　恋の告白、決闘だった。 (Third Sword, The Confession of Love was a Duel): Shiro and Jiyu duel for the eyepatch, with Jiyu letting Shiro win. Noticeably absent is the whole scene where Jiyu and Mikage read letters from the enemies that she has defeated and the whole fighting with a sword.

四の太刀　ラブリー眼帯、燃えていた。 (Fourth Sword, The Lovely Eyepatch Had Burned): This chapter had the best improvement as it focused on Mikage and how she could have been a possible replacement for Jiyu's mom. The anime stressed that she looked like her, but in the manga, Mikage is the one who applies the body-to-body cold treatment to Jiyu. Her dad sees this and starts to see how she could be a mother. Chapter ends with Hattori attacking.

五の太刀　乙女の悩みは戦いだった。 (Fifth Sword, The Maiden's Suffering Was a Battle): Jiyu defeats Hattori and his gang, but with only her fury, not a pots and pan costume. Meanwhile, Hajime is planning the final assault on Jiyu.

六の太刀　斬られた敵はいい人だった。 (Sixth Sword, The Enemy Defeated was a Good Person): In the final showdown, she frees everyone from Daigo's clutches, but not before his spirit inhabits Shiro and makes him Dark Shiro.

七の太刀　心の剣で黒帯斬った。 (Seventh Sword, With The Heart's Sword, The Black Belt Was Cut): Jiyu defeats the evil spirit. Rather than seeing old Jubei, Jiyu sees her alter ego as her alter ego disappears. Jiyu asks for Koinosuke to stay.

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