Brutal, blutig, actionreich, dynamisch - so würde ich sowohl das Artwork, als auch die Story und Geschehnisse betiteln. Das Artwork ist sehr detailliert und an vielen Stellen sprechen die Bilder für sich - da braucht man kaum noch Text. Was den Plot angeht: man muss Kriegsgeschichten mögen, sonst hat man hier sicherlich wenig Spaß mit. Das ganze spielt Anfang des 30 jährigen Krieges in Europa (bzw Deutschland). Die Charaktere sind noch etwas unnahbar und es umgibt sie etwas mysteriöses. Issak ist aber ein interessanter Charakter, wenn auch bisher schwer durchschaubar.
Kriegsgeschichten sind immer so nen 50:50 Ding - zusätzlich dazu hatte ich an ein paar Stellen paar Probleme mit bestimmten Wörtern (übersetzungstechnisch). Im Großen und Ganzen las es sich aber sehr flüssig und war auch sehr interessant.

Issak follows a Japanese mercenary during his journey through Europe during the Thirty Years War as he seeks revenge on the person who killed his mentor. Given this omnibus covers just the first two volumes of the manga, we don't learn much of anything about our main character, Issak, which made this a bit of a weak intro for me. Thrown headfirst into the action and not really knowing motivations or what's what is a little frustrating but I'm sure in future volumes characters' backgrounds and motivations will be revealed in order to make the reader more invested in Issak's quest for revenge. The art style itself is really solid and the battle scenes are incredibly dynamic. This does have battle-typical gore including blood, death and limb loss.

While this wasn't a manga I'm likely to continue, folks who've enjoyed historical fiction manga such as Golden Kamuy may enjoy this though Issak is more serious in mood.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing an eArc for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Rated 2.75* rounded up to 3*.

ᨳ᭬ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑.5 ࿐ྂ

yes yes yes

This was everything i needed.
Not only is the story great the artstyle is also really pretty.

Issak is a based in truth war story, following a man bent on revenge. He makes his way all the way from war torn Japan to Europe, a harrowing journey that only leads to more death, for it's the beginning of the Thirty Years' War.

Catholic and Protestant armies clash on the battlefields, mercenaries often making the difference in who wins and who loses. At the start of the manga, this is where we find Issak, on his way to fight the Spanish on the side of Holland. What is surprising is instead of a sword, he uses a matchlock gun, the very same hand crafted by his master. If you read the author's note on the history, it turns out this is historically accurate. There were Japanese soldier who came to fight in Europe at this time and instead of swords they were masters with these types of guns.

This manga is nor for the faint of heart. There is so much death, and the artist does not shy away from showing it on page. However, I think it's done well and overall the story is powerful and engaging.

I found the concept of this one really interesting but for some reason I couldn’t really get into it. Perhaps it was just my mood or maybe because I didn’t quite understand some things that were going on. I did want to like it. I really did. I might try to reread it another time to see if my opinion changes. But for now I’ll say this one wasn’t for me.

Set in 1620 Europe, you’ll be immersed into the Thirty Years War. Catholic and Protestant armies paint the lands in red. And between cannonballs, arrows, lances and swords, a lone man stands before them with a matchlock gun. He’s far from home and looking to avenge the man he owes everything to.

Issak.

Overall thoughts:

This is an omnibus, so you’ll get Volumes 1 and 2 of the manga! So if you’re ball parking your shelf, Japan released 19 volumes in total.

I highly enjoyed this immersive tale set in a war-ridden Europe. What I loved most was the author’s note in the back. Records state that Japanese men who were fighting for European armies were often sporting guns, not swords! And while Issak is a fictional tale, a lot of it feels rooted in history.

The designs were really nice, and the action scenes felt solid! Issak as a story has a lot of heart, and if you’re a big fan of historical fiction, you’ll likely get a kick out of this one.

Who is Issak for?

I highly recommend Issak to fans of historical stories like Vagabond! If you’re looking for a historical action story about a warrior seeking revenge, you’ll likely enjoy this manga.

A Gritty Tale of War and Identity

Issak Omnibus 1 delivers a gripping blend of action, honor, and history through the eyes of a Japanese sniper navigating the chaos of the Thirty Years’ War. The setting isn’t just background noise, it’s a fully realized landscape of political tension and shifting alliances that pulls the reader straight into 17th-century Europe. The combination of Eastern discipline and Western warfare makes Issak a compelling figure. His quiet intensity, sharp focus, and code of honor stand in stark contrast to the brutality around him. The battle scenes are explosive and cinematic, but it’s the slower, tension-filled moments and political maneuvering that give the story real weight. A standout element is the detailed historical context woven into the narrative. Instead of dumping facts, the manga integrates background information, especially regarding Japanese presence in Europe, deepening the overall experience.

A well-crafted story that’s both engaging and thoughtful, offering plenty of depth for fans of action and historical fiction alike.

I really enjoyed the illustrations in this manga. The black and white really made it stand out as a historical drama set in the 17th century. I really liked the action shots of Issak and all he was willing to try to get his revenge. I can’t wait for the next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for this eARC

This is the sort of historical manga I love; high stakes, fast paced, easy to follow, and eventually teaching me something about a period of time I didn’t know much about. The artwork was particularly impressive during action scenes and I found myself immersed in the world. I appreciated the deeper dive into historical facts at the end of the volume, and found the authors notes added for a better understanding. It ends on such a cliffhanger, I’m absolutely desperate to know what happens next!

This has my interests piqued! First off, the art is fantastic, but more than that the story has me. I was invested in the first couple of pages. I am a sucker for history and I think this is just such a great historical setting and the fact that it is based within some truth is face sitting. The story is fast paced and super intriguing. Also getting to see Europe written by a Japanese author is super intriguing and a setting you don't normally encounter in manga. The content itself is not new to the market, but the omnibus edition is and I think it is definitely one of those reads that does well with little break between content. Everything about this is fascinating and I can definitely see myself continuing this in the future! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing my access to your content and allowing me to review it!

This story is about a Japanese Samari who travelled to Europe to fight in a war and get revenge for his Master. I found this an easy read and was drawn in by the story. The artwork was amazing in the book, it really brought it to life. I would definitely read the next volume of this manga to see how the story progresses

Published by Kodansha and available June 10, 2025, Issak is a series I wasn't previously aware of but was definitely interested in once I began reading -- not many works take place in the Thirty Years War* (a 17th century conflict between Catholic and Protestant forces in what is now Germany that was actually one of the worst wars in European history). To make it stand out even more, it follows a Japanese mercenary -- basically the opposite of Clavell's Shōgun. I was instantly hooked -- I loved the historic and linguistic detail (German is my second language) and the art is fantastic. And who doesn't love a strong, silent type on a personal mission who nevertheless shows concern for others? This is an awesome start to a series I'm going to follow. I especially love that the author includes an afterword about the inspiration for the story, and there's a section of historical notes that give more context to the story. I'm definitely going to look into getting this series for the library.

* At least in English and definitely not in Japanese

I love historical (fantasy) series, and Issak is a perfect example! A Japanese samurai who traveled to Europe to fight and enact revenge for a loved one, he is one marksman you do not want to mess with. The art caught me off guard with how amazing it is, and I can't help but be curious on what happens next with Issak and his target.

I thought it was an okay read, the art was excellent and really showed strong movement as well as proper proportions generally being quiet pleasant to look at despite the violence (as expected which also looked incredible).
I find the main character Issak was a bit different from what I expected. I found his character a little serious and one sided only really represented as the serious hero who always saves the day. I think the lack of what is driving him emotionally is what caused the story to feel a bit flat. It wasn't bad - just more predictable than anything. I would look forward to seeing more development and vulnerability in future novels

A Japanese man travels to Europe to avenge his master's murder and becomes involved in the Thirty Years' War.

Shinji Makari uses a little known bit of history—that there were Japanese people in Europe during the 17th century and some of them were soldiers—and uses it to craft an intriguing tale. Double-S's art is sharp, and shows the brutality of battle without making it stomach churning.

I honestly didn’t get around to finishing it though I really liked the idea and concept of the storyline.

Not an immediate favourite for me but I still greatly enjoyed this and plan to continue with the series. The art and the story are amazing.

This wasn't bad, I like looking at the art, and I thought the story was okay, but the main character is kind of dull which I guess he's supposed to be but I'm not really getting much from him other then he's on his revenge arc.

I REALLY love a historical fiction. I love stories that take place in times of war. I love an epic revenge story. And I love when a manga artist can really bring the action scenes to life... So this one hit for me! The art is incredible... The depiction of the armies and battles were bada**. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical aspect of the story and reading Issak's revenge journey, so I will definitely continue on with this series (I believe my arc only included vol. 1). I can't wait to see where it goes.

I genuinely loved this manga - while I don't necessarily think the story is adding something groundbreaking to the medium, it is developing at the perfect speed (for me) to keep me interested. Not only that, the art is gorgeous.