(AfroGamers.com) Truck-kun is undefeated, y’all. If anyone knows of a series where Truck-kun itself is isekai’d into another world, please let me know in the comments! Anyway, we have another victim turned martial arts hero in Jang Geon (or Zhang Qian) of Martial Wild West.
What Is Martial Wild West?
Created by writer Cup Ramen and artist Jeong Han-Gill, it is a murim isekai (Korean martial arts fantasy/reincarnation series). Don’t roll your eyes and go “Another of these cultivation martial arts series.”
I love those and there is several boatloads of those series but Martial Wild West is different taking a heavily western approach with the murim theme. Think of a martial arts version of Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy. Now set it in mystical martial arts Korea over a millennia after the ancient period murim manhwa tend to be set in.
You’ll see elements of getting ki boosts through energy pills, sword fights, use of overly powerful martial arts strikes, and using ki at a respectable Street Fighter level. However, it’s in a period where the locomotive is a big deal and issues arise for native people because they have a mine or valuable land.
The Old Continent where you would’ve seen a lot of that ancient murim action with mystical sword techniques and dragons is under the control of a Murim Association and the Emperor. The main task of murim associations is govern martial artists and make sure no one uses Demonic Arts.
With that power and authority, you have clans, families, gangs, and bandits who oppress weaker warriors and civilians. When New Continent opens up, many sides moved to colonize it with people from all of the aforementioned groups heading over for business opportunities, to establish power, or just to live better lives beyond the Murim Association, the Emperor, martial families, and the Imperial Army.
After traveling the Old Continent for years and learning martial arts, Jang Geon eventually makes his way to the New Continent seeking to hone his skills and wander.
Jang Geon, The Young Master
At least that’s the best way to describe what Jang does for most of the current run of Martial Wild West. Originally a young man in his late-20s in the modern timeline/world, Jang Geon spent a lot of time reading martial arts stories and manuals. It was an interest of his and he memorized most of what he read.
One day, a child (it’s always some un-or-underattended child) runs into the street and into the path of Truck-kun. Heroism ensues as Jang manages to dive in and save the kid but is rolled by the truck. I often wonder if those truck drivers ever lose their jobs after hitting someone in these comics. They’re always speeding and apparently their brakes never work until they hit something.
At any rate, Jang dies and is reincarnated as a child in the Murim world. Martial West doesn’t go through his childhood into adulthood, it starts with him having wandered the New Continent for years now.
His demeanor in this new world is similar to how he was before dying. However, being in proximity to chaos, death, and rowdy gangs makes him into a somewhat cautious, untrusting adventurer who would rather not get involved into anything too deep. Such as killing the son of a powerful warlord who has ties to the Murim Association of the New Continent.
Remember, in murim comics, connections are extremely important and often lead to ongoing issues for heroes.
Jang Family Taiji
One of the interesting things of this comics is the origin of Jang Geon’s martial arts. He had honed his body well for martial arts and formed his own unique style from what he learned of the Murim martial arts and the fictional depictions of martial arts in his home world.
How he applies his knowledge into tangible, ridiculously effective techniques by mimicry stands out. It would be easier to say he isekai’d into the world of a novel he read and was already familiar with how ki (energy) works in the world since it tends to be similar across series. He manages to pick up concepts and mysteries of different arts he encounters very quickly and these experiences fill in gaps in his understanding. That allows him to eventually apply techniques that often appear similar to established techniques in that world.
This proves to be a problem throughout Martial Wild West as everyone questions him about being a top master within the Imperial Army. The Imperial Army’s martial arts are considered the peak and beyond that, it’s learning martial arts from established powerhouse families on the Old Continent.
It made it difficult for Jang Geon to explain at times and he’s gotten into giving the simple response to the effect of “Who says the Imperial Army are the only martial artists?” Which seems to sate curiosity a little bit as there are bandits roaming about who know martial arts.
Adventures on the New Continent
Most of Jang’s adventures are a result of unintentional involvement. It’s the best way to get a wandering warrior with a heart some action. As mentioned above, the setting of the New Continent is very much a lawless land where the powerful and violent take advantage of the weaker civilians and have their talons in authority. They’re able to twist law and order to their advantage, so you have a lot of stories where Jang is drawn into a situation that isn’t so surface level the longer he gets to know certain people.
At the conclusion of these adventures, he just hops on his horse leaves. Usually because s decent or the preferred outcome achieved with his involvement. However, there are times he simply needs to get out of the area because he has drawn attention. One thing is certain, his goal of honing his martial arts often runs along his need for cash while traveling the plains and mountains of the New Continent and there is no shortage of opportunities.
Have you read Martial Wild West (or Murim Wild West)? If so, share your thoughts on the series and again, let me know if you’ve found some Truck-kun isekai!
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.