Zelda Dungeon Talks: A Link To The Past Manga First Thoughts

A couple weeks now after the re-release of the Link To The Past manga and now that we have had a chance to read it, some members of the Zelda Dungeon are ready to voice their opinions on the topic. The comic hasn’t been around in large numbers since the early 90’s, and now is a better time than ever for the younger or new fans of the series to get a good read out of it.

In this week’s Zelda Dungeon Talks, various staff members will share their thoughts on the recently republished Link To The Past comic/manga. Feel free to share own opinion on the topic as well.

Question: What are your early opinions on the Link To The Past comic/manga?

Kassye Butler –  View Profile

I follow Viz Media on Twitter, and I was amazed when they first announced that would be re-publishing the A Link to the Past comic. Now, back in 1992 I was only 4, so I never had the chance to read the old comic. But that didn’t stop my excitement. I got my copy last week, and my shock came from just seeing the packaging. My mind had thought that the book would be in standard manga size, no bigger than a normal book. But to my surprise the volume was in its original magazine size and format. It also reads left to right, another aspect I wasn’t expecting, (I realize that this comic was made for the American Nintendo Power, but that didn’t stop my expectations.) Because I don’t care about spoilers, the first page I read was the last page. And can I just say, “my feels!” But I won’t spoil it for you, you have to read it. I have only gotten to read the first chapter, but I am so pumped about this story. It brings life to what many believe as a perfect game. It gives the characters more personality, and makes your stakes in the Hyrule of A Link to the Past that much more pressing. And after I read it, I think I’m going to boot up my Wii U A Link to the Past file.

Kevin O’Rourke – View Profile

I am a big fan of the late great Shotaro Ishinomori’s work, most notably Cyborg 009 and I wasn’t even aware that this comic existed until the announcement of the reprint popped up in January. I have several of the Viz Media comics of the other Legend of Zelda games so picking this up was a necessity. The design of the comic is great and it feels like Cyborg 009’s style meshed with The Legend of Zelda and manages to find a balance that is light hearted but still conveys the seriousness of the story being told. Before reading the comic I expected a retelling of The Link to the Past without much deviation but it’s not a carbon copy. There are new characters included in the comic including Roam who is my favorite based on his design and the actions that he takes in the story. Roam bears an incredible resemblance to Jet Link from Cyborg 009. The design and name choice is a clear homage to The Legend of Zelda, and the two characters have similar flight-based abilities. There is only so much that the characters in Link to the Past can express through text that it’s great to see a different take on the story with a bigger sense of humor and characterization. I really enjoyed reading Link’s dialogue and how he seems to be the everyman who is thrust into the limelight of this epic quest but still makes small quips and shows fatigue and doubt throughout his journey. If you’ve read some of the other Viz Media Legend of Zelda comics then this is a must-buy. The illustrations are bright and vibrant, the story is enjoyable to read and the characters are great.

Alasyn Eletha – View Profile

For me, this was my first time seeing the comic. I wasn’t exactly around back in 1992 when it was first released in Nintendo Power. However, I was really eager to have it in my hands the moment I learned about the new publication because A Link to the Past is what introduced me into the Zelda universe. I think I had more of a reaction to the reaction of the comic than the comic itself. Of course I loved it, but I was surprised by how many negative things I was hearing about it. The art style is different, refreshing actually. And the portrayal of how Link gradually grew into the hero he was meant to be, both physically and psychologically, was fantastic. He didn’t necessarily feel like a hero in the beginning, unsure of his strength. Isn’t that how we all feel at one point or another? So I feel that having a lot of Link’s goofiness throughout the story- despite the fact that some fans didn’t seem to care for it- was crucial, and was what made it more relatable to the reader.

Kira Koneko

Although I remembered this manga having been released in Nintendo Power, I was too young to fully appreciate it and did not keep any of my original magazines. However I am happy to say that I at least have the entire last year of the magazine’s issues safely stored away. I remember looking through the manga and enjoying it, but at the time the game resonated much more with me and is what truly led to my obsession with the Zelda series. Now as an adult, rereading the manga I have a much better appreciation for it and was excited as well as a little surprised when the announcement was made of its release. I love the way the characters are represented in a comical yet at times serious tone, and the colors and art are very bright and beautiful with an air of nostalgia to the time they were created. There are a few characters that didn’t make it into the game and it is nice to see how it slightly changed the dynamic of the story. For any fan of the Zelda franchise this is a must read as I think it will really give you an even better perspective on the life of the characters from A Link to the Past.