And v53 is now complete. One minor change I'd like to point out is that in the novel, Cao Zhen is willing to give Jiang Wei the benefit of the doubt out of simple eagerness and confidence. In Yoshikawa Eiji's version, and consequently this manga, it's Jiang Wei's famous filial piety that convinces Cao Zhen to give him the benefit of his doubt. If I had to pick, I certainly like this change better as it makes Cao Zhen seem a little less incompetent (historically, he was quite capable and can claim much credit in the first two Northern campaigns). However, this change is only possible because it omits a brief but very clear mention in the original novel that Kongming specifically moved Jiang Wei's mother to Hanzhong during the general withdrawal in the first Northern campaign in the aftermath of the defeat at Jieting.
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| from v52 |
As you can see here, both the manga and novel mentions that Kongming evacuated the people of Tianshui, Nanan, and Anding to Hanzhong. So although Yoshikawa eliminated the reference to the relocation of Jiang Wei's mother to set up a more convincing reason as to Cao Zhen's behaviour at the end of v53, the careful reader might then wonder why Kongming was careless enough to leave Jiang Wei's mother behind in soon-to-be Wei territory, even though he relocated many of the other civilians. So B+ for the effort, Yoshikawa Eiji, but not quite good enough, I'd say.
P.S. I'm aware that I'm probably the only English-speaking person who cares about this incredibly minor change between the two versions.
Download
Sangokushi c373: Sendspace
Sangokushi v53: Mega; Mediafire
