The 10 most memorable moments from the Twilight Princess Manga

Earlier this year the Twilight Princess manga came to a close, finishing what was by far the biggest and most ambitious Legend of Zelda manga adaptation to date. The artist duo of Akira Himekawa poured every ounce of effort and passion that they had in them across the series’ 11 volumes, delivering a faithful retelling of the beloved video game while also including plenty of surprises that built upon the original story. Link’s and Midna’s adventure to save both Hyrule and the Twilight Realm was bold, thrilling, and provocative all the way through, and these are the ten moments that stood out the most from an unforgettable manga adaptation.

SPOILER WARNING:
This list will discuss key scenes and major plot points from the Twilight Princess manga. Read at your own discretion.

Read our reviews of Volume One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, and Eleven of the Twilight Princess manga.

10. Link witnesses the Hero of Time’s fight with Ganondorf

Much like the video games they adapt, the Legend of Zelda manga are typically standalone experiences, each being a self contained adventure that can be enjoyed regardless of your familiarity with the rest of the series. It was a very welcome surprise, then, in Volume 7 when the Twilight Princess manga took Link, Midna, and the readers all the way back through Hyrule’s history to show the Hero of Time’s encounter with Ganondorf during the events of Ocarina of Time. The sight of that climatic battle is a stirring trip down memory lane for any longtime Legend of Zelda fan, and Himekawa handles it in such a way that it serves as more than just a dose of nostalgia. By witnessing that landmark event, Link and Midna gain a greater understanding of how the conflict that threatens the world in their time came to be, and it enriches the world building of the Hyrule set during the Era of Twilight.

9. The Battle with Armogohma

When the Mirror of Shadow’s dark essence takes hold of a harmless spider inside the Temple of Time, it quickly turns the tiny arachnid into one of the most hideous foes that Link encounters throughout the Twilight Princess manga, and a highlight of Akira Himekawa’s creature designs. Armogohma is far more fearsome than it ever was in the video game, confronting Link as a grotesque monstrosity warped by the Twilight’s magic. It’s the kind of abomination that would send chills down your spine simply by looking at it, let alone getting up close and personal with it in combat. Link’s encounter with Armogohma has a big fight feel, their battle spilling across several pages as they go back and forth. No matter how many times Link tears into Armogohma with the Master Sword, the enormous spider doggedly pursues Link throughout the decaying Temple of Time, threatening him with all of the same attacks that fans saw in the video game boss fight.

8. The Attack on Ordon Village

In addition to being a much longer series, another change that came with the Twilight Princess adaptation is that it contains significantly more violent content than what was found in previous Legend of Zelda manga. Some moments are downright gruesome, with blood, ichor, and gore freely splashing over the panels. This was demonstrated in the very first volume during King Bulblin’s raid of Ordon Village, which is a grisly reinterpretation of what happened in the video game. It’s not just Ilia, Link, and the children who are swept up in the attack. Several villagers are ruthlessly slain by marauding Bokoblins and Bulblins, setting the tone for what would be a manga featuring plenty of brutal moments. Link also sustains much worse than a bonk on the head — the poor guy gets his entire arm chopped off!

7. Ganondorf and Zelda discuss Hyrule’s bloody history

A conversation between two people sitting down over a cup of tea normally wouldn’t be considered an exciting scene, but when Ganondorf and Zelda discuss the King of Evil’s reasons for his conquest of the Twilight Realm and Hyrule, it yields a jaw dropping revelation. In accordance with the Child Timeline, Himekawa’s manga adaptation confirms that the royal family of Hyrule had Ganondorf executed long ago before he could claim the Triforce of Power and lay waste to the kingdom. Where the manga surprises us is when Zelda realizes that her ancestors killed Ganondorf long before he actually posed any clear and evident threat. Readers are subsequently hit with an uncomfortable moral quandary for Zelda, and quite possibly the single greatest characterization that there has ever been for Ganondorf. When viewed through the lens of anything other than the Adult Timeline, Hyrule’s monarchy essentially executed an innocent man. It gives Ganondorf extremely compelling motivation other than a mere lust for power, because frankly, he has a fair gripe against the royal family.

6. Retaking Castle Town

The scope of the conflict which engulfs Hyrule is appropriately expanded in the Twilight Princess manga, so when Link and Midna make their way to Hyrule Castle for the final showdown with Ganondorf, they bring plenty of backup with them. Joining the heroes are the members of the Resistance, Link’s pals from his hometown, and a score of Hylian soldiers to clash with Ganondorf’s forces. The ensuing battle between the two armies is wonderfully chaotic as it rages throughout Castle Town, with monsters and Hylians dropping left and right. The all-out brawl goes on for just about the entire first half of Volume 10, bringing all the action that fans could want for the manga’s thrilling climax. The highlight of the battle is an unforgettable moment where Midna flexes her magical abilities and takes control of the Twili Beasts before promptly letting them loose to tear through Ganondorf’s troops.

5. Link Punches Zant

Zant is a bit more menacing in the Twilight Princess manga than he was in the video game. The manga eschews all of his shrill shrieking and zany antics from the boss fight, and it adds a particularly slimy twist to the encounter with him inside the Palace of Twilight. When it’s revealed that Zant has had an obsession with Midna dating back to when she was very young, the crazed Usurper King immediately becomes as loathsome a villain who has ever appeared in The Legend of Zelda. That makes it unbelievably cathartic when Link finally socks him square in the jaw. After all of the horror that Zant wrought, a sword beam or a spin slash just never would have been as satisfying as the gloriously violent image of Link walloping him with a balled up fist.

4. The Battle with King Bulblin

The showdown with King Bulbin and his minions throughout Hyrule Field is an early highpoint of the Twilight Princess video game, and Himekawa made sure that it was done justice when bringing it to life in the manga adaptation. Capitalizing on the Twilight Princess manga’s extended run, the artists let the battle play out across an entire chapter, giving it all the pages needed to be an elaborate, action packed setpiece. Link doesn’t go it alone, either. In a terrific addition to the scene, Renado lends a hand by sniping Bulbins with a bow and arrow. Even Epona isn’t afraid to throw her bulk against King Bulbin’s armored Lord Bullbo. A battle with this many moving parts requires steady direction from the artist to come together in the final publication, and Himekawa laid it out so perfectly that it set a new standard for action sequences in Legend of Zelda manga adaptations.

3. The Hero’s Shade saves Link from Zant

The Twilight Princess manga throws quite a curve ball the reader’s way at the end of Volume 6, when Link takes an unexpected detour into a twisted, alternate dimension that he never visited in the video game. Slowly being corrupted by the Mirror of Shadow’s overwhelming magic, Link is forced to fight through a gauntlet of enemies, which includes a surprise encounter with Dark Link. His valiant effort comes to a screeching halt when Zant appears, though, as he proves no match for the Usurper King. Defeated, separated from Midna, and losing his grip on reality, things look pretty grim for Link. Just when all hope seems lost, the Hero’s Shade bursts onto the scene to make the big save, breaking through Zant’s shadowy dimension as if it were glass. Taking on the golden wolf form, the Hero’s Shade promptly mauls Zant, and it’s only Zant’s helmet that saves him from being decapitated. As an all new sequence exclusive to the manga adaptation, Volume 6’s wild conclusion adds a very welcome dose of suspense and drama to Link’s adventure.

2. The final battle with Ganondorf

After 11 Volumes and more than 50 chapters, the Twilight Princess manga finally arrived at the duel between Link and Ganondorf, and it delivered what can only be described as the single greatest fight sequence in The Legend of Zelda literature. With Ganondorf’s magic severed by Zelda’s Light Arrows, the fate of Hyrule comes down to single combat between two men and their blades. There are several points where the action stretches across multiple pages without a hint of dialogue, the sheer violence on display telling a better story than words ever could. When Link has escaped so many battles in manga adaptations completely unscathed, and has been known to defeat bosses with a single blow due to page constraints, it’s immensely satisfying to see he and Ganondorf absolutely pummel one another in a duel that spans over half of the book. Overcoming such adversity demands a ferocious, savage effort from Link and Ganondorf, the kind of which you won’t find anywhere else in The Legend of Zelda.

1. Midna Kisses Link

Akira Himekawa sure saved their biggest surprise for last. We knew that Midna’s goodbye was going to be just as bittersweet in the manga as it was in the video game, but little we did know the bombshell that was waiting for us in the final chapter. Link’s and Midna’s kiss leaves nothing to the imagination, creating an unabashedly romantic moment that is unlike anything else we’ve seen in the series, and maybe unlike anything else that we will ever see in the series. Considering how tame The Legend of Zelda has been with romance, it’s amazing that Himekawa got the go-ahead to illustrate this in the first place. Even if you’re not a longtime Link/Midna shipper, you have to appreciate how earth shattering it was to see them share such a passionate kiss. Those fans who have always wanted to see it must have exploded with joy at the sight. After all that Link and Midna went through together, and especially with how much the Twilight Princess manga built upon their relationship, they deserved this moment.