Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Blade of Aizu

Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Blade of Aizu (French: Assassin's Creed: Fragments – La lame d'Aizu) is a French novel. It was released in France on 15 April 2021 and is part of a new trilogy of Assassin's Creed young adult books by 404 Éditions known as the Fragments series. The English translation published by Titan Books was released on 6 June 2023.

The events of the novel take place in Japan, following Shiba Atsuko and her brother Ibuka from August 1867 shortly the Icarus affair until the Battle of Aizu in October 1868.

Description

Japan, 1868. The opposition between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Emperor's supporters is growing under the influence of external forces. The Templars have infiltrated the Emperor's court and are pushing him to go to war against Tokugawa, an ally of the Assassin Brotherhood. Could the glorious era of the Samurai be on the verge of collapse?

Atsuko, a 16-year-old Japanese girl, grew up in the wealthy neighborhoods of the city of Aizu. Although she is expected to follow cultural tradition and accept an arranged marriage, she dreams of another life. Since childhood, Atsuko and her brother Ibuka have been trained in martial arts. She wields weapons as well as her brother, who is regarded by many as Aizu's most promising warrior. But the two siblings share a secret: Ibuka is a formidable Samurai but has an insurmountable fear of combat. When war is declared, Ibuka must go and fight alongside their father for the honor of the family. Defying tradition, Atsuko disguises as a male soldier and enlist in the Shogun's army, eager to show the extent of her talents, while watching out for her brother.

Summary

Chapter 1

In their dojo, Shiba Atsuko and her brother Shiba Ibuka spar with each other until Ibuka gained an upper hand and bests his sister. Although irritated, Atsuko calms down after she realizes she is still young and learning at sixteen. She is still elated that her brother still trains her despite going against the usual gender roles. While talking, both siblings were interrupted by their father Shiba Tanomo, who asks who won their match. Impressed of his kids, Tanomo claims that Ibuka will make a great samurai while Atsuko knows that the upper class is gaining more influence over the Emperor than the current samurais.

Atsuko also realizes how she and other girls do not share anything in common. During a spring national festival, Atsuko remembers how one of the other girls Yasuhime made fun of her head injury, another girl Tomoe fell laughing at her, and one girl Munemi asked if her brother was still single. Although there were female samurai, their presence are no longer welcome in the current era. Meanwhile, Tanomo tells his children that they are invited to Matsudaira Katamori's home. Their father tells him that the daimyo may expects to have a new hatamoto, a personal guard. Excited, Ibuka is warned not to make a fool of himself as their standing to the officials wavers. Atsuko is told that she is invited as well but to wear her last dress from the festival and not for her skill. However, not wanting to be a wife to some imperial, Atsuko tries to tell her father what she wants but he stops her and suggests that she wanted a new dress. Sullen and near to tears, she accepts the gift.

Chapter 2

TBC

Continuity

The novel features several historical inaccuracies, such as Jules Brunet claiming to serve the Third French Republic while it was founded in 1870, or the beheading of Matsudaira Katamori during the Battle of Aizu while he was known to have died twenty-five years later in 1893.

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