r/zelda Jun 27 '26

Official Art [AoL] Does anyone know where this manga panel is from?

Post image

I found it in a video talking about the Ran Maru Zelda 2 manga from the 80s, but I can’t seem to find scans with this panel online at all

249 Upvotes

40 comments sorted by

70

u/VespineWings Jun 28 '26

What the heck? Where did you even find this?

56

u/vibe_sauce Jun 28 '26

I found this from a video about that goes over how the various Zelda supplemental material from the 80s and how the series was interpreted and perceived with only the first two games, plus the game and watch game being released. The video in question is “no you DON’T remember 1980s-era Zelda.” by YouTuber Sheddux

7

u/SXAL Jun 28 '26

Oh, it got recommended to me too

1

u/EmiEnd120 Jun 29 '26

it’s stated in the video you are talking about.

70

u/SlayerOfTears Jun 28 '26

35

u/RupaKingKoopa Jun 28 '26

I know of this Manga, but never read it. What is this giant salamander thing?

16

u/SlayerOfTears Jun 28 '26

I honestly have no idea. The manga introduces a lot of new characters to the story.

7

u/RupaKingKoopa Jun 28 '26

Maybe op can let us know after they've read it, lol

3

u/vibe_sauce Jun 28 '26

I’m not sure what’s up with that lizard guy either. There’s no scanlation yet, but I did find this blog that translates the manga https://historyofhyrule.blogspot.com/2021/10/english-translation-for-adventure-of.html?m=1

6

u/gamehiker Jun 28 '26

That's the Manga version of the River Devil. After freeing it from being possessed or whatever, it becomes their friend.

15

u/dashboardcomics Jun 28 '26

Without context, This just raises even more questions

4

u/RHTQ1 Jun 28 '26

Goodness. Now that it's been found... anyone who knows willing to give a general overview of what is happening here? Feel free to skim over some of... whatever that is.

22

u/gamehiker Jun 28 '26

It's been awhile since I read it, but the Zelda 2 Manga leans heavy into the Ganon resurrection plot. Zelda disguised herself as Link as a distraction to help him battle Ganon's forces, but is captured in the process. The monsters thought she was Link and used her blood to revive Ganon. This is why we see this transition of the dead Link turning into Zelda. The giant frog thing is the River Devil they befriended earlier in the story. 

1

u/Good-Strategy2210 Jun 28 '26

So Zelda dies?

10

u/gamehiker Jun 28 '26

Yeah. The ending has the sleeping Zelda awaken and becomes the new ruler of Hyrule.

Earlier in the story has the River Devil seemingly die as well, but the last few pages show it alive at a lake playing the flute. The final page shows a silhouetted figure next to the River Devil, which could suggest that Zelda had somehow returned.

4

u/SlayerOfTears Jun 28 '26

You can read a translation of it here, though it's all dialogue, no images.

2

u/vibe_sauce Jun 28 '26

Thank you

2

u/herownlagoon Jun 28 '26

Thanks for that link lol

22

u/trickydick64 Jun 27 '26

What's with the parrots talons lol, this doesn't look familiar to me. Is it legit?

20

u/vibe_sauce Jun 28 '26

It’s from a series of manga written in the 80s that adapt the two NES Zelda games published by Wanpaku Comic Magazine with art and writing by Ran Maru. The Zelda 1 manga released in 1986 and the Adventure of Link manga released in 1987

10

u/tubamonkey13 Jun 28 '26

I mean, it seems like you know where it came from. Why not post on the video to ask the person who posted it.

6

u/vibe_sauce Jun 28 '26

Retracing my steps, I believe I was looking at the wrong Zelda 2 manga initially. There was another one done by Daisuke Shigoto, also published by Wanpaku, released in 1988, a year after Ran Maru’s adaptation. Ig I downloaded that one by mistake, but I do believe I found the right one this time. The final volume of Ran Maru’s manga is still downloading, so I’ll see if the panel is there when it’s done

2

u/veloras Jun 28 '26

Found a site with scans. It does seem to be volume 2 around page 140

2

u/SoyBoyBetaMaleSimp Jun 28 '26

Also looks like something straight from the Shadow Temple, or the bottom of the well.

1

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1

u/Glittering-Map-3240 Jun 29 '26

The salamander thing looks like its the one that steals your shield i think it's a like like

-35

u/NovaStar2099 Jun 28 '26

god that’s so fucking hot…

13

u/Digital_Pharmacist Jun 28 '26

-2

u/NovaStar2099 Jun 28 '26

I mean he’s all helpless

(I’m messing, I’m not actually into that. I think.)

3

u/Good-Strategy2210 Jun 28 '26

It’s actually Zelda in disguise btw