The Climber, Vol. 4

The harder you climb, the higher you live.

The Climber, Vol. 4 by Shin'ichi Sakamoto follows the story of Buntaro Mori, a loner who finds solace in the rush of solo climbing. Being alone in a crowd is almost as bad as being forced to fit in, but Mori discovers a brilliant sense of freedom as he pits his body and soul against challenging heights. However, the question remains: how high does he have to climb to leave humanity behind?

Mori and the 14 Mountain assault team are over a week into their complete traverse of the Japanese Alps. Bad weather and strained relationships make the training feel tougher than ascending K2 itself. After earning praise from the expedition leader, Mori becomes alienated within the group as a string of dire misfortunes befalls them. As conditions worsen, will the team unite, or will it be each man for himself against the cold, unforgiving mountains?