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Usagi Yojimbo [兎用心棒]
Usagi Yojimbo Volume 39: Ice and Snow Limited Edition
Usagi Yojimbo returns to Dark Horse with this graphic novel!
Following the events of “The Green Dragon,” Usagi and Yukichi are still in the snowy mountaintops of Northern Japan.
They are led to the hut of a strange woman hermit who allows them to spend the night. Meanwhile, the maniacal Jei and his familiar, Keiko, are on Usagi’s trail, and they stumble upon a bandit lair and subdue the band of cutthroats and thieves.
Stan Sakai brings his beloved rabbit ronin series back to Dark Horse—featuring full color by colorist team Hi-Fi!
Collects Usagi Ice and Snow #1–#5.
Following the events of “The Green Dragon,” Usagi and Yukichi are still in the snowy mountaintops of Northern Japan.
They are led to the hut of a strange woman hermit who allows them to spend the night. Meanwhile, the maniacal Jei and his familiar, Keiko, are on Usagi’s trail, and they stumble upon a bandit lair and subdue the band of cutthroats and thieves.
Stan Sakai brings his beloved rabbit ronin series back to Dark Horse—featuring full color by colorist team Hi-Fi!
Collects Usagi Ice and Snow #1–#5.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
About the author
Stan Sakai
935 books378 followersStan Sakai (Japanese: 坂井 スタンSakai Sutan; born May 25, 1953) is an artist who became known as an Eisner Award-winning comic book originator.
Born in Kyoto, Sakai grew up in Hawaii and studied fine arts at the University of Hawaii. He later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He and his wife, Sharon, presently reside and work in Pasadena.
He began his career by lettering comic books (notably Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier) and became famous with the production of Usagi Yojimbo, the epic saga of Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth-century Japan. First published in 1984, the comic continues to this day, with Sakai as the lone author and nearly-sole artist (Tom Luth serves as the main colorist on the series, and Sergio Aragonés has made two small contributions to the series: the story "Broken Ritual" is based on an idea by Aragonés, and he served as a guest inker for the black and white version of the story "Return to Adachi Plain" that is featured in the Volume 11 trade paper-back edition of Usagi Yojimbo). He also made a futuristic spin-off series Space Usagi. His favorite movie is Satomi Hakkenden (1959).
Born in Kyoto, Sakai grew up in Hawaii and studied fine arts at the University of Hawaii. He later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He and his wife, Sharon, presently reside and work in Pasadena.
He began his career by lettering comic books (notably Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier) and became famous with the production of Usagi Yojimbo, the epic saga of Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth-century Japan. First published in 1984, the comic continues to this day, with Sakai as the lone author and nearly-sole artist (Tom Luth serves as the main colorist on the series, and Sergio Aragonés has made two small contributions to the series: the story "Broken Ritual" is based on an idea by Aragonés, and he served as a guest inker for the black and white version of the story "Return to Adachi Plain" that is featured in the Volume 11 trade paper-back edition of Usagi Yojimbo). He also made a futuristic spin-off series Space Usagi. His favorite movie is Satomi Hakkenden (1959).
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 23, 2025
Usagi has encounters with creatures from Japanese folklore. On top of that, he is pursued by his rival, the creepy and mysterious Jei. Usagi is constantly under threat in these stories, so there is a good level of tension in them.
July 21, 2026
Un buen retorno al personaje con dos historias de terror bien ancladas en la mitología japonesa. Son temas repetidos a lo largo de la serie, pero muy bien desarrollados.
April 11, 2024
After approximately five years of publishing Usagi Yojimbo stories with IDW, Stan Sakai brings the wandering ronin back to Dark Horse Comics under the "Dogu" imprint. Despite this being the fourth publisher swap in the now forty year run of the title, Sakai has maintained a singular continuity for the ongoing adventures of Miyamoto Usagi. Though any new reader can technically jump on with "Ice and Snow" as their first taste of Usagi comics, I'd say the experience is all the more richer having read from the beginning.
"Ice and Snow" follows Miyamoto Usagi and his cousin Yamamoto Yukichi who are both undergoing a warrior's pilgrimage together. Their previous adventures as chronicled in the previous two volumes, Crossroads and The Green Dragon, placed the pair of ronin into the treacherous path of icy mountains and frozen plains whilst they were being stalked by the enigmatic Jei. Usagi Yojimbo stories have often flirted with the supernatural, and "Ice and Snow" is not short on the fantastical elements. Jei's hunt for Usagi is only disrupted by a yuki-onna, or a snow woman from Japanese folklore. There's plenty of twists and turns as Usagi and Yukichi must navigate a group of brigands, the yōkai, a village filled with demons, Jei, and the freezing cold weather.
Though there is an air of familiarity with the stories of Usagi at this point in the run, Sakai still manages to maintain a deeply enjoyable sense of pacing, adventure and intrigue throughout. It's been five years worth of color stories too, and at this point the use of color in the series feels much more confident. I'm still partial to the black-and-white stories of old for sure, but Usagi Yojimbo going strong in 2024 after forty years of publishing is no small feat.
"Ice and Snow" follows Miyamoto Usagi and his cousin Yamamoto Yukichi who are both undergoing a warrior's pilgrimage together. Their previous adventures as chronicled in the previous two volumes, Crossroads and The Green Dragon, placed the pair of ronin into the treacherous path of icy mountains and frozen plains whilst they were being stalked by the enigmatic Jei. Usagi Yojimbo stories have often flirted with the supernatural, and "Ice and Snow" is not short on the fantastical elements. Jei's hunt for Usagi is only disrupted by a yuki-onna, or a snow woman from Japanese folklore. There's plenty of twists and turns as Usagi and Yukichi must navigate a group of brigands, the yōkai, a village filled with demons, Jei, and the freezing cold weather.
Though there is an air of familiarity with the stories of Usagi at this point in the run, Sakai still manages to maintain a deeply enjoyable sense of pacing, adventure and intrigue throughout. It's been five years worth of color stories too, and at this point the use of color in the series feels much more confident. I'm still partial to the black-and-white stories of old for sure, but Usagi Yojimbo going strong in 2024 after forty years of publishing is no small feat.
June 17, 2024
As always, Stan Sakai turns in a beautiful, perfectly paced and action packed story in this thirty-ninth volume of Usagi Yojimbo as the rabbit ronin returns to Dark Horse comics. I always struggle when writing reviews for this kind of book, I have been a fan, reading and buying the title month in and month out for over twenty years now. Have I lost perspective? Did I ever have any? Or did I fall in love with the character in a way that refuses to let go? I would say it's the latter and I can't see myself stopping reading the adventures of the character unless Stan decides to stop in his telling.
Special Thanks to Dark Horse Comics and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Dark Horse Comics and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
December 25, 2024
Stan’s still got it! This was perfectly paced. It just kept moving forward and drawing me along
April 25, 2025
Usagi a Yukichi putují dál a tentokrát jim cestu zkříží Yei, ale aby toho nadpřirozena nebylo málo tak i jedna populární yokai. Kostra příběhu je celkem klasická, ale u Stana je ďábel v detailech a tak mu to i tentokrát žeru i s udicí. Příběh má celkem slušnou gradaci a i když si rád užívám u Usagiho i těch obrázků běžného života, tady jsou napětí a akce mnohem více přítomné. A kdybyste si mysleli že jedno dobrodružství je málo, tak se hned naváže dalším, kratším ale intenzivnějším. A opět se držíme folklóru. Led a sníh se prostě povedl a stál za to dlouhé čekání. V barvách a slušném velkém formátu je o to působivější - tím spíš když na závěr nás čeká parádní galerie obálek.
December 31, 2024
Acclaimed comic author and artist Stan Sakai continues his iconic Usagi Yojimbo series in a big way with the exceptional 39th volume, Ice and Snow.
Miyamoto Usagi, travelling ronin and occasional Yojimbo, continues to wander the lands, seeking adventure and helping his friends where possible. Now travelling with his cousin Yukichi, Usagi finds himself moving through the cold and snowy mountain tops of Northern Japan, having just escaped a confrontation between rival ninja clans in the pair’s last adventure. Determined to return to warmer climates, Usagi and Yukichi once again find themselves in trouble amongst the mountain peaks.
Cold and seeking shelter, Usagi and Yukichi encounter nothing but bandits and mysterious creatures as they continue their journey. Desperate for warmth, they decide to spend the night inside the hut of strange woman, only to find themselves trapped by the cold heart of a dangerous spirit, Yuki-Onna, the lady of the snow, who is determined to feast on them.
However, the attentions of a powerful spirt of the snow are the least of Usagi and Yukichi’s problems, as a far more terrifying monster haunts the mountains. The demonic black spearman Jei, the Blade of the Gods, has long hunted Usagi, believing that by killing the rabbit ronin he will ascend to godhood. Now leading a group of mountain bandits, Jei relentlessly chases after Usagi and Yukichi, determined to end their feud once and for all. Can Usagi once again weather the dark storm that is the unstoppable Jei, or will this be the moment he finally falls to his deranged nemesis’s black blade?
Ice and Snow was another amazing volume from Sakai that provides a cool new adventure for the author’s iconic protagonist. Featuring an excellent main storyline loaded with peril and dark confrontation, Ice and Snow had me hooked the entire way through, especially as it featured Sakai’s gorgeous artwork.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/12/31/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Miyamoto Usagi, travelling ronin and occasional Yojimbo, continues to wander the lands, seeking adventure and helping his friends where possible. Now travelling with his cousin Yukichi, Usagi finds himself moving through the cold and snowy mountain tops of Northern Japan, having just escaped a confrontation between rival ninja clans in the pair’s last adventure. Determined to return to warmer climates, Usagi and Yukichi once again find themselves in trouble amongst the mountain peaks.
Cold and seeking shelter, Usagi and Yukichi encounter nothing but bandits and mysterious creatures as they continue their journey. Desperate for warmth, they decide to spend the night inside the hut of strange woman, only to find themselves trapped by the cold heart of a dangerous spirit, Yuki-Onna, the lady of the snow, who is determined to feast on them.
However, the attentions of a powerful spirt of the snow are the least of Usagi and Yukichi’s problems, as a far more terrifying monster haunts the mountains. The demonic black spearman Jei, the Blade of the Gods, has long hunted Usagi, believing that by killing the rabbit ronin he will ascend to godhood. Now leading a group of mountain bandits, Jei relentlessly chases after Usagi and Yukichi, determined to end their feud once and for all. Can Usagi once again weather the dark storm that is the unstoppable Jei, or will this be the moment he finally falls to his deranged nemesis’s black blade?
Ice and Snow was another amazing volume from Sakai that provides a cool new adventure for the author’s iconic protagonist. Featuring an excellent main storyline loaded with peril and dark confrontation, Ice and Snow had me hooked the entire way through, especially as it featured Sakai’s gorgeous artwork.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/12/31/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
September 22, 2026
More adventures of the rabbit ronin! There's a jump in numbering because the publisher switched to IDW for a couple of years but the IDW issues are not available on hoopla (or anywhere else that I can find aside from an exorbitant second-hand market), so we are jumping forward in the narrative. Usagi has united with a fellow samurai, Yukichi,. They are wandering through northern Japan.
Ice and Snow--Usagi and Yukichi are traveling through snowy mountains when they run into three problems. First is a band of bandits who want their food and gold. The rabbit ronins make short work of them. The bandits flee, only to be found by the demon-possessed Jei, who wants to kill Usagi. So that's problem two. The third problem is Usagi and Yukichi finding shelter in a cold cabin on the mountain. They are hosted by a kindly, beautiful woman who turns out to be a yokai, the infamous Yuki-onna, the Land of the Snows. She's a mischievous spirit who drains the life warmth from people. It's a tricky situation that has a satisfying resolution.
The Village--Usagi and Yukichi find shelter in a small mountain village. The villagers are very poor, eating thin barley gruel and hoping for a better year next year. A couple lets the ronin have some gruel and get some sleep. The village elder comes in the morning and tells them three other samurai have come in the night, soaked from the river. Usagi suspects they are gang members from the previous story and he is not wrong. The three claim they will go straight, though that is just a story they tell hoping not to have trouble. That night, trouble does come in a very unexpected form. It's another tough situation for Usagi and Yukichi who muddle through.
Recommended--this is another interesting set of outings.
Ice and Snow--Usagi and Yukichi are traveling through snowy mountains when they run into three problems. First is a band of bandits who want their food and gold. The rabbit ronins make short work of them. The bandits flee, only to be found by the demon-possessed Jei, who wants to kill Usagi. So that's problem two. The third problem is Usagi and Yukichi finding shelter in a cold cabin on the mountain. They are hosted by a kindly, beautiful woman who turns out to be a yokai, the infamous Yuki-onna, the Land of the Snows. She's a mischievous spirit who drains the life warmth from people. It's a tricky situation that has a satisfying resolution.
The Village--Usagi and Yukichi find shelter in a small mountain village. The villagers are very poor, eating thin barley gruel and hoping for a better year next year. A couple lets the ronin have some gruel and get some sleep. The village elder comes in the morning and tells them three other samurai have come in the night, soaked from the river. Usagi suspects they are gang members from the previous story and he is not wrong. The three claim they will go straight, though that is just a story they tell hoping not to have trouble. That night, trouble does come in a very unexpected form. It's another tough situation for Usagi and Yukichi who muddle through.
Recommended--this is another interesting set of outings.
September 9, 2026
La nueva entrega de las aventuras de Usagi Yojimbo -retornado a Dark Horse en Estados unidos- continúa los viajes del protagonista y su primo Yukichi. En esta ocasión, los dos guerreros han de atravesar montañas nevadas, mientras uno de los principales villanos de la serie, el demoniaco Jei, les sigue la pista. Un escarceo sobrenatural llevará a Usagi a enfrentarse nuevamente con la pertinaz Espada de los Dioses, prolongando un conflicto que forma parte de la saga desde hace décadas.
Yukichi, que acompaña a Usagi desde hace algún tiempo, se une a lista de compañeros que han acompañado al «ronin» vagabundo en su viaje por el camino de la espada. No es exactamente una versión más joven del protagonista, pues tal rol corresponde a Jotaro, su hijo natural. Más bien, se puede decir que representa a una nueva generación lectora que quiere acercarse a un personaje y a una serie que lleva publicándose desde hace más de cuarenta años, con todo lo que ello supone.
El tebeo es una buena puerta de entrada al mundo de «Usagi Yojimbo» ya que el nuevo formato de miniseries está pensado para que sean historias que pueden leerse de forma independiente, sin verse afectados excesivamente por el continuará. Sin embargo, quizá la parroquia veterana tenga la sensación -es mi caso- de que don Stan se empieza a repetir. Así, los enfrentamientos con Jei empiezan a ser cansinos, toda vez que queda asumido que el lancero maldito va a aparecer nuevamente y toda vez que fue en «Segadora», hace más de un cuarto de siglo, que tuvieron su más grande y mejor batalla.
Con todo, la cadencia anual convierte estos cómics en una cita agradable en la que, sinceramente, no acabo de ver que el color mejore lo que ya daba de forma sobresaliente el blanco y negro original.
Yukichi, que acompaña a Usagi desde hace algún tiempo, se une a lista de compañeros que han acompañado al «ronin» vagabundo en su viaje por el camino de la espada. No es exactamente una versión más joven del protagonista, pues tal rol corresponde a Jotaro, su hijo natural. Más bien, se puede decir que representa a una nueva generación lectora que quiere acercarse a un personaje y a una serie que lleva publicándose desde hace más de cuarenta años, con todo lo que ello supone.
El tebeo es una buena puerta de entrada al mundo de «Usagi Yojimbo» ya que el nuevo formato de miniseries está pensado para que sean historias que pueden leerse de forma independiente, sin verse afectados excesivamente por el continuará. Sin embargo, quizá la parroquia veterana tenga la sensación -es mi caso- de que don Stan se empieza a repetir. Así, los enfrentamientos con Jei empiezan a ser cansinos, toda vez que queda asumido que el lancero maldito va a aparecer nuevamente y toda vez que fue en «Segadora», hace más de un cuarto de siglo, que tuvieron su más grande y mejor batalla.
Con todo, la cadencia anual convierte estos cómics en una cita agradable en la que, sinceramente, no acabo de ver que el color mejore lo que ya daba de forma sobresaliente el blanco y negro original.
March 27, 2025
I like all of Miyamoto Usagi's adventures but there is a special place in my heart for his more fantastical ones. This one is not only one of the more fantastical, but one of the darkest. But every time Jei The Blade of the Gods crosses Miayamoto's path things get dark. What's especially intriguing about "Ice and Snow" though is just when you think our hero has made it, along come some demon cats. Do comics get more fun than this?
September 13, 2024
Stan Sakai turns in another strong Usagi installment. Usagi and Yukichi run afoul of a snow demon while being pursued by Usagi's longtime demonic rival Jei. Some interesting folklore to add a wrinkle to what could've been a simple chase sequence. This one's probably more for the longtime readers who can appreciate the history of Usagi and Jei, but it's still a fun ride.
March 13, 2024
Read as individual issues. It's been a long while since I read any Usagi and the first time in colour. The title has lost none of its charm and is the usual mixture of samurai action, cultural history and, of course, deadly Yokai (monsters). Great fun!
June 8, 2025
Definitely a return to form. All in all an excellent story, but it felt a tad padded, because there has to be 5 issues in the trade paperbacks.
The last issue in particular felt tacked on and unnecessary.
The last issue in particular felt tacked on and unnecessary.
September 22, 2024
Usagi Yojimbo is consistently excellent, but this volume is largely repetitive of what's come before.
October 17, 2024
Wish it had been longer! It felt short, but quality nonetheless.
October 27, 2024
Alltid spennende når Jei dukker opp, og artig med var-katter. Men føler at det brukes litt mye plass på litt lite historie.
May 28, 2025
Sakai is on fire.
October 29, 2025
El capítol més terrorífic de l'Usagi!
December 12, 2025
Usagi and Yukichi fight a snow Yokai and tangle with Jei before reaching a village that has its own secrets. Really good stuff, and felt like Usagi and his cousin barely survived.
April 3, 2026
Sakai does it again
October 15, 2026
Jei kills the snow mountain yokai and falls into the frozen river. Don’t doubt the blade of the gods will be back. And we meet some mountain demon cats. They just can’t catch a break.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews