Usagi Yojimbo Volume 40: The Crow

Usagi Yojimbo [兎用心棒] #40

by Stan Sakai, HiFi Colour Design (contributor)

The adventures continue for the rabbit ronin Usagi and his cousin Yukichi!

Finally making it out of the frozen mountains, Usagi and Yukichi come across a merchant being attacked by four brigands.

They rescue the supposed merchant only to discover much later that he is really a criminal with a huge bounty on his head! Of course, wherever there is a huge reward you will find bounty hunters Gen and Stray Dog...and other unscrupulous trackers!

Stan Sakai’s evocative artwork with award-winning hand lettering features wonderful colors by Hi-Fi Colour Design!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Fantasy

152 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2025

About the author

Stan 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).

Reviews

[Ben A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Usagi Yojimbo for a long, long time and I really never tire of the enjoyment I get from these stories. This volume had me on the edge of my seat, as Stan Sakai managed to throw in some actual suspense and for the first time in a bit, I was incredibly worried about the possibility that all of our heroes would make it out the story unscathed. Highest recommendation possible.

Special Thanks to Dark Horse Comics and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

[Lindsay John Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were some surprising variations on Sakai’s usual story format but this otherwise felt a little “samey” and lacked the usual depth—but Usagi is always good.

[Jason Albertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid Usagi. Not as poignant as a bunch of these, but a nice story about the different forms honorable and dishonorable conduct can take.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stan Sakai’s iconic Usagi Yojimbo comic series powers through to its 40th volume, with the compelling and action-packed collection, The Crow, which proves to be another intense and impressive read.

Following their encounter in the mountains with the murderous Jei, Miyamoto Usagi and his cousin, Yamamoto Yukichi, have finally escaped the freezing north of Japan and have journeyed to warmer climes. However, just because they are out of the ice and snow doesn’t mean they have escaped trouble.

Closing in on the nearest town, Usagi and Yukichi come across a man being attacked by four ruffians. Interceding in the fight and driving the attackers off, Usagi and Yukichi initially believe that the man they rescued was a merchant being robbed. However, when they arrive at their destination, they find the place overrun by disreputable bounty hunters on the hunt for a big reward, including Usagi’s old companions Gen and Stray Dog. Once again conned into paying for lunch, Usagi and Yukichi are shocked to discover that the focus of the bounty hunters’ attention is the person they saved, a dangerous bandit warlord known as Jimmu due to his crow companion.

Despite their intentions to avoid the hunt for Jimmu, the two rabbit ronin find themselves dragged into the fight by the deadly mercenary Inuyoshi, another acquaintance of Usagi who is also seeking Jimmu’s bounty. Initially forced into conflict with Inuyoshi, Usagi and his friends soon find themselves unlikely allies of Inuyoshi’s bounty hunter band, as they must work together to take down Jimmu and his massive bandit army. But with skilled warriors on both sides, and no mercy on the horizon, will Usagi and his associates survive unscathed?

The Crow was another exceptional comic from Sakai, who continues his Usagi Yojimbo series with masterful style. Featuring one major story that pitted the protagonists against an array of deadly warriors, The Crow had me hooked from the very beginning, and I finished the entire volume within an hour of getting my hands on it. An outstanding comic with great art and some brilliant character arcs, The Crow unsurprisingly gets a full five-star rating from me and was so damn good.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2025/03/10/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adventures of Miyamoto Usagi and his cousin Yamamoto Yukichi continue, both of whom are undertaking the warrior's pilgrimage together. Yukichi serves as an analog for a younger Usagi - bright-eyed, optimistic and often naive to the ways of the real world. Enthralled with the mythologized code of bushido and the samurai's honor, concepts like working as swords-for-hire fall under reproach. So when the pair meet up with bounty hunters Gen and Stray Dog, the idea of working with them to hunt down the vicious bandit Jimmu for money is met by strong resistance on Yukichi's part. But the young samurai learns quick what the meaning of honor is for a wandering ronin when he ends up caught in the thick of a conflict between a violent gang of bounty hunters under the command of the disenchanted samurai, Inuyoshi (introduced in Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 27: A Town Called Hell).

"The Crow" is another solid Usagi Yojimbo arc from Stan Sakai, working both as character development for Yukichi whilst exploring Edo period customs with respect to honor and mythology. The epilogue to the story also really builds up Stray Dog substantially more as a recurring character, and demonstrates that he is far more than just any other hired sword.

[A.E. Stueve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sakai does it again. With simple, light storytelling that feels like a warm bath of a tale, he offers action, adventure, comedy, and drama in five short parts. Usagi Yojimbo has been one of my favorite literary characters for several reasons, not the least of which is his hiistorically accurate setting, which "The Crow" continues. Everything here is just right. Everything here is just good. It's both simple and profound. It's everything storytelling should be.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time a new Usagi book arrives, I drop everything else and read it immediately. Forty books in, it's still the very best comic book series. Stan sets us up with a nice misdirection, puts Yukichi in peril and Usagi in a moral quandary, and dovetails a few different character arcs together beautifully in a climactic battle extravaganza.

Another storytelling masterpiece from Sakai.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strength of a book like this that has been running so long is in its wide bench of supporting characters. I’m always glad to see Gen, but Stray Dog and his secret backstory is a real treat too.
If anything I’m sad the Crow and Jimmu died because they were a fun visual in combat.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usagi's tendency to jump into action without understanding the whole situation gets him and his cousin Yukichi into all sorts of trouble. Mad Dog and Gen make strong impressions here too; seeing a bit of Mad Dog's background near the end is especially affecting.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The usual perfection.

[Steven desJardins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The craftsmanship of this series is impeccable, but this installment felt like a pretty average installment without much new.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I say this with every new collection, but I am amazed at how Sakai continues to create fresh, engaging stories in such a long-running series. He has just gotten better and better over the years.

[Alberto · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent little Usagi saga! The art is perfectly on point, good story and characterizations. Good pathos and pacing.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely perfect.