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Usagi Yojimbo [兎用心棒] #30
Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 30: Thieves and Spies
Stan Sakai’s samurai masterpiece returns! In this volume, Miyamoto Usagi joins forces with a thief and a samurai to thwart a black-market ginseng trade, meets a ronin who lost his arm in a duel yet still has a trick up his sleeve, and more! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #145–#151.
184 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2016
1 person is currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Stan Sakai
928 books373 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 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 1, 2017
While the stories are not as interlaced as I might have liked, they all bring something new to the table. That’s no mean feat for the latest edition of a 30-volume series.
“The Thief and the Kunoichi” features the comic introduction of Kitsune to the sorely-missed Chizu. And an ending that would have scandalized the young Billyskye who first discovered his love for these tales. Rumblings of a future arc involving the infamous Lord Hikiji were a welcome touch.
“The One-Armed Swordsman” develops Mizuna Takashi as an intriguing new addition to the Usagi Yojimbo universe. Hopefully this is not the last we see of him.
With “The Distant Mountain” we get a potential future rival for Usagi in Yamaguchi Kyosai and a cheeky final touch to a solid moral tale.
“Death of a Tea Master” sheds a little light on how “the West” figures into this take on Feudal Japan.
And “The Bride” closes the book out strong with a classic Sakai double-twist.
All told, Thieves and Spies marks a heartening return to form for Stan Sakai. Can’t wait for #31!
“The Thief and the Kunoichi” features the comic introduction of Kitsune to the sorely-missed Chizu. And an ending that would have scandalized the young Billyskye who first discovered his love for these tales. Rumblings of a future arc involving the infamous Lord Hikiji were a welcome touch.
“The One-Armed Swordsman” develops Mizuna Takashi as an intriguing new addition to the Usagi Yojimbo universe. Hopefully this is not the last we see of him.
With “The Distant Mountain” we get a potential future rival for Usagi in Yamaguchi Kyosai and a cheeky final touch to a solid moral tale.
“Death of a Tea Master” sheds a little light on how “the West” figures into this take on Feudal Japan.
And “The Bride” closes the book out strong with a classic Sakai double-twist.
All told, Thieves and Spies marks a heartening return to form for Stan Sakai. Can’t wait for #31!
July 31, 2018
Algunos de los argumentos me han sorprendido por su imprevisibilidad, cosa que normalmente no le pido a esta serie. Pero sigue teniendo de lo de siempre: serenidad, algo de costumbrismo, mucha acción y ese puntillo melancólico que sigue sorprendiendo en un cómic de animales samurai.
August 12, 2016
32 years and counting and still one of the greatest comics there is.
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December 12, 2023
A benefit to a long-running saga like Usagi Yojimbo is getting unexpected pairings of characters that have a rich history within the series, but have never crossed paths before. An in the opening story to Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 30, we are treated to a feature starring Kitsune and Chizu. "The Thief and the Kunoichi" opens to Kitsune robbing a manse for goods, only to find that it is currently being robbed by a Neko ninja. Chizu and Kitsune are polar opposites - Chizu, grim and blunt, is contrasted with the mischievous and sly Kitsune. Chizu, who is generally well composed, meets her match with Kitsune who is able to irritate the former ninja master to no end. And caught between the pair is Usagi, who must find a way to maintain the peace between the quarreling duo while they contemplate what to do with a sensitive bit of information that can tip the power balance within the shogunate. The story is a three-parter, but I could have read an entire volume of Chizu and Kitsune together.
"The One-Armed Swordsman" is a classic tale for the series, with an unconventional warrior forced to reconcile between honor and revenge. It's a well paced single issue story, with a satisfying end and a charming dose of humor. In "The Distant Mountain", Usagi finds himself completing a task for a loyal retainer to Lord Akakane, only to find that the lord doesn't return the courtesy to his own men. Though Sakai does often provide a venerable outlook on the feudal system of the time, this story is among the many that also shows the pitfalls of the system.
"Death of a Tea Master" spends some time exploring the richness of the culture of the time, and juxtaposes the degradation of customs by those who seek to treat them with flippant disregard. Lord Odo hosts a foreign warrior named Rodriguez, who is enraptured by the practice of seppuku. Rodriguez demands Odo to sacrifice his own samurai for his own viewing pleasure, turning the principles of bushido into something of gawdy tourist attraction. Though Sakai is willing to add violence to his stories, this one was a surprising bit more violent than previous issues.
This volume closes out with "The Bride", a story that features the return of the Koroshi - the League of Assassins. Tasked with taking out a would be bride, Usagi puts himself between the assassins and the young woman, only to learn a surprising truth about who hired the clan.
A great set of entertaining adventures here, with each story being quite memorable and well executed. Of course the opening arc in this volume stands out the most, but the rest were all firmly great too.
"The One-Armed Swordsman" is a classic tale for the series, with an unconventional warrior forced to reconcile between honor and revenge. It's a well paced single issue story, with a satisfying end and a charming dose of humor. In "The Distant Mountain", Usagi finds himself completing a task for a loyal retainer to Lord Akakane, only to find that the lord doesn't return the courtesy to his own men. Though Sakai does often provide a venerable outlook on the feudal system of the time, this story is among the many that also shows the pitfalls of the system.
"Death of a Tea Master" spends some time exploring the richness of the culture of the time, and juxtaposes the degradation of customs by those who seek to treat them with flippant disregard. Lord Odo hosts a foreign warrior named Rodriguez, who is enraptured by the practice of seppuku. Rodriguez demands Odo to sacrifice his own samurai for his own viewing pleasure, turning the principles of bushido into something of gawdy tourist attraction. Though Sakai is willing to add violence to his stories, this one was a surprising bit more violent than previous issues.
This volume closes out with "The Bride", a story that features the return of the Koroshi - the League of Assassins. Tasked with taking out a would be bride, Usagi puts himself between the assassins and the young woman, only to learn a surprising truth about who hired the clan.
A great set of entertaining adventures here, with each story being quite memorable and well executed. Of course the opening arc in this volume stands out the most, but the rest were all firmly great too.
July 21, 2019
Stan Sakai's series about the Ronin Rabbit continue as Usagi continues to find his way into troubles not of his own making.
Regardless of how much time passes, each and every volume of this series continues to impress not only with the dedication shown to the storytelling and art but also how Sakai educates the readers on Japanese history. Whether of a huge historical import or just the process of making soy sauce, the details are amazing and educational without being boring.
The stories here are incredible and show that despite being surrounded by avaricious and dishonorable people, Usagi continues to be a pillar of courage, strength and unbreakable moral strength.
Regardless of how much time passes, each and every volume of this series continues to impress not only with the dedication shown to the storytelling and art but also how Sakai educates the readers on Japanese history. Whether of a huge historical import or just the process of making soy sauce, the details are amazing and educational without being boring.
The stories here are incredible and show that despite being surrounded by avaricious and dishonorable people, Usagi continues to be a pillar of courage, strength and unbreakable moral strength.
October 5, 2021
This is a cumulative review of the 35 volumes of collected Usagi Yojimbo stories that have been published to date. They span a 37-year history, across the first seven volumes published by Fantagraphics, across the next 24 volumes published by Dark Horse, and finally across the most recent three volumes published by IDW, bringing us to Usagi Yojimbo v35: Homecoming, published in 2021. This review does not include the volumes Space Usagi, Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai, Usagi Yojimbo: Senso, Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Collection, or Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis.
In a land very much like Japan, in a time very much like the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, when legions of samurai suddenly found themselves out of work in a war-torn land trying to get back to normal, a masterless samurai - a ronin - named Usagi Yojimbo walks the path of a student-warrior. He goes wherever fate takes him, living by his honor, his swordsmanship and by the grace of the friends he makes along the way. On his endless adventures, Usagi confronts wicked bandits, cruel tyrants, sinister assassins, and dire supernatural fiends. He often encounters humble folk plying their trade in an often cruel and harsh world (and along the way, learns a bit about their work, like brewing sake or weaving tatami mats).
Along his way, he builds a vast cast of friends, allies and rivals, including the bounty hunger Gen, fellow samurai )and love interest) Tomoe, the ninja Chizu, the third Kitsune, the noble lord Noriyuki, the stalwart Inspector Ishida, and of course, Usagi’s own son (and chip off the old block), Jotaro. And just as well, he builds no small list of enemies, including the dire Lord Hikiji (the power-hungry lord who is the very reason why Usagi no longer has a master), the Neko and Komori ninja clans, the Koroshi league of assassins, and the demonic ronin Jei. Amid all this, Usagi strives to uphold the warrior ideals of bushido and find a sense of enlightenment on his journey.
The stories are often funny, exciting, smart, sharp, tight, and occasionally touched with tragedy. They offer an informed look at medieval Japan, and pay no small number of homages to all kinds of cultural references both ancient and modern, as a reflect of Sakai’s own journey to connect with his personal heritage and honor it with his stories. They are simultaneously suitable for adults and kids alike - despite all of the carnage, Sakai never descends into gruesome detail, and yet, the many scenes of battle never seem so sanitized that they lost their gravity.
The artwork is distinct and excellent. Sakai’s is a master of sharp lifework (as well as lettering), and since he writes, pencils, inks and letters every issue solo, there is a uniformity and consistency to Usagi Yojimbo that you just don’t find in many other comics or cartoons. Until the last few volumes, it is all B&W, but Sakai’s sense of depth as well as his supremely skilled panel composition, pulls you in so deeply that you forget if it’s in color or not. You are under Usagi’s spell from the first page, and along for the ride, however long it goes.
To get an idea of the length, breadth and depth of how beloved an impactful Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo series has been, look no further than the introductions to each of the collected volumes published to date. There you will find a dazzling array of some of the finest talents in modern cartooning, who have a seemingly endless variety of ways to say how much they love Usagi Yojimbo, how impactful it has been on their own careers, and how great Stan Sakai has been himself as a goodwill ambassador for both cartooning as well as of the Japanese culture he so masterfully serves throughout his stories.
For those who have not yet enjoyed these stories for the first time, a wonderful journey awaits you. Usagi Yojimbo was created during those days in the 80s when anthropomorphic martial arts characters were all the rage. And yet, Usagi Yojimbo stood apart almost immediately. He might have been a rabbit ronin in a world of talking, walking animals, but he never seemed to be drafting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or trying to comment on the martial-art zoo comic trend. From the beginning, Usagi Yojimbo, like its titular character, was determined to walk its own path, to be the best it could be, and to celebrate the things in life that are worth celebrating: devotion to one’s craft, honoring one’s family, upholding one’s obligations, serving one’s highest aspirations, accepting one’s limitations, and acknowledging one’s flaws.
The stories are largely episodic varying in length from just a few pages, to an entire collection. They often are self-contained, but just as often reference slowly building meta plots, or serve an entire, novel-length story on their own. Everything is delicately interconnected, and yet, without such a heavy continuity that one can not simply pick up any of these volumes and begin reading without skipping a beat. Such is this series, endlessly accessible and friendly to beginners, and endlessly rewarding to long-time fans for whom earned narrative developments deliver terrific dividends.
As with any series of this length, some moments in it won’t land as well with the reader as others. But there just are not that many lows with this - if you appreciate what Sakai is doing here, you’re likely to enjoy pretty much all of it. There are some volumes that really stand out, largely because they tell the biggest and most epic stories (v04: The Dragon Bellows Conspiracy, v12: Grasscutter, v15: Grasscutter II - Journey to Astuta Shrine, v17: Duel at Kitanoji, v19: Fathers and Sons, v28: Red Scorpion, v32: The Hidden, and v35:Homecoming all come to mind), but really, the entire catalog of worth enjoying on equal terms. It’s saying something indeed that the most recent volume of Usagi Yojimbo tells one of the most compelling and moving stories of the entire series. Some edges dull over time, but as a storyteller, Stan Sakai’s edge never does.
Usagi Yojimbo has been hailed as one of the greatest independent comics ever. And it is. But it is more than that. It is one of the greatest comics, period. Read every volume. You will be glad that you did.
In a land very much like Japan, in a time very much like the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, when legions of samurai suddenly found themselves out of work in a war-torn land trying to get back to normal, a masterless samurai - a ronin - named Usagi Yojimbo walks the path of a student-warrior. He goes wherever fate takes him, living by his honor, his swordsmanship and by the grace of the friends he makes along the way. On his endless adventures, Usagi confronts wicked bandits, cruel tyrants, sinister assassins, and dire supernatural fiends. He often encounters humble folk plying their trade in an often cruel and harsh world (and along the way, learns a bit about their work, like brewing sake or weaving tatami mats).
Along his way, he builds a vast cast of friends, allies and rivals, including the bounty hunger Gen, fellow samurai )and love interest) Tomoe, the ninja Chizu, the third Kitsune, the noble lord Noriyuki, the stalwart Inspector Ishida, and of course, Usagi’s own son (and chip off the old block), Jotaro. And just as well, he builds no small list of enemies, including the dire Lord Hikiji (the power-hungry lord who is the very reason why Usagi no longer has a master), the Neko and Komori ninja clans, the Koroshi league of assassins, and the demonic ronin Jei. Amid all this, Usagi strives to uphold the warrior ideals of bushido and find a sense of enlightenment on his journey.
The stories are often funny, exciting, smart, sharp, tight, and occasionally touched with tragedy. They offer an informed look at medieval Japan, and pay no small number of homages to all kinds of cultural references both ancient and modern, as a reflect of Sakai’s own journey to connect with his personal heritage and honor it with his stories. They are simultaneously suitable for adults and kids alike - despite all of the carnage, Sakai never descends into gruesome detail, and yet, the many scenes of battle never seem so sanitized that they lost their gravity.
The artwork is distinct and excellent. Sakai’s is a master of sharp lifework (as well as lettering), and since he writes, pencils, inks and letters every issue solo, there is a uniformity and consistency to Usagi Yojimbo that you just don’t find in many other comics or cartoons. Until the last few volumes, it is all B&W, but Sakai’s sense of depth as well as his supremely skilled panel composition, pulls you in so deeply that you forget if it’s in color or not. You are under Usagi’s spell from the first page, and along for the ride, however long it goes.
To get an idea of the length, breadth and depth of how beloved an impactful Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo series has been, look no further than the introductions to each of the collected volumes published to date. There you will find a dazzling array of some of the finest talents in modern cartooning, who have a seemingly endless variety of ways to say how much they love Usagi Yojimbo, how impactful it has been on their own careers, and how great Stan Sakai has been himself as a goodwill ambassador for both cartooning as well as of the Japanese culture he so masterfully serves throughout his stories.
For those who have not yet enjoyed these stories for the first time, a wonderful journey awaits you. Usagi Yojimbo was created during those days in the 80s when anthropomorphic martial arts characters were all the rage. And yet, Usagi Yojimbo stood apart almost immediately. He might have been a rabbit ronin in a world of talking, walking animals, but he never seemed to be drafting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or trying to comment on the martial-art zoo comic trend. From the beginning, Usagi Yojimbo, like its titular character, was determined to walk its own path, to be the best it could be, and to celebrate the things in life that are worth celebrating: devotion to one’s craft, honoring one’s family, upholding one’s obligations, serving one’s highest aspirations, accepting one’s limitations, and acknowledging one’s flaws.
The stories are largely episodic varying in length from just a few pages, to an entire collection. They often are self-contained, but just as often reference slowly building meta plots, or serve an entire, novel-length story on their own. Everything is delicately interconnected, and yet, without such a heavy continuity that one can not simply pick up any of these volumes and begin reading without skipping a beat. Such is this series, endlessly accessible and friendly to beginners, and endlessly rewarding to long-time fans for whom earned narrative developments deliver terrific dividends.
As with any series of this length, some moments in it won’t land as well with the reader as others. But there just are not that many lows with this - if you appreciate what Sakai is doing here, you’re likely to enjoy pretty much all of it. There are some volumes that really stand out, largely because they tell the biggest and most epic stories (v04: The Dragon Bellows Conspiracy, v12: Grasscutter, v15: Grasscutter II - Journey to Astuta Shrine, v17: Duel at Kitanoji, v19: Fathers and Sons, v28: Red Scorpion, v32: The Hidden, and v35:Homecoming all come to mind), but really, the entire catalog of worth enjoying on equal terms. It’s saying something indeed that the most recent volume of Usagi Yojimbo tells one of the most compelling and moving stories of the entire series. Some edges dull over time, but as a storyteller, Stan Sakai’s edge never does.
Usagi Yojimbo has been hailed as one of the greatest independent comics ever. And it is. But it is more than that. It is one of the greatest comics, period. Read every volume. You will be glad that you did.
December 30, 2016
I continue to find this to be one of the finest Samurai epics ever written. Stan Sakai is masterful in his telling of this story and I am impressed with how long it has been running. It is easily reminiscent of Lonewolf and Cub and Seven Samurai. A great series to pick up.
July 6, 2017
The quality in story and art continues to amaze me even after all these years.
August 25, 2021
(4,3 z 5 za další skvělé příběhy)
Starý dobrý Usagi v kratších dobrodružstvích, lineárně propojených. Jako první Usagi potká Kitsune, takže to by bylo, aby zase nespadl do nějakého průšvihu, na který doplatí a ona vydělá. Klasika, ale s (opět) milým koncem.
Jednoruký šermíř - už ten název mluví sám za sebe, opět kvalitní klasika kdy Usagi potkává, a ne naposled nějakou charakterní postavu na podobně tulácké cestě.
Vzdálená hora je Stanův oblíbený vzor - Usagi přijde k osobám v nesnázích a nakonec plní jejich úkol. Zde jak se zábavným "ponaučením", tak s oblíbeným startovacím bodem, který je v téhle knize rovnou dvakrát - přepadení nosítek.
Smrt čajového mistra - skvělý příběh, kde se Usagi setkává s nabubřelým Evropanem, ale to důležité je vlastně předtím - odkazy na jiné příběhy a postavy tak citlivě vetkané, že pozvedávají dojem z celkového světa kterým se Usagi protlouká a vdechnou mu další doušky života. To mám rád, a stan to umí - na další stránce, v dalším příběhu, v další knize nebo o mnoho knih daleko - vše funguje jako celek.
Poslední příběh, Nevěsta, opět začínající nosítky je poněkud slabší a už se dá říct i tuctový, ale pořád dobře vyvedený. Já jsem nakonec rád, že konec je slabší - nemám pak intenzivní chuť hned sáhnout po další knize, i když bych si mel už dát oraz.
Starý dobrý Usagi v kratších dobrodružstvích, lineárně propojených. Jako první Usagi potká Kitsune, takže to by bylo, aby zase nespadl do nějakého průšvihu, na který doplatí a ona vydělá. Klasika, ale s (opět) milým koncem.
Jednoruký šermíř - už ten název mluví sám za sebe, opět kvalitní klasika kdy Usagi potkává, a ne naposled nějakou charakterní postavu na podobně tulácké cestě.
Vzdálená hora je Stanův oblíbený vzor - Usagi přijde k osobám v nesnázích a nakonec plní jejich úkol. Zde jak se zábavným "ponaučením", tak s oblíbeným startovacím bodem, který je v téhle knize rovnou dvakrát - přepadení nosítek.
Smrt čajového mistra - skvělý příběh, kde se Usagi setkává s nabubřelým Evropanem, ale to důležité je vlastně předtím - odkazy na jiné příběhy a postavy tak citlivě vetkané, že pozvedávají dojem z celkového světa kterým se Usagi protlouká a vdechnou mu další doušky života. To mám rád, a stan to umí - na další stránce, v dalším příběhu, v další knize nebo o mnoho knih daleko - vše funguje jako celek.
Poslední příběh, Nevěsta, opět začínající nosítky je poněkud slabší a už se dá říct i tuctový, ale pořád dobře vyvedený. Já jsem nakonec rád, že konec je slabší - nemám pak intenzivní chuť hned sáhnout po další knize, i když bych si mel už dát oraz.
November 12, 2023
My brother asked me to describe why I like these books and I find that hard. They are good… but that doesn’t explain why they are good. Drawn well. Written well. That’s not very descriptive.
There is one story about a samurai transporting a rock to his Lord. Idaho aids him. The rock is just a rock? But one the Lord believes is beautiful. Do the samurai ends up sacrificing himself to protect the rock. The rock breaks as Usagi attempts to complete the task but the Lord can’t tell. He’s just happy to have his rock. He feels no emotion for his lost Samurai.
Then it’s on to his next story.
Does that explain why I like this series? No. Oh well.
There is one story about a samurai transporting a rock to his Lord. Idaho aids him. The rock is just a rock? But one the Lord believes is beautiful. Do the samurai ends up sacrificing himself to protect the rock. The rock breaks as Usagi attempts to complete the task but the Lord can’t tell. He’s just happy to have his rock. He feels no emotion for his lost Samurai.
Then it’s on to his next story.
Does that explain why I like this series? No. Oh well.
September 28, 2019
I love Usagi and have for 30+ years. This book is another great journey through this world. This volume is filled with twist and turns as Usagi wanders his path. In the first story, we meet up with a recurring roguish character, Kitsune, who always makes me laugh. In the following stories we meet some characters who are not quite what they seem, some who walk with honour and some who choose darker paths than Usagi. This is a really solid book and I enjoyed every page of it! Great for long term fans or new readers - no backstory required for this one.
March 18, 2021
Another great Usagi book - how Stan keeps it fresh after all these years is beyond me. We have his typical cast of characters Kitsune the lovable thief has gotten herself into trouble again. We have Chizu the fallen head of a ninja clan (and one of Usagi's paramours) who gets caught in the middle. We have a one armed Ronin who must defend his honour. We have an insane European swordsman who demands to see death. And we have Usagi being a bodyguard for a women in the middle of a reluctant husband and a jealous lover.
All in all - fun stuff.
All in all - fun stuff.
December 8, 2016
Sakai makes it look so easy - his craft is really impeccable. One of the rare comics creators who knows how to vary his pace and story rhythms to deliver tight, enjoyable single issue experiences and longer form serial stories. Presentation of his research hits the right tone with great attention paid to its place in the storytelling.
September 2, 2017
Very good comix, as expected from Master Sakai. A joy to read. The dark tales of justice in this volume surprised me; floating skull motifs aplenty.
October 17, 2017
via NYPL - Masterful as always.
December 7, 2017
As always, the art and storytelling were spectacular. I loved the Chizu-Kitsune story. Hilarious. And I now know that rock appreciation is actually a thing. Thank you Stan Sakai.
December 16, 2018
Typickej Usagi - Sakai točí to stejný pořád a pořád dokola, ale furt je to dobrý.
February 24, 2019
No me canso de Usagi, y mira que ya van tomos y tomos. En este caso no tenemos una gran saga ni historias sobrenaturales, pero no por ello es menos interesante. Esperando ya el siguiente.
March 5, 2019
I don’t remember anything in particular about this a day after finishing it
January 30, 2023
Nothing spectacular, nothing bad. Slightly distorted collection without a clear point or a guiding topic. Had fun reading it
June 3, 2023
Another delightful set of tails by Sakai
August 18, 2025
solid book but i didn't love kitsunes portrayal in the main storyline, it felt kind of off. all around still good though.
October 9, 2024
Que todas las hiatorias tengan un nivel sobresaliente no es facil para ningun autor,peo Sakai lo hace parecer fácil con el universo creado. Que lo sigamos leyendo por mucho tiempo
July 25, 2016
Volume 30. Outside of Discworld, I can't think of any other series that has this kind of longevity. I know this is the only series with that many volumes where I've actually read them all, though. You'd think that, this far into the series, the stories would grow tiresome or repetitious, but somehow Sakai keeps his characters and their adventures fresh.
Thieves and Spies is more a collection than a graphic novel, though a big chunk of the book is a single story where Usagi joins forces with a thief and a ninja to sort out a conspiracy. It's a good mystery, with Sakai's trademark plotting and pacing, and the artwork (as always) matches the story perfectly. The other stories are distinctive and engaging, as one would expect from Sakai, but I found myself wanting a little more history to the stories. Previous collections have been introspective history lessons with commentary by Sakai, and I missed that context.
The character of Usagi debuted in 1984, and now that I think about it, there is another series that's lasted as long, without waning interest: Groo the Wanderer. That title started in 1982, and I don't think it's a coincidence that Sakai also has his hands in that series; he's the letterer. I'm just glad that Sakai has returned to his own series, as my own interest in this title will always be high.
Thieves and Spies is more a collection than a graphic novel, though a big chunk of the book is a single story where Usagi joins forces with a thief and a ninja to sort out a conspiracy. It's a good mystery, with Sakai's trademark plotting and pacing, and the artwork (as always) matches the story perfectly. The other stories are distinctive and engaging, as one would expect from Sakai, but I found myself wanting a little more history to the stories. Previous collections have been introspective history lessons with commentary by Sakai, and I missed that context.
The character of Usagi debuted in 1984, and now that I think about it, there is another series that's lasted as long, without waning interest: Groo the Wanderer. That title started in 1982, and I don't think it's a coincidence that Sakai also has his hands in that series; he's the letterer. I'm just glad that Sakai has returned to his own series, as my own interest in this title will always be high.
July 27, 2016
Technically, I haven't read this as a graphic novel, but I've read all of the undividual issues within it. That still counts, right?
September 12, 2021
Retroactive Review (12 Sep 2021): Please see my review of the series
here
under the first volume.
August 9, 2016
Public library copy.
Always a joy to read a new volume from this series and everything clicked well here. Some short stories ended sooner than I liked as I would have enjoyed reading more.
Always a joy to read a new volume from this series and everything clicked well here. Some short stories ended sooner than I liked as I would have enjoyed reading more.
Read
December 20, 2016Tar seg opp fra forrige. Alltid hyggelig å møte Kitsune og Kiyoko, og flere gode frittstående historier.
July 20, 2019
What can I say, it is fantastic. Like all the other 29 books. Can't wait for the next.
October 3, 2016
The Rabbit Samurai comes to the rescue again!!!
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