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Usagi Yojimbo [兎用心棒] #7
Usagi Yojimbo, Volume 7
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY.
187 pages, Library Binding
First published January 17, 1996
7 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Stan Sakai
920 books372 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 45 reviews
July 9, 2024
I wasn't super convinced by this volume. It's starting to feel a bit like an Adventure Town style comic. Usagi shows up, gets told a sad tale, goes and avenges/helps/solves the situation.
This introduces the street artist and pickpocket Kitsune, a bit of a romantic interest for Usagi. We have another run-in with Zato-Ino who is dealing with an injury. The long story has Gen team up with Usagi to help Lady Asano get revenge.
Broken Ritual is a great short story where Usagi helps complete a Seppuku that got interrupted resulting in the samurai's soul being trapped in limbo.
This introduces the street artist and pickpocket Kitsune, a bit of a romantic interest for Usagi. We have another run-in with Zato-Ino who is dealing with an injury. The long story has Gen team up with Usagi to help Lady Asano get revenge.
Broken Ritual is a great short story where Usagi helps complete a Seppuku that got interrupted resulting in the samurai's soul being trapped in limbo.
February 19, 2015
Bullet Review:
As always, a good, solid, fun read.
As always, a good, solid, fun read.
February 25, 2023
It was nice to dig some depth into Gen. One of my favourite storylines so far.
October 3, 2019
Gen had always been one of my favorite characters in ‘Usagi Yojimbo’ series, and this book reminds me why exactly I like him so much. Gen is not a noble and selfless hero like Usagi, but instead a gruff bounty hunter with short temper, who, on the surface, cares only about his own well-being and his money. Gen is Usagi’s opposite, and their personalities clash a lot, making their witty banter so much fun to read, and yet these two are best friends. Despite his cynic exterior, Gen is capable of displaying true nobility and dedication to those he pledges his loyalty to, and he always chooses to do what is right in the end. He’s not that much different from Usagi in this aspect, and that’s why I love following their adventures together.
Almost every issue in this collection is a notable one, and I can’t single any one of them out as being better than the other. ‘Kitsune’ introduces a new character, street performer and thief who is as elegant and gracious as she is skilled with tops and fans, and ‘Broken Ritual’ offers a fascinating insight into one of Japan’s most eerie customs, that of seppuku. ‘Gen’s Story’ delves into Gen’s origins and how he was shaped into the person he is now, but I should say that lady Asano, the liege of Gen’s father, is the equal hero of the story. ‘Return of Kitsune’ was an awesome story on many levels, with it involving nice political and economical elements, not to mention the twist in the final. It also has the funniest character interactions – it was amusing to see Kitsune and Gen get along so well, and Usagi’s reaction to their flirting was hilarious. This humor was tempered by a really heartfelt moment when cynical and selfish Gen was the first to rush to Kitsune’s rescue without hesitation. ‘The Last Ino Story’ may not be the most action-filled issue, but it becomes tense nonetheless due to the emotional conflict, and it shows us Gen from an unexpected side.
All in all, this volume was a fun read, no matter whether I was reading it the first or second time through.
Almost every issue in this collection is a notable one, and I can’t single any one of them out as being better than the other. ‘Kitsune’ introduces a new character, street performer and thief who is as elegant and gracious as she is skilled with tops and fans, and ‘Broken Ritual’ offers a fascinating insight into one of Japan’s most eerie customs, that of seppuku. ‘Gen’s Story’ delves into Gen’s origins and how he was shaped into the person he is now, but I should say that lady Asano, the liege of Gen’s father, is the equal hero of the story. ‘Return of Kitsune’ was an awesome story on many levels, with it involving nice political and economical elements, not to mention the twist in the final. It also has the funniest character interactions – it was amusing to see Kitsune and Gen get along so well, and Usagi’s reaction to their flirting was hilarious. This humor was tempered by a really heartfelt moment when cynical and selfish Gen was the first to rush to Kitsune’s rescue without hesitation. ‘The Last Ino Story’ may not be the most action-filled issue, but it becomes tense nonetheless due to the emotional conflict, and it shows us Gen from an unexpected side.
All in all, this volume was a fun read, no matter whether I was reading it the first or second time through.
October 15, 2010
Possibly the best of the Usagi Yojimbo collections. For those who have never read "UY" before, I'd recommend starting with book 2, but book 7 is a masterpiece containing several important milestones in the continuity of this series.
Included here are many of Stan Sakai's best loved characters, including the intoduction of the thieving street performer, Kitsune, a classic comedic flashback to the days of young Usagi and his teach, Katsuichi-sensei, a multipart story revealing the sad youth of Gen the bounty hunter, and the final appearance of Zato-Ino, the blind swords-pig.
This collection also includes "Broken Ritual," my favorite short story ever made in comic book form. From a concept suggested by the great Sergio Aragones, this is one of Sakai's best works and an excellent example of his use of Bushido, the Samurai philosophy, in setting the epic, tragic story of Edo period Japan. In fact, between this story and two others in the same collection you'll finish reading with a much better understanding of the practical nature of honor amongst samurai, their lords, their families and their fates.
Included here are many of Stan Sakai's best loved characters, including the intoduction of the thieving street performer, Kitsune, a classic comedic flashback to the days of young Usagi and his teach, Katsuichi-sensei, a multipart story revealing the sad youth of Gen the bounty hunter, and the final appearance of Zato-Ino, the blind swords-pig.
This collection also includes "Broken Ritual," my favorite short story ever made in comic book form. From a concept suggested by the great Sergio Aragones, this is one of Sakai's best works and an excellent example of his use of Bushido, the Samurai philosophy, in setting the epic, tragic story of Edo period Japan. In fact, between this story and two others in the same collection you'll finish reading with a much better understanding of the practical nature of honor amongst samurai, their lords, their families and their fates.
August 6, 2021
Very funny because of usage saying he doesn't normally get involved with other people.Business they go and gets involved with other people business.
March 4, 2024
I find that while I like the lone wanderer adventures that Usagi has, what I really love about the series is the recurring characters and how they are brought together every once in a while and in different combinations depending on what the situation is. In this volume, we get to see Usagi meet up again with Gen and Kitsune, and then later Usagi and Gen aid a suffering Ito. I didn't realize how Gen would be the perfect mark for Kitsune but seeing it unfold made perfect sense, and their like-mindedness probably made him like her more. Both Usagi and Gen respect Ito and although they may clash in battle, they would not want him or his family to suffer. Some really good pairings.
I also really appreciate the debate between Usagi and Gen about honor and what it is or is not worth in one's life. So far it does seem mostly to have worked out for Usagi, and I guess that would be my criticism; Gen makes the far more realistic point about honor, class, and sacrifice. Usagi is idealistic and although he has learned a lot about when it is good to fight and when to avoid it, he also doesn't question much about the one-sided relationship between the ruling class and the samurai. Which, I suppose for a more younger audience is pretty reasonable.
This is the final volume from Fantagraphics, and although I am enjoying the series a lot, I am not sure if I want to take on the Dark Horse phase and the 30+ volumes that it has. Feels like a neat way to end it without too many loose ends.
I also really appreciate the debate between Usagi and Gen about honor and what it is or is not worth in one's life. So far it does seem mostly to have worked out for Usagi, and I guess that would be my criticism; Gen makes the far more realistic point about honor, class, and sacrifice. Usagi is idealistic and although he has learned a lot about when it is good to fight and when to avoid it, he also doesn't question much about the one-sided relationship between the ruling class and the samurai. Which, I suppose for a more younger audience is pretty reasonable.
This is the final volume from Fantagraphics, and although I am enjoying the series a lot, I am not sure if I want to take on the Dark Horse phase and the 30+ volumes that it has. Feels like a neat way to end it without too many loose ends.
January 19, 2020
(4,2 z 5 za generála Tadaoka a Kitsune)
Stejně jako u Kruhů, i Genův příběh je dělaný hezky epizodicky ale rozdíl je to, že tu nemá to pomyslné vyvrcholení linie. Nebo alespoň ne tak výrazné. Každopádně příběh o duchu generála Tadaoka, který je zároveň duchem bushida a samurajů jako kasty, setkání s Kitsune a dojemné okamžiky v rámci finále Genovy linie to vynahradí. Znovučtení Usagiho po skoro deseti letech si opravdu užívám - z detailů si pamtuji kulové a znalost celkového rámce rozhodně nekazí čtení. A už se těším, až za třeba deset let budu číst Usagiho znovu svým dětem, a třeba za dalších třicet let svým vnoučatům. Usagi je něco, co prostě nestárne a má možnost překonat generace (a to nezmiňuji výchovné a didaktické kvality...).
Stejně jako u Kruhů, i Genův příběh je dělaný hezky epizodicky ale rozdíl je to, že tu nemá to pomyslné vyvrcholení linie. Nebo alespoň ne tak výrazné. Každopádně příběh o duchu generála Tadaoka, který je zároveň duchem bushida a samurajů jako kasty, setkání s Kitsune a dojemné okamžiky v rámci finále Genovy linie to vynahradí. Znovučtení Usagiho po skoro deseti letech si opravdu užívám - z detailů si pamtuji kulové a znalost celkového rámce rozhodně nekazí čtení. A už se těším, až za třeba deset let budu číst Usagiho znovu svým dětem, a třeba za dalších třicet let svým vnoučatům. Usagi je něco, co prostě nestárne a má možnost překonat generace (a to nezmiňuji výchovné a didaktické kvality...).
October 4, 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, from the first published Usagi story in Albedo Anthropomorphic #2, 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.
October 21, 2013
I am starting to doubt that I will read a volume of UY that I can find any fault with. Sakai is just that good. The last Fantagraphics volume is no exception. I wonder if I can get non-comics readers to try this series...
January 12, 2015
As a series Usagi Yojimbo builds and builds. With Gen's Story, Sakai's art has improved—the writing, too—and the characters and their relationships have developed considerably.
March 30, 2016
Usagi Yojimbo, on the surface is a simple concept. Anthropomorphic animals in 16th century Edo Japan - with the narrative centering around a "Long Eared Samurai", a Rabbit - the eponymous Usagi of the title. Usagi,literally means Rabbit in Japanese and Yojimbo refers to "Bodyguard". Rabbit Bodyguard. It mixes several references to the Samurai films of Kurosawa with a deliberate homage to the great samurai swordsman Miyamoto Musashi while treading its own unique path. There really isn't another comic like it on the stands and Sakai has been writing, plotting and drawing this gem for the past twenty five years or more - sticking to what must seem like a cutthroat monthly schedule. He makes it all look so easy which just proves - it probably isn't.
Usagi is a Ronin - a masterless Samurai. He wanders the land on a Warriors Pilgrimage, honing his mind and his sword. A near master swordsman, Usagi practices a unique fighting style. His gentle demeanor, humble bearing and diminutive frame often leads his adversaries to underestimate him - to their detriment.
The Kill Bill films of Tarantino center around the bloodshed unleashed by Samurai swords in the hands of a skilled wielder. The aesthetization of violence is a common theme with Tarantino and he repeatedly uses Japanese samurai motifs over the course of the two Kill Bill films. I enjoyed those films but they led me to expect the same within the pages of Usagi Yojimbo. The animal characters are mostly cute. I expected decapitated bunny heads and chopped feline limbs. Stories of the seamier side of human nature and war. Sakai delivers none of this; at-least, not in the way you would expect. The violence in Usagi Yojimbo is always tinged with regret. Usagi takes no pleasure in it, tries to avoid killing and maiming as much as possible and always resorts to defense. However, once you see the click of the sword, with the picture of Usagi flicking the blade from the scabbard it is almost certain that blood will be shed.
The fight sequences are brilliant. Sakai takes his time, worrying less about space and more about the deliberate choreography of death. People are stabbed, decapitated and killed. Most of it is left up to your imagination with almost no blood. The graphics of the death continue to toe the line between humor and morbidity - the dead lie with their tongues lolling out and creative skulls paraphrasing the end of their appearance in the comic. It makes for excellent reading - the violence isn't cool, it isn't desirable and it almost always ends in tragedy for some character. This is age appropriate violence!
A centerpiece to the entire saga and one of the major plot motivators is Bushido - the unrelenting and unbending code of the Samurai. It is a harsh discipline, focusing more on the tenets laid down by it than any sense of morality. There are several instances in the story where a common question asked is if a samurai retainer who serves an evil/corrupt lord is justified in rebelling against him. The answer is invariably no. No matter how evil/corrupt and insane your lord may be, no matter what criminal activities he may indulge in, no matter how depraved his tastes it is the duty of the retainer to follow him and remain Honorable. The concept of good and evil and self righteousness is almost done away with. Usagi is our hero just because he has the good fortune to have served under Lord Mifune, a great man just prior to his death in the Battle of Adachigahara. He seems to recognize this fact and I think this influences his approach to almost all his antagonists. Those who serve an evil lord win more respect from him than the evil lords themselves.
Sakai, through his focus on the laws of Bushido manages to evoke an atmosphere of rigidity and sacrifice that makes the book quite unique at times. When Usagi's sweetheart is married off to someone else he fails to put an end to the wedding due to his loyalty to his lord - his duty forbids him from going away. The duty of a Samurai's wife is to her husband, this prevents his love Mariko from ever being with him. Honour and duty are cages within which our characters live their life. It is a harsh law that seems to hurt much more than helps but it is his adherence to this discipline that sees Usagi through his many encounters. He is unable to avoid direct challenges to a duel as a result - he must kill, albeit with regret, if he is to regain his honor. Usagi isn't a rebel. He doesn't seek to reform or buck the system. When a peasant begs to hold on to the swords of her lover, a samurai he is quite categorical about the right thing to do - the sword is the soul of a Samurai and doesn't belong with a peasant. In another episode he tells a peasant's son that there is no hope for him to ever become a Samurai. Any historical novel seeks to impose the character of a man of our times on someone dead years ago. Stan Sakai eschews this approach by depicting a man (rabbit??!) of his time in Usagi and making him a truly sympathetic character.
This focus on honour and Bushido is not the only layer to this comic. There are several more. History lessens on the culture of Japan are interwoven into the narrative - be it pot making, kite making or the fashioning of a Samurai blade. An entire episode dedicated to seaweed farming was a highlight of the series and the Grasscutter arc elaborates on the major dieties of Japanese culture. This is a meticulously researched comic that isnt heavy handed with the historical details. It mixes humor, history, culture and pathos to make a wonderfully enjoyable comic.
Rather than speaking about the artwork in the peripheral fashion I have employed so far I think I ought to come out and say it - the artwork is fascinating. It uses simple lines and expression to convey the message. At first glance it seems simplistic but as I trace my eyes over the artwork a wealth of detail leaps out. The grass bends gently with the breeze. The folds of Usagi's kimono float lazily around him as he jumps into the air. The Sword strokes are clear, easy to follow with the use of masterfully placed after images. Sakai is a master of the quiet panel. Several pages hold only movement, expression and silence, lending a wonderful quietude to the comic until a brutal explosion of action breaks the silence. Quiet panels fused with a silhouette are even more melancholy - it forms a space in which the contemplation of the character within the panel tends to wash over the reader himself. The artwork isn't simple. A lifetime of garish coloring and the bright but shallow palette of superhero comics seems to have robbed me of what little sense I possess. The black and white lines in Usagi are pieces of art I want to revisit forever.
Like most successful comics, Usagi Yojimbo doesn't succeed through the strengths of the main character alone. Usagi has a wealth of peripheral friends and enemies who recur throughout the various stories. These plot points keep diverging and melding together seamlessly over the course of the volumes I have read. I am still about halfway through the entire run but so far the side characters are vibrant, well sketched and interesting. Gen, the bounty hunter, the crime solving Inspecter Ishida, the ex samurai turned priest Sanshobo. The women in Usagi's life are a fun bunch - his lost loves Mariko and Kinuko, his comrade in arms Tomoe and his antagonist/friend Chizu. Add to this his lion sensei - Katsuichi, his frenemy Kenichi and a pet lizard Spot, not to mention the blind swordspig Zato Ino, Sakai has amassed a wealth of characters who ought to see him drawing Usagi comics well into hist nineties.
Usagi Yojimbo is to superhero comics what a glass of single malt is to spurious liquor. It is the very pinnacle of comic book art. I agree with an another reviewer who states that in the twenty five years he has been following Usagi, Sakai has yet to draw a single bad issue. I am not yet through the entire run and I must agree - the first issues are great though Sakai is still finding is feet. Seven issues in and you will be hooked till the end. This is an excellent comic, worth reading and proof that in the right hands the comic book has a significant advantage over the prose form. It should probably be the introduction to the world of comics - and I hope that those of you who havent yet started reading comics will avoid wading through a lot of garbage like i had to and start with Usagi Yojimbo.
Believe me, its worth it.
(5 on 5 stars)
Usagi is a Ronin - a masterless Samurai. He wanders the land on a Warriors Pilgrimage, honing his mind and his sword. A near master swordsman, Usagi practices a unique fighting style. His gentle demeanor, humble bearing and diminutive frame often leads his adversaries to underestimate him - to their detriment.
The Kill Bill films of Tarantino center around the bloodshed unleashed by Samurai swords in the hands of a skilled wielder. The aesthetization of violence is a common theme with Tarantino and he repeatedly uses Japanese samurai motifs over the course of the two Kill Bill films. I enjoyed those films but they led me to expect the same within the pages of Usagi Yojimbo. The animal characters are mostly cute. I expected decapitated bunny heads and chopped feline limbs. Stories of the seamier side of human nature and war. Sakai delivers none of this; at-least, not in the way you would expect. The violence in Usagi Yojimbo is always tinged with regret. Usagi takes no pleasure in it, tries to avoid killing and maiming as much as possible and always resorts to defense. However, once you see the click of the sword, with the picture of Usagi flicking the blade from the scabbard it is almost certain that blood will be shed.
The fight sequences are brilliant. Sakai takes his time, worrying less about space and more about the deliberate choreography of death. People are stabbed, decapitated and killed. Most of it is left up to your imagination with almost no blood. The graphics of the death continue to toe the line between humor and morbidity - the dead lie with their tongues lolling out and creative skulls paraphrasing the end of their appearance in the comic. It makes for excellent reading - the violence isn't cool, it isn't desirable and it almost always ends in tragedy for some character. This is age appropriate violence!
A centerpiece to the entire saga and one of the major plot motivators is Bushido - the unrelenting and unbending code of the Samurai. It is a harsh discipline, focusing more on the tenets laid down by it than any sense of morality. There are several instances in the story where a common question asked is if a samurai retainer who serves an evil/corrupt lord is justified in rebelling against him. The answer is invariably no. No matter how evil/corrupt and insane your lord may be, no matter what criminal activities he may indulge in, no matter how depraved his tastes it is the duty of the retainer to follow him and remain Honorable. The concept of good and evil and self righteousness is almost done away with. Usagi is our hero just because he has the good fortune to have served under Lord Mifune, a great man just prior to his death in the Battle of Adachigahara. He seems to recognize this fact and I think this influences his approach to almost all his antagonists. Those who serve an evil lord win more respect from him than the evil lords themselves.
Sakai, through his focus on the laws of Bushido manages to evoke an atmosphere of rigidity and sacrifice that makes the book quite unique at times. When Usagi's sweetheart is married off to someone else he fails to put an end to the wedding due to his loyalty to his lord - his duty forbids him from going away. The duty of a Samurai's wife is to her husband, this prevents his love Mariko from ever being with him. Honour and duty are cages within which our characters live their life. It is a harsh law that seems to hurt much more than helps but it is his adherence to this discipline that sees Usagi through his many encounters. He is unable to avoid direct challenges to a duel as a result - he must kill, albeit with regret, if he is to regain his honor. Usagi isn't a rebel. He doesn't seek to reform or buck the system. When a peasant begs to hold on to the swords of her lover, a samurai he is quite categorical about the right thing to do - the sword is the soul of a Samurai and doesn't belong with a peasant. In another episode he tells a peasant's son that there is no hope for him to ever become a Samurai. Any historical novel seeks to impose the character of a man of our times on someone dead years ago. Stan Sakai eschews this approach by depicting a man (rabbit??!) of his time in Usagi and making him a truly sympathetic character.
This focus on honour and Bushido is not the only layer to this comic. There are several more. History lessens on the culture of Japan are interwoven into the narrative - be it pot making, kite making or the fashioning of a Samurai blade. An entire episode dedicated to seaweed farming was a highlight of the series and the Grasscutter arc elaborates on the major dieties of Japanese culture. This is a meticulously researched comic that isnt heavy handed with the historical details. It mixes humor, history, culture and pathos to make a wonderfully enjoyable comic.
Rather than speaking about the artwork in the peripheral fashion I have employed so far I think I ought to come out and say it - the artwork is fascinating. It uses simple lines and expression to convey the message. At first glance it seems simplistic but as I trace my eyes over the artwork a wealth of detail leaps out. The grass bends gently with the breeze. The folds of Usagi's kimono float lazily around him as he jumps into the air. The Sword strokes are clear, easy to follow with the use of masterfully placed after images. Sakai is a master of the quiet panel. Several pages hold only movement, expression and silence, lending a wonderful quietude to the comic until a brutal explosion of action breaks the silence. Quiet panels fused with a silhouette are even more melancholy - it forms a space in which the contemplation of the character within the panel tends to wash over the reader himself. The artwork isn't simple. A lifetime of garish coloring and the bright but shallow palette of superhero comics seems to have robbed me of what little sense I possess. The black and white lines in Usagi are pieces of art I want to revisit forever.
Like most successful comics, Usagi Yojimbo doesn't succeed through the strengths of the main character alone. Usagi has a wealth of peripheral friends and enemies who recur throughout the various stories. These plot points keep diverging and melding together seamlessly over the course of the volumes I have read. I am still about halfway through the entire run but so far the side characters are vibrant, well sketched and interesting. Gen, the bounty hunter, the crime solving Inspecter Ishida, the ex samurai turned priest Sanshobo. The women in Usagi's life are a fun bunch - his lost loves Mariko and Kinuko, his comrade in arms Tomoe and his antagonist/friend Chizu. Add to this his lion sensei - Katsuichi, his frenemy Kenichi and a pet lizard Spot, not to mention the blind swordspig Zato Ino, Sakai has amassed a wealth of characters who ought to see him drawing Usagi comics well into hist nineties.
Usagi Yojimbo is to superhero comics what a glass of single malt is to spurious liquor. It is the very pinnacle of comic book art. I agree with an another reviewer who states that in the twenty five years he has been following Usagi, Sakai has yet to draw a single bad issue. I am not yet through the entire run and I must agree - the first issues are great though Sakai is still finding is feet. Seven issues in and you will be hooked till the end. This is an excellent comic, worth reading and proof that in the right hands the comic book has a significant advantage over the prose form. It should probably be the introduction to the world of comics - and I hope that those of you who havent yet started reading comics will avoid wading through a lot of garbage like i had to and start with Usagi Yojimbo.
Believe me, its worth it.
(5 on 5 stars)
May 15, 2020
For this week’s Throwback Thursday, I once again dive into the wonderful world of Usagi Yojimbo and review the seventh volume of this incredible ongoing comic series, Gen’s Story. I have been really enjoying going back and reviewing the older volumes of this fantastic comic by legendary writer and artist Stan Sakai, and this seventh volume is another excellent addition to the series that I always have a terrific time reading.
Gen’s Story is an amazing example of a Usagi Yojimbo volume, which contains several short stories, each of which shows a unique tale set within the series’ clever version of feudal Japan populated with anthropomorphised animals. Each of the individual stories in this volume is rather good, and together they form a fantastic volume that not only introduces a recurring side-character but which also explores the backstory of another key character and serves as a perfect end note for one of the series’ best character arcs. This volume is made up of issues #32-38 of the Fantagraphics Books run on Usagi Yojimbo, as well as a story from Critters #38, which makes Gen’s Story a tad longer than a typical volume. All of these issues make for an awesome read, and Gen’s Story is another excellent addition to the Usagi Yojimbo series.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/05/15/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Gen’s Story is an amazing example of a Usagi Yojimbo volume, which contains several short stories, each of which shows a unique tale set within the series’ clever version of feudal Japan populated with anthropomorphised animals. Each of the individual stories in this volume is rather good, and together they form a fantastic volume that not only introduces a recurring side-character but which also explores the backstory of another key character and serves as a perfect end note for one of the series’ best character arcs. This volume is made up of issues #32-38 of the Fantagraphics Books run on Usagi Yojimbo, as well as a story from Critters #38, which makes Gen’s Story a tad longer than a typical volume. All of these issues make for an awesome read, and Gen’s Story is another excellent addition to the Usagi Yojimbo series.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/05/15/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
December 4, 2022
The new character Kitsune is nice addition to the recurring cast as she is the light hearted thief that does not steal because she wants to but because she simply has to and she does help Usagi and Gen when they need help and I do like that she does pay a little bit of tribute to her namesake because she is sneaky and uses a little misdirection to get what she wants. And we finally get a full backstory for Gen as his father's past comes back to him. We learn about his family's history about them being renowned Samurai but his father's quest to avenge their lord led to Gen distrust of samurai and his life as a Bounty Hunter. I also love that Gen still says the same but we do see a little cracks after he holds his Father's sword. But my favorite story is the Broken Ritual as it explores a darker side of the Samurai life as Usagi learns about a ghost that haunts a town. The story discusses the idea of Seppuku in detail and it treats it with great respect that the topic holds and how important it was to the Samurai culture.
August 6, 2021
I have a BookTube channel where I review books, give reading suggestions, and more! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/dragonarmybooks
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My Rating 2.5 Stars
Volume 7 is kind of all over the place. There were a few stories that I enjoyed, but none that will stand out in my memory as remarkable. Up to this point, I had been marathoning these Usagi stories with ease. I took a break halfway through this volume to give it a rest. It just wasn't keeping my interest anymore although it wasn't committing any grievous graphic novel sins. I still think this is a phenomenal series.
Kitsune, the foxy thief, Gen, the hardened bounty hunting rhino, and even Ino, the blind swordspig all make an appearance. It's good to see returning cast members, I'm just looking for more follow-through story threads. I'll certainly continue to read, just maybe at a slower pace now.
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My Rating 2.5 Stars
Volume 7 is kind of all over the place. There were a few stories that I enjoyed, but none that will stand out in my memory as remarkable. Up to this point, I had been marathoning these Usagi stories with ease. I took a break halfway through this volume to give it a rest. It just wasn't keeping my interest anymore although it wasn't committing any grievous graphic novel sins. I still think this is a phenomenal series.
Kitsune, the foxy thief, Gen, the hardened bounty hunting rhino, and even Ino, the blind swordspig all make an appearance. It's good to see returning cast members, I'm just looking for more follow-through story threads. I'll certainly continue to read, just maybe at a slower pace now.
January 5, 2021
We have another wonderful Usagi collection. Even better - his old friend Gen is back with a full tale about his past to add to his character development. We also have Kitsune - a female thief who will be a regular fixture in future books. I love the fact Usagi's cast of characters continues to grow and they rotate in and out of his life like true friends would.
Gen, especially, is a perfect compliment for Usagi. He is a grumpy, cynic, who looks out for only himself...but still has a heart of good underneath.
Overall - I have yet to not enjoy Usagi's adventures. They are all great.
Gen, especially, is a perfect compliment for Usagi. He is a grumpy, cynic, who looks out for only himself...but still has a heart of good underneath.
Overall - I have yet to not enjoy Usagi's adventures. They are all great.
May 7, 2021
This is another strong volume, introducing an intriguing new character in Kitsune, as well as offering a touching farewell for Ino. It also provides a back store for Gen, which shows more depth to the character than normal, and is a strong story to boot. Sakai's blend of action, intrigue, politics, mysticism, and most importantly the code are all on strong display here, as he continues finding new and interesting ways to utilize the cast he has created.
May 11, 2017
I really liked this book it's a lot of fun and gen might be a jerk but he has his reasons for it when you see how he grew up it makes sense why he acts that way always chasing money and bounty's and the part were he crys after finding out the fate of his father knowing the swords the only thing he has to remember him by
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
This volume introduces a new character, Kitsune, who we get two stories about. We get a short flashback to when Usagi was child and then a long story about Gen, going into his back story. The final story shows us what is up with Ino. A fun set of stories that build what we know of the world and characters.
October 20, 2022
I think taking a long break from this series was good for my enjoyment of it. The art especially, I didn't find as off putting as I had in the past.
A collection of short stories that were all as entertaining as each other, with the titular "Gen's Story" and the ending Ino story having some particularly nice emotional beats.
A collection of short stories that were all as entertaining as each other, with the titular "Gen's Story" and the ending Ino story having some particularly nice emotional beats.
May 8, 2021
This series is a delight to read. I can't believe I waited so long to get around to reading it. So glad I have many more volumes to enjoy! (To think all those years Stan Sakai was just the letterer of Groo to me)
August 1, 2021
La historia de nuestro Rino favorito, ¡no se puede pedir mas! Pero lo hay: y es que aparece la ladrona más elegante que se pueda imaginar, Kitsune, otra de los personajes clásicos de la saga. Por lo demás se sigue mateniendo el nivel: historias trágicas, bushido, y también humor.
July 22, 2024
I really liked the main story to this one and how it puts a focus on my favorite side character, Gen. We get his story fleshed out and I really enjoyed getting a deeper look at his character, and also the ending story about how he saved Ino.
July 19, 2017
I think this collection was the best yet.
May 5, 2019
Jesus Christ, Gen!
January 8, 2020
This book brings back two of my favorite characters, Gen and Ino, and I have no complaints.
May 5, 2021
I love how minor bits from earlier stories are used to play key roles in later stories... this is a series that grows in depth with each book.
January 2, 2023
satisfying enough of a series ending
May 11, 2023
My favorite Usagi collection so far! Not only do we get Gen’s backstory but meet Kitsune, one of my favorite characters!
March 18, 2025
This isn't my favourite volume so far, but I always love when Gen and Usagi team up. Getting to know and see more about Gen is great! Getting a sort of backstory for him is nice.
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