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Usagi Yojimbo #3
Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 3: The Wanderer's Road
Perhaps the best samurai rabbit story ever told. With "The Tower" (introducing Spot the Wonder Lizard), "Return of the Blind Swordspig," the hilarious Groo tribute "The Tea Cup," and a crossover with the Ninja Turtles! Usagi Yojimbo Book 3 collects full-length Usagi stories from issues #7 through #12 of the original Fantagraphics series, including "The Tower" (which introduces Usagi's traveling companion Spot the Wonder Lizard), "Return of the Blind Swordspig," "A Mother's Love," "Blade of the Gods," "The Shogun's Gift," and the hilarious Groo tribute "The Tea Cup," co-starring the amoral mercenary rhino Gen. ("Gen does what Gen does best!") Plus, the little-seen Usagi team-up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, "Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew," written and drawn by Sakai. A must-have for adventure lovers of all ages! Black-and-white comic throughout
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 1989
About the author
Stan Sakai
888 books357 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 77 reviews
April 1, 2019
Usagi meets Spot the tokage for the first time. An old woman does something terrible to her evil son. Zato-Ino, the blind swordspig, returns for a rematch. An insane samurai fights Usagi. Usagi and Gen return a valuable tea cup to its rightful owner. The Shogun’s Muramasa blade is stolen. And Usagi meets Leonardo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Like most Usagi Yojimbo books, The Wanderer’s Road is a collection of short comics – really, really boring short comics! I used to like Usagi Yojimbo so I’m not sure if it’s this book that’s just the suck or whether my taste for Stan Sakai’s brand of storytelling has soured. All I know is that me no like!
The story structure is so predictable and bland. No matter what, Usagi ALWAYS triumphs at whatever he’s doing and ALWAYS wins so there’s never any tension in the “action” scenes. Looking out for a friend, retrieving an item, battling waves of soldiers – eh, all in a day’s work for this guy, no sweat! Zzz… And the TMNT crossover was beyond pointless: Usagi and Leonardo battle ninjas before getting transported away from each other without getting a chance to fight or do anything more than see that the other exists.
Snoretacular – I wouldn’t. Aww. Well. Another comics title bites the dust for me! S’long Usagi!
Like most Usagi Yojimbo books, The Wanderer’s Road is a collection of short comics – really, really boring short comics! I used to like Usagi Yojimbo so I’m not sure if it’s this book that’s just the suck or whether my taste for Stan Sakai’s brand of storytelling has soured. All I know is that me no like!
The story structure is so predictable and bland. No matter what, Usagi ALWAYS triumphs at whatever he’s doing and ALWAYS wins so there’s never any tension in the “action” scenes. Looking out for a friend, retrieving an item, battling waves of soldiers – eh, all in a day’s work for this guy, no sweat! Zzz… And the TMNT crossover was beyond pointless: Usagi and Leonardo battle ninjas before getting transported away from each other without getting a chance to fight or do anything more than see that the other exists.
Snoretacular – I wouldn’t. Aww. Well. Another comics title bites the dust for me! S’long Usagi!
May 14, 2022
This is another great collection of samurai stories from Stan Sakai. The stories offer a lot of tough decisions for Usagi Yojimbo, and the choices that he has to make are not always the ones that he would like to make. It's that bittersweet feeling making the right decision that satisfies no one that is at the heart of samurai stories.
By the way, for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans, there is a short side story in which Usagi Yojimbo interacts with a time-traveling turtle. It's just a bit of fluff, but it is fun to see.
By the way, for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans, there is a short side story in which Usagi Yojimbo interacts with a time-traveling turtle. It's just a bit of fluff, but it is fun to see.
September 2, 2014
Bullet Review:
Who woulda thunk that a manga starring a bunny could be so heart-warming one moment, so bittersweet the next? This has really hit its stride. Lots of great moments, great characters, great stories. Such a joy to read, honestly.
Who woulda thunk that a manga starring a bunny could be so heart-warming one moment, so bittersweet the next? This has really hit its stride. Lots of great moments, great characters, great stories. Such a joy to read, honestly.
July 17, 2024
Usagi rescues on of those dinosaur looking lizards - and names him Spot. The wander together and get into a series of adventures including a showdown with the blind swordspig. I found this to be a big step up from vol 2 just in terms of story flow and entertainment. The rhino Gen makes another appearance, not my favourite character and I'm unsure why Usagi spends so much time with him - although Sakai does start to plant some seeds for Gen's redemption arc.
September 6, 2019
Co se mi na Usagim líbí je to, jak jako putující ronin se dostává do spousty situací, které pokouší jeho dodržování bushida a dobrou povahu, testují jejich hranice nebo je naopak staví do pozice nevýhody. Stan krásně pracuje s charakterem postav (hlavně Usagiho, samo sebou) a pomalu je buduje a to je fakt zábavné. Ano, jsou to "zvířátka" ve fantasy ztotožnění feudálního Japonska, ale díky péči, kterou jim Stan Sakai dává, mě pokaždé pohltí i příběh, který si pamatuji a říkám si, to bude nuda to číst znovu. A v této knize je toho hodně. Vrací se na skok Zato Ini, objeví se Jei, který konečně přináší pocit že Usagi má důstojného a nebezpečného protivníka. A pak je tu oblíbený Gen (a další rozvoj jeho postavy) a s ním i hromada referencí/easter eggů na Groo. Jediná škoda je, že zde se odehrává více menších příběhů a z předchozích knih jsem byl nakopnutý na nějaké epické dobrodružství. Ale na druhou stranu to vystihuje "Cestu poutníka", kdy soubor příběhů opravdu vytvoří pocit poutnického života v dobrém i zlém. Tak či onak to je ale hodně příjemné čtení.
October 28, 2022
8/10
Una delicia.
Una delicia.
March 28, 2021
This volume is a lot more episodic, and has some somewhat random pieces (the TMNT crossover is funny but not particularly good), as well as new experiences with previously met characters. Spot is adorable, and Gen is a good foil, but some of the stories go a bit darker - A Mother's Love is a touching but depressing story of a mother's shame for the actions of her son. It is a very much a glimpse into a different culture that works because of Sakai's deft characterizations, even this early in the series. All told, a good collection, with some ephemera, but also some pivotal pieces.
October 30, 2022
Nešto specijalno stiglo nam je pred sajam od Makonda. U pitanju je serijal o Usagiju Jođimbu.
Ovo je priča o zecu samuraju, smeštena u vreme feudalnog Japana, sa životinjama kao glavnim likovima. Glavni lik je kao što i naziv kaže, Mijamoto Usagi. Usagi luta zemljom, povremeno nudi svoje usluge, pomaže drugima, bori se sa zlom...
Zanimljivo je da je lik Usagija inspirisan japanskim mačevaocem po imenu Mijamoto Musaši. O njemu se možete informisati na internetu. Takodje, još par likova je inspirisano stvarnim ličnostima, a ostatak je nastao pod uticajem japanske pop kulture.
Stripovi se sastoje iz kratkih priča, odnosno dogodovština Usagija. U pričama su brojne reference na japansku kulturu i istoriju, ali ponekad i na mitologiju. Priče mogu biti zasebne, ali sve zajedno čine jednu dužu priču. Priču o izdaji, borbi, priču o časti.
Nisam očekivao da će mi se stripovi dopasti. Šta više, uzeo sam ih reda radi. Medjutim, oduševili su me. Pružili su mi neopisiv užitak. Da me ne shvatite pogrešno, ništa ovde nije neverovatno i nesvakidašnje. Neopisiv je taj osećaj koji sam imao dok sam ih čitao. Opustili su me, ponekad nasmejali ili razljutili, a ono glavno - preneli su me u neko drugo doba, u neko drugo mesto. Osetio sam duh starog Japana, osetio sam taj život i sve što je sa njim dolazilo. Taj utisak je neprocenljiv.
Stripovi su sa crno-belim crtežima. Voleo bih da vidim izdanja u boji, ali mi se i crno-beli izbor mnogo dopao. Izdanja su manjeg formata, ali kvalitetna i odlična za posebnu policu namenjenu samo njima - Usagiju.
Radnja je ponekad nasilna, ponekad smešna, a crteži su odlični. Predeli, odeća, zgrade, ceo Japan u to doba je prelepo nacrtan, pa ostavlja utisak realnosti. Kao što sam negde ranije pročitao, dešava se da zaboravite da je glavni lik zapravo zec. Toliko se uživite u taj svet.
Svaki deo je još bolji od prethodnog. Ako vas prvi deo ne oduševi, verujem da drugi hoće. Drago mi je što se Makondo odlučio za izdavanje serijala o Usagiju. Ja ću ih verno pratiti na tom putu, a preporučujem i ostalim ljubiteljima devete umetnosti.
Ovo je priča o zecu samuraju, smeštena u vreme feudalnog Japana, sa životinjama kao glavnim likovima. Glavni lik je kao što i naziv kaže, Mijamoto Usagi. Usagi luta zemljom, povremeno nudi svoje usluge, pomaže drugima, bori se sa zlom...
Zanimljivo je da je lik Usagija inspirisan japanskim mačevaocem po imenu Mijamoto Musaši. O njemu se možete informisati na internetu. Takodje, još par likova je inspirisano stvarnim ličnostima, a ostatak je nastao pod uticajem japanske pop kulture.
Stripovi se sastoje iz kratkih priča, odnosno dogodovština Usagija. U pričama su brojne reference na japansku kulturu i istoriju, ali ponekad i na mitologiju. Priče mogu biti zasebne, ali sve zajedno čine jednu dužu priču. Priču o izdaji, borbi, priču o časti.
Nisam očekivao da će mi se stripovi dopasti. Šta više, uzeo sam ih reda radi. Medjutim, oduševili su me. Pružili su mi neopisiv užitak. Da me ne shvatite pogrešno, ništa ovde nije neverovatno i nesvakidašnje. Neopisiv je taj osećaj koji sam imao dok sam ih čitao. Opustili su me, ponekad nasmejali ili razljutili, a ono glavno - preneli su me u neko drugo doba, u neko drugo mesto. Osetio sam duh starog Japana, osetio sam taj život i sve što je sa njim dolazilo. Taj utisak je neprocenljiv.
Stripovi su sa crno-belim crtežima. Voleo bih da vidim izdanja u boji, ali mi se i crno-beli izbor mnogo dopao. Izdanja su manjeg formata, ali kvalitetna i odlična za posebnu policu namenjenu samo njima - Usagiju.
Radnja je ponekad nasilna, ponekad smešna, a crteži su odlični. Predeli, odeća, zgrade, ceo Japan u to doba je prelepo nacrtan, pa ostavlja utisak realnosti. Kao što sam negde ranije pročitao, dešava se da zaboravite da je glavni lik zapravo zec. Toliko se uživite u taj svet.
Svaki deo je još bolji od prethodnog. Ako vas prvi deo ne oduševi, verujem da drugi hoće. Drago mi je što se Makondo odlučio za izdavanje serijala o Usagiju. Ja ću ih verno pratiti na tom putu, a preporučujem i ostalim ljubiteljima devete umetnosti.
January 16, 2024
Third volume brings us back to collection of short stories about our hero. In my opinion three stand out - story of motherly love (sad and terrifying one), blind pig swordsman returns and ends on a more merry note than the previously mentioned one, and finally introduction to Jei, mysterious warrior that I am not quite sure about - is he crazy, or truly possessed by an unearthly power? In any case while Zato Ino might be this-world-based counterpart to Usagi's sword fighting skill, Jei is something that Usagi is barely able to contain in fight.
All in all interesting collection of stories (TMNT crossover was just that, short intermezzo crossover to make things interesting).
Art-wise nothing is changed from previous issues, if you ask me both drawings and black and white approach are the best. Author gives us several very epic and cinematic shots that bring back scenes from samurai and kung-fu movies of the 1970's and 1980's.
Recommended to fans of action and adventure. One caveat though - this is still a collection of short stories, linked together (even from temporal perspective they are in order, TMNT crossover aside) so if you expect longer story arc (like Samurai arc from vol 2) you will be disappointed. I, personally am not :) but hey that is why they call it a caveat eh :)
All in all interesting collection of stories (TMNT crossover was just that, short intermezzo crossover to make things interesting).
Art-wise nothing is changed from previous issues, if you ask me both drawings and black and white approach are the best. Author gives us several very epic and cinematic shots that bring back scenes from samurai and kung-fu movies of the 1970's and 1980's.
Recommended to fans of action and adventure. One caveat though - this is still a collection of short stories, linked together (even from temporal perspective they are in order, TMNT crossover aside) so if you expect longer story arc (like Samurai arc from vol 2) you will be disappointed. I, personally am not :) but hey that is why they call it a caveat eh :)
February 13, 2018
In a better world Usagi Yojimbo would be just as famous as his compatriots, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
There's a magic to these volumes I can't fully articulate. Writer and creator Stan Sakai grows as an artist with each story. Both charm and pathos are in abundance here.
In this third volume, some recurring characters begin to announce themselves and some developing plot lines are revisited. However, there is no rush to any sort of premature conclusion. Like Usagi himself, this series meanders at its own pace - much more interested in what's to be found along the way than any mere destination.
Beguiling stuff.
There's a magic to these volumes I can't fully articulate. Writer and creator Stan Sakai grows as an artist with each story. Both charm and pathos are in abundance here.
In this third volume, some recurring characters begin to announce themselves and some developing plot lines are revisited. However, there is no rush to any sort of premature conclusion. Like Usagi himself, this series meanders at its own pace - much more interested in what's to be found along the way than any mere destination.
Beguiling stuff.
February 7, 2024
Usagi encounters a formidable and memorable foe, Jei. Also along with some appearances from recurring frienemies Gen & the Blind Swordspig. He also makes a friend, Spot. Generally the stories are pretty low stakes as Usagi makes his way from town to town and easily dispatches any brigands that pop up in his way, but that makes it light and quick to read.
I think I'm getting used to the art style more but it's also improving with greater details and more consistent faces and expressions. Fun characters, I'm invested now even if their adventures are mostly standard stuff. Looking forward to continuing.
I think I'm getting used to the art style more but it's also improving with greater details and more consistent faces and expressions. Fun characters, I'm invested now even if their adventures are mostly standard stuff. Looking forward to continuing.
January 12, 2019
As ever, an enjoyable and quick read. I did find myself more annoyed with the series's ongoing flaws this time around - the stories are somewhat juvenile, the characters are one dimensional, and the art is still goofy when it comes to faces. But these flaws are style choices so as with the earlier volumes I tried to look past them and enjoy the rest of the comic. And the rest of the comic was a good as I've come to expect from Sakai, with some pretty dark moments, some sad moments, and some wonderfully sentimental moments.
February 17, 2023
An excellent collection exploring themes of compassion, friendship, and loyalty. It's exciting and invigorating and in one story, heartbreaking too. The action sequences are more dynamic and visually experimental and playful than in the first two volumes and the dialogue is almost surgically straightforward – the precise words needed and nothing more. I hope we see Spot again in future volumes.
Read
August 2, 2024The journey of Usagi Yojimbo has been enjoyable, so far.
However the standard of this particular volume was not on par with that of its predecessor. It mostly contains random encounters, that do add nuance to the character, but hardly seem to do anything in the long run.
However the standard of this particular volume was not on par with that of its predecessor. It mostly contains random encounters, that do add nuance to the character, but hardly seem to do anything in the long run.
April 27, 2021
More stories about the samurai rabbit from feudal Japan...
In "The Tower," Usagi wanders into a town where a local noodle shop owner has chased a lizard up the town's tower. The owner is a bully, so rather than condemning him, the townsfolk start making bets on when the lizard will fall off the tower (the top isn't very big and the winds are picking up). Usagi says this is awful and climbs the tower to bring the lizard down. The owner chops the steps of the ladder, forcing Usagi to come up with a new plan as he tries to calm down the frightened and hostile lizard. The story throws in a lot of humor and the lizard winds up being Usagi's travel companion.
"The Good Mother" is a much darker story. Usagi and Spot (that's what he named the lizard) have a meal with an old woman. To repay her kindness, he carries her back to her town. She'd been on a pilgrimage to pray for her son. Once they get to town, the son's problem is obvious. He's inherited his father's loan business but uses it to oppress the town. He's hired thugs to collect payments. The mother is ashamed and sad. The son is hostile to Usagi but cowers before his sword. Things get much darker as the story concludes. The grimness is surprising but narratively satisfying. Not really a kid's story.
"Return of the Blind Swordpig" reunites Usagi with an old foe whose nose he cut off. The tenseness of the confrontation is mitigated by the lizard, who inadvertently helped the blind swordpig earlier in the story. Even as mortal enemies, they still have humanity between them.
"Blade of the Gods" has Usagi facing an insane ronin who thinks he's been appointed by the gods to destroy evil in the world. The evil he destroys is other people with little justification on his part, an activity generally seen as evil by everyone else. They have an intense fight in a lightening storm that ends dramatically.
"The Tea Cup" is a little tribute to Groo the Wanderer (which I've never read, so I don't know how much of a tribute it is) where Usagi teams up with Gen, one of his samurai friends. Gen has to take an expensive tea cup to a tea merchant. A rival tea merchant wants it, so Gen has been fighting off hired thugs. Gen and Usagi have a break at an inn where they pick up two orphans headed to the same city. The usual mayhem ensues. The story has a good blend of action and humor.
"The Shogun's Gift" tells the tale of a ninja stealing a priceless sword from Lord Noriyuki. Usagi wanders into town as the search is on and has some encounters with the thief, who has disguised himself as a woodcutter. The ending is predictable but still fun.
"Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew" is an out-of-continuity meet-up of Usagi with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Well, just Leonardo, who falls through time into feudal Japan and has a quick encounter with Usagi. For the few pages it lasts, the story is fun.
These Usagi stories are very entertaining and have a unique art style that I like.
Highly recommended.
In "The Tower," Usagi wanders into a town where a local noodle shop owner has chased a lizard up the town's tower. The owner is a bully, so rather than condemning him, the townsfolk start making bets on when the lizard will fall off the tower (the top isn't very big and the winds are picking up). Usagi says this is awful and climbs the tower to bring the lizard down. The owner chops the steps of the ladder, forcing Usagi to come up with a new plan as he tries to calm down the frightened and hostile lizard. The story throws in a lot of humor and the lizard winds up being Usagi's travel companion.
"The Good Mother" is a much darker story. Usagi and Spot (that's what he named the lizard) have a meal with an old woman. To repay her kindness, he carries her back to her town. She'd been on a pilgrimage to pray for her son. Once they get to town, the son's problem is obvious. He's inherited his father's loan business but uses it to oppress the town. He's hired thugs to collect payments. The mother is ashamed and sad. The son is hostile to Usagi but cowers before his sword. Things get much darker as the story concludes. The grimness is surprising but narratively satisfying. Not really a kid's story.
"Return of the Blind Swordpig" reunites Usagi with an old foe whose nose he cut off. The tenseness of the confrontation is mitigated by the lizard, who inadvertently helped the blind swordpig earlier in the story. Even as mortal enemies, they still have humanity between them.
"Blade of the Gods" has Usagi facing an insane ronin who thinks he's been appointed by the gods to destroy evil in the world. The evil he destroys is other people with little justification on his part, an activity generally seen as evil by everyone else. They have an intense fight in a lightening storm that ends dramatically.
"The Tea Cup" is a little tribute to Groo the Wanderer (which I've never read, so I don't know how much of a tribute it is) where Usagi teams up with Gen, one of his samurai friends. Gen has to take an expensive tea cup to a tea merchant. A rival tea merchant wants it, so Gen has been fighting off hired thugs. Gen and Usagi have a break at an inn where they pick up two orphans headed to the same city. The usual mayhem ensues. The story has a good blend of action and humor.
"The Shogun's Gift" tells the tale of a ninja stealing a priceless sword from Lord Noriyuki. Usagi wanders into town as the search is on and has some encounters with the thief, who has disguised himself as a woodcutter. The ending is predictable but still fun.
"Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew" is an out-of-continuity meet-up of Usagi with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Well, just Leonardo, who falls through time into feudal Japan and has a quick encounter with Usagi. For the few pages it lasts, the story is fun.
These Usagi stories are very entertaining and have a unique art style that I like.
Highly recommended.
April 14, 2013
This book was a series of vignettes that, in some cases, developed the recurring characters further, particularly Miyamoto Usagi, Zato-Ino (the blind criminal master swordspig), and Gennosuke (the swindler ronin). But the overall story isn't really advanced by these vignettes, which are largely one-off stories "set in the world of" Usagi Yojimbo. The story referenced on the cover is a good example: a ronin possessed either by a god or demon takes it upon himself to "cleanse" the world of evil (pretty much everyone he comes across). Our hero meets him on a very stormy night, holed up in a small hut (the ronin is sheltering there after killing all the occupants). Usagi notes that the blade (which is the soul of a samurai) of the ronin's spear is darkest black, then settles down for an uneasy sleep. The ronin, predictably, obeys the voices that tell him to kill Usagi, and the ensuing fight breaks out of the side of the hut into the tempest outside. In the end, both are struck by lightning, but only Usagi survives. No reference of this encounter is ever made again (or at least so far). Appropriately enough, Sakai included a gallery of "guest spots" at the back of this volume: other comics artists doing their renditions of Usagi Yojimbo, and Sakai doing a TMNT crossover (again, this was the 80s, when anthropomorphic animal warriors were incredibly en vogue), making for even more stories that don't advance the overall storyline.
I found the book enjoyable, but largely forgettable. I'm glad I read it, but two weeks from now, I wouldn't be able to recall most of the stories enough to discuss them.
I found the book enjoyable, but largely forgettable. I'm glad I read it, but two weeks from now, I wouldn't be able to recall most of the stories enough to discuss them.
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.
December 15, 2020
Another fun romp. I took a star off because there is a TMNT encounter that is pointless. Also he meets the "evil god" for the first time and ...slays him? I guess I am surprised because I read later tales were this black spear carrying villain comes back, so this first encounter is kind of anti climactic.
The addition of Spot (the lizard) was okay but I was glad he left with the blind pig.
I see one negative review saying "the stories are all the same". I politely disagree. Yes, like any good series Usagi doesn't die at the end, but I feel every story is unique and while they are by no means DEEP reading - they are 100% fun. they remind me of a good Uncle Scrooge or Richie Rich story - but with a lot more Japanese history and culture thrown in.
The addition of Spot (the lizard) was okay but I was glad he left with the blind pig.
I see one negative review saying "the stories are all the same". I politely disagree. Yes, like any good series Usagi doesn't die at the end, but I feel every story is unique and while they are by no means DEEP reading - they are 100% fun. they remind me of a good Uncle Scrooge or Richie Rich story - but with a lot more Japanese history and culture thrown in.
January 26, 2012
This volume was very cool. There were a few more darker stories in this one, including the last part of the money lender story and the battle between the mad samurai. The art has some great moments, such as the fight in the lightning storm and Gen starts to show his softer side. A great bunch of stories and a fun Ninja Turtles teamup at the end!
January 18, 2021
While some of the stories kind of fell flat for me, I enjoyed this volume, and especially enjoyed the “Groo the Wanderer” tribute story. That was just too fun!
Edit: on a reread, I think the stories might be even more fun than first time! Nice to see Zatoino again, as well as a crossover with the TMNT and a return of Tomoe. It feels good to read these stories a second time!
Edit: on a reread, I think the stories might be even more fun than first time! Nice to see Zatoino again, as well as a crossover with the TMNT and a return of Tomoe. It feels good to read these stories a second time!
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)
March 13, 2020
In this week’s Throwback Thursday, I check out the third volume of the outstanding Usagi Yojimbo comic book series, The Wanderer’s Road. I was originally planning to save this one until next week, but I just watched some episodes of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated show today that featured Usagi, and so inspiration struck once again.
The third volume of the Usagi Yojimbo series follows on from the events of the second volume, Samurai, and features several standalone adventures as the series’ titular protagonist, Miyamoto Usagi, continues to wander around this alternate version of Feudal Japan. The Wanderer’s Road features six first-rate and deeply enjoyable stories which were originally contained within issues #7 – 12 of the Fantagraphics Books’ Usagi Yojimbo series. It also contains a short bonus story from the Turtle Soup comic project which features a very special guest star.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/03/13/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
The third volume of the Usagi Yojimbo series follows on from the events of the second volume, Samurai, and features several standalone adventures as the series’ titular protagonist, Miyamoto Usagi, continues to wander around this alternate version of Feudal Japan. The Wanderer’s Road features six first-rate and deeply enjoyable stories which were originally contained within issues #7 – 12 of the Fantagraphics Books’ Usagi Yojimbo series. It also contains a short bonus story from the Turtle Soup comic project which features a very special guest star.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/03/13/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
June 17, 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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The ronin rabbit tales continue with a collection of seven stories in Volume 3: The Wanderer's Road. Now, things take a much darker turn with story elements including demonic possession and even matricide! Nevertheless, it is still the same classic Usagi Yojimbo that had been previously set up in the preceding volumes.
The final story is the first TMNT/Usagi crossover and it was pointless. It was unbelievably brief and didn't have any of the TMNT OR Usagi charm that fans are used to. But at least it was pointing towards something better on down the line.
One final note: I do think I'd like these comics even more if there were color. I know that might not be a fair criticism, and I definitely like most of the illustrations as is, I just think it would be a much prettier experience if the pages were filled with bursts of color. That's all.
---
The ronin rabbit tales continue with a collection of seven stories in Volume 3: The Wanderer's Road. Now, things take a much darker turn with story elements including demonic possession and even matricide! Nevertheless, it is still the same classic Usagi Yojimbo that had been previously set up in the preceding volumes.
The final story is the first TMNT/Usagi crossover and it was pointless. It was unbelievably brief and didn't have any of the TMNT OR Usagi charm that fans are used to. But at least it was pointing towards something better on down the line.
One final note: I do think I'd like these comics even more if there were color. I know that might not be a fair criticism, and I definitely like most of the illustrations as is, I just think it would be a much prettier experience if the pages were filled with bursts of color. That's all.
July 26, 2023
This volume is quintessential Usagi. It's mostly self contained short stories with some very light continuity, although there's a few important developments. Namely, the introduction of Jei who will go on to become a major player going forward. And let's not forget the first, brief and not at all serious crossover with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Each story carries a very different tone. From goofy and lighthearted, to dark tragedy, to outright horror. Usagi proves himself a flexible enough character to carry many different kinds of stories. I can't really think of another series that does quite the same thing. Hellboy, maybe?
Stan Sakai's art, already great, continues to improve. He is one of the best classical cartoonists out there.
People looking for grand epic tales or deep character development should look elsewhere. That's not the point. The point is the journey. Usagi flits in and out of other characters lives as he travels, never staying long. If you're not into that kind of story, stay away. Myself? Inject it directly into my veins.
Each story carries a very different tone. From goofy and lighthearted, to dark tragedy, to outright horror. Usagi proves himself a flexible enough character to carry many different kinds of stories. I can't really think of another series that does quite the same thing. Hellboy, maybe?
Stan Sakai's art, already great, continues to improve. He is one of the best classical cartoonists out there.
People looking for grand epic tales or deep character development should look elsewhere. That's not the point. The point is the journey. Usagi flits in and out of other characters lives as he travels, never staying long. If you're not into that kind of story, stay away. Myself? Inject it directly into my veins.
March 24, 2018
Stan Sakai brings the classic tales coming when Usagi gains a new traveling pet, meets up with his old enemies, and meets some new ones in his travels. One of those new enemies being the intimidating and powerful Jei, a villain we recently saw in the Usagi Yojimbo / TMNT 2012 crossover episode movie event on Nickelodeon. Which I now realize pays a nice homage to this volume and the first ever fight between Jei and Usagi.
But the most heartbreaking story in this volume is "A Mother's Love" which brought me to tears!! Stan held nothing back in that story at all and I'm not spoiling anything because ya'll will just have to read it for yourselves.
We also get to meet Shingen of the Neko Ninja Clan who is Chizu's brother. Which means that my favorite girl will be coming into the series hopefully really soon.
Overall this was a great volume and I can't wait to read volume 4.
But the most heartbreaking story in this volume is "A Mother's Love" which brought me to tears!! Stan held nothing back in that story at all and I'm not spoiling anything because ya'll will just have to read it for yourselves.
We also get to meet Shingen of the Neko Ninja Clan who is Chizu's brother. Which means that my favorite girl will be coming into the series hopefully really soon.
Overall this was a great volume and I can't wait to read volume 4.
September 19, 2021
It's almost too bad that this volume is still made up of one-shots. The stories are enjoyable, though. Some are humorous, others are entirely serious, but all are welcome, even if there is little character progression. This style of storytelling agrees with me whether the stories are long or short.
Usagi is even kind to animals in need. This volume sees him find his match in swordfighting.
Usagi is even kind to animals in need. This volume sees him find his match in swordfighting.
July 8, 2024
This is a number of short stories (to me I'd go as far as issues of the comic book mostly) put together from a number of out-of-print issues. I think the book suffers as the story is very linear and yet you can tell that these are not in the order they appeared or better yet, there are chunks of things happened in-between these stories your left to wonder about. The art and storytelling are never in question when you see the name Stan Sakai, but I just feel this could be better if they just reprinted every story in exact order leaving nothing out. But the super bonus is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the back of the book starring Leonardo and Usagi! Man....pure gold treasure there!
August 12, 2022
Some terrific stand alone Usagi Yojimbo stories. He visits some old friends and comes across the evil and insane Jei for the first time. There was one very dark story for Usagi where a mother was ashamed of her money-lending son and asks Usagi Yojimbo to kill him. That one surprised me. You can never go wrong with this series though.
September 26, 2020
First, let's pretend that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cross over did not happen.
Apart from that, this one keeps the quality, deep atmosphere and fun of the previous instalments. Read in one quick and entertaining sitting.
Apart from that, this one keeps the quality, deep atmosphere and fun of the previous instalments. Read in one quick and entertaining sitting.
April 5, 2021
The artwork here has reached the style I really love, no longer looking too cartoonish, but still looking fun and dynamic. All the stories are excellent as well - smart, complex, or just cute and heartwarming. (Except for that terrible TNMT crossover, but that's non-canon so we can just ignore it).
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