The Ronin (Usagi Yojimbo, Book 1)

Rating:
Summary: This is where it all begins....
Review: In a world filled to the brim with rehashed and revisited super-hero stories, occasionally a comic comes along that is fresh, innovative and entertaining all at once. This is one of those comics. Stan Sakai transports us into an anthropomorphic world were the ronin rabbit Usagi wanders the land looking for whatever comes. His lord is dead and he ekes out a living by working for whatever noble cause he can find. On his journeys he becomes embroiled in political struggles, wars and romances. He also meets a great cast of characters (Jei is my favorite, but he comes later). The story and art are tight and well crafted without being overly complex. Sakai also treats us to a few history lessons interspersed with the story. He tells us briefly about Japanese culture, language and history without deviating from the story too much. If you are looking for an intelligent comic, or just a great adventure, these comics are for you. Incidentally, Sakai is also a nice guy. I met him at a convention a few years ago and he was nice enough to do a great full page sketch for me. He deserves his rep as one of the best comic writers and artists out there today.

Rating:
Summary: Wascally wabbit!
Review: It's amazing to think what strange situations walkin' and talkin' animal characters can find themselves in. This long-running series by Stan Sakai features a ronin (masterless samurai) in feudal Japan. This ronin, fierce with his sword and living with the shame of a lord slain under his care, is a rabbit.
Miyamoto Usagi is ruled by guilt ever since his master was killed in battle. Now he wanders the tracks of Japan, righting wrongs where he may, taking mercenary or bodyguard jobs when available. His sword smells of blood.
Did I mention he's a rabbit?
This, the first book of the series newly reprinted by Fantagraphics, certainly has its portion of cartoony violence. But don't make the mistake of assuming it's silly. This series of tales is fascinating, packed with historical detail and completely absorbing. Stand-alone tales are mixed with several that follow Usagi's personal quest for vengeance against an evil and powerful foe; the latter certainly inspire readers to look for other books in this series!
This book is highly recommended.


Rating:
Summary: A great epic
Review: Stan Sakai is a great story teller who sucks the reader in to ancient Japan. Some of the stories are funny, and some make you think.

Rating:
Summary: Hunting Wabbit
Review: The boom (and inevitable bust) in the black and white comics market led to an explosion of creative talent, and opportunities for less able souls to foist their doodles on the public. At a time when sifting the good from the bad became an increasingly lengthy task comics had to work hard to be noticed; and Usagi Yojimbo won through on sheer quality.
Quite what made this tale of a wandering rabbit such a success (with well over a dozen collected volumes available) is not easy to say. On the face of it, the premise is bizarre: In a version of late feudal Japan populated by anthropomorphic animals the stories centre around a masterless Samurai, who happens to be a rabbit. For some people that very strangeness is attractive, while others will cite the excellent artwork (which improves in confidence and style throughout the early books) or sensitivity of the writing. There is ample silliness here, but it is deliberate and deftly handled, and the stories frequently have far more depth and feeling than readers are used to in popular literature, let alone comics.
Many of the characters are based on historical and mythical figures, and those with a love of such things will find additional amusement in spotting the prototypes for the likes of the rough and shabby Gen, based on characters played by Toshiro Mifune. Stan Sakai is justly praised for his attention to detail, and that shines through the books both in terms of the art and the writing. There are in-jokes and visual gags, but at its heart this is not a "funny animals" tale. Rather it is an interpretation, a reinvention, of the classic myth cycle. Sublime touches, such as having our hero tie his ears up as a top-knot, fill every page, and these are comics you will want to return to repeatedly.
This first volume introduces the rabbit ronin, although much of his background has to wait for volume two, and places a number of important recurring characters in the scene. It is possible to read Usagi Yojimbo from almost any point, but if you can track down a copy of this shamefully out-of-print book then you will find that later tales reveal more than if you approach them cold. Despite initial appearances ... Mr Sakai has managed to keep his creation above the level of a Saturday morning throwaway cartoon, and he has done so for almost twenty years. A truly remarkable achievement, and a remarkable series.

Rating:
Summary: A great epic
Review: Usagi Yojimbo is a great volume of comic books. The characters are well-developed, the plots are reasonable, and the script between the characters is humorous and serious.