This is introductory book to our intrepid hero, Miyamoto Usagi. We follow him as he wanders the Japan and from one short story to another we slowly discover more details about Usagi's past (how he became ronin in the first place, after that faithful day on the battlefield where his lord was betrayed), and in parallel we are introduced to a list of what will definitely be recurring characters (like Tomoe, Gen, the blind pig swordsman, various ninja clans etc).

Art wise, it reminds me a lot of Aragones' Groo (later I found out that Stan Sakai worked on Gru :)) but with a great difference - pages are much more calmer (in Groo you had pages that were just overcrowded - to the extreme). Character design is on a cartoonish side (again very much like Groo) and this is somewhat in the contrast with the seriousness of the story itself. All in all art works for me, I especially like it is all black and white (which I think works wonders for these types of comics).

It is obvious that inspiration for the story is in action martial arts movies and I like the way pages and action are organized, it feels very cinematic. Entire book is collection of short stories, no large story arc is present here. I like short story collections but sometimes repetition can "kill" the enjoyment (for example overdose of Conan related short stories) but here author manages to avoid this and make every story stand on its own (and make it work with varying lengths of the pages).

Very interesting comic, as I said do not get sidetracked by rather cartoonish art - all stories are very serious, with some comic relief (especially between Gen and Usagi) but deadly consequences as well.

Highly recommended to all fans of adventure stories (and if you happen to like Japan setting there is an additional plus to it :)) ( )

4,0
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This collection has been reviewed so many times by so many people that I don't believe I can add anything new. The black-and-white art is amazing and Stan Sakai has a wonderful way of showing action. He blends Japanese history in his writing and the stories are wonderful! I love the idea of a ronin wondering the country while upholding his principles in a world where it's very difficult to stay true to one's values. Oh, and Miyamoto Usagi is a rabbit. Did I already mention that bit?

I've been reading Usagi Yojimbo in trade format for about 20 years. I believe I first read this one in the late 90s when Fantagraphics put the first trades back into print. Since then I buy one or two trade collections every few years and start reading again from this one.

I'm well past trade collection #7 as I restart this reading and I think I'll probably accelerate my purchases and reading because I've given up trying to buy them new. I so far behind that I've had to go through an online reseller site to find the ones where I left off. But that's good for me as I find new homes for these used copies. ( )

Honestly, I could read Stan Sakai's books everyday for the rest of my life. Easily the best comic project ever. ( )

How do I begin a review for Stan Sakai’s epic tale of Usagi Yojimbo? For those who do not know, Miyamoto Usagi is a wandering masterless samurai who just happens to be a giant anthropomorphic rabbit. The story itself takes place in Japan during the turn of the 17th century, thus making this book historical fiction rather than anthropomorphic fantasy. Usagi Yojimbo is also a widely recognizable and popular character in the comic book genre.

The best thing about this volume was my impression of the book’s quality. It reads more like a light novel than an actual comic book. It is smaller than most of the standard comic books trades. It is also not set up in issue numbers, but chapters like a novel. You would think looking at the artwork that it is going to be all comedy and kid appropriate, but it is not at all. I was pleasantly surprised this was smart, clever, and very heartwarming at times. There is comedy within the stories, but there is also tragedy.

When I first got this, I knew very little about Usagi. I have always liked his character since his appearances in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons, but never really got to read any of his stories. For the longest time I thought his name was Usagi Yojimbo and not Miyamoto Usagi. I thought these comics were comedy more than actual drama. I also always wanted to read his comics, but never did when I saw them without color. Now that I am older, I can finally appreciate black and white cartoons. It means they are hand drawn and done before computers took over the art world.

I have to say that Usagi’s origin story is probably one of the best I have read in a while. This comic actually taught me what the term “ronin” means. I knew “ronin” was a rank in the Japanese’s army, but that is all I knew. I know now that it is more than a samurai, but a samurai who has lost his master in battle. I also know that “kampai” means a toast thank to this comic and keep a third eye open when traveling with others. As I have said previously, this comic book is smart and you will not only have fun reading this, but also learn things about Japanese culture.

Some side thing I want to add. I really love the brief cameo of Groo in this volume. I know I need to read that comic book someday, but I just thought it was a funny moment in the book. Usagi reference him again later on and it is clear they have issues with each other’s fighting styles. It is a playful tease since Stan Sakai and Sergio Aragonés are friends in real life. What is the deal with the lizards that appear in every issue? Am I missing a story there? If it involves spoilers later on do not tell me, but just curious. They are a cute add to the read though.

Anyways, I recommend this to any diehard comic book fan. This is especially for ones who fancy anthropomorphic stories (not furry stories) and Japanese manga/anime. This is the type of comic book I should have started reading back when I started Fables. At least I am starting it now and I have no regrets. Miyamoto Usagi just might be my favorite male comic book hero now. ( )