A question for whom-ever it might concern...

[Steve Hubbell]

Kon nichi wa,
With the question about The Green Persimmon story's place in the Usagi "time-line", I remembered that I wanted to ask about the Usagi Time-line published in the Usagi Yojimbo Role Playing Game: Will the time-line ever be updated and is there any chance of seeing it added to the dojo web-site? As a non-role-player, I thought the time-line and the reprinting of the "Hebi" story are what made the game a "must buy" item.
Thanks,
Abayo....

[Todd Shogun]

Here's what's up with the Timeline: back when Glenn, Jared, and myself worked on the supplemental material for the RPG, we struck an agreement with Gold Rush Games that we would not reprint the Timeline on the website. In exchange we got a nice full page promo in the RPG.

About the timeline itself... it's not entirely accurate anymore. Originally when we looked at the color specials and consulted Stan, it was agreed to place the first three color specials during the break between issues 17 and 18 of the Fantagraphics volume (between chapters 5 and 6 of the Dragon Belllow Conspiracy).

Here's an excerpt from the RPG timeline so that others can see what I mean:


1603 - the next day - The Neko ninja leave and Usagi, Gen and Tomoe head towards the Geishu lands. Unfortunately, they come across a Tamakuro checkpoint and must kill all the guards. They continue on their way but although they reach the Geishu lands, night falls before they reach the castle. They meet Lady Takagi who offers them shelter for the night. Lady Takagi turns out to be an obakeneko, or cat demon and tries to kill all of them. Tomoe is hurt and Usagi sends her to report to Lord Noriyuki and get help while he holds the obakeneko. Usagi suceeds in slaying her but is knocked unconscious. ("The Obakeneko of the Geishu Clan", UY/DH #12, p. 2-21) 1603 - the next day - Usagi dreams of Mariko waking him up but it's actually Tomoe with Lord Noriyuki would met Tomoe as he and his troops were marching to stop Lord Tamakuro. A retainer tells the legend of the obakeneko that killed Lord Takagi 25 years ago after he killed his wife. Usagi, Gen, Tomoe and Lord Noriyuki then return to the Geishu castle, where they shall stay for a few weeks. ("The Obakeneko of the Geishu Clan", UY/DH #12, p. 22-23, "Dragon Bellow Conspiracy Chapter V: The Heart of the Storm", UY/F #17, p. 27-28, REPRINT BK4, p. 145-6)

1603 - spring - Usagi spends several weeks with Tomoe Ame at the White Heron Castle of the Geishu Clan as a guest of Lord Noriyuki. Gen is not seen around the Geishu Castle during this period of time. It is speculated that Gen kept a low profile to contemplate the possibility of becoming a retainer to the Geishu Clan. In the end, Gen decides that joining the Geishu Clan would not be in his best interest, and thus avoids Lord Noriyuki during his stay.

1603 - Spring - Usagi tells Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe the tale of how he encountered the ghost of his dead Lord Mifune while being attacked by an obakemono in the forest of the Tangled Skein shortly after the Battle of Adachi Plain. ("The Tangled Skein", Critters #38, p. 1-8, REPRINT BK7, p. 65-72)

1603 - Spring - Usagi and Tomoe spar with bokken in the Geishu countryside to see whose style is superior. The duel ends as a stalemate, and Tomoe proceeds to tell Usagi of her life story and how she became Lord Noriyuki's Personal Retainer. ("Tomoe's Story", Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #1, p. 1-5, 20)

1603 - spring - Goyemon, a painter, presents a set of sliding doors to Lord Noriyuki. That night Noriyuki has a nightmare. ("The Doors", Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #2, p. 1-7)

1603 - the next day - Noriyuki enters a coma although he has no illness. Usagi and Tomoe keep watch over him that night and see the painted spider on the doors come to life. Tomoe battles the spider while Usagi battles Goyemon, who turns out to be a demon, and the horrible things that come to life when he paints them. Usagi kills Goyemon and all the paintings vanish. ("The Doors", Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #2, p. 8-26)

1603 - the next day - Lord Noriyuki is healed and remembers nothing, while the demons paints have been stolen by a little boy who paints a butterfly to life. ("The Doors", Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #2, p. 27-28 )

1603 - Usagi and Tomoe seek shelter in the hut of a women named Kuzunoha, who turns out to be a shape-shifting fox. She puts Usagi under a spell and is only stopped by the intervention of Tomoe and a young fox Usagi had helped earlier. ("Fox Fire", Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #3, p. 1-19)

1603 - a few days later - Usagi and Tomoe care for the young fox then release it and return to Noriyuki's castle. ("Fox Fire", Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #3, p. 19-20)

1603 - after several weeks at the Geishu castle - Lord Noriyuki offers to make Usagi a retainer but he refuses, and Gen sneaks away to avoid the same offer. Usagi leaves the castle and Gen finds him. Usagi tells Gen that his antics during their stay at the Geishu Castle embarrassed him. They talk for a while, then again part ways. ("Dragon Bellow Conspiracy Chapter VI: Storm Clouds Part", UY/F #18, p. 1-9, REPRINT BK4, p. 149-157)


Stan has since changed this and now the stories appear in the future like the Green Persimmon. This is what the Timeline says about Green Persimmon:

The story which appeared in Dark Horse Comics' UY Color Special, "Green Persimmon," was published outside of normal UY continuity. "Green Persimmon" actually takes place sometime after the "Grasscutter" story arc, which ends in UY/DH #20. How soon after remains unknown. Stan Sakai knew the story, which was originally serialized in Diamond's Previews catalog, would be collected and published in a single issue, but had not expected it to be published before "Grasscutter". It was thought that the issue would be published about one year after it was serialized. It can be speculated that "Green Persimmon" takes place sometime in the year 1606 or 1607 A.D.

So you'll just have to ignore what the timeline in the RPG says about the first three color specials and that what is stated about Green Persimmon applies to them as well. That is, unless Stan changes his mind!

[Steve Hubbell]

Kon nichi wa,

Here's what's up with the Timeline: back when Glenn, Jared, and myself worked on the supplemental material for the RPG, we struck an agreement with Gold Rush Games that we would not reprint the Timeline on the website. In exchange we got a nice full page promo in the RPG.

Too bad about your agreement. A time-line would be an excellent addition to the Dojo. Is there any chance of somebody doing a map showing Usagi's travels and giving much of the same information?

(Don't know if I did this quote thing right, but, I tried...)

Abayo

[Qion]

Under this link (http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/uywho/uywho2.html) you will find a map of Usagi's Japan. However it's rather poor so far and does not contain much that would satusfie you.
I hope the admins and mods will update it soon.