Question for Mr. Sakai

[Cyberwolf]

Mr. Sakai, do you have a formula you use to determine what animals you use for Usagi Yojimbo? Or do you use just anything? Will you use some more domestic animals like hamsters and guiena pigs? Either way, UY is one of the best comics I read. It has the best plots and characters, not to mention it is educational.Keep up the good work and thank you very much for your time. UY and TMNT ROCK!!

[miyamoto musashi]

i would like to see how a formula could be applied to that sort of thing.

but it would be great if horses were people, hahahha

[Pekass]

It would be kinda xtrange to see a Humanbeing-horse riding on a normal horse.

[miyamoto musashi]

what are you blathering about, i didnt understand a word of that. other than xtrange, cause youve used that before.

[Stan Sakai]

Mr. Sakai, do you have a formula you use to determine what animals you use for Usagi Yojimbo? Or do you use just anything? Will you use some more domestic animals like hamsters and guiena pigs? Either way, UY is one of the best comics I read. It has the best plots and characters, not to mention it is educational.Keep up the good work and thank you very much for your time. UY and TMNT ROCK!!

There is no formula. I just draw what looks good, what fits into that character's personality, or evern create something contrary to his personality.

[Todd Shogun]

The only formula I've seen Stan use is on the Ninja clans in UY, which are each based on a type of animal (cat, mole, bat).

[Indiana Usagi]

We need to see dragons. More excuses to drawe dinosaur-esque creatures and adds a supernatural flavor.

[gunblade007]

i like to see more bats. maybe a good guy bat like a good ninja. it was cool seeing bats in grasscutter.
-Joe:)

[Sebastian]

I didn't like bats, they were just the stereotype of a bad guy. A good bat? Intriguing.

[Cyberwolf]

Thanks for answering my question. It would be cool to see a hyena or wolverine samurai, or better yet , a hippo.

[Stan Sakai]

Thanks for answering my question. It would be cool to see a hyena or wolverine samurai, or better yet , a hippo.

I did toy with the idea of an elephant ninja clan (the Zo Ninja clan). It would have been pretty funny, but kind of cool at the same time. They would use their trunks as another hand, and their tusks could be used as weapons and would be loaded with hidden compartments

[ziritrion]

Thanks for answering my question. It would be cool to see a hyena or wolverine samurai, or better yet , a hippo.

I did toy with the idea of an elephant ninja clan (the Zo Ninja clan). It would have been pretty funny, but kind of cool at the same time. They would use their trunks as another hand, and their tusks could be used as weapons and would be loaded with hidden compartments

Whoa, now that would be cool indeed. How would they be in size? Person-size like most of the characters or would they be special, like Lord Hebi?

I've noticed also that all the characters in UY (normal characters, not obakémono) are mammals, or at least I don't recall seeing any birds or reptiles in the comics. Is this due to any reason in particular, or is it just because mammals look better when drawn, or anything else?

[Stan Sakai]

I've noticed also that all the characters in UY (normal characters, not obakémono) are mammals, or at least I don't recall seeing any birds or reptiles in the comics. Is this due to any reason in particular, or is it just because mammals look better when drawn, or anything else?

There have been a few, Lord Hebi most notably. I also had some frog-types as background characters. No birds, though.

I do have some rules, though. Horses are beasts of burden and for riding, so I do not draw any horse-people. Foxes are both characters and animals. However, they are magical in Japanese mythology so I feel I can get away with it.

The elephant-ninja were going to be big guys. All the elephant drawn were going to be part of the Zo-ninja clan, just like all the bats are part of the Komori Clan. In the elephants' case, though, no one would associate an elephant walking down the street as being part of the notorious ninja clan so they would have secret signals to identify themselves even to each other. They would be hired more for clandestine operations such as quietly sneaking into castles and memorizing castle fortifications or battle plans. They would be good at memorizing these information because, of course, an elephant never forgets.

[Shinobi-no-Ryu]

I think, and please excuse me if I sound brash Sakai-San, but I belive that you tend to choose animals that best exemplify the character's characteristics. Gen who is head-strong, rough guy is portrayed with the Rhino, commonly believed to be head-strong in nature. Katsuichi-San is protrayed as a Lion, a noble and fearless animal who can be ferocious. Inukai-San, (Stray Dog) is bloodthirsty when it come to his work and yet is loyal to his orphange, much like a dog in reality. I do not know, Sakai-San, whether you choose the animal first and apply the character, or if you have the character in mind and you find a specific animal to exemplify that character.

[miyamoto musashi]

you know you could just draw a zo ninja and put it on the site, i mean, why discibe it when you can display it.