Usagi evolved

Jelly3 · Post by **Jelly3** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 17:09 -0700

I first saw Usagi in Albeo, and enjoyed reading about him. In addition, I noticed Usag evolving since first of the appearance. Not him, the evil or and good characters evolved, too.

I always fascinated the Japanese culture in Usagi during 17th century. In fact, I learned about it,too. So I had the research about it in the books..clothes, art and others. I now understood why Usagi couldn't lose his two swords. A young man, who admired Japanese culture; showed me the various weapons. The assassins and ninuja used them. However, they made me shiver.
Truthfully, I favor Usagi comics than the books because there have light of the violence. I always enjoy reading your writing and drawing Japanese language and culture. The themes are marvelous.
The woodcutters always appear into the stories no matter. They seem intnguing.

In addition, the villain-Lord Hebi seems fascinated

I have few questions.

1)What kind animal the Shogun is? Can see his appearance?

2)Why Motojim-San(assassiations#95) desires Usgai die?

3) Can Lord Noriyuki having the childhood action for a while and break from the serious actions.

I have the idea about him --

--- Do you see Walt Disney movie--Bambi

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 22:48 -0700

1. I don't know. I've never shown him, and do not intend to. Perhaps if/when the time comes, we can have a contest as to what kind of animal he is. A dragon, perhaps?

2. Motojime is the head of Koroshi, the league of assassins. Usagi has upset their plans a few times, and Koroshi wants to make sure he does not interfere again.

3. Noriyuki is growing more mature, as a person in his position should. One indication is that he is pushing Tomoe farther away. A lord should not take advice from a woman, so he is relying more and more on male counselors. Unfortunately, they have their own agendas.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 14:21 -0700

You've got my vote for a dragon...cool idea

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 20:31 -0700

I love the idea of the Shogun never being seen. Since Usagi is often placed in situations where he must defend the side of the Shogun (being the force of law and order in his world), it makes sense for the physical embodiment of that order to be abstract and invisible. Usagi fights for law and order without seeing much of it around him. He fights with the hope that this Shogun will eventually bring a full and lasting peace to Nippon, but this hasn't happened yet. The Shogun's presence is still abstract.

morna-san · Post by **morna-san** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 20:47 -0700

good point shaxper.

I hadn't seen the issue wherein Stan shows the face of Hikiji, but I have to agree that it would have been better not to show him at all. Now that I have seen the face of Hikiji it's a bit anticlimactic. The little scene where you can see that he has four fingers is way more compelling - to me. The imagination can conjour something a whole lot scarier (or more beautiful or creepier or - almost anything) if left to its own devices than most of us can actually put on paper or film. I always found horror stories way more scary before you got to see the monster. I guess I've always been a fiend for subtlety.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:05 -0700

morna-san wrote:good point shaxper.

I hadn't seen the issue wherein Stan shows the face of Hikiji, but I have to agree that it would have been better not to show him at all. Now that I have seen the face of Hikiji it's a bit anticlimactic. The little scene where you can see that he has four fingers is way more compelling - to me. The imagination can conjour something a whole lot scarier (or more beautiful or creepier or - almost anything) if left to its own devices than most of us can actually put on paper or film. I always found horror stories way more scary before you got to see the monster. I guess I've always been a fiend for subtlety.

I thoroughly agree. Remember Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget? Now that was a nice touch.

Post by **Mayhem** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:56 -0700

Except even he was revealed...

Confused? No, not in the cartoon, but they did make an action doll. Yep go Google for that if you really want to see what he looked like...

Cosmo · Post by **Cosmo** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:17 -0700

I wouldn't say, like Shaxper did, that Usagi is on the side of the shôgun. Just think that, when Usagi gets Grasscutter, he refuses to choose between the Emperor and the shôgun. He states that the sacred sword belongs to the people.

Therefore, I can't consider Usagi as a "faithful servant of the State". He does what he thinks best, but he won't hesitate to break the law if necessary (such as in the case of the Hair Pin Murders, see TPB #13). For Usagi, law and order are beyond the earthly authority of the shôgun.

SonicSamurai · Post by **SonicSamurai** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 15:11 -0700

morna-san wrote:good point shaxper.

I hadn't seen the issue wherein Stan shows the face of Hikiji, but I have to agree that it would have been better not to show him at all. Now that I have seen the face of Hikiji it's a bit anticlimactic. The little scene where you can see that he has four fingers is way more compelling - to me. The imagination can conjour something a whole lot scarier (or more beautiful or creepier or - almost anything) if left to its own devices than most of us can actually put on paper or film. I always found horror stories way more scary before you got to see the monster. I guess I've always been a fiend for subtlety.

The main monster in Usagi's case, turned out to be man!

Talk about irony....

or is it?..... WOoohh...

Really, i thought it was awsome that Stan showed Hikigi because of the fact that he's human. The Shogun on the other hand, is another mystery who has yet to be seen. I dont think it would be very interesting to have both characters never being shown. Oh, and I agree that it would be preety cool if the Shogun was a dragon. But, if he isn't, then i don't want to mess with Stan's ideas or anything.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 20:00 -0700

Cosmo wrote:I wouldn't say, like Shaxper did, that Usagi is on the side of the shôgun.

I didn't say he was on the Shogun's side. Rather, he's often forced to defend the Shogun's cause because the Shogun is the prevailing law right now, so those that oppose him are essentially threatening to bring chaos to the land. Usagi has never stated a political viewpoint in this conflict. It wouldn't be very Usagi to do such a thing. He just seeks to keep the peace and avoid conflict.

Cosmo · Post by **Cosmo** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 23:43 -0700

shaxper wrote:Rather, he's often forced to defend the Shogun's cause because the Shogun is the prevailing law right now, so those that oppose him are essentially threatening to bring chaos to the land.

You can't say that, basically, the shôgun represents law and order and his opponents - those morons, they really suck - only want to bring chaos. This is not a black-and-white world ("either with us or against us", we've heard that before

).

Do you really think that "Ah, if everyone respected the law of the shôgun, Japan would be like Heaven on Earth" ? On the other side, have you ever thought that Hikiji (considering the skill with which he spins his web...) could be a very capable shôgun ?

Shaxper, what's "the shôgun's cause" anyway ? Establishing justice, order and prosperity ? Yeah, right. The only goal is the following : staying in power. The 17th-century shôguns needed not to read Machiavelli's The Prince* to know that power is the only thing that matters when you're the supreme head of the State.

I repeat that Usagi keeps the peace because and only because of its firm and deep belief that it's the right thing to do. He's still an idealist, in a way.

* By the way, it's interesting to see how much the situation in Florence in the early 1500s was close to Japan in the 1600s. Same patterns !

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 14:36 -0700

Cosmo wrote:
shaxper wrote:Rather, he's often forced to defend the Shogun's cause because the Shogun is the prevailing law right now, so those that oppose him are essentially threatening to bring chaos to the land.
You can't say that, basically, the shôgun represents law and order and his opponents - those morons, they really suck - only want to bring chaos. This is not a black-and-white world ("either with us or against us", we've heard that before ).

Do you really think that "Ah, if everyone respected the law of the shôgun, Japan would be like Heaven on Earth" ? On the other side, have you ever thought that Hikiji (considering the skill with which he spins his web...) could be a very capable shôgun ?

Shaxper, what's "the shôgun's cause" anyway ? Establishing justice, order and prosperity ? Yeah, right. The only goal is the following : staying in power. The 17th-century shôguns needed not to read Machiavelli's The Prince* to know that power is the only thing that matters when you're the supreme head of the State.

I repeat that Usagi keeps the peace because and only because of its firm and deep belief that it's the right thing to do. He's still an idealist, in a way.

* By the way, it's interesting to see how much the situation in Florence in the early 1500s was close to Japan in the 1600s. Same patterns !

You keep putting a lot of words in my mouth that weren't there when I opened it, so let's just leave it be.

Cosmo · Post by **Cosmo** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 15:34 -0700

Don't get upset, Shaxper. I just think your point of view was a little bit too Manichean. My opinion is just that the way Usagi acts has strictly nothing to do with the shôgun. If I offended you, please accept my apologies.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 15:39 -0700

Cosmo wrote:Don't get upset, Shaxper. I just think your point of view was a little bit too Manichean. My opinion is just that the way Usagi acts has strictly nothing to do with the shôgun. If I offended you, please accept my apologies.

I'm not offended. I just didn't see the point in going forward with the conversation when you were speaking for both sides