USAGI YOJIMBO Volume 1, Number 31

Dear furry Wave-Men,

Tomoe fans better watch out! It looks like this Usagi-Mariko deal hinted at in UY Book 1 is still in full force. Unless I miss my guess, this explains the reasons behind Kenichi's "dislike" of Usagi and will probably be the lever Stan uses to keep Usagi from retiring. That is, Kenichi runs Usagi out of town because he's afraid he'll lose his wife to him if he stays. Either that or Usagi leaves because of a similar line of thought. Heavy, Sakai, very heavy.

Alan Baugh
Indianapolis, IN

[Close, but (and this is certainly an appropriate expression in this context) no cigar, Alan. - ED.]

Dear Mr. Stan Sakai,

I just finished issue #29 of Usagi Yojimbo. I've been a reader for a while now and just wanted to write to tell you that I enjoy the book.

I thoroughly appreciate the style that goes into this work. It's serious, but not so serious that it cannot have fun with the genre. The "Lone Goat and Kid" storyline I feel is destined to become a classic.

I suspect that you're going to have Mariko reveal that Jotaro is, in fact, Usagi's son. Then, in short order, you'll have him nobly leave his home village rather than disgrace Mariko in the eyes of neighbors. Or course, I could be terribly off the mark here, but wouldn't an endless stream of issue having Usagi coming home after a hard day in the rice paddies sort of limit the scope of the book?

However, a return to the wandering ways, not due to being chased, but as a way of relieving his inner torment, is a tried but true storyline. The torment of honor and duty coming between him and his happiness driving him outward and back to Tomoe. This way would allow him to finally realize how alike, and yet unalike, they both are. How long can this type of storyline last? At least several hundred, I hope.

As you can tell, I've gotten involved with this character. At first I picked it up because I thought it was a "funny-animal comic." I gave up that opinion after my first issue. Thank you for providing me with one of life's pleasant surprises.

Timothy A. Bush
Vienna, WV

[Jotaro is, indeed, Usagi's son. I've been telegraphing that since Critters #10 with Kenichi's intensified hatred of Usagi, references to that last picnic and, especially, the family resemblance. I hope you still found some surprises in the story, such as the introduction of Jotaro's pet, Spot, and his promise to seek out Katsuichi Sensei. I titled the storyline "Circles" to show the circles our lives take, even having our children sometimes close the circle. - STAN SAKAI]

Dear Stan,

Re: Usagi Yojimbo #29.

The richness of "Circles Chapter 2: Remembrances" was no more apparent than in the six brief but eternal panels on page 19.

Usagi takes his leave after Kenichi interrupts the dialogue between Usagi and Kenichi's wife, Mariko. Kenichi gives Mariko a severe look of reproach. Anger. Mariko turns from the harshness of Kenichi's eyes. Sorrow. Shame? Pain.

Having reproved his wife and with her back now to him, Kenichi's eyes retreat behind their protective lids. Hurt. Loss.

Kenichi and Mariko leave one another's company feeling the same pain...for different reasons...and for the same reason.

Exceptional work!

Jan C. Childress
Brooklyn, NY

Dear Editor,

If you're really serious about teaming up Usagi and Groo, I see many stumbling blocks. I bought one Groo comic and didn't like it much, and I can't possibly imagine these two characters together in any situation. How could those two even communicate with one another? If Usagi is from Edo-period Japan, when contact with foreigners barely existed, then how could he know any language besides Japanese? And whatever Groo's native language is, or even if he can speak several languages (even a moron like Groo would find this a necessity, given that he's a wanderer), I don't believe he speaks Japanese.

Incidentally, Monty Python and the Holy Grail contains a serious factual error. Tim the Enchanter described the rabbit as a "rodent," and rabbits aren't rodents. They're lagomorphs.

Thomas Q. Radigan
Riverside, IL

[We're already working on an Usagi/Groo crossover. Aliens from space invade Usagi's world so he invents a time machine which takes him into the past where he learns that Groo is really his great-great-great-grandfather (there was a mixed marriage somewhere along the way) and Usagi's swords originally belonged to Groo, but one got shorter as time went on. The Sage, of course, devises a plan to defeat the aliens by trapping them in gooey cheese dip and covering them with mulch (the fertilizer not the dog). Everything works out in the end except that Rufferto mysteriously disappears, setting up the events for a Rufferto/Spot crossover.

[Seriously, though, there are no plans for a Groo/Usagi meeting but Usagi may, one day, run into another of Sergio's creations, Catnippon.

[If you can't wait that long, check out #33, which will feature an Aragonés/Sakai collaboration. The plot was written by Sergio and is not what you'd expect from the creator of Groo or the MAD marginals.

[- STAN SAKAI]

My Dearest Usagi homosapiens, Stan,

Banzai! I've got an interesting tidbit of information to share with you (and perhaps your lovely wife). The other day I was reading a comic that was out way back in the stoneage twelvemonth of 1985 done by our friends at Mirage, Kevin and Mike (those guys who're so illustrious with the younger folk of our generation). Yes, well, the title of the teeny-weeny-itsy-bitsy microseries was Raphael and in front there was, of course, "Turtle Tracks." (For all you deadbeats, that means the letters page.) As my beady little eyeballs skimmed the page looking for letters from any decent moron, I came to the name - drumroll please - STAN SAKAI! [Stan's Fan Letter] Ah yes! The voyage was complete! The man who now has a comic book about a samurai bunnyrabbit used to read Ninja Turtles. Is that epic, or what?

Nora McVittie
Bartlett, IL

[I've had a wonderful association with the good folks at Mirage for years. Besides the letter, they also printed two Usagi/Leonardo stories and I'll be working on a new mini-series for them scheduled for Summer 1992. Look to the skies - STAN SAKAI]

Dear Stan, Kim, and Crew,

I've enjoyed Usagi Yojimbo from the first issue. It's a great comic book. I like that Stan has given the animals such full-bodied characters. He's able to put them in all different types of stories. From humorous pieces, like "The Teacup" and "Zylla" to horror stories like "Kappa" and "Blade of the Gods." "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy" and "The Shogun's Gift" have a lot in common with spy mysteries.

Stan's cartooning amazes me with every new issue. It has the depth to bring the scene to life. And it has the clarity to bring the story to the reader without any confusion or distraction.

It's great to see Katsuichi's return in issue #28. But what is the object on his staff? There are good views of it on page 13 of Usagi Yojimbo #28. (By the way, really cute drawing of Usagi in the last panel of that page. I think that's the first time we've seen him look embarrassed.)

This object reminds me of an icon that recurs throughout Osamu Tezuka's Buddha. I enclose a few Xeroxes of Tezuka's use of the symbol. He seems to use it as a precursor to the death of a character or in other moments of crisis. Can you tell me more about this symbol or object?

I enjoyed the Stan Sakai interview in Amazing Heroes #187. The only flaw was, it was over too soon. Is there any chance of seeing Stan's "Ten Little Critters" collected in a public-distribution comic book one day? I'd love to see it, and I'm sure other people would. Any plans?

The real gem of Amazing Heroes #187 was Stan's eight-page strip on how he makes Usagi Yojimbo. It was entertaining and instructive. Stan makes it seem so easy with his straightforward writing and art. I found it inspiring.

Perry Whittle
San Francisco, CA

[That thing on Katsuichi's staff is a hollow gourd used as a water container. I've seen pictures of Japanese hermit-sages carrying them and decided to give one to Usagi's teacher.

[Sharon really liked that particular panel, too. She had me enlarge it and stuck it on our refrigerator.

["Ten Little Critters" will probably be printed someday. It's a whodunnit starring Terry Miyamoto, a descendant of Usagi's, who is an investigative reporter and has been appearing in a funny-animal apa, Rowrbrazzle, for the past year or so. - STAN SAKAI]

Dear Mr. Sakai,

Your work on the Usagi Color Special was very good, and I have just one question in relation to it.

In the first story, Usagi mentioned that Katsuichi taught two other disciples. Who are they, and are you going to put them in a story?

Dana Freiberg
Minneapolis, MN

[I originally mentioned those disciples to establish Katsuichi's credibility as a teacher. I limited them to just two to show how picky he is about accepting students and to preserve the uniqueness of his style and swordsmanship. There's probably a story in there somewhere. - STAN SAKAI]

Dear Stan + Co.,

Just picking up #28, and I am truly delighted with the way "Circles" is developing, the capture of emotion on Usagi's face when Katsuichi was forced over the cliff put a limp in my throat. I've sat and read it four times now and I'm still thumbing through it.

Question: Only one!

In Usagi #26 Usagi duels Shubo, who in turn killed Shunichi a month before. But Usagi speaks of two others Katsuichi taught before being murdered, and Usagi didn't know of Katsuichi being alive to teach Shunichi and Shunji, so Shunichi and Shunji couldn't be the same two he speaks of, could they? (If Katsuichi spent close to five years training Usagi and Usagi is close to I'd say 27 human years old now these other two would be pretty old, wouldn't you say?) But Katsuichi would have called me a fool and whacked me with a lead pipe by now, so enough questions!

To Chuck Dillon, about your latest in #28: That drawing is fantastic! 'Nuff said! I hope you keep the people at Fantagraphics informed on your career so we can all go buy your comic someday.

And finally to our esteemed ed, Kim Thompson: How about a collection book of just fan art! with a cover by Stan and intro by yourself. I'm sure it would go over big!

Don "Dusty" Rhoades
Marine City, MI

P.S.: Katsuichi's eyepatch is the handle stop from a samurai sword, isn't it?

P.P.S.: Anyone out there got a 1990 Amazing Heroes Swimsuit Special for sale (or a Critters #1)? Please!!

[Katsuichi's eye patch is, indeed, a tsuba. I heartily agree with you in regard to Chuck Dillon's skills. - STAN SAKAI]

Dear Stan,

Your magazine is proceeding remarkably smoothly and with lasting success. The very fact of the length of the series seems to prove that. Your writing is as splendid as ever but I have one complaint. After you epic multi-parter, "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy," the one-issue stories seem kind of truncated in comparison. I know "Circles," a four-parter, is coming up, but please consider doing them more often. They have the feel or significance to them while the short stories seem inconsequential. However, if those are the type of stories you wish to make, please operate in the fashion you wish.

On a different tack, let me suggest a few things. How about having Usagi go to Okinawa? He could be feeling in a condescending mood until he learns that the natives are much tougher than he anticipated with their development of karate. Another suggestion would be to meet his world's equivalent of Adam Smith or Blackthorne, I mean a westerner in Japan. The clash of cultures would make for an extremely interesting story. I know westerners forced to land in Japan around that time were normally killed for trespassing, but the possibility still exists. Why not have Mariko and Tomoe Ame meet and compare notes on Usagi? It would be an interesting contrast of the simple wife of a town magistrate and the rugged Samurai.

I found Usagi's appearance in the Turtle cartoon interesting but I thought it bastardized the character. I know some people who now assume that you sold out and your character is nothing more than a cold commercial product. I, however, am aware that the quality of the work has not decreased in any way. In a sense, I do believe that the appearance in the cartoon was beneficial if only for the free publicity of Usagi. I'm sure that there are many kids that were interested by the shows to give your comic a try, but you run the risk of being stereotyped as a mere children's comic (mind you, I enjoy Disney comics, particularly Tailspin, but it certainly doesn't help destroy the convention). I know your comic is mature stuff that would give kids (and moreso the parents) a bit of a shock to see your handling of the violence. However, I loved the scene at the hot tub spring with Zato-Ino and the two women. The sexual connotations were unmistakable and charming to me, but the handling was so beautifully subtle that kids wouldn't think of it as anything unusual. Did you intend it that way or is it just me (I love Xanadu and Omaha)?

Now I have a more serious question. I thought I read somewhere that Tom Luth is the name of a coloration machine. Is this Tom a real person or not?

Ken Chisholm
Brantford, Ontario, Canada

[After a multi-part story, I like to do shorter ones so that I and the readers can catch our breath and new readers can get into the stories without having to know what went on in the past half-dozen issues.

[Also, the shorter stories are often used to set up the longer ones. Issues #7-12 introduced new characters and re-introduced older ones who were involved in the "Dragon Bellow Conspiracy." And, as Usagi slowly made his way back home in issues #19-27, it built up anticipation for the "Circles" multi-parter.

[As far as Tom Luth being a machine, I'll let him answer for himself! Take it away, Tom.

["I am not a machine. *Click*."

[- STAN SAKAI]

Dear Kim,

I can't believe a year and a half has passed since reading your previous issue of Usagi Yojimbo Color Special.

Now here I sit today with the Color Special number two in hand and even had the audacity to compare its colors to the Usagi Yojimbo Color Special number one. I admit to experiencing a pang of guilt at doing so and when I saw the extraordinary improvement in the wide range of colors I even felt embarrassed.

I felt embarrassed because I had suggested in a letter to you a year and a half ago you should save your money in producing a color issue of Usagi and stick to Stan's more detailed artwork of the black-and-white renditions of Usagi stories.

I apologize for that silly suggestion and encourage you instead to pursue color specials. the Usagi Color Special number two is an issue, superb. If I owned a hat I would take it off to Tom Luth. He is worth double his weight in cherry blossoms for a job well done. Buy him an expensive lunch one day soon and see if you can interest him in taking on the headaches of a Usagi Yojimbo Color Special number three!

To change the subject for a moment, I would like to share a piece of news with you. My status had been altered, thanks to Number One you-know-who, this ole Mum is now a grandmother. I intend to keep my collection of Usagi Yojimbos in pristine condition in order to, one day, hand them all over to my grandson for his inquisitive reading pleasure.

Mrs. Betty D. Lowry
Brampton, Ontario, Canada

[Congratulations! Well, that's one way to get more readers.

[I agree with you. Tom, as usual, did an excellent job. We're already planning a third color special featuring a painted cover by Tom. - STAN SAKAI]

Last change: 19. May 2003

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Usagi Yojimbo, including all prominent characters featured in the stories and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Stan Sakai and Usagi Studios. Usagi Yojimbo is a registered trademark of Stan Sakai. Names, characters, places, and incidents featured in this publication either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, institutions, or locales, without satiric content, is coincidental.