USAGI YOJIMBO Volume 2, Number 10

Dear Mr. Sakai:

I just wanted to thank you for Usagi Yojimbo, which is one of my three favorite comics (the other two are Sandman and Karl Kesel's Superman title - I like his dialogue, even when the story arcs are stupid).

Like many readers, I was unsure about the switch to full color, and I do miss some of the subtlety and textures of the b&w version. But the qualities I most like about the book remain constant in any format: the complex storytelling; the blend of humor and drama; the thorough characterizations which convey the characters' personalities and emotions and make them feel real to the reader; the "historical accuracy"; the careful portrayal of Japanese culture, custom, and costume; and much more. The long span of time between issues sometimes seems interminable - but I'd rather have the book come out every two months than have the quality decline.

I've been reading Space Usagi, which is also quite good, though I don't think it has quite as many attractive features as the other book - of course, there isn't room in the Space Usagi stories for all the marvelous side-trips you can take in Usagi Yojimbo. I just finished issue 3, and though I knew, from the moment Usagi and Tomoeh said "I love you" and kissed, that one of them would wind up dead (and pretty much which one), I think the whole death was handled very well. I especially liked the funeral.

Respectful and believable funerals are rare in comics (witness Superman's). Though Tomoeh's funeral was brief, it was solemn and consistent with the beliefs demonstrated throughout the series (low key, naturalistic, with a strong spiritual core).

I've long been a fan of things Japanese (my father worked for Toshiba in the 60's and introduced our family to Japanese arts and culture). My folks collect Japanese dolls of various sorts - some hakata, others not - plus netsuke, prints, and other objects, so I grew up surrounded by Japanese sensibilities in at least a small measure. I haven't studied the country's history in any detail, as I'm more interested in the arts, but I've had the great pleasure of seeing a number of performances by the Grand Kabuki (and I haunt the Japanese wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art).

All of which digression is by way of saying thanks for showing me so much about a country I have found fascinating since I was still in single digits.

Melissa Ann Singer
Forest Hills, NY

[When Usagi was coming out in B&W, one of the most frequently asked questions I got was, "When is there going to be another Color Special?" At the last San Diego Con, I had about ten requests for a Usagi B&W special. You just can't win.

[Speaking of San Diego, I'd like to thank the Eisner Award committee for my Best Writer/Artist nomination. And congratulations to good buddy Jeff Smith for getting the award.]

Dear Stan,

I'm finally finishing this letter which I've been writing over and over again for over half a year. I'm only missing eight of the first volume and a few other Usagi comics.

Questions:

1. Is the Shogun the leader of all of Japan or just the military?

2. I like your Young Usagi back-up stories, but what about Nilson Groundthumper (Space Nilson)?

3. When are we gonna hear about Katsuichi's two students he had when he had a school?

4. Doesn't Usagi really hate Hikiji because of the death of Usagi's father?

Joe Alcoff
Syracuse, NY

[1. The Emperor, being descended from the gods, was the formal ruler of Japan; however, in Usagi's time (16th-17th century), the real power was held by the Shogun, the military ruler. The three major Shogunate governments in history were the Kamakura (1185-1336), Ashikaga (1336-1568) and Tokugawa (1603-1868). Imperial rule was re-established with the Meiji Restoration (1868).

[As a side note, in the late 1940's Emperor Hirohito, the 124th ruler in the dynasty, "gave up" his divinity and today the Emperor is a purely symbolic office.

[2. See last issue's back-up story, "Nilson 2199".

[3. I've already begun plotting out a story in which Usagi meets up with one of his fellow ex-students.

[4. Usagi has many reasons to hate Lord Hikiji, the murder of his father is one of them.]

Dear Stan Sakai:

I've been meaning to write to you for a long time. I want to tell you how much I have loved reading Usagi over the past few years. I started collecting with issue #26. Usagi quickly became my favorite comic book and I have eagerly awaited each new issue.

As a young artist (I'm 14), your work has been a very big influence on my art. I hope to one day become a professional cartoonist. I have a few questions and suggestions:

1. Are the color issues going to be collected in trade paperbacks like the old Fantagraphics issues were

2. How old is Usagi? My guess is about the late 20's.

3. Please make some official Usagi merchandise! I completely agree with Gordon Danzey, but make sure the products are high quality. And don't overdo it. You know what happened to the Turtles. If you make animation specials (preferably direct video releases), please get Japanese animators to work on it! I love anime, and it would be great to see Usagi on the screen. As for the action figures, PLEASE don't make them part of the Turtle toy line. They would kill Usagi's image. Also please make a video game! Make sure it is made in the style of the TMNT arcade games (although a lot of Turtle things stink - like their cartoon - their video games are awesome)!

4. I really liked the story notes in the back of issue #7. Do you think you could do them every issue?

5. Is there going to be an annual black and white special? Please say yes!

6. Could you suggest some samurai books I could read? I have read Stephen Turnbull's Samurai Warlords and am currently reading Samurai by Harry Cook.

Well, that's all for now. Thank you for your time..

Brent Newton
Huntsville, AL

[1. The color issues will be collected probably after all the B&W stories are released in trade paperbacks. Speaking of which, UY Book 6 has just come out in both paper and hardcover collections and is available at book stores or directly from Fantagraphics.

[2. I never really gave Usagi's age much thought but late 20's sounds about right.

[3. What I'd really like to see are Usagi bunny slippers.

[4. I include the story notes only when I think it would add some further insights to the story and if I have the time. There will probably be one next issue which deals with the creation of a Japanese sword.

[5. WHAT?! Poor Tom Luth is beginning to get paranoid.

[6. Stephen Turnbull's books are terrific references. Besides Warlords, he has written Battles of the Samurai, The Lone Samurai and the Martial Arts, The Book of the Samurai, Ninja, Samurai Armies and The Samurai: A Military History. Another good resource is Secrets of the Samurai, by Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook.

[Upcoming Appearances:

[I'm scheduled to do a presentation and book signing at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, CA on November 13.

[Sergio Aragonés and I will be among the guests at the Mid-Ohio Con in Columbus on November 26 & 27.

[I'm also featured on the cover and in a short interview in the December issue of Comic Culture.]

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.