The Duel

First Published: January 1991 by Fantagraphics Books

• Miyamoto Usagi
• Gamblers
• Shubo
• FIXME char-shubos-wife

Influences Behind "The Duel"

Some of you recognized the opening sequence in issue #26 ("The Duel") as a scene from the Akira Kurosawa film The Seven Samurai. In the movie, Kyuzo the sword-master was in a duel using bamboo swords. the challenger declared it a draw, but Kyuzo insisted he won; this infuriated the challenger, who demanded they duel again using real swords. Kyuzo, of course, killed the challenger. Kurosawa himself based this on an incident in the life of Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi of Yagyu Shinkage Fencing School. Yes, this is the same Yagyu family that is the villain in the Lone Wolf and Cub series.

Another segment in that movie that Kurosawa adapted from history is the scene in which Kanbei, the leader of the samurai, disguised himself as a priest to rescue a child held hostage by a thief. Kanbei offered two rice balls and when the thief reached out for them, Kanbei rushed into the barn and slew him. The only difference between the movie and Kamiizumi Nobutsuna's encounter with a thief/kidnapper was that Kamiizumi let the man live. A disciple of Kamiizumi was Yagyu Muneyoshi, the founder of the Yagyu Shinkage school and Jubei's grandfather.

While we're on the subject of movies, do you remember the scene from Enter the Dragon in which Bruce Lee demonstrated his style of "fighting without fighting" to the bully on board a ship and left him stranded in a tiny boat? Tsukahara Bokuden demonstrated that same style to a bully 500 years ago on a ferry boat.

- STAN SAKAI

In a scene reminiscent of the 'Seven Samurai', Usagi defeats the hero of a local town in a duel with boku-to, only to have to kill him when the disgruntled and ignorant loser demands a rematch with live blades. To one side, a book keeper runs a tab on the fights and his champion, Shubo watches intently. Following the match, Shubo befriends Usagi and they go to an inn to talk further. Both of them talk about wanting to settle down, however while Usagi is content to return to his village to begin his new life, Shubo seems preoccupied with the thought of money.

When Shubo finally takes his leave, he returns to the book keeper and tells him that killing Usagi will not be a problem. He also seeks out his wife and tells her as much although she and their child are just as happy for him to leave now and settle down.

The following day Usagi makes his way toward the edge of town to find the entire town and Shubo waiting for him, sword drawn. Outside the town, Shubo's wife waits for her husband. Given no choice, Usagi draws his blade and the two samurai exchange blows. It is not Usagi who falls. Usagi hurries away, uncomfortable in the prescence of those who would rejoice in the presence of a corpse. The book keeper, unable to cover his debts, does not have such a luxury.

Outside the town, night falls and a woman weeps for her dead husband.

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.