INTERVIEW WITH STAN SAKAI - AUTHOR OF USAGI
by TOMISLAV DORNIK (STRIPOVI.COM, MAY 10, 2005)
Few years ago a friend lended me two comic books, unknown to me at that time - Torpedo and Usagi. Cynical gangster Torpedo didn't impressed me much. On the other hand, samurai rabbit Miyamoto Usagi, working as yojimbo, really delighted me; with art, and even more with the intelligent and interesting stories. For both the art and the scenario credit goes to one man - Stan Sakai.
Stan Sakai was born on May 25th, 1953 in Kyoto, Japan. As a two years old he relocated with his family to Hawaii, where he grew up. He received education on University of Hawaii, and also on Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
Mr. Sakai is very accessible and straight-forward man. When I contacted him via e-mail regarding some translations of parts of Official Usagi web page, he agreed without reservations. He also promptly agreed with my idea of conducting one short e-mail interview. Below there are questions from Usagi readers, members of
www.stripovi.com forum, answered by Stan Sakai himself!
MARKOS: Does the Usagi series have planned end, or is it going on as ongoing, endless serial?
STAN SAKAI: Usagi was originally going to have a definite end. He would have died a marvelous death. However, the story has changed so much from the time I created him more than 20 years ago, that I can no longer use that ending. Also, I have so many more stories to tell about his adventures. It is now an ongoing series.
MARKOS: Jotaro has increasing role in series, what are your plans for him in the future?
STAN SAKAI: There are two books called "Travels with Jotaro" and "Fathers and Sons" in which Jotaro travels with Usagi. They get to know and learn from each other. Usagi is undecided whether or not to tell Jotaro that he (Usagi) is really the boy's father. The second book is being published in the United States this spring. After that, Jotaro will not be in the series for a while. I did enjoy doing these stories. Seeing how Usagi relates to a child was a lot of fun for me.
MARKOS: How can you keep this tempo, one Usagi month after month, for years now, and doing both scenario and art?
STAN SAKAI: Actually, I do only about 9 or 10 Usagi comics a year. That also gives me time to work on other projects, like something for the Simpsons, or working with Sergio Aragones on Groo the Wanderer. I don't know if these are known in Croatia. But I enjoy working on Usagi, and have a lot of stories I have not told yet.
MARKOS: Being American of Japanese roots, can you tell us how is Usagi (as comic) doing in Japan?
STAN SAKAI: Usagi is not published in Japan. There has never been a Western comic book that has made any lasting impression on the Japanese manga market. They did have a Spider-Man manga, but that was published with new stories and art just for the Japanese readers. Usagi is based on Japanese history and culture, but the storytelling is very Western. I was invited to Japan by Osamu Tezuka Studios years ago, and was surprised that people knew who I was.
DEGMAN: Do you plan to resume Space Usagi series?
STAN SAKAI: Space Usagi is a descendant of the original Usagi Yojimbo, but whose adventures take place in the far future. I did three SU mini-series. I do have one more Space Usagi story I want to tell, but I just do not have the time. Another project I have wanted to do for a long time is a tribute to H. G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" story. What if the martians had landed in feudal Japan?
DEGMAN: Asuming you like to go to comic conventions, would you consider to come to CRS (Comics Show) in Zagreb, Croatia?
STAN SAKAI: I really enjoy traveling. I was in Poland in October, in Spain at the end of November, and I will be in France and Switzerland in two weeks. I also have a trip to the Netherlands planned for the summer. So I would like to go to Croatia. Is this Zagreb show in late November? I had heard of that one. Unfortunately, I have already accepted an invitation to another show at that time so would be unable to attend this year. Perhaps I can be there another year.
I even know a few Croatian artists. I have known Darko Macan for years. We started corresponding even before he started working for Dark Horse in the United States. We even met twice at the San Diego Comic-con, the largest comics convention in the US. He is a wonderful writer, and an even more talented artist. I also admired his sometimes partner, artist Edvin Biukovik. I am sorry I never had the pleasure to meet him. Together they did the best Grendel stories ever published. He no longer lives in Croatia, but I got to know Igor Kordey when we were guests at a convention in Spain. A very nice, very talented man.
JGORAN5: Dou you plan anything between Usagi and Tomoe Ame in the future, I mean in romantic sense?
STAN SAKAI: I am currently working on a long story with Usagi and Tomoe. Usagi will be with Tomoe's Geishu clan for some time. Part of that story is preparing for another story titled "Tomoe's Wedding".
JGORAN5: When is Gen coming back, I mean something longer than few pages in #80? I miss that rhino already!
STAN SAKAI: Gen is one of my favorite characters, that is why he has appeared so often. You won't see him for a long time though, because he does not fit into the current 'Usagi and Tomoe' stories.
JGORAN5: Last few numbers being one shots, do you plan some longer 'story arc'?
STAN SAKAI: I alternate the short stories with the longer story arcs. The short stories are a good opportunity for new readers to start, but the older readers seem to prefer the longer epics. I am working on a long story called "The Treasure of the Mother of Mountains" beginning with issue 83 of the US Usagi comics. It costars Tomoe Ame.
EMIR PASANOVIC: Blind Pig with sword is hommage to what?
STAN SAKAI: My Zato-Ino the blind swordspig is a tribute to Zato-Ichi the blind swordsman. There were about 26 Zato-Ichi movies and a television series in Japan starring Shintaro Katsu. I used to see these when I was a child in Hawaii. There is a new Zato-Ichi movie that has recently come out. It stars Beat Takeshi, because Katsu died a few years ago.
WIZ: Why rabbit? Is it your favourite animal?
STAN SAKAI: I wanted to do a comic series based on a 17th century samurai named Miyamoto Musashi. One day, though, I drew a rabbit with his ears tied in a samurai hair style called a 'chonmage'. I loved the design. It was simple, but very striking. I kept my character as a rabbit. I actually think my stories work better with a rabbit as the main character rather than a human.
THOMMO: Tell us something about your less famous character, Nilson Groundthumper!
STAN SAKAI: Usagi lives in feudal Japan, but Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy live in Europe at the time. Nilson Groundthumper was first thought of as a 2500 page story telling about the end of the age of animals and the rise of the humans. Usagi was originally created to be a secondary character in the Nilson epic, and they meet about halfway through the story. However, I came to like Usagi a lot better so abandoned the Nilson character in favor of Usagi.
THOMMO: How do you choose the species of animal for your character?
STAN SAKAI: There are some characters for which I chose a specific animal because of certain qualities it may have--such as Usagi's teacher Katsuichi is a lion because of its nobility, or Zato-Ino is a pig because they have a very good sense of smell and because 'inoshishi' means 'wild pig' in Japanese. But for the most part, I just use whatever looks good.
THOMMO: Can you estimate how many characters there are in Usagi world? I mean important ones, with names.
STAN SAKAI: I don't know. I drew a poster a few years ago featuring many of the characters at a kite festival. It was also used for wraparound covers for two issues of the Usagi comics, and was printed in UY Book 16 "The Shrouded Moon", and the new "Art of Usagi Yojimbo" book.
THOMMO: Do you plan some more 'young Katsuichi' stories in future, like #71?
STAN SAKAI: I do have a few more Katsuichi stories. But the problem, as for many other stories, is that I just do not have the time to do all the stories I want to. But I'll get to them eventually. The good thing about this is that Usagi can continue for a long, long time.
WATASHI: Do you consider animated UY series, is that in plan?
STAN SAKAI: We are always being asked by companies to option Usagi for a movie or television series. I usually pass these requests on to my agent who handles such things. So far, nothing has come of these options other than a few animated demos. Not only have we been asked for the rights to do traditional animation, but also for computer animation, puppets and even a live action Usagi.
Usagi has appeared, and is appearing in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series in the United States. He and Gen guest-starred in a 4-part story last season. In an upcoming episode this season, Leonardo (one of the Turtles) goes to Usagi's world and there is a lot of my characters in that episode including Usagi, Gen, Tomoe, Lord Noriyki, Lord Hebi, the Neko (cat) ninja clan, and the Mole ninja clan.
WATASHI: Under what conditions would you agree to animated series?
STAN SAKAI: I would like to have a lot of input into the character designs, stories, and look of the series. That is something that many production companies do not like to give up, but I feel it is important that I keep those rights.
THOMMO: What comic genre do you personally like? Which characters?
STAN SAKAI: I like all genres -- super heroes, humor, adventures, detective, horror, etc. My favorite super hero is the Spider-Man (the older version by Steve Ditko that I grew up with). For humor, I like Sergio Aragones' Groo the Wanderer, and Jeff Smith's Bone. I also like Batman, Tintin, Lone Wolf and Cub and Astroboy.
THOMMO: Do you know anything about famous European comics, like Tex Willer, Alan Ford, Blueberry... ?
STAN SAKAI: I'm not familiar with Alan Ford, but I know the other two. I have a few Tex books--one illustrated by Joe Kubert, and another by Jordi Bernet. I've known of Giraud's Blueberry for quite awhile. I even knew Jean Giraud (Moebius) when he lived in Los Angeles many years ago.
Other European authors I enjoy are my friend Hermann (especially his Bois Maury series), Azpiri, i Milo Manara. Also the Blacksaad series for the beautiful full color artwork.
THOMMO: What can you say about late comic great Will Eisner?
STAN SAKAI: Though the Europeans have been producing albums for decades, Will was a pioneer in the American graphic album format. He was also its greatest author. Even in his 80's he was showing us all how it should be done.
He had many requests to write introductions or endorsements of other creators' works but he did them rarely. He wrote the introduction to one of my books -- Usagi Yojimbo: "Grasscutter". That story won an Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story in 1999. The Eisners are the most prestigious of the American comic book awards. I was honored to receive the award from Will. I even asked him to sign my award for me.