Tomorrow marks the first day commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo. The internationally famous tales of Mr. Sakai's ronin rabbit first saw print in 1984's Albedo Anthropomorphics #2 published by Thoughts and Images. In 1986, Fantagraphics Books picked up the black-and-white title and published it first as part of their anthology book, Critters. A year later Fantagraphics launched UY as it's own series. In 1993 Mirage Studios picked up the title, where it ran in color for the next two years. In 1996, the book was picked up by Dark Horse Comics, where it has been published for over 17 years.
In the past 30 years Stan has wowed us with Usagi, a comic that has endured the test of time, and has provided to countless fans worldwide an historically accurate 17th-century Japanese storytelling experience unlike no other. Usagi's tales have been picked up by publishers across the globe, translated into multiple languages, and has astounded young and old alike.
Recently Usagi's creator Stan Sakai and his family have endured hardship on an unimaginable scale. The outpouring of support for the Sakai's from fans and fellow professionals alike has been awe-inspiring during their time of great loss and suffering.
From your friends at the Usagi Yojimbo Dojo, we extend a big thank you to all who have supported our Sensei and his family. Thank you for keeping them in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time.
