GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: An Interview With Stan Sakai (VOYA)

[Steve Hubbell]

From VOYA - April 2003

GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: AN INTERVIEW WITH STAN SAKAI
By Kat Kan (VOYA)
Because this column now appears in every issue of VOYA—thanks to those of you who wanted more graphic format news—I’d like to try a few different things in addition to my usual thematic roundups. For this issue, I conducted a telephone interview with one of my favorite comics creators, Stan Sakai, writer and illustrator of the Usagi Yojimbo series. Dark Horse Comics helped me connect with Stan.
Stan and my husband grew up just a few miles apart in Hawaii. Stan lived in Kaimuki, at the base of Diamond Head, and he frequented the old Kapahulu Theatre to watch Japanese movies. Coincidentally, my husband and I went there on some of our early dates, but the theater has since been torn down. Grasscutter, one of the recent volumes of Usagi Yojimbo, appeared on the 2002 YALSA Popular Paperbacks Graphic Novels list.

KAT KAN: I know that you are asked this question often, but for the sake of librarians who might not be too familiar with your series, tell us a little bit about how you started writing Usagi Yojimbo and why you chose a rabbit for the main character.
STAN SAKAI: Usagi Yojimbo tells the adventures of a samurai rabbit living in anthropomorphic seventeenth-century Japan. Inspired by the history and culture of Japan, it’s loosely based on the life of Miyamoto Musashi (1). I originally wanted to write a comic book series on him but happened to draw a rabbit with his ears tied up, and I liked how it looked. So instead of Miyamoto Musashi, I had Miyamoto Usagi—usagi is the Japanese word for rabbit.
KAT KAN: Tell our readers a little bit about yourself. I know that you grew up in Hawaii, where movie theaters would show Japanese films and some of the local television stations would run Japanese programs and show anime on the local children’s shows. How much of this background influenced your art?
STAN SAKAI: I was born in Kyoto, Japan, and raised in Hawaii. My father is from Hawaii, and he met my mother in Japan. I’m sansei, third generation Japanese American. Watching Japanese movies and television was a huge influence on my art. I loved the old Japanese movies. They’re strong memories from childhood, with movies by Akira Kurosawa and others.
KAT KAN: Did you draw a lot when you were younger?
STAN SAKAI: I did a lot of drawing when I was younger. I have an older brother who also drew a lot. I remember drawing and reading lots of comics. I liked the old Marvel comics—especially Spider-Man and Fantastic Four. I now work sometimes with Stan Lee—one of my heroes. I’m amazed that in my profession I have been able to work with some of the artists who inspired me. They influenced the type of profession I chose. I loved comics, and that love led to my love of reading books.
KAT KAN: Librarians and teachers will love that! What a great thing to say! Do you ever directly promote literacy and make a case for comics and their role?
STAN SAKAI: I’ve made appearances at libraries to promote literacy, and promote graphic novels at universities. I made an appearance at my local library for Teen Read Week and also spoke at eleven libraries in Hawaii during the summer of 2002. I found that Usagi Yojimbo is all over the Hawaii libraries.
KAT KAN: I might have had a little to do with that from the early 1990s, when I worked in YA Services at Hawaii State Library. Your stories are obviously fictional, but I know you do research into Japanese history and culture of the Tokugawa era (about 1615–1868).
STAN SAKAI: Yes, I try to research for stories. We played Go when we were children. Another game, Gomoku, uses the same board but different strategies of play—some fans caught the error of [using] Gomoku instead of Go in one of the stories, and I received letters and e-mail from as far away as Germany! I corrected that mistake in the graphic novel.
KAT KAN: Do you think school librarians can safely say that Usagi Yojimbo is more than merely a “fun read”? One can learn a lot of history and culture by reading good quality historical fiction that is based upon a solid factual foundation. I get that feeling when I read this series, and it’s one reason why it’s among my favorites of all time.
STAN SAKAI: Well, I can tell you that Grasscutter was used as a textbook for a course on Japanese history at the University of Portland in Oregon. School librarians can order Usagi Yojimbo as supplemental to history textbooks. I’ve written stories on sword making, pottery making, seaweed farming, festivals— incorporated facts into the fiction. I’m probably the only American to write a story about Japanese seaweed farming! Current volumes include story notes and bibliographies. I found so much information in doing research for Grasscutter and put that information into the trade paperback. I’ve had great response from many fans, so I’m continuing to include story notes in all the books now.
KAT KAN: Who do you like to read for fun?
I like Max Allan Collins—he writes mysteries and historical crime fiction. I like his books because of the historical details.
KAT KAN: I recall that Collins also wrote the original graphic novel, The Road to Perdition, which became a 2002 hit movie starring Tom Hanks.
Stan, more librarians are sponsoring activities in their libraries, such as manga clubs and other graphic format-related programs, that encourage teens to use their creative talents in drawing or writing. When I was an active YA librarian, some teens would come to me and confide their dream to write and draw comics. Do you have any encouraging words for them?
STAN SAKAI: Encouraging words? I have two pieces of advice for artists. First, carry a sketchbook and draw from life, draw a lot. Then, show your work around—to anyone. Get feedback, learn how to take criticism, and learn what your strong points and weak points are.
KAT KAN: You’ve noted that in late 2002, the comics world is not doing too well and that it is a tough time to get started in the business. You studied at the University of Hawaii and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, then continued your studies at the Art Center College of Design. Knowing that teens who want to get into comics will have to be very dedicated and work hard, do you also think that those teens should enroll in formal study if they want to pursue their art?
STAN SAKAI: It all depends on the person. I have some friends who have had no artistic training at all but are highly regarded in the industry. I myself needed the training and extra time that college gave me. I think it depends upon one’s natural abilities and dedication to one’s craft.
KAT KAN: I used to book-talk Usagi Yojimbo to middle school students in Hawaii, and when I moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, I noticed mostly older teens reading it. There’s some violence, with fights between Usagi and various enemies, and people dying. Should school librarians be concerned about the violence level in the books?
STAN SAKAI: Usagi Yojimbo has some violence. Usagi fights bandits, bad ninja, and other samurai. But the series also won a Parents’ Choice Award in the early 1990s, indicating that the books are suitable for readers ages seven and up. The violence is never gratuitous and never overly bloody. I’m writing about a period of turbulence in Japanese history, so the story has to be somewhat violent.
KAT KAN: You obviously love what you do, working on Usagi Yojimbo, lettering Groo for Sergio Aragones, and other comics work. Could you see yourself doing anything else with your life?
STAN SAKAI: No. I really enjoy what I do. I have complete control over my stories, from the writing to the finished art. I set my own schedule so I’m able to work at a comfortable pace and spend a lot of time with my family. I have a home studio so when my kids were younger, I was that stay-at-home parent, and I loved that time.
KAT KAN: Mahalo nui loa! Thanks so much for taking time to talk with me.
1 Musashi is a famous swordsman who wrote The Book of Five Rings. Vagabond from Viz Communications is based on his life, and he was the subject of a famous Japanese movie series, the Samurai trilogy starring Toshiro Mifune. Fantagraphic published the first seven trade paperback volumes, and Dark Horse has published it from volume eight onward. All volumes are either in print or soon to be back in print, including all the Fantagraphic titles.

(1) Musashi is a famous swordsman who wrote The Book of Five Rings. Vagabond from Viz Communications is based on his life, and he was the subject of a famous Japanese movie series, the Samurai trilogy starring Toshiro Mifune.

April 2003 - Voice Of Youth Advocacy

[miyamoto musashi]

good movies, toshiro mifune is so cool. but the first one was kinda disorienting (wow, i hope i spelled that right) cause he was called takezo instead of miyamoto.

[Steve Hubbell]

good movies, toshiro mifune is so cool. but the first one was kinda disorienting (wow, i hope i spelled that right) cause he was called takezo instead of miyamoto.

Takezo was Musashi's name initially. He was only known by two names, while Toyotomi Hideyoshi was known by several differant names over the course of his life, according to the book Taiko, written by Eiji Yoshikawa (author of the book Musashi).

It was common in feudal Japan for samuri to be honored with new "names" when promoted to new positions or "taking" new names after some profound spirital growth or experience.