General discussion about Usagi Yojimbo, the comics, the stories, the characters, collectibles, TV appearances, Stan Sakai, Space Usagi, Nilson & Hermy, and all other related topics.
I was reading the Daisho storyline today and came across a portion of the story where Usagi informs Hanako to wait 30 minutes for his return. I'd always assumed that people didn't think of time in hours and minutes until clocks became readily available to populations. In your studies of Feudal Japan, have you found anything about this?
Granted, this is only a page or so after Usagi anticipates that the bandits will be "partying," so I guess there's always room for a little anachronization
*Incidentally, I just wanted to say that Daisho was one of my favorite stories to date. I really loved the portion about sword-folding, which was even more interesting than the kite story from eons back. Were swordmakers usually that discriminating in their client base? I also love how that transitioned into the Daisho story, as well as how the Gen backup story tied right into Diasho as well. The whole thing was weaved together masterfully!
I used "minutes" because that was the most convenient and understandable--and I wouldn't have to do research on what word corresponds to "minutes".
"Junishi" is the 12 signs of the Asian zodiac. They are also used to tell date, time, and compass directions. The day is divided into 12 parts--each 2 hours long, beginning with the hour of the rat and ending with the boar. These designations have not been used for quite awhile.
Swordmakers were not especially discerning about their customers. I wanted to convey that the swordmaker and particularly the swords were something truly special.
Thanks for the explanation. I wish there was room enough in Usagi for you to impart all your vast knowledge of the time period. I could never get tired of learning about it!
I like the idea of the swordmaker being unusual. It attaches an unusually upright karma to Usagi's "soul". Are we to understand that Usagi is in possession of the very swords that were given to that 15 year old boy? I apologize if you've already explained this in later issues that I've yet to read. Otherwise, I'd love to see you tell the story of Usagi's daisho! It would be interesting to read a story that followed the daisho's journey from owner to owner, finally to be recieved by Usagi. Maybe a sequel could span a greater length of time and end with them being recieved by Space Usagi?
shaxper wrote:
Are we to understand that Usagi is in possession of the very swords that were given to that 15 year old boy? I apologize if you've already explained this in later issues that I've yet to read. Otherwise, I'd love to see you tell the story of Usagi's daisho! It would be interesting to read a story that followed the daisho's journey from owner to owner, finally to be recieved by Usagi. Maybe a sequel could span a greater length of time and end with them being recieved by Space Usagi?
Yes, those are the same swords. I had wanted to do some stories about the sword's previous owners.
There were also stories planned about Usagi's descendants who inherited the swords. Space Usagi is one of them. Another is Terri Miyamoto the investigative journalist who starred in the never-completed Ten Little Critters printed in the fan apa Rowrbrazzle.
I do hope you get to those stories soon. They would be fascinating! It would be especially fun to trace the Miyamato ancestry after Usagi and Jotoro (who, I assume, recieves the swords next).
I reread the first issues of Usagi today to see how he recieved his Daisho. I'd completely forgotten that he won them from Lord Mifune. I keep asking myself what Lord Mifune would be doing giving away a 290+ year old samurai soul to a contest winner. Who could it have belonged to to have made it appropriate to deliver such a sacred object to a novice samurai? Is it okay if both the previous owner and the new one were in Lord Mifune's service? Is there a Japanese tradition behind this?
