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 have something of a strange question here & I wonder if one of you UY buffs could help me. There's a bit of a backstory; I'll try to keep it brief, but please bear with me:
When I was a child, one of my favorite picturebooks was a copy of Momotaro. It was published in 1972 by Island Heritage books, ISBN# 0-8348-3004-3. Here are a few pages juxtaposed with Momo-Usagi-Taro (UY#25,Darkhorse):
My question is this: how was Stan Sakai's Momo-Usagi-Taro story influenced by this earlier book? I know the Island Heritage version by heart, & the instant that I saw Stan's, I noticed the similarity. I'm a huge UY fan, & I've always wondered about the connection here. Maybe Mr. Sakai & I read the same edition of Momotaro growing up? ...that would be neat.
Please take a look for yourself & compare the scans above. I'm eager to hear what anyone knows or thinks about the subject. If this is a topic that has already been discussed I apologize, but I couldn't find anything by searching the forums.
The similarities are certainly astonishing! It's hard to imagine that Stan didn't have this artwork in mind. Momo-Usagi-Taro is a favorite Usagi story of mine, and this post has just added to my enjoyment of the story's artwork immeasurably. Thanks so much for sharing this
My pleasure, thanks for the response
It's good to know that I'm not the only one who sees the similarity. If I get around to it, I may post a few more pix from the IH version that I haven't uploaded. They're a real kick.
Momotaro is one of Japan's most popular folk tales. I have about 4 or 5 versions of the story in my home library. They are all very much the same. I don't know if I have the version that you posted, though.
Here is one version that was published at about the same time the issue of Usagi came out. It even has a similar island on the cover:
Thanks Mr. Sakai! I've been wondering about that for years. I never thought that I'd get the chance to ask you yourself, though. It's very kind of you to take the time to answer my questions. Please excuse a gushing fan, but thanks for all of your hard work. I've been enjoying your books ever since I learned to read, & it has been a pleasure.
