Question for Mr. Sakai

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 16:51 -0700

Have there been any stories in UY in which persons from western civilization appear? I know the turtles have, but I mean Americans from this time period. What year would that be?

Ma-Ku · Post by **Ma-Ku** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:22 -0700

From what Stan and those incharge of this forum we were told that all and any form of "Westener" at that time is excluded from the series.
No real need for them really.

Only mention is in name and the gun powder.

Dranatha · Post by **Dranatha** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:56 -0700

Andy,

Albedo vol 1 NR 4 "Lone Rabbit and Child Part 2" Usagi walks past Groo in a crowded market place, "Ugly Barbarian." I think Groo would count as a member of the Western Civilization, if you take liberalities with the "civilized' part. Other than the gunpowder influence, there was recently a story line involving and secret society sharing and spreading the Christian religion through out Nippon. I think the only Westerners in Japan at this time were the Portuguese and Dutch traders and they were confined to Edo.

Being a great fan of the "Shogun" novel I would like to see a plot involving Usagi teaming up with a westerner to stop Lord Hijiki's evil plot to usurp the Shogunate. The moral could be "Honor and Courage are not only for samurai." I would be very interested to see what Stan would come up with for the animal to house our western hero, maybe a badger or a wolf.

But I believe Stan has no plans for this type of storyline. Who knows, maybe for Usagi's 50th year!

Abayo,
Dranatha

hakucho · Post by **hakucho** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:22 -0700

Stan has mentioned plans for a story where Usagi meets someone from China, though. I've forgotten what's going to happen with that one

Anjin-san · Post by **Anjin-san** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 20:48 -0700

Dranatha wrote:Other than the gunpowder influence, there was recently a story line involving and secret society sharing and spreading the Christian religion through out Nippon. I think the only Westerners in Japan at this time were the Portuguese and Dutch traders and they were confined to Edo.

The Dutch and Portuguese were confined to Nagasaki. After 1641, after supporting the Shogun's edicts in the Shimabara Rebellion, the Dutch were granted the artificial island of Dejima in the Port of Nagasaki. From 1641 to 1855, Japan's sole contact with the outside world was through Nagasaki. (In 1853, United States' Commodore Perry arrived in Japan and, essentially, opened up trade at gunpoint.)

As for contact with Westerners: There was one Westerner who was advisor to Tokugawa Ieyasu and was not subject to the expulsion edicts issued by the shogunate: Miura Anjin, aka Anjin-san/Anjin-sama aka William Adams of Gillingham, Kent, England. Depending on what year it is in the current stories (Adams died in 1620), Usagi could meet his world's version of Miura Anjin (or other westerners if he travels to Nagasaki.)

As has been said, there's really no reason to involve Westerners because Japan, at this point in its history, is a closed society. So, there'd have to be a special purpose for Westerners to appear in Usagi's adventures.

Dranatha wrote:Being a great fan of the "Shogun" novel I would like to see a plot involving Usagi teaming up with a westerner to stop Lord Hijiki's evil plot to usurp the Shogunate.

Considering that Miyamoto Musashi fought against Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara, it's unlikely that his rabbit counterpart, Usagi, would care whether his universe's Tokugawa shogunate rises or falls. . . (unless, of course, Hijiki himself would become shogun.)

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:49 -0700

Reading UY all these years I never even considered Usagi meeting up with his world's equivalent of Will Adams. And you are right, his existence would overlap with Usagi's. Perhaps this is something Stan will do in the far off future, after Tengu Wars, Ninja Wars, the Nilson/Usagi crossover, the Usagi/Catnippon crossover, and the much anticipated Usagi/Tomoe wedding special

I wonder, if a Westerner did appear in Usagi what type of animal (anthropoid) would they be? It would have to be animal types that have not appeared in Usagi yet, to differentiate them from the usual cats, bears, dogs, and rabbits (with the occasional fox, Rhino, monkey, and snake). Perhaps they're all reptilians or bird people... or maybe apes (I can imagine Usagi visiting Europe in a Charlton Heston-like role). But perhaps, considering Nilson and Hermy, they are regular animals just like in Usagi's Japan....curious to see what Stan would do here.

Ma-Ku · Post by **Ma-Ku** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:06 -0700

Probably animals that are from Western Countries?

Who or what is Catnippon? I dont know that much about the comic world.

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 10:18 -0700

Ma-Ku wrote:Probably animals that are from Western Countries?

Who or what is Catnippon? I dont know that much about the comic world.

Catnippon was a character developed by Sergio Aragones (Groo) quite some time back who appeared in the eight page back-up story "The Missive" in Usagi Yojimbo volume 1, issue 11 (Fantagraphics Books), September 1987. He also appeared in a full color pin-up on the back of Critters #50 (Fantagraphics Books), March 1990. A three page Catnippon story was also printed on 8.5 X 11 bond paper and distributed (by Sergio ?) at a convention sometime during that same time period.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:44 -0700

Wasn't Catnippon's first appearance a pin-up in the back of the UY Summer Special or some other early UY Book? I remember a scene where he's a fighting a samurai octopus.... Tako Ichi? Someone help me out here....

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:40 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote:Wasn't Catnippon's first appearance a pin-up in the back of the UY Summer Special or some other early UY Book? I remember a scene where he's a fighting a samurai octopus.... Tako Ichi? Someone help me out here....

I knew I was forgetting an appearence

it was very similar to Stan's Tako...

cynlee · Post by **cynlee** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:17 -0700

Ah! I miss "Amazing Heroes" annual "Swimsuit Issue"!!!

Those were some of my favorite pics!

LOL

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 15:20 -0700

Thanks Steve! Being at work and no access to my Usagi's, it's hard to get the memory cells working....

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 16:47 -0700

Thanks for the info, guys. I guess a Western character is unlikely.

However, here is what I wish for:

a time-travel adventure featuring Gen and Usagi in the American West!

Not likely to happen, but I can dream, can't I?

Anjin-san · Post by **Anjin-san** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:50 -0700

cynlee wrote:Ah! I miss "Amazing Heroes" annual "Swimsuit Issue"!!!

Those were some of my favorite pics!

LOL

My favorite one was the cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in swimwear ! ("Rockaway Beach ! Engage !")

Depending on your viewpoint, this is either funny or disturbing: Commander Riker's suit was a Speedo with a combadge on it !

The cool concept was Dr. Crusher's suit. It was a ladies' one-piece bathing suit in the style of the then-current Starfleet uniform! A friend of mine ran with the idea and made a REAL one for herself . . . and she looked good in it too. At all those hotel-based conventions, heads turned as she headed to the pool !

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:54 -0700

Andy wrote:Thanks for the info, guys. I guess a Western character is unlikely.

However, here is what I wish for:

a time-travel adventure featuring Gen and Usagi in the American West!

Not likely to happen, but I can dream, can't I?

I can picture that - a Usagi Yojimbo version of Toshiro Mifune's and Charle Bronson's "Red Sun", with maybe a bit of Jackie Chan's "Shanghai Noon" thrown in for extra humor. I think I would enjoy seeing Stan create a western gunslinger character.

I used to love to read all the Mighty Marvel Westerns back when I was a kid back in elementary school in the late 60's and early 70's. - Dating myself here

- Westerns were still popular then and we lived on a small farm with horses.

Abayo...