Usagi Yojimbo and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles question

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:09 -0700

Okay so it's official, the TMNT are part of "normal" UY continuity... And we can assume "Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew", "The Crossing" by Peter Laird, and "The Treaty" were as well.

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:16 -0700

What about the Space Ark / Usagi cross-over in the "Usagi's Ark" story? Does that story and the Usagi / Space Usagi stories fall into continuety as well? How about the Nocturnals cross-over segment from Nocturnals: Troll Bridge?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:27 -0700

Steve Hubbell wrote:What about the Space Ark / Usagi cross-over in the "Usagi's Ark" story? Does that story and the Usagi / Space Usagi stories fall into continuety as well? How about the Nocturnals cross-over segment from Nocturnals: Troll Bridge?

Let's just limit it to the cross overs with the TMNT for now.

It gets too messy otherwise, with additional crossovers with Patrick Rabbit, and pin-ups with Ms Tree, Akiko, Bone, etc.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:40 -0700

While we're on the subject of Crossovers... Stan, can you update us on the eagerly-awaited Nilson/Usagi crossover?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sat May 13, 2006 11:27 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote:While we're on the subject of Crossovers... Stan, can you update us on the eagerly-awaited Nilson/Usagi crossover?

It's not going to happen, at least for a long time. It will take about 6 issues just to set it up, and another 6 for the story.

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Sat May 13, 2006 14:55 -0700

Still on the subject of cross-overs, any new word on the Usagi / Catnippon story with Sergio?

Abayo...

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sat May 13, 2006 16:15 -0700

Steve Hubbell wrote:Still on the subject of cross-overs, any new word on the Usagi / Catnippon story with Sergio?

Abayo...

That is another project that I doubt will ever happen. We plotted out a story about 10 years ago. We even broke the story down into 6 issues, but that is as far as we got.

He wrote it down somewhere, but I don't think he remembers where he put it since he moved his studio.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sat May 13, 2006 16:45 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote:Okay so it's official, the TMNT are part of "normal" UY continuity... And we can assume "Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew", "The Crossing" by Peter Laird, and "The Treaty" were as well.

I don't think the crossing should count. It never explains how Leonardo and Usagi were in the same time period, plus this treatment of Usagi (not written by Stan) was very inconsistant and disappointing. Leonardo schooling Usagi? I just can't envision that. The turtles were taught by the mutated pet of a rogue ninja. Usagi was carefully trained and disciplined by an accomplished samurai master.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Sat May 13, 2006 23:43 -0700

Stan: disappointing news about the UY Nilson crossover! But a 12-issue story arc does sound like a monumental task for a one-man creative team....maybe it's time to bring in some contractors!!!

Shaxper: The Crossing sorta has to count, even though it was by another creator. Remember in The Treaty, Usagi and Leo already know each other...how would that be explained simply by the Rabbit Stew story? Also, in The Crossing, it actually refers back to the Rabbit Stew story. Hmmmm....

Actually, you are rght in that there are some "holes" in the continuity. About 17 years ago when I was a kid, I wrote a letter of comment in to the UY comic which was printed in UY Vol 1 #17. You can read it here: http://usagiyojimbo.com/casl/letters/vo ... er_17.html

I guess back then I was really in to this TMNT/Usagi crossover stuff and tried pointing out some "flaws" in the continuity (on a side note, I was pressing Stan even then about an Usagi/Nilson crossover -- you hearing this Stan --17 years ago man!!). Stan replied by stating that they were basically out-of-continuity stories done for fun... Perhaps it's now time to re-visit how to explain everything fits??

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sun May 14, 2006 20:20 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote:
Shaxper: The Crossing sorta has to count, even though it was by another creator. Remember in The Treaty, Usagi and Leo already know each other...how would that be explained simply by the Rabbit Stew story? Also, in The Crossing, it actually refers back to the Rabbit Stew story. Hmmmm....

I suppose Stan could always write a flashback story about their actual first meeting prior to Rabbit Stew.

For that matter, I'd almost rather ignore all TMNT stories prior to Shades of Green (the first one I liked), and then go back and tell flashback Usagi/Leonardo stories prior to that issue at a later date.

Then again, I think I can handle a continuity glitch or two. Better that than accepting that overly proud and underly skilled version of Usagi as the genuine article. He did some foolish things under Katsuichi's tutilage, but I can't imagine him "graduating" with such arrogance and presumption.

Robweiller · Post by **Robweiller** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:22 -0700

Something about Usagi and TMNT:

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Volume 5" DVD is scheduled on August 29, 2006. This volume will contain 12 "Classic TMNT" episodes, including two Usagi ones: "Usagi Yojimbo" and "Usagi come home".

Here's more info.

That's all I wanted to say.

Spot the Tokage · Post by **Spot the Tokage** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:33 -0700

Robweiller wrote:Something about Usagi and TMNT:

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Volume 5" DVD is scheduled on August 29, 2006. This volume will contain 12 "Classic TMNT" episodes, including two Usagi ones: "Usagi Yojimbo" and "Usagi come home".

Here's more info.

That's all I wanted to say.

2 Usagi episodes!!! Yes!

Leonardo-san · Post by **Leonardo-san** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:49 -0700

shaxper wrote:
Then again, I think I can handle a continuity glitch or two. Better that than accepting that overly proud and underly skilled version of Usagi as the genuine article. He did some foolish things under Katsuichi's tutilage, but I can't imagine him "graduating" with such arrogance and presumption.

Or, maybe....
Anyone can have a bad day, and act rude or out of normal acceptable behaviours, or not live up to one's training in a weird situation.
I can speak for this last part at a horse show, even after my having 20 years of riding and lessons (my horse had about 10 at that point with me), my horse and I went in the ring and it was like one of the worst rides short of falling off for no reason. I asked him for a right lead canter, he took the left. I asked for a trot, he cantered. That sort of thing. Awful. Like we had no clue what we were doing. And yet, this horse and I had already done very well at other shows, with a number of wins, a regional top five, three championships....
Or maybe, when Usagi was a bit younger, with the pride of youth on his own way, he had a short phase he went through and later decided after some life lessons to truly live by what he was taught?
Because there's that old saying about teachers appearing when the student is ready. We don't just learn things from our actual teachers in something, we can also learn from someone we might run into for a short time only once in life, too. And as my iado sensei says, he learns from us, too. And the Zen things ties in with always keeping a beginner's mind, because then you never stop learning, and improving.
So I don't know if these various thoughts could help explain the "gap" of why Usagi was the way he was on the first meeting with Leo or not. But it's fun to think about.

And yeah for Usagi even on the old cartoons coming out on DVD!
Now if they'd just give us Samurai Tourist on dvd already!!!! argh.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 21:15 -0700

One thing I did think of about Usagi's arrogance in The Crossing...remember this IS a flashback/story he's telling to a bunch of kids...perhaps the story did happen, but Usagi embellished it a tad in an attempt to educate the samurailings about proper ettiquette! (Actually, since the story was written entirely by Peter Laird, with most likely no real input from Stan, that should explain it...)

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 22:09 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote: (Actually, since the story was written entirely by Peter Laird, with most likely no real input from Stan, that should explain it...)

I enjoyed the story. It was inspired by the legend of Robin Hood's first meeting with Friar Tuck.

I made it a point not to see any of the back-up stories before they were published. However, it was the same with my crossovers with the TMNT. Mirage had no input in them as well. Basically, we just trusted each others' judgements, and I don't think we ever let the other down.