Usagi Yojimbo, Book 1: The Ronin

I've read single issues of Usagi Yojimbo through the years but for one reason or another, the whole series always remained on my TBR pile. The story of the rabbit samurai is something that everyone had heard of (everyone that reads comics that is). But it is also as with the other famous rabbit (Bugs Bunny... did someone think of another one?) - there is so many of these stories so there will be good and bad and in the long run you won't know how many you had seen.

So back to the first volume of the collected comics - which is somewhat different from the later version (more than 2 decades change everything) but are still enjoyable. Our main hero is looking for work, making new friends and enemies and getting himself into all kinds of weird situations in the process. The book is full of feudal Japan myths and legends, of things that might happen to a wandering samurai. And above all - of one hero that is never wrong... but that ends up in tight corners occasionally.

i am not sure if Sakai already had the idea of a long series when he started these stories. But they are creating a coherent narrative... and you just cannot ignore the rabbit - he may be annoying in some stories but at the end of the day, he is the annoying hero that makes a difference. ( )

It may be a book about a bunny rabbit but all of Stan Sakai's works are well written with a believable and well researched plot as well as artistic and beautiful to look at. Very highly recommended if one is wanting more than super heroes in spandex in their comic books. ( )

The first collection of Stan Sakai's award-winning work. Sakai uses the 'funny animal' style to tell tales set in a feudal Japan, many based on actual historic events or myths & legends of the period. Once you get into Sakai's stories and become involved with the characters you almost forget that they are rabbits, dogs and other creatures dressed in the costumes of the era.