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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen #1-5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen
The Heroes in a Half Shell and the Rabbit Ronin join forces once again in this new adventure from beloved Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pursue the evil cyborg genius Dr. WhereWhen through a time portal…and emerge in feudal Japan! There, they encounter Usagi, 20 years into the samurai’s future but decades after the arrival of Dr. WhereWhen…who has already carved himself a fiefdom using mechanized clockwork samurai robots…with the intention of conquering both the past and current timelines!
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s TMNT first crossed over with Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo in 1986, and since then, their encounters have extended to numerous comic adventures and multiple animated series. This newest tale deepens the connection between the anthropomorphic animals as they struggle to save both their worlds from a sinister villain the likes of which none of the heroes have seen before!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pursue the evil cyborg genius Dr. WhereWhen through a time portal…and emerge in feudal Japan! There, they encounter Usagi, 20 years into the samurai’s future but decades after the arrival of Dr. WhereWhen…who has already carved himself a fiefdom using mechanized clockwork samurai robots…with the intention of conquering both the past and current timelines!
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s TMNT first crossed over with Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo in 1986, and since then, their encounters have extended to numerous comic adventures and multiple animated series. This newest tale deepens the connection between the anthropomorphic animals as they struggle to save both their worlds from a sinister villain the likes of which none of the heroes have seen before!
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2024
5 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Stan Sakai
922 books374 followersStan Sakai (Japanese: 坂井 スタンSakai Sutan; born May 25, 1953) is an artist who became known as an Eisner Award-winning comic book originator.
Born in Kyoto, Sakai grew up in Hawaii and studied fine arts at the University of Hawaii. He later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He and his wife, Sharon, presently reside and work in Pasadena.
He began his career by lettering comic books (notably Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier) and became famous with the production of Usagi Yojimbo, the epic saga of Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth-century Japan. First published in 1984, the comic continues to this day, with Sakai as the lone author and nearly-sole artist (Tom Luth serves as the main colorist on the series, and Sergio Aragonés has made two small contributions to the series: the story "Broken Ritual" is based on an idea by Aragonés, and he served as a guest inker for the black and white version of the story "Return to Adachi Plain" that is featured in the Volume 11 trade paper-back edition of Usagi Yojimbo). He also made a futuristic spin-off series Space Usagi. His favorite movie is Satomi Hakkenden (1959).
Born in Kyoto, Sakai grew up in Hawaii and studied fine arts at the University of Hawaii. He later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He and his wife, Sharon, presently reside and work in Pasadena.
He began his career by lettering comic books (notably Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier) and became famous with the production of Usagi Yojimbo, the epic saga of Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth-century Japan. First published in 1984, the comic continues to this day, with Sakai as the lone author and nearly-sole artist (Tom Luth serves as the main colorist on the series, and Sergio Aragonés has made two small contributions to the series: the story "Broken Ritual" is based on an idea by Aragonés, and he served as a guest inker for the black and white version of the story "Return to Adachi Plain" that is featured in the Volume 11 trade paper-back edition of Usagi Yojimbo). He also made a futuristic spin-off series Space Usagi. His favorite movie is Satomi Hakkenden (1959).
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 21, 2025
(B+) 78% | Good
Notes: Bright, inviting, tons of fighting, an evil robot threat, all mech v. fauna, death and trauma, no meaningless tête-à-tête.
*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-3 ◦ Issues #4-5
Notes: Bright, inviting, tons of fighting, an evil robot threat, all mech v. fauna, death and trauma, no meaningless tête-à-tête.
*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-3 ◦ Issues #4-5
June 2, 2025
The story was fine but the art was the best Usagi has been since it went to color.
January 16, 2024
Really fun!
February 3, 2024
Stan Sakai never misses.
July 5, 2024
An outstanding follow-up to the crossovers, bringing 40 years of franchise history together in a grand battle royale. Weaving character moments that call back to Mirage, IDW, Senso, and years of character building, this is a great blend of franchises: fun, action-packed, and shockingly bittersweet.
August 10, 2023
While this isn't Sakai's best TMNT/Usagi crossover work, I'm just delighted that he can still consistently deliver entertaining stories forty years into writing Usagi Yojimbo. Set out of continuity but still building on some of the concepts from the more recent Usagi comics, the story here follows Miyamoto Usagi who currently serves as a general to Lord Noriyuki, with allies like Gen, Chizu, Jotaro, Yukichi, and Kitsune joining them on the eve of a battle with the Shadow Lord Hikiji. Meanwhile in a more contemporary period, the TMNT face off against an evil cyborg named Dr. WhereWhen (yes, this version of Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo appears to claim that the Usagi and TMNT continuities are on the same timeline but differentiated by centuries, as opposed to alternate universes). WhereWhen jumps back in time to evade the Turtles, and ends up in the Neo-Edo period. The Turtles chase after WhereWhen, only to find that they have arrived two decades later and on the cusp of Lord Noriyuki's battle with Hikiji. Usagi and the Turtles join forces to take on WhereWhen, who has during his twenty years of exile, built up a massive army of android warriors. The ensuing conflict leaves some pretty significant casualties, but a lot of this can be written off due to it being out of contemporary Usagi Yojimbo continuity.
While the story itself isn't all that innovative, it's the small character beats that Sakai manages to slip in that makes this a rewarding read for long time Usagi readers. The interactions between many of the supplemental characters like Kitsune, Tomoe, Yukichi, Chizu, etc. are all wonderful when considering how rich these character histories are after four decades of Usagi Yojimbo comics. Despite the prominence of the Turtles to the narrative, Sakai never really forgets who the staples to his comics have been, and that makes this a better read than it should have been. Sure, it's pretty new reader friendly since the plot itself doesn't hinge on much prior Usagi reading, but I do think some of the added richness to this comes from familiarity with Sakai's many creations.
The art is as sharp as it has been for the past couple decades. There is an elegance to the action sequences that have seemingly only got more refined over time, and TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen does not skimp on the fight sequences. The colors are also nicely done here and provides a highly pleasing aesthetic for the series.
While the story itself isn't all that innovative, it's the small character beats that Sakai manages to slip in that makes this a rewarding read for long time Usagi readers. The interactions between many of the supplemental characters like Kitsune, Tomoe, Yukichi, Chizu, etc. are all wonderful when considering how rich these character histories are after four decades of Usagi Yojimbo comics. Despite the prominence of the Turtles to the narrative, Sakai never really forgets who the staples to his comics have been, and that makes this a better read than it should have been. Sure, it's pretty new reader friendly since the plot itself doesn't hinge on much prior Usagi reading, but I do think some of the added richness to this comes from familiarity with Sakai's many creations.
The art is as sharp as it has been for the past couple decades. There is an elegance to the action sequences that have seemingly only got more refined over time, and TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen does not skimp on the fight sequences. The colors are also nicely done here and provides a highly pleasing aesthetic for the series.
January 12, 2024
Another solid winner from Stan. Curious choice to set this as a prequel to SENSO, but it saves time by having so many Usagi cast members in one place: with the Geishu clan, preparing for a cataclysmic battle. For longtime Usagi readers, there are some heartbreaking losses here. The Turtles could've used a little more individuality, and the book winds up being a fairly long fight scene with solid character beats throughout. It's a fun book, but I'll be happy to be back to the main Usagi series.
January 10, 2024
Very charming art, with colors that really pop. I loved the little details snuck into the mole ninja scene, such as one of the ninjas in a Where's Waldo mask and another with a yo-yo. I do wish the turtles had more individualized character to them, and got to shine as much as Usagi and his friends did.
January 23, 2024
3.5 rounded up
This might be THE archetype for a comic. I don't mean it's perfect (3.5 stars out of 5), I mean that it is a basic and satisfying self-contained story. It's a crossover using known characters that have a sprawling history, but all neatly in one fun and straightforward adventure. I'd recommend it to anyone that likes comics, or TMNT, or samurai.
This might be THE archetype for a comic. I don't mean it's perfect (3.5 stars out of 5), I mean that it is a basic and satisfying self-contained story. It's a crossover using known characters that have a sprawling history, but all neatly in one fun and straightforward adventure. I'd recommend it to anyone that likes comics, or TMNT, or samurai.
February 8, 2025
Ever endearing, Stan Sakai brings us another tale that is both harrowing and endearing. His art style is equal parts manga and Sonic SatAM and it makes even his more modern tales feel highly nostalgic.
Also don’t get it twisted; having the turtles here is great, but this is very much a Usagi story.
Also don’t get it twisted; having the turtles here is great, but this is very much a Usagi story.
August 27, 2023
Sakai, quietly and casually, broke my heart within the first few pages of issue #1. While this may be out of canon, it felt like a future Old Rabbit Usagi tale, and for the old readers, it will hit all the right notes.
October 16, 2023
Buen crossover, solo me queda la duda si es parte de la continuidad de Usagi
March 6, 2024
Not as good as I was hoping
May 7, 2024
4.5. The artwork is amazing. Usagi and the Turtles are such a good pairing.
July 27, 2024
Great read! I was first introduced to Usagi from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons in the 90’s and early 2000’s. It was fun reading a crossover comic between the two.
September 1, 2024
worth the money
Great job and well worth the money— enjoyed the plot line and the characters. I’m not familiar with the main villain, but he was well done
Great job and well worth the money— enjoyed the plot line and the characters. I’m not familiar with the main villain, but he was well done
September 28, 2024
Cute enough. Seems like some serious Usagi plot developments. I wonder if they're in-canon.
October 13, 2024
Although Sakai remains an effortlessly effective storyteller, I never really love the crossovers or hypothetical futures
December 23, 2024
Devastating stuff, but I’m glad it’s here to provide an “ending” outlet for a story that I hope never ends.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews