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Usagi Yojimbo [兎用心棒] #4
Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 4: The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy
The novel-length "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy" is jam-packed with lethal sword battles alternating with humor, horror, suspense and slapstick. This beautifully crafted, exciting volume is a great starting point for new readers! One of the great epics in the comic book field stars a rabbit? That's right, Stan Sakai's enormous dramatic saga of death and treachery, of ambition and honor, is the comics equivalent of Akira Kurosawa's classics such as The Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress . This volume of the Usagi series features the novel-length "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy," which originally ran in six consecutive issues of the Usagi comics series. Jam-packed with lethal sword battles alternating with humor, horror, suspense, and slapstick, this beautifully crafted and exciting volume features all of the most popular supporting characters from the series, including Tomoe Ame, Gen the rhino, and Zato-Ino the blind swordspig. Both an excellent starting point for new readers, and an absolute necessity for Usagi completists! Black-and-white comics throughout
180 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1997
9 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Stan Sakai
920 books371 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 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 14, 2022
This is the most epic story in the Usagi Yojimbo series so far. The story told here takes the entire volume, so there are no filler stories here. All of the recurring characters gather to work together to defeat a threat to the shogun. Reluctant allies and enemies working together despite misgivings provide a lot of opportunities for character development. Overall, this is the best volume in the series so far.
June 24, 2024
A full-length story!
It's funny that I read Koike's Path of the Assassin right before jumping into this series because this series is historically set right after the era Path of the Assassin covers. Stan Sakai tells a similar story to many in that series, but with anthropomorphic animals of course! And he executes it better which is quite the compliment since Koike has made a career off of Samurai tales.
All the primary characters we've met in the first 3 volumes come together here to tell a satisfying tale. Tomoe is undercover and discovers a hoard of guns and powder in a rival castle, she needs to tell her master but is captured. Usagi get involved just to rescue her, but ends up knee deep in the conspiracy as a result. Meanwhile Gen the rhino is trying to collect a bounty on Zato Ino the blind pig and those two wind up involved in the main action.
There's a real threat to these characters throughout the story which had me on the edge of my seat. Sakai does a great job of showing the battles with panels featuring dozens of small figures.
It's funny that I read Koike's Path of the Assassin right before jumping into this series because this series is historically set right after the era Path of the Assassin covers. Stan Sakai tells a similar story to many in that series, but with anthropomorphic animals of course! And he executes it better which is quite the compliment since Koike has made a career off of Samurai tales.
All the primary characters we've met in the first 3 volumes come together here to tell a satisfying tale. Tomoe is undercover and discovers a hoard of guns and powder in a rival castle, she needs to tell her master but is captured. Usagi get involved just to rescue her, but ends up knee deep in the conspiracy as a result. Meanwhile Gen the rhino is trying to collect a bounty on Zato Ino the blind pig and those two wind up involved in the main action.
There's a real threat to these characters throughout the story which had me on the edge of my seat. Sakai does a great job of showing the battles with panels featuring dozens of small figures.
January 2, 2026
Usagi Yojimbo Book 4: The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy is another reminder of just how special this series is. Stan Sakai blends action, humor, and quiet emotional beats with incredible ease—every chapter feels purposeful and lived-in. The characters have real heart, the world feels rich and grounded, and the storytelling never overreaches.
Sakai’s art is deceptively simple but endlessly expressive, perfectly matching the tone of the story. Whether it’s moments of danger, loyalty, or reflection, everything lands. This book continues to deepen my appreciation for Usagi as both a wandering samurai and a deeply human (rabbit) character.
Consistently excellent. This series just keeps delivering.
Sakai’s art is deceptively simple but endlessly expressive, perfectly matching the tone of the story. Whether it’s moments of danger, loyalty, or reflection, everything lands. This book continues to deepen my appreciation for Usagi as both a wandering samurai and a deeply human (rabbit) character.
Consistently excellent. This series just keeps delivering.
November 5, 2022
Una estupenda aventura larga.
4.5/5⭐
Es increíble la manera en que Sakai consigue que el lector empatice con estos animales antropomórficos y hasta con un lagarto mascota.
Épica, drama, un sutil toque de humor...
Impresionante.
4.5/5⭐
Es increíble la manera en que Sakai consigue que el lector empatice con estos animales antropomórficos y hasta con un lagarto mascota.
Épica, drama, un sutil toque de humor...
Impresionante.
October 21, 2019
Tenhle Usagiho příběh je parádní. Svádí opět dohromady naše oblíbené postavy, takže kromě Usagiho zde máme Gena, Tomoe, "maséra" Ino a ještěrku Skvrnku. A celé vyvrcholení děje je taková guerillová bitva o pevnost Tamakuro. Je tu spoustu akce, napětí, i poklidných estetických scén a scenérií, prostě ideální mix. Skvělý a zároveň jednoduchý příběh pro malé i velké samuraje. Stan Sakai tu pečlivě buduje Usagiho legendu i celý feudálně-japonský antropomorfní svět a je fantastické jej navštívit, obzvlášť když se jedná o tak epický příběh jako je Spiknutí Draka.
July 7, 2025
A conspiracy against the Shōgun, sword battles, and ninja. An epic with a large cast, including all the main characters from the previous stories. Stan Sakai goes all out with story and art in this full length tale. Outstanding.
September 24, 2024
This is the best volume in the series so far. It has just the perfect amount of action, drama and thrill.
April 14, 2013
This is my favorite volume of Usagi Yojimbo so far. In a stark contrast to the previous volume, "The Dragon Bellows Conspiracy" is all one story, that draws on elements of everything that has come before it. Gennosuke (the rhinoceros ronin) is naturally tracking down the blind criminal swordspig Zato-ino, who by now has a gigantic bounty on his head. The young lord Noriyuki has tasked Tomoe with investigating one of his neighbors, Lord Tamakuro, whom he believes is engaged in some sort of underhanded plot. While enjoying Tamakuro's hospitality, Tomoe sneaks through the fortress and uncovers more than even Noriyuki suspected. In the act, she surprises a Neko clan ninja, and she kills him in the ensuing fight. But the sound alerts the Tamakuro guards, and she fights her way through a horde of enemies to escape...or nearly, as she is caught when her horse is cut out from under her. As she is led back to Tamakuro as a prisoner, Miyamoto Usagi sees them on the road, and he commences to follow them and investigate.
Sakai has done a wonderful job in these issues (#13 - 18 of the "Usagi Yojimbo" comic) of creating a complicated story that links and ties up a number of stories that came before it. We have the return of the Neko clan, we have the confrontation between Gen and Ino (which in retrospect seems inevitable), we have Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe, Lord Hijiki and the hints of the plot against the shogun. It's very well-done, and the artwork - particularly several VERY dramatic shots of action in the rain - is greatly polished and improved over previous volumes.
Sakai has done a wonderful job in these issues (#13 - 18 of the "Usagi Yojimbo" comic) of creating a complicated story that links and ties up a number of stories that came before it. We have the return of the Neko clan, we have the confrontation between Gen and Ino (which in retrospect seems inevitable), we have Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe, Lord Hijiki and the hints of the plot against the shogun. It's very well-done, and the artwork - particularly several VERY dramatic shots of action in the rain - is greatly polished and improved over previous volumes.
April 26, 2021
A first for Usagi, this volume tells a single epic tale! And it makes for another amazing journey with the ronin rabbit.
April 18, 2021
This is the Avengers storyline of Usagi Yojimbo. All of the major characters that have been introduced to this point get involved in a massive battle between clans. The battle lines are mixed, as long-term enemies end up uneasy allies, and the amount of action that takes place is intense. Stakes are high, main characters see significant changes, and Yojimbo is not really the center of the action for much of the story. Although there are a lot of twists, turns, and betrayals, but the story is clear and well presented. I wouldn't recommend anyone start with this volume because so much of its impact comes from seeing characters you've invested in, but for anyone reading the series, this is a great culmination.
November 11, 2023
Absolutely loving this series. This volume is one story broken into 7 parts. It's an all out war when one of the lords is building a weapon cache to take over his enemies. So not only does Usagi fight him but joins forces with the ninjas and his two other friends. Very sad at the end but losses are to be expected when fighting to save someone's life is involved.
May 2, 2021
I love how the seemingly one-off early stories are beginning to pay off as we go farther into this epic samurai tale.
October 4, 2021
This is a cumulative review of the 35 volumes of collected Usagi Yojimbo stories that have been published to date. They span a 37-year history, from the first published Usagi story in Albedo Anthropomorphic #2, across the first seven volumes published by Fantagraphics, across the next 24 volumes published by Dark Horse, and finally across the most recent three volumes published by IDW, bringing us to Usagi Yojimbo v35: Homecoming, published in 2021. This review does not include the volumes Space Usagi, Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai, Usagi Yojimbo: Senso, Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Collection, or Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis.
In a land very much like Japan, in a time very much like the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, when legions of samurai suddenly found themselves out of work in a war-torn land trying to get back to normal, a masterless samurai - a ronin - named Usagi Yojimbo walks the path of a student-warrior. He goes wherever fate takes him, living by his honor, his swordsmanship and by the grace of the friends he makes along the way. On his endless adventures, Usagi confronts wicked bandits, cruel tyrants, sinister assassins, and dire supernatural fiends. He often encounters humble folk plying their trade in an often cruel and harsh world (and along the way, learns a bit about their work, like brewing sake or weaving tatami mats).
Along his way, he builds a vast cast of friends, allies and rivals, including the bounty hunger Gen, fellow samurai )and love interest) Tomoe, the ninja Chizu, the third Kitsune, the noble lord Noriyuki, the stalwart Inspector Ishida, and of course, Usagi’s own son (and chip off the old block), Jotaro. And just as well, he builds no small list of enemies, including the dire Lord Hikiji (the power-hungry lord who is the very reason why Usagi no longer has a master), the Neko and Komori ninja clans, the Koroshi league of assassins, and the demonic ronin Jei. Amid all this, Usagi strives to uphold the warrior ideals of bushido and find a sense of enlightenment on his journey.
The stories are often funny, exciting, smart, sharp, tight, and occasionally touched with tragedy. They offer an informed look at medieval Japan, and pay no small number of homages to all kinds of cultural references both ancient and modern, as a reflect of Sakai’s own journey to connect with his personal heritage and honor it with his stories. They are simultaneously suitable for adults and kids alike - despite all of the carnage, Sakai never descends into gruesome detail, and yet, the many scenes of battle never seem so sanitized that they lost their gravity.
The artwork is distinct and excellent. Sakai’s is a master of sharp lifework (as well as lettering), and since he writes, pencils, inks and letters every issue solo, there is a uniformity and consistency to Usagi Yojimbo that you just don’t find in many other comics or cartoons. Until the last few volumes, it is all B&W, but Sakai’s sense of depth as well as his supremely skilled panel composition, pulls you in so deeply that you forget if it’s in color or not. You are under Usagi’s spell from the first page, and along for the ride, however long it goes.
To get an idea of the length, breadth and depth of how beloved an impactful Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo series has been, look no further than the introductions to each of the collected volumes published to date. There you will find a dazzling array of some of the finest talents in modern cartooning, who have a seemingly endless variety of ways to say how much they love Usagi Yojimbo, how impactful it has been on their own careers, and how great Stan Sakai has been himself as a goodwill ambassador for both cartooning as well as of the Japanese culture he so masterfully serves throughout his stories.
For those who have not yet enjoyed these stories for the first time, a wonderful journey awaits you. Usagi Yojimbo was created during those days in the 80s when anthropomorphic martial arts characters were all the rage. And yet, Usagi Yojimbo stood apart almost immediately. He might have been a rabbit ronin in a world of talking, walking animals, but he never seemed to be drafting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or trying to comment on the martial-art zoo comic trend. From the beginning, Usagi Yojimbo, like its titular character, was determined to walk its own path, to be the best it could be, and to celebrate the things in life that are worth celebrating: devotion to one’s craft, honoring one’s family, upholding one’s obligations, serving one’s highest aspirations, accepting one’s limitations, and acknowledging one’s flaws.
The stories are largely episodic varying in length from just a few pages, to an entire collection. They often are self-contained, but just as often reference slowly building meta plots, or serve an entire, novel-length story on their own. Everything is delicately interconnected, and yet, without such a heavy continuity that one can not simply pick up any of these volumes and begin reading without skipping a beat. Such is this series, endlessly accessible and friendly to beginners, and endlessly rewarding to long-time fans for whom earned narrative developments deliver terrific dividends.
As with any series of this length, some moments in it won’t land as well with the reader as others. But there just are not that many lows with this - if you appreciate what Sakai is doing here, you’re likely to enjoy pretty much all of it. There are some volumes that really stand out, largely because they tell the biggest and most epic stories (v04: The Dragon Bellows Conspiracy, v12: Grasscutter, v15: Grasscutter II - Journey to Astuta Shrine, v17: Duel at Kitanoji, v19: Fathers and Sons, v28: Red Scorpion, v32: The Hidden, and v35:Homecoming all come to mind), but really, the entire catalog of worth enjoying on equal terms. It’s saying something indeed that the most recent volume of Usagi Yojimbo tells one of the most compelling and moving stories of the entire series. Some edges dull over time, but as a storyteller, Stan Sakai’s edge never does.
Usagi Yojimbo has been hailed as one of the greatest independent comics ever. And it is. But it is more than that. It is one of the greatest comics, period. Read every volume. You will be glad that you did.
In a land very much like Japan, in a time very much like the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, when legions of samurai suddenly found themselves out of work in a war-torn land trying to get back to normal, a masterless samurai - a ronin - named Usagi Yojimbo walks the path of a student-warrior. He goes wherever fate takes him, living by his honor, his swordsmanship and by the grace of the friends he makes along the way. On his endless adventures, Usagi confronts wicked bandits, cruel tyrants, sinister assassins, and dire supernatural fiends. He often encounters humble folk plying their trade in an often cruel and harsh world (and along the way, learns a bit about their work, like brewing sake or weaving tatami mats).
Along his way, he builds a vast cast of friends, allies and rivals, including the bounty hunger Gen, fellow samurai )and love interest) Tomoe, the ninja Chizu, the third Kitsune, the noble lord Noriyuki, the stalwart Inspector Ishida, and of course, Usagi’s own son (and chip off the old block), Jotaro. And just as well, he builds no small list of enemies, including the dire Lord Hikiji (the power-hungry lord who is the very reason why Usagi no longer has a master), the Neko and Komori ninja clans, the Koroshi league of assassins, and the demonic ronin Jei. Amid all this, Usagi strives to uphold the warrior ideals of bushido and find a sense of enlightenment on his journey.
The stories are often funny, exciting, smart, sharp, tight, and occasionally touched with tragedy. They offer an informed look at medieval Japan, and pay no small number of homages to all kinds of cultural references both ancient and modern, as a reflect of Sakai’s own journey to connect with his personal heritage and honor it with his stories. They are simultaneously suitable for adults and kids alike - despite all of the carnage, Sakai never descends into gruesome detail, and yet, the many scenes of battle never seem so sanitized that they lost their gravity.
The artwork is distinct and excellent. Sakai’s is a master of sharp lifework (as well as lettering), and since he writes, pencils, inks and letters every issue solo, there is a uniformity and consistency to Usagi Yojimbo that you just don’t find in many other comics or cartoons. Until the last few volumes, it is all B&W, but Sakai’s sense of depth as well as his supremely skilled panel composition, pulls you in so deeply that you forget if it’s in color or not. You are under Usagi’s spell from the first page, and along for the ride, however long it goes.
To get an idea of the length, breadth and depth of how beloved an impactful Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo series has been, look no further than the introductions to each of the collected volumes published to date. There you will find a dazzling array of some of the finest talents in modern cartooning, who have a seemingly endless variety of ways to say how much they love Usagi Yojimbo, how impactful it has been on their own careers, and how great Stan Sakai has been himself as a goodwill ambassador for both cartooning as well as of the Japanese culture he so masterfully serves throughout his stories.
For those who have not yet enjoyed these stories for the first time, a wonderful journey awaits you. Usagi Yojimbo was created during those days in the 80s when anthropomorphic martial arts characters were all the rage. And yet, Usagi Yojimbo stood apart almost immediately. He might have been a rabbit ronin in a world of talking, walking animals, but he never seemed to be drafting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or trying to comment on the martial-art zoo comic trend. From the beginning, Usagi Yojimbo, like its titular character, was determined to walk its own path, to be the best it could be, and to celebrate the things in life that are worth celebrating: devotion to one’s craft, honoring one’s family, upholding one’s obligations, serving one’s highest aspirations, accepting one’s limitations, and acknowledging one’s flaws.
The stories are largely episodic varying in length from just a few pages, to an entire collection. They often are self-contained, but just as often reference slowly building meta plots, or serve an entire, novel-length story on their own. Everything is delicately interconnected, and yet, without such a heavy continuity that one can not simply pick up any of these volumes and begin reading without skipping a beat. Such is this series, endlessly accessible and friendly to beginners, and endlessly rewarding to long-time fans for whom earned narrative developments deliver terrific dividends.
As with any series of this length, some moments in it won’t land as well with the reader as others. But there just are not that many lows with this - if you appreciate what Sakai is doing here, you’re likely to enjoy pretty much all of it. There are some volumes that really stand out, largely because they tell the biggest and most epic stories (v04: The Dragon Bellows Conspiracy, v12: Grasscutter, v15: Grasscutter II - Journey to Astuta Shrine, v17: Duel at Kitanoji, v19: Fathers and Sons, v28: Red Scorpion, v32: The Hidden, and v35:Homecoming all come to mind), but really, the entire catalog of worth enjoying on equal terms. It’s saying something indeed that the most recent volume of Usagi Yojimbo tells one of the most compelling and moving stories of the entire series. Some edges dull over time, but as a storyteller, Stan Sakai’s edge never does.
Usagi Yojimbo has been hailed as one of the greatest independent comics ever. And it is. But it is more than that. It is one of the greatest comics, period. Read every volume. You will be glad that you did.
January 24, 2021
I had read parts of this volume before, years ago, but out of context. Now, having read all the previous volumes and having developed something of an attachment to the characters and their fates, this story is so much better. All of the intrigue and secret plots and backstabbing is much more captivating when you are familiar with the individual characters. The various threads of the tale intertwine and build to a memorable conclusion. I really enjoyed this comic!
Edit: I read it again. Still a fantastic comic.
Edit: I read it again. Still a fantastic comic.
May 4, 2019
A massive improvement from the last volume. Having an overarching plot rather than a couple of short unrelated stories made this much more of a page-turner. It was also nice to see the antagonists given more depth than they'd been afforded in the past.
September 22, 2014
Bullet Review:
Fantastic! Great characters, introducing plot, twists and turns everywhere. My favorite so far!
Fantastic! Great characters, introducing plot, twists and turns everywhere. My favorite so far!
March 30, 2016
Usagi Yojimbo, on the surface is a simple concept. Anthropomorphic animals in 16th century Edo Japan - with the narrative centering around a "Long Eared Samurai", a Rabbit - the eponymous Usagi of the title. Usagi,literally means Rabbit in Japanese and Yojimbo refers to "Bodyguard". Rabbit Bodyguard. It mixes several references to the Samurai films of Kurosawa with a deliberate homage to the great samurai swordsman Miyamoto Musashi while treading its own unique path. There really isn't another comic like it on the stands and Sakai has been writing, plotting and drawing this gem for the past twenty five years or more - sticking to what must seem like a cutthroat monthly schedule. He makes it all look so easy which just proves - it probably isn't.
Usagi is a Ronin - a masterless Samurai. He wanders the land on a Warriors Pilgrimage, honing his mind and his sword. A near master swordsman, Usagi practices a unique fighting style. His gentle demeanor, humble bearing and diminutive frame often leads his adversaries to underestimate him - to their detriment.
The Kill Bill films of Tarantino center around the bloodshed unleashed by Samurai swords in the hands of a skilled wielder. The aesthetization of violence is a common theme with Tarantino and he repeatedly uses Japanese samurai motifs over the course of the two Kill Bill films. I enjoyed those films but they led me to expect the same within the pages of Usagi Yojimbo. The animal characters are mostly cute. I expected decapitated bunny heads and chopped feline limbs. Stories of the seamier side of human nature and war. Sakai delivers none of this; at-least, not in the way you would expect. The violence in Usagi Yojimbo is always tinged with regret. Usagi takes no pleasure in it, tries to avoid killing and maiming as much as possible and always resorts to defense. However, once you see the click of the sword, with the picture of Usagi flicking the blade from the scabbard it is almost certain that blood will be shed.
The fight sequences are brilliant. Sakai takes his time, worrying less about space and more about the deliberate choreography of death. People are stabbed, decapitated and killed. Most of it is left up to your imagination with almost no blood. The graphics of the death continue to toe the line between humor and morbidity - the dead lie with their tongues lolling out and creative skulls paraphrasing the end of their appearance in the comic. It makes for excellent reading - the violence isn't cool, it isn't desirable and it almost always ends in tragedy for some character. This is age appropriate violence!
A centerpiece to the entire saga and one of the major plot motivators is Bushido - the unrelenting and unbending code of the Samurai. It is a harsh discipline, focusing more on the tenets laid down by it than any sense of morality. There are several instances in the story where a common question asked is if a samurai retainer who serves an evil/corrupt lord is justified in rebelling against him. The answer is invariably no. No matter how evil/corrupt and insane your lord may be, no matter what criminal activities he may indulge in, no matter how depraved his tastes it is the duty of the retainer to follow him and remain Honorable. The concept of good and evil and self righteousness is almost done away with. Usagi is our hero just because he has the good fortune to have served under Lord Mifune, a great man just prior to his death in the Battle of Adachigahara. He seems to recognize this fact and I think this influences his approach to almost all his antagonists. Those who serve an evil lord win more respect from him than the evil lords themselves.
Sakai, through his focus on the laws of Bushido manages to evoke an atmosphere of rigidity and sacrifice that makes the book quite unique at times. When Usagi's sweetheart is married off to someone else he fails to put an end to the wedding due to his loyalty to his lord - his duty forbids him from going away. The duty of a Samurai's wife is to her husband, this prevents his love Mariko from ever being with him. Honour and duty are cages within which our characters live their life. It is a harsh law that seems to hurt much more than helps but it is his adherence to this discipline that sees Usagi through his many encounters. He is unable to avoid direct challenges to a duel as a result - he must kill, albeit with regret, if he is to regain his honor. Usagi isn't a rebel. He doesn't seek to reform or buck the system. When a peasant begs to hold on to the swords of her lover, a samurai he is quite categorical about the right thing to do - the sword is the soul of a Samurai and doesn't belong with a peasant. In another episode he tells a peasant's son that there is no hope for him to ever become a Samurai. Any historical novel seeks to impose the character of a man of our times on someone dead years ago. Stan Sakai eschews this approach by depicting a man (rabbit??!) of his time in Usagi and making him a truly sympathetic character.
This focus on honour and Bushido is not the only layer to this comic. There are several more. History lessens on the culture of Japan are interwoven into the narrative - be it pot making, kite making or the fashioning of a Samurai blade. An entire episode dedicated to seaweed farming was a highlight of the series and the Grasscutter arc elaborates on the major dieties of Japanese culture. This is a meticulously researched comic that isnt heavy handed with the historical details. It mixes humor, history, culture and pathos to make a wonderfully enjoyable comic.
Rather than speaking about the artwork in the peripheral fashion I have employed so far I think I ought to come out and say it - the artwork is fascinating. It uses simple lines and expression to convey the message. At first glance it seems simplistic but as I trace my eyes over the artwork a wealth of detail leaps out. The grass bends gently with the breeze. The folds of Usagi's kimono float lazily around him as he jumps into the air. The Sword strokes are clear, easy to follow with the use of masterfully placed after images. Sakai is a master of the quiet panel. Several pages hold only movement, expression and silence, lending a wonderful quietude to the comic until a brutal explosion of action breaks the silence. Quiet panels fused with a silhouette are even more melancholy - it forms a space in which the contemplation of the character within the panel tends to wash over the reader himself. The artwork isn't simple. A lifetime of garish coloring and the bright but shallow palette of superhero comics seems to have robbed me of what little sense I possess. The black and white lines in Usagi are pieces of art I want to revisit forever.
Like most successful comics, Usagi Yojimbo doesn't succeed through the strengths of the main character alone. Usagi has a wealth of peripheral friends and enemies who recur throughout the various stories. These plot points keep diverging and melding together seamlessly over the course of the volumes I have read. I am still about halfway through the entire run but so far the side characters are vibrant, well sketched and interesting. Gen, the bounty hunter, the crime solving Inspecter Ishida, the ex samurai turned priest Sanshobo. The women in Usagi's life are a fun bunch - his lost loves Mariko and Kinuko, his comrade in arms Tomoe and his antagonist/friend Chizu. Add to this his lion sensei - Katsuichi, his frenemy Kenichi and a pet lizard Spot, not to mention the blind swordspig Zato Ino, Sakai has amassed a wealth of characters who ought to see him drawing Usagi comics well into hist nineties.
Usagi Yojimbo is to superhero comics what a glass of single malt is to spurious liquor. It is the very pinnacle of comic book art. I agree with an another reviewer who states that in the twenty five years he has been following Usagi, Sakai has yet to draw a single bad issue. I am not yet through the entire run and I must agree - the first issues are great though Sakai is still finding is feet. Seven issues in and you will be hooked till the end. This is an excellent comic, worth reading and proof that in the right hands the comic book has a significant advantage over the prose form. It should probably be the introduction to the world of comics - and I hope that those of you who havent yet started reading comics will avoid wading through a lot of garbage like i had to and start with Usagi Yojimbo.
Believe me, its worth it.
(5 on 5 stars)
Usagi is a Ronin - a masterless Samurai. He wanders the land on a Warriors Pilgrimage, honing his mind and his sword. A near master swordsman, Usagi practices a unique fighting style. His gentle demeanor, humble bearing and diminutive frame often leads his adversaries to underestimate him - to their detriment.
The Kill Bill films of Tarantino center around the bloodshed unleashed by Samurai swords in the hands of a skilled wielder. The aesthetization of violence is a common theme with Tarantino and he repeatedly uses Japanese samurai motifs over the course of the two Kill Bill films. I enjoyed those films but they led me to expect the same within the pages of Usagi Yojimbo. The animal characters are mostly cute. I expected decapitated bunny heads and chopped feline limbs. Stories of the seamier side of human nature and war. Sakai delivers none of this; at-least, not in the way you would expect. The violence in Usagi Yojimbo is always tinged with regret. Usagi takes no pleasure in it, tries to avoid killing and maiming as much as possible and always resorts to defense. However, once you see the click of the sword, with the picture of Usagi flicking the blade from the scabbard it is almost certain that blood will be shed.
The fight sequences are brilliant. Sakai takes his time, worrying less about space and more about the deliberate choreography of death. People are stabbed, decapitated and killed. Most of it is left up to your imagination with almost no blood. The graphics of the death continue to toe the line between humor and morbidity - the dead lie with their tongues lolling out and creative skulls paraphrasing the end of their appearance in the comic. It makes for excellent reading - the violence isn't cool, it isn't desirable and it almost always ends in tragedy for some character. This is age appropriate violence!
A centerpiece to the entire saga and one of the major plot motivators is Bushido - the unrelenting and unbending code of the Samurai. It is a harsh discipline, focusing more on the tenets laid down by it than any sense of morality. There are several instances in the story where a common question asked is if a samurai retainer who serves an evil/corrupt lord is justified in rebelling against him. The answer is invariably no. No matter how evil/corrupt and insane your lord may be, no matter what criminal activities he may indulge in, no matter how depraved his tastes it is the duty of the retainer to follow him and remain Honorable. The concept of good and evil and self righteousness is almost done away with. Usagi is our hero just because he has the good fortune to have served under Lord Mifune, a great man just prior to his death in the Battle of Adachigahara. He seems to recognize this fact and I think this influences his approach to almost all his antagonists. Those who serve an evil lord win more respect from him than the evil lords themselves.
Sakai, through his focus on the laws of Bushido manages to evoke an atmosphere of rigidity and sacrifice that makes the book quite unique at times. When Usagi's sweetheart is married off to someone else he fails to put an end to the wedding due to his loyalty to his lord - his duty forbids him from going away. The duty of a Samurai's wife is to her husband, this prevents his love Mariko from ever being with him. Honour and duty are cages within which our characters live their life. It is a harsh law that seems to hurt much more than helps but it is his adherence to this discipline that sees Usagi through his many encounters. He is unable to avoid direct challenges to a duel as a result - he must kill, albeit with regret, if he is to regain his honor. Usagi isn't a rebel. He doesn't seek to reform or buck the system. When a peasant begs to hold on to the swords of her lover, a samurai he is quite categorical about the right thing to do - the sword is the soul of a Samurai and doesn't belong with a peasant. In another episode he tells a peasant's son that there is no hope for him to ever become a Samurai. Any historical novel seeks to impose the character of a man of our times on someone dead years ago. Stan Sakai eschews this approach by depicting a man (rabbit??!) of his time in Usagi and making him a truly sympathetic character.
This focus on honour and Bushido is not the only layer to this comic. There are several more. History lessens on the culture of Japan are interwoven into the narrative - be it pot making, kite making or the fashioning of a Samurai blade. An entire episode dedicated to seaweed farming was a highlight of the series and the Grasscutter arc elaborates on the major dieties of Japanese culture. This is a meticulously researched comic that isnt heavy handed with the historical details. It mixes humor, history, culture and pathos to make a wonderfully enjoyable comic.
Rather than speaking about the artwork in the peripheral fashion I have employed so far I think I ought to come out and say it - the artwork is fascinating. It uses simple lines and expression to convey the message. At first glance it seems simplistic but as I trace my eyes over the artwork a wealth of detail leaps out. The grass bends gently with the breeze. The folds of Usagi's kimono float lazily around him as he jumps into the air. The Sword strokes are clear, easy to follow with the use of masterfully placed after images. Sakai is a master of the quiet panel. Several pages hold only movement, expression and silence, lending a wonderful quietude to the comic until a brutal explosion of action breaks the silence. Quiet panels fused with a silhouette are even more melancholy - it forms a space in which the contemplation of the character within the panel tends to wash over the reader himself. The artwork isn't simple. A lifetime of garish coloring and the bright but shallow palette of superhero comics seems to have robbed me of what little sense I possess. The black and white lines in Usagi are pieces of art I want to revisit forever.
Like most successful comics, Usagi Yojimbo doesn't succeed through the strengths of the main character alone. Usagi has a wealth of peripheral friends and enemies who recur throughout the various stories. These plot points keep diverging and melding together seamlessly over the course of the volumes I have read. I am still about halfway through the entire run but so far the side characters are vibrant, well sketched and interesting. Gen, the bounty hunter, the crime solving Inspecter Ishida, the ex samurai turned priest Sanshobo. The women in Usagi's life are a fun bunch - his lost loves Mariko and Kinuko, his comrade in arms Tomoe and his antagonist/friend Chizu. Add to this his lion sensei - Katsuichi, his frenemy Kenichi and a pet lizard Spot, not to mention the blind swordspig Zato Ino, Sakai has amassed a wealth of characters who ought to see him drawing Usagi comics well into hist nineties.
Usagi Yojimbo is to superhero comics what a glass of single malt is to spurious liquor. It is the very pinnacle of comic book art. I agree with an another reviewer who states that in the twenty five years he has been following Usagi, Sakai has yet to draw a single bad issue. I am not yet through the entire run and I must agree - the first issues are great though Sakai is still finding is feet. Seven issues in and you will be hooked till the end. This is an excellent comic, worth reading and proof that in the right hands the comic book has a significant advantage over the prose form. It should probably be the introduction to the world of comics - and I hope that those of you who havent yet started reading comics will avoid wading through a lot of garbage like i had to and start with Usagi Yojimbo.
Believe me, its worth it.
(5 on 5 stars)
March 21, 2020
For this slightly belated Throwback Thursday, I continue my trend of the last couple of weeks by checking out another volume of Stan Sakai’s ground-breaking and utterly addictive Usagi Yojimbo series with the fourth volume, The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy. Reviewing all these Usagi Yojimbo books has proven to be a lot of fun, and I am really glad that I have been able to show off my love for this series (make sure to check out my reviews for volumes One, Two and Three). The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy is another excellent early volume in this long-running series, which features a fantastic full-volume-length story.
A storm is brewing throughout feudal Japan, as war and revolution against the Shogun lie just beyond the horizon. In his fortress, the ambitious and dastardly Lord Tamakuro has been plotting. Despite appearing to be a loyal supporter of the powerful Lord Hikiji, Tamakuro has his own plans to take control of the country and rule as Shogun, utilising an army of ronin armed with teppo, black powder guns imported from the barbarian lands outside of Japan.
However, despite his best attempts at discretion, Lord Tamakuro’s actions have not gone unnoticed. His neighbour, Lord Noriyuki, has sent his trusted advisor and bodyguard, Tomoe, to investigate Tamakuro’s castle, where she discovers the hidden armaments he is planning to use in his upcoming revolution. At the same time, Lord Hikiji, suspicious of Tamakuro’s true loyalties, has sent the notorious Neko Ninja clan to infiltrate his castle. When both Tomoe and the Neko Ninja are discovered, Tamakuro makes ready for war against all his opponents.
Into this vast conspiracy walks the wandering ronin Miyamoto Usagi. A friend to Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe, Usagi witnesses Tomoe being captured and rushes to Tamakuro’s castle to save her. Despite his best efforts, Usagi finds himself outmatched by the powerful forces Tamakuro has pulled together. His only chance at saving his friend and averting a civil war is to team up with the Neko Ninja, a group he his fought many times in the past. Can Usagi and his new allies succeed, or will Tamakuro’s greed engulf the entire country? And what role will blind swordspig Zato-Ino and the bounty hunter Gennosuke play in the final battle?
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/03/21/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
A storm is brewing throughout feudal Japan, as war and revolution against the Shogun lie just beyond the horizon. In his fortress, the ambitious and dastardly Lord Tamakuro has been plotting. Despite appearing to be a loyal supporter of the powerful Lord Hikiji, Tamakuro has his own plans to take control of the country and rule as Shogun, utilising an army of ronin armed with teppo, black powder guns imported from the barbarian lands outside of Japan.
However, despite his best attempts at discretion, Lord Tamakuro’s actions have not gone unnoticed. His neighbour, Lord Noriyuki, has sent his trusted advisor and bodyguard, Tomoe, to investigate Tamakuro’s castle, where she discovers the hidden armaments he is planning to use in his upcoming revolution. At the same time, Lord Hikiji, suspicious of Tamakuro’s true loyalties, has sent the notorious Neko Ninja clan to infiltrate his castle. When both Tomoe and the Neko Ninja are discovered, Tamakuro makes ready for war against all his opponents.
Into this vast conspiracy walks the wandering ronin Miyamoto Usagi. A friend to Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe, Usagi witnesses Tomoe being captured and rushes to Tamakuro’s castle to save her. Despite his best efforts, Usagi finds himself outmatched by the powerful forces Tamakuro has pulled together. His only chance at saving his friend and averting a civil war is to team up with the Neko Ninja, a group he his fought many times in the past. Can Usagi and his new allies succeed, or will Tamakuro’s greed engulf the entire country? And what role will blind swordspig Zato-Ino and the bounty hunter Gennosuke play in the final battle?
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/03/21/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
September 22, 2021
The artwork has improved. It's more dynamic this time around, though some cartoon-like characteristics remain. The volume contains the first long story arc, more complex compared to anything before it. It features several of the previously-introduced characters in a conflict that is going to unite them against a common foe.
Lord Noriyuki sends Tomoe to investigate his neighbor lord Tamakuro who it turns out is secretly gathering supplies for a war against the shogun. He is hiring retainers, even Usagi. Tomoe is captured by the paranoid Tamakuro even though both he and Noriyuki see Nikiji as a rival. Meanwhile Gen is hunting for Ino and Shingen wants revenge on Usagi. By the end they will be fighting on the same side.
Lord Noriyuki sends Tomoe to investigate his neighbor lord Tamakuro who it turns out is secretly gathering supplies for a war against the shogun. He is hiring retainers, even Usagi. Tomoe is captured by the paranoid Tamakuro even though both he and Noriyuki see Nikiji as a rival. Meanwhile Gen is hunting for Ino and Shingen wants revenge on Usagi. By the end they will be fighting on the same side.
April 26, 2020
This is my favorite of the Usagi Yojimbo books so far. While delivering great action and superb art, Stan Sakai delves into the meaning of what it is to be a samurai. (Samurai meaning “to serve.”) I also really liked how this story draws in so many of the characters introduced in the previous books, such as Gen the bounty hunter and Ino the blind-pig samurai. Then there is Tomoe, the loyal protector of Noroyuki. Tomoe is an interesting character because for an 80s female character, she feels ahead of her time. She is the quintessential samurai, and not depicted as a female romantic lead. While this could certainly change (and one of the lines hints at a possible romance between Usagi and Tomoe), through Volume 4 they are simply friends. More important to the story is her unyielding loyalty to her lord. Twice she sacrifices her life so that Usagi can alert her lord to a betrayal by a fellow lord. It is this undeterred devotion that epitomizes her as a character. Usagi seems to swing loyalty between lords, but as a masterless samurai (ronin), his loyalty is to his friends and family. Those are who, ultimately, he serves. Because Stan Sakai gives each character their own arc regarding service and loyalty without sacrificing the story’s intrigue or plots is why I dig this one so much more than the others. Stan knows what he is doing with each word, and he knows the story he wants to tell. Well worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2021
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This is the best Usagi collection I've read so far. Stan Sakai has transitioned from standalone stories or small arcs to full epics in The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy. While there are seven chapters in this volume, they all tell one cohesive story from beginning to end--the story of the rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi as he attempts to quell a rebellion against the Shogun which, if it succeeds, would inevitably lead to all out war throughout feudal Japan. We get a reprisal from beloved characters like Gennosuke, the bountyhunter rhino, as well as the blind criminal swordspig, Zato-ino. With a beautiful flourish of humor, gravitas, drama, and bloodshed, Sakai tells a gripping story that rivals many traditional epic fantasies.
Sakai is a master at his artistic craft, laying out his pages and panels in simplistic but powerful ways. He knows when to use dialogue and when to leave things unsaid. Intense action sequences are sometimes difficult to properly convey in comics because you are only able to show still frames, but Sakai does a wonderful job with his numerous fight scenes. Somehow, Sakai gives us complex and interesting characters, all with varying goals and motivations, and he manages to do so in such a limited space.
If I wasn't glued to this series prior to reading this volume, I certainly am now.
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This is the best Usagi collection I've read so far. Stan Sakai has transitioned from standalone stories or small arcs to full epics in The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy. While there are seven chapters in this volume, they all tell one cohesive story from beginning to end--the story of the rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi as he attempts to quell a rebellion against the Shogun which, if it succeeds, would inevitably lead to all out war throughout feudal Japan. We get a reprisal from beloved characters like Gennosuke, the bountyhunter rhino, as well as the blind criminal swordspig, Zato-ino. With a beautiful flourish of humor, gravitas, drama, and bloodshed, Sakai tells a gripping story that rivals many traditional epic fantasies.
Sakai is a master at his artistic craft, laying out his pages and panels in simplistic but powerful ways. He knows when to use dialogue and when to leave things unsaid. Intense action sequences are sometimes difficult to properly convey in comics because you are only able to show still frames, but Sakai does a wonderful job with his numerous fight scenes. Somehow, Sakai gives us complex and interesting characters, all with varying goals and motivations, and he manages to do so in such a limited space.
If I wasn't glued to this series prior to reading this volume, I certainly am now.
August 15, 2023
This is, objectively, great. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a victim of my strange reading order. Due to a kerfuffle at my library, I had to skip this volume at first. And coming back to this after reading volumes 5 and 6, I had a stark illustration of the upward trajectory of this series quality.
This isn't as good as the following volumes, which I read first. But it is still leagues ahead of the previous volumes, and frankly, most comics out there. I'm just trying to resist grading of a curve.
This is the first proper epic for Usagi. A full volume length story, bringing together characters and plots from the first three volumes into one epic conclusion. If feels like a grand season finale, setting up a new status quo to explore and develop.
The art is really good, though I noticed a few awkward panels here and there. Stan Sakais style is shifting, and this is unfortunately in a strange middle stage that won't be fully worked out until volume 6. But his paneling and layouts are still great, and he captures the utter mayhem of large-scale battle better than pretty much anyone else. Not to mention one of the best samurai quick draws ever put to page.
This isn't as good as the following volumes, which I read first. But it is still leagues ahead of the previous volumes, and frankly, most comics out there. I'm just trying to resist grading of a curve.
This is the first proper epic for Usagi. A full volume length story, bringing together characters and plots from the first three volumes into one epic conclusion. If feels like a grand season finale, setting up a new status quo to explore and develop.
The art is really good, though I noticed a few awkward panels here and there. Stan Sakais style is shifting, and this is unfortunately in a strange middle stage that won't be fully worked out until volume 6. But his paneling and layouts are still great, and he captures the utter mayhem of large-scale battle better than pretty much anyone else. Not to mention one of the best samurai quick draws ever put to page.
July 1, 2020
I love that rabbit Samurai! This was a good volume and follows a continuous narrative of a plot against the shogun and features some long running sub-plots and supporting characters.
I'm glad Zato-Ino, the blind swords-pig, has finally settled down. A blind swordsman is a cool gimmick and lots of writers have used it, but I feel it stretches credulity when it goes too long.
There have been a lot of nose jobs over the past few volumes. Ino loses his snout in volume 2(?) and Gen loses his horn in #4.
Usagi's "a Samurai should only serve one lord in his lifetime," line seems a bit extreme. That would create an awful lot of Ronin.
I'm glad Zato-Ino, the blind swords-pig, has finally settled down. A blind swordsman is a cool gimmick and lots of writers have used it, but I feel it stretches credulity when it goes too long.
There have been a lot of nose jobs over the past few volumes. Ino loses his snout in volume 2(?) and Gen loses his horn in #4.
Usagi's "a Samurai should only serve one lord in his lifetime," line seems a bit extreme. That would create an awful lot of Ronin.
May 25, 2022
This volume is a complete story by itself. One of the lords is attempting to build a cache of gunpowder weapons (the dragon bellow of the title) to overthrow the Shogun, and it is up to Tomoe, Usagi and his friends to stop them.
This particular stretch of UY is more plot driven than usual, so I actually wish this had been a little longer, with twistier politics. Usagi also has a discussion with another samurai about the requirements of bushido and we see how the requirements of honour can lead two men who respect each other into conflict, even when they both agree about who is in the wrong or right.
This particular stretch of UY is more plot driven than usual, so I actually wish this had been a little longer, with twistier politics. Usagi also has a discussion with another samurai about the requirements of bushido and we see how the requirements of honour can lead two men who respect each other into conflict, even when they both agree about who is in the wrong or right.
February 13, 2023
Bisa dibilang ini adalah salah satu cerita terbaik Usagi Yojimbo selain Grasscuter. Dalam format tpb, Usagi Yojimbo biasanya selalu ada cerita pendek yang memang sudah menjadi ciri khas dari buku-buku samurai kelinci ini. Namun Stan Sakai membuat pengecualian untuk tpb kali ini. Tpb kali ini murni menceritakan satu cerita utuh dalam buku tersebut. Cerita yang melibatkan para karakter penting yang ada di dunia Usagi tersebut. Awal cerita dibuka dengan aksi kejar-kejaran uang intens, klimaks cerita di isi dengan ledakan dan ditutup dengan epilog yang melegakan. Sungguh bacaan yang bagus, bahkan rasanya tak cukup jika membacanya hanya satu kali saja.
June 3, 2018
This volume was a lot of fun because it is mostly one large story, that brings together characters from stories over the previous 3 volumes. Stan Sakai offers here another clear example that not everything need be dark, bloody, gory or in your face. You can still have an excellent, compelling story that can be read by a larger age group. And tales like this, to me, are important. Not sure how long I'll keep up with these before taking a break with something else, but I think I'll download volume 5 and see...what's next?
May 30, 2022
A really great arc that has many of the recurring characters working with Usagi like Tomoe, Gen, Ino, and even the Neko Clan coming together to stop a rebellion that will destroy the peace. It was pretty good and I am glad some characters got the good they deserve. It also touches on the concept of Bushido and why Usagi will never serve another lord even the kind Lord Noriyuki who he has helped in the past.
May 15, 2018
I continue to grow fonder and fonder of this series. Stan Sakai's storytelling improves with each volume and he reaches new heights here. Disparate elements from the preceding three books are brought together in this collection and it's all woven together wonderfully. I will never understand what took me so long to give this series a chance.
May 17, 2021
This volumes takes characters and story threads introduced in the previous three volumes and brings them together to create a multi issue epic that is the first great arc of this legendary series. Stan Staki's art and storytelling are very strong here and I loved how all the main characters grew and were challenged in unique ways.
January 7, 2025
All the characters, allies and rivals, come together against a new threat! This is the first longer arc, I believe, if you don't count that multi-part origin story thing which I don't believe was quite a long. This arc is the whole volume! Some good fights, and slowly watching all the pieces come together in a satisfying way.
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