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Usagi Yojimbo Saga #8
Usagi Yojimbo Saga Volume 8
Stan Sakai's enduring samurai masterpiece continues with a volume full of incredible stories you won't want to miss! Join everyone's favorite rabbit ronin as he continues his gripping exploits on the warrior's path!The eighth volume in Stan Sakai's prestige Saga collection includes three volumes-worth of "Two Hundred Jizo", in which Usagi and Inspector Ishida team up to solve a double murder, help an allied clan protect its honor, and discover the soy sauce business is as deadly as it is tasty; "Thieves and Spies", where Usagi joins forces with a thief and a samurai to thwart a black-market Ginseng trade, meets a fellow ronin with a few tricks up his sleeve, comes sword-to-sword with a brash European envoy, and escorts a bride-to-be to her fiancé only to uncover a matrimonial assassination plot; and "The Hell Screen", a thrilling tale that finds Usagi working alongside his natural enemy--a Kappa--to cast out a violent renegade, face-to-face with a deadly Komori ninja who owes Usagi a debt, and teams up once more with Ishida in the midst of an investigation of a ghastly painting known only as the Hell Screen!Collects Usagi Yojimbo Book 29: Two Hundred Jizo, Book 30: Thieves and Spies, and Book 31: The Hell Screen
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2019
12 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Stan Sakai
924 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 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 15, 2019
Usagi Yojimbo Saga Book 8 collects #139-158 of Usagi Yojimbo volume 3 plus stories from Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #5.
In this volume, Usagi Yojimbo battles a Kappa, learns how soy sauce is made, fights a dickhead Spanish swordsman, teams up with Inspector Ishida, and learns the chilling secret of the Hell Screen, among other things. It is a delight.
Stan Sakai's cartoony yet intricate style continues to impress, even after all these issues. He conveys tremendous emotion with just a few strokes of the pen and brush. No one would blame him at this point if he starting skimping on the backgrounds, having illustrated Usagi's adventures for almost forty years at this point, but there is no skimping to be found.
The stories are a pleasant mix. There are mysteries, ghost stories, adventure stories, and poignant moments. Sakai weaves Japanese culture from days gone by seamlessly into the story, making things like the creation of soy sauce and the practice of ubasute integral to tales rather than shoehorning in some interesting bit of research. "Carl Barks with ninja" is a good way to describe it.
This volume exemplifies why I love the series so much. If I had to strain to find something to complain about, it would be that Gen and Jotaro weren't in it but I'm sure we haven't seen the last of either character.
Stan Sakai is a modern master and Usagi Yojimbo Saga Book 8 is another collection of reasons why. Five out of five stars.
In this volume, Usagi Yojimbo battles a Kappa, learns how soy sauce is made, fights a dickhead Spanish swordsman, teams up with Inspector Ishida, and learns the chilling secret of the Hell Screen, among other things. It is a delight.
Stan Sakai's cartoony yet intricate style continues to impress, even after all these issues. He conveys tremendous emotion with just a few strokes of the pen and brush. No one would blame him at this point if he starting skimping on the backgrounds, having illustrated Usagi's adventures for almost forty years at this point, but there is no skimping to be found.
The stories are a pleasant mix. There are mysteries, ghost stories, adventure stories, and poignant moments. Sakai weaves Japanese culture from days gone by seamlessly into the story, making things like the creation of soy sauce and the practice of ubasute integral to tales rather than shoehorning in some interesting bit of research. "Carl Barks with ninja" is a good way to describe it.
This volume exemplifies why I love the series so much. If I had to strain to find something to complain about, it would be that Gen and Jotaro weren't in it but I'm sure we haven't seen the last of either character.
Stan Sakai is a modern master and Usagi Yojimbo Saga Book 8 is another collection of reasons why. Five out of five stars.
November 13, 2025
This is another excellent collection of Usagi Yojimbo stories. A highlight is a story in which the thief Kitsune and the ninja Chizu get wrapped up in a heist with poor Usagi in the middle. These two characters are at odds as they have totally different goals and personalities. Usagi has to use every ounce of patience in his body to pull through this adventure.
August 1, 2025
Maybe its just me but I am starting to feel a little detached as these volumes go on. We have less and less of the characters we have grown to love and Usagi seems to be in a bit of repetitive arc of: finds strange town/protects person on road, kills bad guy/completes persons task for them, moves on.
I want him to progress as a character, I want him to at least have some thoughts about his son and how he left it in book 4.
The best bit in this volume was the story about making soy sauce, but even it turned into yet another slaughterfest that he just walks away from.
The other notable story was the larger arc about the hellscape painting. Overall that arc was pretty decent. It could have been even better if it was brought to full conclusion of what the plan was going forward, rather than basically just saying ’case closed’ and not really showing us what happened next.
I want him to progress as a character, I want him to at least have some thoughts about his son and how he left it in book 4.
The best bit in this volume was the story about making soy sauce, but even it turned into yet another slaughterfest that he just walks away from.
The other notable story was the larger arc about the hellscape painting. Overall that arc was pretty decent. It could have been even better if it was brought to full conclusion of what the plan was going forward, rather than basically just saying ’case closed’ and not really showing us what happened next.
April 7, 2024
Lest anyone think that this volume is subpar because it took me over three months to finish it - no, it's just as phenomenal as the others. I just got distracted.
June 22, 2024
Not all Usagi lands the same. This volume has some lovely stories -- the ones I enjoyed the most were Shoyu (for its meticulous depiction of the traditional art of making soy sauce) and The Fate of the Elders (for the way it honors a commoner's sacrifice for love their family). But I miss the storylines with Jei and with the Neko ninja (who appear, but not in a way that moves that storyline forward).
March 11, 2022
Four and a half stars. I'm continually impressed at the quality that Stan Sakai has managed to maintain in all these years of writing. Usagi is always a joy, both visually and story-wise. Usagi is always nice to spend some time with.
November 4, 2020
If there’s a better story about 17th century soy sauce production, I’ve not read it.
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July 29, 2021Ósme zbiorcze wydanie przygód Usagiego, zbiera historie pierwotnie wydane w tomikach 29-33. Obecnie autor wydał 35 części, więc już prawie jesteśmy na bieżąco. W księdze tej mamy do czynienia ze zbiorem trzech opowieści: „Dwieście posążków Jizo”, „Złodzieje i szpiedzy” oraz „Piekielne malowidło”, pośród których każdy powinien znaleźć coś ciekawego dla siebie.
W pierwszej historii los ponownie łączy ścieżkę Usagiego i inspektora Ishidy. Będą oni próbowali rozwiązać zagadkę tajemniczego morderstwa. Fabuła rozdziału swoim klimatem dość mocno przypomina klasykę powieści Agathy Christie. Sakai łączy tutaj nieźle napisaną tajemnicę z należytą porcją widowiskowości. Obok tego w rozdziale nie zabrakło również treści odnoszącej się do historii/legend Japonii. Mamy więc tutaj okazję zapoznać się między innymi z komiksową wariacją legendy o lodowych posłańcach czy poznać tradycyjny sposób wytwarzania sosu sojowego (Shoyu).
W rozdziale zatytułowanym Złodzieje i szpiedzy powracają dobrze znane fanom serii postacie. Są to złodziejka Kitsune i Chizu z klanu ninja, ich pojawienie się oznacza dla Usagiego jedno – kolejne poważne tarapaty. Nie zabraknie więc mocnej akcji, solidnej porcji świetnego humoru oraz kolejnych nawiązań do legend czy wierzeń dawnej Japonii (między innymi wodne demony Kappa).
Najdłuższą i zdecydowanie najciekawszą historią zawartą w ósmym tomie, jest to co można znaleźć w rozdziale Tajemnica piekielnego malowidła. Sakai serwuje nam tutaj mroczną porcję tajemnic, które powinny zaciekawić czytelnika. Akcja fabuły dzieje się w odciętej od świata świątyni, gdzie uwięzieni tam goście muszą odkryć sprawcę straszliwej zbrodni i zmierzyć z się z legendą opętanego malowidła. Nie jest to oczywiście mistrzowski poziom grozy czy tajemnicy, na pewno jednak cała historia zapewnia solidną dawkę przyjemnej rozrywki. Nie zabrakło tutaj również należytej porcji walk, która na pewno zwrócą uwagę fanów samurajskich klimatów.
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/recen...
W pierwszej historii los ponownie łączy ścieżkę Usagiego i inspektora Ishidy. Będą oni próbowali rozwiązać zagadkę tajemniczego morderstwa. Fabuła rozdziału swoim klimatem dość mocno przypomina klasykę powieści Agathy Christie. Sakai łączy tutaj nieźle napisaną tajemnicę z należytą porcją widowiskowości. Obok tego w rozdziale nie zabrakło również treści odnoszącej się do historii/legend Japonii. Mamy więc tutaj okazję zapoznać się między innymi z komiksową wariacją legendy o lodowych posłańcach czy poznać tradycyjny sposób wytwarzania sosu sojowego (Shoyu).
W rozdziale zatytułowanym Złodzieje i szpiedzy powracają dobrze znane fanom serii postacie. Są to złodziejka Kitsune i Chizu z klanu ninja, ich pojawienie się oznacza dla Usagiego jedno – kolejne poważne tarapaty. Nie zabraknie więc mocnej akcji, solidnej porcji świetnego humoru oraz kolejnych nawiązań do legend czy wierzeń dawnej Japonii (między innymi wodne demony Kappa).
Najdłuższą i zdecydowanie najciekawszą historią zawartą w ósmym tomie, jest to co można znaleźć w rozdziale Tajemnica piekielnego malowidła. Sakai serwuje nam tutaj mroczną porcję tajemnic, które powinny zaciekawić czytelnika. Akcja fabuły dzieje się w odciętej od świata świątyni, gdzie uwięzieni tam goście muszą odkryć sprawcę straszliwej zbrodni i zmierzyć z się z legendą opętanego malowidła. Nie jest to oczywiście mistrzowski poziom grozy czy tajemnicy, na pewno jednak cała historia zapewnia solidną dawkę przyjemnej rozrywki. Nie zabrakło tutaj również należytej porcji walk, która na pewno zwrócą uwagę fanów samurajskich klimatów.
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/recen...
October 6, 2020
Volume 8 is the last of the Saga hard cover books containing the issues published by Dark Horse (Stan took Usagi Yojimbo to IDW for publishing); although two smaller hard covers contained the last fourteen issues of the Dark Horse run (volume 32 and 33 of the Usagi Yojimbo Volume bound editions). The alternating notes of Sakai’s storytelling continue in perfection; there is no sense of endings to be found however. Among these stories are bitter twists of fate that seem to thwart the honorable choice, roundabout justice as fate visits to many characters at once, and somber, heartbreaking observations on the many forms of strength and nobility. My favorite highlight is the meeting of Chizu and Kitsune, two of the headstrong women that shape Usagi’s world. Their interactions bring mounting anxiety to Usagi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2024
Another great volume in the Usagi series!
This one features a bunch of random adventures, most of which involve the ronin meeting, befriending, and helping entirely new people rather than the recurring characters we normally see. The only characters that have previously been featured are Inspector Ishida, Kitsune, Kiyoko, and Chizu.
The cool thing about this volume is that it feels like it expands the world of Usagi. Obviously, he is a wanderer and is constantly exploring new places and villages, but the lack of recurring characters and new places, and even a brief appearance of a European explorer, really adds a lot of "new" to this volume. It makes the world feel bigger. There is even a complete absence of Jei, a new bandit clan, and nearly no mention of Lord Hikiji.
I missed Gen, though. He is great.
This one features a bunch of random adventures, most of which involve the ronin meeting, befriending, and helping entirely new people rather than the recurring characters we normally see. The only characters that have previously been featured are Inspector Ishida, Kitsune, Kiyoko, and Chizu.
The cool thing about this volume is that it feels like it expands the world of Usagi. Obviously, he is a wanderer and is constantly exploring new places and villages, but the lack of recurring characters and new places, and even a brief appearance of a European explorer, really adds a lot of "new" to this volume. It makes the world feel bigger. There is even a complete absence of Jei, a new bandit clan, and nearly no mention of Lord Hikiji.
I missed Gen, though. He is great.
October 14, 2022
Lots of memorable and enjoyable stories in this one, including an encounter with a kappa, a murder mystery surrounding a hell painting, a story about jizo, and many others. The backgrounds seemed especially detailed in this one. I still find Kitsune mostly annoying and really couldn't stand her in this book. I think I accidentally skipped two volumes, so I will have to go back and read them.
December 25, 2023
Another excellent installment. I love seeing longtime supporting car played off one another, so Chizu and Kitsune story is a highlight for me. Also enjoyed the heart breaking honor of ubasote, the layered betrayals of Haruko and her beaus (so much death for sake!), the one armed samurai, learning the creation of soy sauce, and the doggedness of the ice runners!
February 3, 2025
This volume of Usagi is extremely fun and rich with Japanese culture and creatures. I got pretty sucked in to this volume! Probably my 2nd favorite in the darkhorse collection. The fun after short story/behind the scenes of it are really fun too!
October 8, 2019
Always a delight.
February 22, 2020
Very enjoyable stories and much more convenient than pulling the comic from my collection to read.
May 14, 2021
The perfect mix.
January 17, 2022
Pretty standard but pretty enjoyable Usagi.
June 18, 2022
The continuation of the most remarkable run in comics history. Do yourself a favor and start with Volume 1 and read it all!
September 6, 2023
Great collection of more of the best comic book series ever.
December 1, 2025
Ghosts. And soy sauce.
December 24, 2025
(This review covers the complete series)
A long-running and consistently excellent series, Usagi Yojimbo follows Miyamoto Usagi, a wandering ronin rabbit, through stories inspired by Japanese history, folklore, and samurai fiction. Through clear storytelling and well-paced action, the series builds a rich, character-driven world full of heart and humour. The clean artwork displays an eye for quiet detail as much as swordplay.
A long-running and consistently excellent series, Usagi Yojimbo follows Miyamoto Usagi, a wandering ronin rabbit, through stories inspired by Japanese history, folklore, and samurai fiction. Through clear storytelling and well-paced action, the series builds a rich, character-driven world full of heart and humour. The clean artwork displays an eye for quiet detail as much as swordplay.
March 15, 2024
Good book
I just like the art, and it’s a good book do recommend. Very funny, good art, and goofy fun characters
I just like the art, and it’s a good book do recommend. Very funny, good art, and goofy fun characters
March 31, 2024
Not as sublime as other vols, but the series is still consistently incredible
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews