The Usagi Yojimbo Saga — Volume One

At the intersection of Carl Barks and Akira Kurosawa, you’ll find Usagi Yojimbo, a longrunning indie comic about a rabbit ronin in 17th-century Japan. Creator Stan Sakai deftly balances somber meditations on honor and often surprising violence with funny animals and gentle humor, drawing on influences ranging from extensive historical research into traditional swordmaking techniques to Audrey Hepburn movies caught on afternoon TV. We dive into a big chunk of this series (already in progress, as it turns out) and discuss how despite its very specific cultural milieu, the universal themes and plots found in the stories (and the appealing nature of the art) makes this comic instantly accessible.