Usagi Yojimbo: The Wanderer's Road

by Stan Sakai and Robert Asprin

Book Overview

Usagi Yojimbo Book 3 collects full-length Usagi stories from issues #7 through #12 of the original Fantagraphics series, including The Tower (which introduces Usagi's traveling companion Spot the Wonder Lizard), Return of the Blind Swordspig, A Mother's Love, Blade of the Gods, The Shogun's Gift, and the hilarious Groo tribute The Tea Cup, co-starring the amoral mercenary rhino Gen. (Gen does what Gen does best!) Plus, the little-seen Usagi team-up...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 156097009X
• ISBN13: 9781560970095
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 11 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 9

Customer Reviews

Usagi kicks into high gear!

Usagi Yojimbo is the kind of quality work that transcends time, genres, demographics, and even age groups. It crafts a delicate and beautiful balance between honor and savagery, cute innocence and dark brutality, simple heart-warming stories and multi-part epics that shape a dense continuity. Whether or not you've ever been a fan of feudal Japanese culture, furry anthro characters, or independent, non-superhero comics, Usagi Yojimbo is a comic that can't help but impress even the harshest critic. "The Wanderer's Road" (volume 3 of the series), is really where so much of this title's charm first begins to shine. We begin with "The Tower," a truly touching story in which Usagi risks everything to save the life of an innocent creature, gaining an unforgettable traveling companion in the process. In contrast, "A Mother's Love" was the first of many Usagi stories to paint a tragedy so rich that it brought me to tears. This is quickly surpassed by "Return of the Blind Swordspig," a story which not only brings back a fantastic character (you'll want to go back and consult volume 1 for the genesis of this conflict), but also concludes with an incredibly touching resolution. "Blade of the Gods" introduces "Jei," Usagi's greatest and most disturbing nemesis in a story that isn't easily forgotten. Finally, the Tea Cup is a fun and intriguing Usagi & Gen team-up (Gen also first appears in volume 1), and The Shogun's Gift brings back Lady Tomoe and Lord Noriyuki while also resurrecting and developing the threat of the Neko Ninja Clan. All in all, Volume 3 brings back many early characters to help build and expand upon Usagi's world, all while painting rich, memorable stories that will pull on the heart strings as easily as they pump your adrenaline. This is the first of many times that Sakai really seems to outdo himself, taking his work to a whole new level of art and storytelling. Don't miss it!

The world's deadliest rabbit!

I'll keep this one simple, folks; READ THIS BOOK! READ ALL OF THEM! Stan Sakai is a genius, pure and simple. The art is great, the characters compelling, and the action bloody and so hard-core a certain berserker mutant would stand back in awe. This is NOT a fuzzy animal book; there just happen to be mostly non-human people in it.

Wandering, but not alone

Once again, Stan Sakai delivers a mix of touching and funny adventures. With Spot, Gen and others all getting to share some page time, readers won't be disappointed. In this volume, Mr. Sakai continues to flesh out the characters and establish their personalities. His art, too, improves with every stroke.

for all ages

I know that saying a book is good for all ages is something of a cliche, but I can't think of another book for which it is more true. In my family, we all fight over who gets to read the new Usagi first, from the children who are enjoying the bunnies to the adults enjoying the culture, stories and characterizations. This is an amazing series.