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Usagi Yojimbo
Fathers and Sons
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Usagi Yojimbo
Fathers and Sons

By Stan Sakai
Illustrated by Stan Sakai

2005, 184 pages, Hardback.
Book Description From the Back Cover
Miscellaneous Comments
Excerpts from the Introduction
About the Author

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Book Description From the Back Cover

In Fathers and Sons, world-renowned storyteller Stan Sakai adds a poignant turn to his award-winning chronicle of the adventures of Usagi Yojimbo. The rabbit rouin has faced many trials during his life as a samurai, but none so demanding as the one he now confronts. His travels with the young Jotaro will come to a close once they reach Kitanoji Temple, and Usagi Struggles with the knowledge that they might never meet again. Should he reveal to his “nephew” the secret that has plagued his conscience throughout their journeys together? While Usagi weighs his desire to connect with Jotaro versus the consequences of shattering the boy’s trust, the pair must first survive encounters with bounty hunters, slippery assassins, and the tenacious Neko Ninja – who are determined to murder young Lord Noriyuki! Collecting issues #69 – 75 of the internationally acclaimed ongoing series, this 19th book concludes with one of the most affecting moments of Sakai’s lauded career.

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Miscellaneous Comments

“A Masterful Adaptation of Samurai Legend to Sequential Art” by National Cartonnists Society Award Winner Stan Sakai

“That is so cool!” quipped by a number of fourteen-year-old boys.

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Excerpts from the Introduction

Fathers and sons.

I have one and I am one.

Actually, that statement works no matter which side of the equation I place myself.

Like a lot of fourteen-year-old boys, my son shares the usual litany of common teenaged interests with many of his friends: hot new music, the ever-ubiquitous video games, any and all things Japanese, and - of course, thank god - comic books. Now, since my son is who he is and since his dad is who heis, Brennan and his pals have access to a veritable treasure trove of the latter on a regular and rotating basis. About a year or so ago, they all discovered the rich and sprawling world of Usagi Yojimbo.

With a locust-like appetite, they consumed every available volume that I fed them - even digging up some, on their own, that I didn't have. It was fun to see how deeply involved they soon became in this distinctive, epic tale that pairs the disarming style so commonly known as "funny animals" with a narrative depth that belies that description at almost every turn. I could often hear the boys discussing not only the individual character traits of Usagi's wandering ronin and Jei's soul-gathering demon, but also the artist's clever use of symbolic word balloons, evocative dialogue, and smoothly paced action sequences.

Matt Wagner

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About the Author

Stan Sakai was born in Kyoto, Japan, grew up in Hawaii, and now lives in California with his wife, Sharon, and Children, Hannah and Matthew. He received a Fine Arts degree from the University of Hawaii and furthered his studies at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.

His creation, Usagi Yojimbo, first appeared in comics in 1984. Since then, Usagi has been on television as a guest of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and has been made into toys, seen on clothing, and featured in a series of trade-paperback collections.

Stan is a recipient of a Parents’ Choice Award, an Inkpot Award, two Spanish Haxtur Awards, an American Library Association Award, several Eisner Awards, and the prestigious National Cartoonists Society Award in the Comic Book Division.

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Most recent revision October 29, 2005