Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai. The Hidden was the last arc published under the Dark Horse banner. In the previous thread I already covered the first 3 issues.
>Usagi and Ishida are investigating a murder, when the victim turns out to be an illegal christian (kirshitan) and the murderers shogunate agents, justice is called into question. As well as the murder victims mysterious box, what could they have smuggled into town?
Previous threads:
Definitely some of the smartest goons we've seen in Usagi.
>Confirmed 6
I'm curious if there is a way to look up sales numbers for Usagi in Japanese printing.
Does he sell well in Japan?
>Usagi doesn't understand Japanese.
,
how many are left?
How far into large printings is Usagi?
I bought vol7 of that big Dark Horse paperback prints but I can't recall how many more there are to go.
two, counting this one.
>Pineapple
I keep seeing them in this arc. I think Stan had been watching Psych at the time.
That's fucking adorable.
Panel 3
An edit as "NEW USAGI THREAD" for the kid's speech bubble would be a good image for new thread posts.
The arm again.
good idea
>Confirmed 19
How about a quick bonus story before I call it a night? the following is not collected in any book as far as I am aware.
>"It's strange that he's always around" -ronin that has basically hung out inside this city for each big event recently
Thanks for reading! Have a good night. Tomorrow, There's probably going to be some turtles. And maybe we'll go into space.
So the assistant is totally Nezumi right?
The Rat signal.
Best girl.
Huh. This whole time I thought they were trying to destroy the book not manipulate it.
OH MY GOOOOOOD.
Legit didn't see it coming.
Sasuke lives a really thankless life.
Well if they get ahold of it, they can learn more about the religion and use that knowledge to create their propoganda.
Like if Usagi's reaction is the common one, imagine if propoganda got put out that christians were all worshipers of an executed criminal. That would kill the religion dead in Japan probably.
This is all assuming the shogunate hasn't been able to get their hands on a single bible of course.
Best man became perfect may god be with him
You think we’ll ever get a Christian demons and angels in Usagi? We get the Kami all the time at the Japanese gods are definitely real, Michael makes a cameo and gives Usagi the boost he needs to destroy Jei or satan personally congratulates Jei for doing a good job, sky’s the limit really
Probably not, I expect it'll stick to purely japanese mythology.
Here's Ishida's bit part in Dick Tracy that was mentioned on one of the letter pages.
As bonus material for this thread, Ishida is with artist Scott Shaw!, who had a cameo in Usagi Yojimbo himself as a samurai with a Hawaiian-shirt themed kimono and his trademark buzzcut.
Shaw!'s entire appearance in The Shrouded Moon was a reference to a then-contemporary article written by Scott about weird comics; in particular, Usagi beating on Scott and his buddies with some fish since the surprisingly common Slapped By a Fish action sequence was a recurring gag in Oddball Comics.
It be fun to see some other gods and deities though, I know Usagi will probably never leave Japan and he’s hated every foreigner he met but it be a fun arc to see him deal with other cultures outside of Asia
I'd rather just see an Old West version of the series along the lines of Space Usagi than incorporating something like that into the current setting.
Maybe have Jei as a homicidal preacher/bounty hunter that has angelic visions telling him who to kill.
It really is quit a swerve ball and it makes some amount of sense. Ishida having lost a child and all. Has Stan shared his own theological beliefs at all?
>Stan Sakai·
>inspector Ishida from my Usagi Yojimbo series makes a guest appearance in today’s Dick Tracy comic strip! Thank you writer Mike Curtis and artist Joe Staton!
>Also appearing are buddies Scott Shaw and Mark Evanier.
considering it was mentioned. here
That's a bit redundant, isn't it? Both genres have so much related they are siamese.
I suggest you reread the arc with that knowledge. There are a lot of little bits that get a whole new light.
great minds think alike
Oh he lived. For some reason it didn't register.
The visuals are pretty different at the least.
beat me to it.
i guess so
That is entirely debateable if you are thinking of angled shots.
I mean aesthetics. This isn't a movie
but how
Nii is probably Nezumi, lets be honest
He's secretly Hikiji
Nice
Jesus personally comes down to congratulate Ishida for spreading the the word of god and being a righteous man
Remind me, which shogun is the one story wise?
Fictional or actual historical one?
Unknown. The shogun has never been referred to as anything other than "the shogun" as far as I'm aware. He's basically an unseen force more than an actual character.
The large scale Christian purges were either Hideyoshi or Tokugawa's retarded grandchild.
Never really said and probably not based directly on a single one. From what I've seen, the series is usually pegged as being set around 1610 or so (which fits with the crackdown on Christianity being a relatively recent move; it was actively encouraged by the Shogunate up until then) but Dejima wasn't created until 1634.
So some things are anachronistic.
All things considered, it should probably be Tokugawa Hidetada; his father Ieyasu's victory in the Battle of Sekigahara happened while Usagi was in Mifune's service and I doubt that was twenty years ago in universe.
>That "HOFUCK" expression
Guys, is Ito a Secret Christian?
Last time we saw Kotaro (waaay back in the second Saga book, I think) he was but a little baby. How much time has passed? Three, maybe four years? He can't be older than five. Imagine how much shit, including the supernatural, Usagi went through in that short timespan. When we compress those 20 years of the comic to in-universe time and account for publishing breaks, then each month in Usagi's life is filled with events of 4 to 5 issues of the comic on average. Basically, Usagi meddles every week.
Pineapples were pretty freaking valuable at this time, the Aristocracy in nations the world over were crazy about them.
>Informant gave up a payday
Miracle Count: 1
Not counting Legends and the Usagi/TMNT one shot/collection, there's Saga 8 (comes out this month I think) and The Hidden TPB (June?) and that's it. Of course there's also the Fantagraphics Special Edition with the first 7 TPBs in 2 books (sold together).
So you'll get everything so far in 2+8+Legends+UsagiTMNT+The Hidden. It's an equivalent of 12 Sagas in page count.
I think the plan was a bit more subtle than that, essentially they were going to take the bible, but twist it up to make it support the Shogunate.
It feels kind of weird to see a Japanese weeb over western stuff.
Has anybody ever set down and worked out the passage of time in the series?
Volumes 11 through 17 definitely take place over the course of a single year.
>Chief Ito
youtube.com
I don't know moon runes, what does the lantern say?
Usagi vs Sotha Sil
Usagi is the true Nerevarine
They're just gonna slit his throat, aren't they?
It will be done, my lord.
It is done, my lord.
Very nice.
The Japanese actually borrowed a lot from the Western culture (to this day they are in cultural love with France, for example), often with hilarious results from many misunderstandings of why some things are like they are.
>France
I could have sworn they were into Germany.
Like if they make the Shogun out to seem like a karishian saint?
Excellent
They are. I went there once and felt like in the Schwarzwald. Even the old grannys looked, dressed and behaved just like German ones.
Japan seems like Germany, just in Japanese.
It's realistic, since the Japanese are infamously flat.
>Last time we saw Kotaro (waaay back in the second Saga book, I think) he was but a little baby.
I think Kotaro is probably 18 months old or so there: can't talk, but can walk around and has toddler size and proportions.
en.m.wikipedia.org
They love France so much they practically invented a strain of extreme culture shock
>They love their Flanderized idea of France so much that the real thing gives them PTSD
FTFY
Well modern day Paris does that to you even if your idea of Paris was from the real thing in 90s.
It shouldn't really be done. As points out, Dejima wasn't created until 1634. And Usagi has a story that mentions the Shogun abdictating, which given it's explicitly the first Shogun (who would be Tokugawa Ieyasu) happens in 1605. I'm not strictly against jumping around points in Usagi's life, but I doubt this Usagi has been wandering for 30 years. Especially once Kotaro's age comes into play
In the notes to one of the volumes (or maybe it was an interview?) Stan mentions that he used to track time exactly and that a fan once wrote him a letter with a timeline which was based on background hints in the comic and exactly correct, but that he's stopped doing it and is looser about events now.
>paisly outer robe
>Elizabethian collar
Oh yeah, westaboo.
That would mean that on average Usagi meddles twice a week, with no time to rest or travel for longer than a few days at a time! That's way too much, even for him.
Howdy Yea Forums, my name is Kenichi Smith!
You saw the issues between Grasscutter 1 and 2, right? Dude had an adventure practically every day for two weeks
Nah, it works out fine, since sometimes one meddle is extensive in terms of issues. First example off the top of my head, Shoyu was two issues but took place over 2-3 days. There are probably far better examples too.
Also, he doesn't seem to rest very often, honestly. His MO isn't to just shack up stationary in an inn until his money runs out, so...
>paisley
>western
More like Indiaboo tb h. You're not wrong about the collar though, nobody in his right mind would wear that shit if he didn't have to.
While I still think Kotaro is a bit older, but I think we all can agree that Usagi is worthy of his Meddle-Man status. A lesser being would cave under all those fights and adventures he has on a weekly basis.
>While I still think Kotaro is a bit older
Wait, did you misunderstand what I was saying? I'm not saying he's 18 months old in The Hidden, I'm saying he's that old in the original story in which he appears, when Ishida adopts him. He's probably 5 or 6 years old now.
Oh, my bad.
You disappoint me, inspector.
>t. Shogun
Y'all need Japanese Jesus.
Y'all need more JEIsus!
reminder that Ishida will banish Jei with the power of Christ
>ferlings of persecution
>feelings
Nigs are racist as fuck and Japs are one of the few people who have very little contact with what should be deselrcted for in nature.
I realized I have a visual novel maker. An Usagi otome game is within my power to make
do you mean a dating sim?
>not Japaneezus
yes.
I'd play that
Oh my.
RESPECT THE CROSS
>the following is not collected in any book as far as I am aware.
It's in Legends
I just picked up the Usagi/TMNT crossover volume, and was reading through it. I forgot that the Turtles were there for Chizu's introduction!
Do we have a "authority of the shogun" count?
Chizu has first appeared in Dragon Bellow Conspiracy (where she brought a warning for Noriyuki - the first sign of hers and her brother's defiance towards Hikiji), but she did in fact meet Usagi for the first time in Shades of Green. And immediately kissed him.
Banb
NANIIIII
>"What are they doing there?"
>"I dunno, what the fuck do you normally do at a restaurant?"
Bump
Oh, how about that. I missed it in the table of contents since it's between what's normally back of the book stuff. No regerts.
Will we also get storytimes of Senso, Dharmanon?
It's our grand finale
Alternatively
Bambus
Meddling
B-bump
meddles
More Meddling.
This story was a special book released not too long ago. One thing to note is there is no Keiko with Jei, meaning it's either non continuity, or early in Usagi's journey
AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST WHIPPED YOUR ASS IN JAPANESE
Don't let Usagi hold it!
>Jei has a gang
He only did that in Circles before, during his second appearance.
If yoiu have the original book, and not the TMNT crossovers collection, this and the next page are a foldout double spread
You think Usagi will ever meet his original Leo?
Maybe now that they're under IDW together
Time to delve into the Legends book, our finale destination
So did we ever get any real hints as to what exactly are the gods Jei worships? They’re definitely real but seem to be pretty evil
I'll only be doing Yokai tonight. Space Usagi and Senso will individual threads,
Only if you can recognize those statues from Jei's origin story.
Yokai is fun, because a lot of the images as I have save are actually a little too big for Yea Forums. So I have to resize
Well, that and it's a good story, you know?
Thanks for reading! I might not be around tomorrow, but look forward to more Usagi, but IN SPACE
You're right, this takes place somewhere around Circles. But here's the problem. In Circles, he falls from a cliff into a river and much, much later he is found half dead by a passing fisherman. Since Usagi recognizes Kakera, this TMNT crossover clearly takes place after Shades of Green, so long after what had happened in Circles. It is also clearly set before Jei met Keiko. So this makes sense only if that explosion at the end sent Jei flying for miles and dropped him into a river.
FUCK!
Must Sasuke suffer for an eternity? Just let him rest man.
Japanese work ethic. He'll rest when he's done demon quelling.
That's a well done reveal.
I love how you can tell exactly when he took and hid the bible during the struggle in , but only once you know he did it.
This story really didn't work for me for some reason. The pacing seemed really wonky.
(Kakera is also really off-model relative to his original appearance, but that doesn't bother me to the point of throwing the whole story off)
I have the old Space Usagi book, did Stan do any more of that recently besides Senso or is it just the stuff from ages ago?
It feels weird because in just a few pages you have to introduce Usagi to potential new readers who bought the comic for the Turtles, have Usagi and TMNT fight because reasons, set the plot, introduce the villain and solve the conflict. If the story was twice as long, there wouldn't be a problem, but Stan had to put a lot in one issue. This said, all Usagi/TMNT crossovers feel wonky to me. Not exaclty bad, just really out of place. I'd like to consider them all non-canon, but Shades of Green prevents me from doing so. It's hard to ignore a story where Chizu and Usagi meet for the first time. And if you let that in, then you have to accept the rest for it to make sense. It took me years not to be bothered by this.
Nah, Space Usagi had it's run and is probably not coming back. I like how Stan connected it to the main comic in Senso,
>Nah, Space Usagi had it's run and is probably not coming back. I like how Stan connected it to the main comic in Senso,
That's what I figured, but you never know. Thanks.
So, if this is debatably non-canon, do we still increment the "only one man" counter?
Right in the fucking ear.
We need a debatable one guy counter.
Noted for possible clue that Nii is Nezumi. Or not.
Sasuke cannot rest until every demon and his bitch ex are quelled. Such is karma.
He deserves a hug though.
>goodbye
>I'm gonna go cry in the woods a little
>maybe kick a spider goblin in the face
;_;
>Mikey's the only one of us who speaks Japanese
Mikey confirmed for weeaboo.
Another problem is Jei seems to have died again. Though since he didn't see it happen, maybe Usagi thinks he just ran off
Not a clue.
oh hey its those guys
Shoki looking suspiciously human there.
So it went from sasukes spirit guide to sasuké to his demon ex to a tengu to some ninja guy?
He also looks like the latest Jei, who notably disappeared after TTB despite apparently being a single day behind Usagi (although inserting this story there doesn't work in the slightest).
Oh hey it's the last boss from hissouten.
Our boy!
That ninja guy is apparently Shingen. I miss Shingen.
im sorry, who?
Chizu's older brother and a goddamn hero. Appears in the earliest Usagi Yojimbo stories.
Shingen was a good boy.
When you least expect him, it's ya boy!
Uh oh, what's got Sasuké so shocked, anons?
That's a popular theory, yes. But there is precious little evidence as of yet.
I think it's hard to defend it because Nii has been just offstage, necessarily doing shit, a couple of times when Nezumi appeared, especially in the early episodes.
I didn't read The Hidden because I'm waiting for the book to come out, so maybe this is something that was already answered there, but I think it's much more likely that Chief Inspector Ito is the criminal Master.
>Not posting it as png with the white area as empty space
Oh well, i'll see what i can do with it.
Thought I saved it correctly, guess not. Let's try again.
Cheers mate!
>Sasuke Fujimoto
Jei's neck action is damn good.
tfaw.com
Reminder that pre-orders for the new series are open. June 19 release date, get hype!
I usually just buy the trades because I'm oldfag and eurofag, but I am considering subscribing to this for a while, to support the new series.
You just described me and my exact thoughts, user. I hate floppies, but I'm willing to compromise.
Benb
It attacked Usagi but then it was dead? Usually it's shown when he reacts to attacks and retaliates, am I missing something?
I kind of interpreted it as "fox tries to kill Usagi with her dying breath and fails", but yeah it does look like we're missing something here.
>am I missing something?
Yes the fox was disguised as Usagi. The attack you are seeing is the real Usagi killing it.
A shapeshifting kitsune was pretending to be Usagi and tried to stab Sasuke, Usagi sliced it in the back, it fell down and shown it's true form.
How many threads we got left?
Who is winning in the poll?
There's only Space Usagi and Senso left, so two full threads should be enough.
I will miss these threads.
t: first time reader
Don't worry, unless Dharma's karma is to get hit by a bus during the next 10 months, we'll be back in less than a year. And once the IDW run starts in June you can expect monthly Usagi storytimes.
Where's the poll link?