Fathers and Sons

Continuing with Stan Sakai's masterpiece graphic novel series, this addition brings a great smile to my face in seeing Usagi and Jotaro venture together. Though their time with each other is short, each moment was filled with adventure and intrigue, and I really hope Stan has them travel together soon. From the beginning to the tear-jerking end, this is yet another fantastic addition to the UY series!

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. Fathers and Sons (vol. 19) is essentially the continuation of Travels with Jotaro, the previous volume. Here continues the dichotomy of innocence and savagery that Jotaro illuminates in Usagi's world as they encounter everything from a band of greedy brigands to a full scale ninja assault. Along the way, they meet up with favorite characters such as Lone Goat and Kid, Katsuichi (who gets one heck of a flashback story), and Tomoe Ame. The last of these makes for the most compelling portion of the book as Usagi confides in Tomoe (his love interest) that Jotaro is secretly his son. Tomoe's reaction and ensuing discussion with Usagi certainly makes for one of the title's most dramatic and evocative moments of all time. It says a lot about Tomoe and their relationship, as well as forcing Usagi to continue to ask incredibly difficult questions about himself as his evolution of character progresses. Heavy, rewarding stuff. As the volume reaches its close and Jotaro's time with Usagi becomes briefer, the issue of their true relationship begins to take more of a center stage. Much of the drama in this volume lies in wondering whether or not Usagi will have the courage to tell Jotaro that he is his real father, as well as how Jotaro will take the news and how this will change Usagi's lifestyle and world. Regardless of what you think the outcome will be, I suspect that this volume will prove you wrong and have you dropping your jaw by its conclusion. Like so many volumes before it, Fathers and Sons is not one to miss. However, I strongly suggest reading Travels with Jotaro (the previous volume) first. You might even want to go back to Circles (vol. 6) where Usagi first learns that he is Jotaro's father.

This book just follows what Stan Sakai's fans wait for:stories well written and with superb drawings!

The latest Usagi compliation brings us to the end of the travels of Usagi with his son Jothro. It reprints a series of first rate stories (deceptive since there are not more than 5 or 6 that I remember not liking in the entire series.) ending with each of the major characters going their own way. As a rule the trade paperbacks that deal with a continuing storyline are better since you get the whole story all at once, by rights this volume should be purchaed with volume 18 and read together. Either way, you will get character development and I think the clue to the way the series will finally end. Sakai said that he had intended to kill off Usagi long before this, I suspect this will wait until Jothro is of age and is prepared to travel on his own. Either way it is worth your time and money.

In an earlier review, I said how difficult it is to review Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo because of its amazing consistency of quality. Each volume is just a good rousing and satisfying read. However, with this new volume, "Fathers and Sons," Sakai has shown that he is not willing to rest on his laurels, and that he keeps pushing for better things. Miyamoto Usagi is traveling with Jotaro, the son of the woman Usagi once loved. However, unknown to young Jotaro, Usagi is not merely a beloved "uncle," but his father. Usagi is conflicted. He is escorting Jotaro to Katsuichi, Usagi's sensei, to learn the samurai way. Should Usagi tell Jotaro the truth, or would that cause too much pain for Jotaro? However, there is another secret that Usagi doesn't know that puts a sad and intriguing spin on events. As the title suggests, the overall theme of this volume is the father/son relationship. The titular story has Usagi and Jotaro coming to the aid of Lone Goat and Kid, Sakai's parody of Lone Wolf and Cub. In "The Pride of the Samurai," Usagi and Jotaro encounter a stubbornly proud but completely destitute ronin and his son as they seek to defend their meager squatter's shack from the local government. However, not all of the stories concern themselves with paternity. In "Kill the Geishu Lord," Usagi once again crosses paths with the young lord Noriyuki and his vassal Tomoe, as a gang seizes a village to set a trap. It's a straightforward action tale, as is "Hokashi," in which our heroes encounter a group of assassins disguised as street performers. Naturally, this gang has a grudge against Usagi. These stories reveal that Jotaro is quite the formidable little fighter, a chip off the old block. The last story, "Bells," is a tale of Katsuichi-sensei's youth, a sad tale of his love of the woman of another dojo, and the tragedy that resulted. These are all good stories, but the real impact of this volume lies in Usagi's final decision about telling Jotaro the truth. I won't spoil it, but any astute reader will see it coming, as well as that twist Sakai throws in. Sakai sucessfully writes a very touching moment because it is completely in character for Usagi to make that decision. This attention to character is why this series transcends its furry animal trappings and achieves something quite sophisticated, almost brilliant. Anyone who hasn't read Usagi Yojimbo should. This volume might not be the best place to start, as it is unusually heavy on past continuity. On the other hand, Sakai makes his work very accessible, even this volume. On its own merits, this volume stands out as one of the best of a series that is in itself one of the best the medium has to offer.