About this Episode
Who'd have thought that a comic about a samurai rabbit would have much staying power, but after 35 plus years, over 300 issues, a new show coming to Netflix, and a few appearances alongside the Tennage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Usagi Yojimbo is still going strong. Creator Stan Sakai has been the sole creative force since issue one, not only writing and drawing every issue but also inking and lettering. Sakai masterfully pulls from elements of Japanese folk tales and fedual Japan to create a story that trandsends genre and becomes a sort of alternate history lesson featuring anthropomorphized rabbits, bats, cats, rhinos, and more. Tony and Matt learned about Usagi via a guest spot on the orginal Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, but due to its long history and scarce accessibility to back issues they never gave it a chance. They discuss that long journey to taking the plunge into the gigantic world of Usagi Yojimbo, the comic's heavily researched connections to Japanease history, Stan Sakai's art style and the impressive scope of his sotrytelling, and the lasting influence samurai stories have had on western culture.