Tag Archives: emi fujii

Gen and Stray Dog are back in Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow

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Usagi returns for a 40th Anniversary celebration in a new comic story arc featuring fan-favorite characters Gen and Stray Dog in Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow. Dogu Publishing and Dark Horse Comics presents Stan Sakai’s continuing adventures of Miyamoto Usagi as the rabbit ronin travels through 17th century Japan with his cousin. The five-issue series features art and story by Sakai, with colors by Hi-Fi Colour Design. 

This newest Usagi adventure sees Usagi and Yukichi finally making it out of the frozen mountains, where they come across a merchant being attacked by brigands. They rescue the supposed merchant only to discover much later that he is really a criminal with a huge bounty on his head! Of course, wherever there is a huge reward you will find bounty hunters Gen and Stray Dog…and other unscrupulous trackers.

Main cover art for the series is provided by Sakai, with colors by Emi Fujii, and variant covers by Arita Mitsuhiro. A second variant cover for issue #1 will be revealed soon–stay tuned!

Usagi and his cousin fight for survival when Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1 (of 5) arrives in comic shops April 4, 2024. Pre-order the first issue today for $4.99. 

Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #1

Exclusive Preview: Star Wars: Visions #1

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Star Wars: Visions #1

(W) Peach Momoko (A) Peach Momoko
(CA) Peach Momoko (VCA) Giuseppe Camuncoli and Richard Isanove, Stan Sakai and Emi Fujii
Rated T
In Shops: Nov 15, 2023
SRP: $5.99

PEACH MOMOKO BRINGS HER UNIQUE STORYTELLING TO A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY!
CENTURIES after the death of a GREAT DARK SITH LORD, a cult has grown worshipping this SITH LORD and the DARK SIDE. ANKOK believes she is the successor to the LEGACY of THE SITH with her DARK SIDE POWERS! But is she truly in tune with THE FORCE? Or is she just exploiting the people in her village? KAKO and GEL are about to come face-to-face with the truth…even if it kills them!

Star Wars: Visions #1

SDCC 2023: The ancient and future worlds of Usagi Yojimbo meet in Space Usagi: Yokai Hunter

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Fans of the legendary swordsman and wanderer Usagi Yojimbo have enjoyed countless tales crafted by the equally legendary comic creator Stan Sakai . Featuring colors by Emi Fujii, Space Usagi: Yokai Hunter follows an all-new, full-color adventure for the rabbit ronin.

The tales of Usagi Yojimbo have been told over hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Someone in the far future enjoys another classic adventure in the Space Usagi universe with a unique new story. Even in space, there is no shortage of dangers, warring foes, daring deeds and supernatural horrors to hone the skills of a descendant of 17th-century samurai Miyamoto Usagi. 

The Space Usagi: Yokai Hunter one-shot will be available in comic shops October 11, 2023. It includes 32 pages of an entirely new Usagi Yojimbo story and measures 6.625×10.1875”. It is available for pre-order now at your local comic shop and will retail for $4.99.

Space Usagi: Yokai Hunter

Review: Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis

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Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis

I can honestly say that I have been a fan of Usagi Yojimbo, ever since I saw him in the early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. Many of those books were in preteen days, and I honestly lost interest for a while. It was not until years later, when I was temporarily stationed in Japan, that my interest got reignited. I discovered all these cool Samurai movies from the 1950s and 1960s while there, which only made me nostalgic for those Stan Sakai comic books.

So when I came back stateside, I picked where I left off on reading the Rabbit Samurai. It still surprises me how so many people still haven’t heard of this excellent comic book character. It has evolved in many ways, to a cult-like status amongst comic book fans. In Stan and Julie Sakai’s Chibi Usagi: Attack of The Heebie Chibis, the classic characters gets a new take geared towards middle-grade readers resulting in an exicitng feature-length story.

We find Usagi, Gennosuke, and Tomoe, where while fishing, discover a Dogu, a prehistoric creature running away from a slaver monarch, called the Salamander King, who attacked his people and captured them.  The three friends decide to help the Dogu take back his village and thwart the Salamander King from his reign of terror.  They would face peril after peril until they reach his village only to face the Salamander king’s minions, the Heebie Chibis, which they lose and are forced to work in the mines. Eventually, the three friends revolt and defeat the Salamander King, chasing him and the Heebie Chibis away. By the comic’s end, the Dogu reward the three friends but not before one more clash with the Salamander King, one which he sees his end.

Overall, Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis is an exciting story that any fan of any age can get into. The story by the Sakais is charming. The art by Sakai and Fujii, is gorgeous. Altogether, easily the most accessible story involving this enigmatic protagonist.

Story: Julie Sakai, Stan Sakai Art: Julie Sakai, Stan Sakai
Color: Emi Fujii Letterer: Julie Sakai
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW – Bookshop

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