World Famous Comics: Seasons (Usagi Yojimbo, Book 11)
Seasons (Usagi Yojimbo, Book 11)
From: Dark Horse Publisher: Dark Horse Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Dark Horse Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 208 Publication Date: March 17, 1999 Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Product Description: Spring breezes stirring the memories of lost battles. Summer fields burning with fires of treachery. Chill autumn nights echoing with demonic screams. Winter snows stained red with the blood of honor. Follow Stan Sakai's Eisner award-winning Usagi Yojimbo through a cycle of short stories continuing the ronin rabbit's journeys through feudal Japan. Ten tales in all, an essential collection for all seasons!
The shape of things to come 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.
"Seasons" (book 11) lays careful groundwork for so many things that follow this volume, all while delivering fantastic tale after fantastic tale. The stories contained within are:
"The Withered Field," which introduces Koji and his conflict with Usagi's mentor. It's a classic samurai story delivered in the way that only creator Stan Sakai could accomplish. The action and drama are both deliciously high, and the foreboding conclusion is fantastic.
"The Conspiracy of Eight," a great story on its own, but it's also an important set up for "Grasscutter," Usagi's most renowned storyline to date (which fills all of the next volume).
"Return to Adachi Plain" is a moving story in which Usagi relives the moment that ended his old life as a vassal/samurai. It also tells the story of the scar over his left eye.
"The Crossing" features Jei. For those of you who are familiar with the character, little more needs to be said about such a story.
"The Patience of the Spider" is a unique story in that it does not feature any of the regular Usagi Yojimbo cast, but it is a highly memorable and powerful story worth reading. It introduces General Ikeda, a major player in "Grasscutter".
"A Promise in the Snow" is a classic touching Usagi stand alone story that is guaranteed to move you.
"The Lord of Owls" introduces a mysterious figure who will become important later down the road.
"The First Tenet" introduces a major turn of events for the Neko Ninja Clan which will prove to be a defining conflict for Chizo down the road.
Finally, "The Obakeneko of the Geishu Clan" brings Usagi, Gen, and Tomoe together for a classic adventure.
All in all, this is an amazing collection of stories in their own right, but there's also a lot of important set up for "Grasscutter" and several other story lines to follow. That makes "Seasons" a must read.
Usagi Continues His Wanderings As usual, we are able to enjoy the brilliant, drawing, writing and plotting of Stan Sakai in the 11th graphic novel of the Usagi Yojimbo series. This collection includes a story, "Return to Adachi Plain" inked by none other than Sergio Aragones. This, of course, is icing on the cake. In this book, we journey with Usagi as he almost killed by a Ronin (masterless samurai) who actually bests in him in a duel (a rarity in Usagi's universe) in "The Withered Field", watch as he encounters a beneficial ghost in "A Promise in the Snow" and an evil one in "The Obakeneko of the Geishu Clan" and step back in time to his childhood in "The Courage of the Plum". Included is one of Stan Sakai's non-Usagi stories set in the same time period "The Patience of the Spider." This is one of the most poignant stories of Sakai's that I have read. A general defeated in battle becomes a farmer to hide from his enemies. When his chance for revenge comes years later, the long and difficult jouney has changed the general into an even greater man than when he went into hiding. I would highly recommend this book to the Usagi fans and novices alike.
Not like Grasscutter or Dragon Bellow This story continues themes that wind all through the Usagi tales. Characters that have shown up in the past recur here and foreshadow further appearances. Jei wanders through, a consipiracy is uncovered, a power struggle in the Neko Ninja begins, a showdown is planned for the future (which should appear in the next Usagi book to be published after Shrouded Moon), several Hikiji plots are dealt with and two new characters are introduced. There are a couple stand-alone stories, but most link to characters and tales from the past and to the future. An excellent book that lays the groundwork for the sagas to come.
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