World Famous Comics: Duel At Kitanoji (Usagi Yojimbo, book 17)
Duel At Kitanoji (Usagi Yojimbo, book 17)
By: Stan Sakai Publisher: Dark Horse Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Dark Horse Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 224 Publication Date: September 30, 2003 Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Product Description: Nothing comes easy for rabbit ronin Usagi, not even being a spectator at the planned duel between his former teacher Katsuichi and Katsuichi's former rival Nakamura Koji. Before the duel even begins, Usagi becomes embroiled in a dispute between Koji and a local fencing school that demands the samurai challenge its master. Along the way, Usagi discovers a devastating secret - a weakness in Koji's style. It's a secret that could save his teacher's life, but at the cost of his own honor.
Good, but... (SPOILERS) I was not quite as caught up in this story as I was in many of the rest. As others have said, Sakai does an incredible job of creating a world in which animals as Samurai in feudal Japan don't seem bizarre. The characters are interesting and varied and the minor episodes are compelling while he doesn't lose sight of the larger story he is telling about the journey of the title character. (If you're still reading and you don't want to see the spoiler, stop now!)
But I couldn't quite believe that Sakai would be willing to kill off Katsuichi. Sure enough, he didn't. Which isn't a problem, except that because I couldn't believe that Katsuichi might die, I didn't feel the suspense during the run-up to the duel that I think Sakai was trying to build. Sakai doesn't kill off his major characters. And while that's fine for the running theme of Usagi travelling the warrior's pilgramage, it means that when Sakai tries for an impressive and dramatic showdown, the tension isn't there. It's the nature of having an open-ended story with no planned conclusion. I can think of only two recurring characters that have died in the first 17 books: Shingen and Ikeda. (Jei doesn't count because he always comes back, and my money is on Kagemaru to go next, but we'll see. I haven't read book 18 yet.)
In sum, it's good for all the reasons Sakai's work is good, but it's not so hot because of the weakness of the type of story Sakai has chosen.
The Duel we have been waiting for... Quite simply, I love this book and the fantasy world that Stan Sakai has woven for us all these years. Duel At Kitanoji Temple climaxes a storyline of honor between Usagi's teacher and a swordmaster whom he defeated many years earlier. At the end of the book Usagi sets off on new adventures with his son and a new chapter of Usagi Yojimbo begins. This is a classic series that has outlasted all the comic book trends of the last 15 years. So when everyone has forgotten about Bendis, McFarlane and all the other flavor of the month artist and writers, Usagi Yojimbo will still stand as one of the best series in the history of comic books. Thank you Stan!
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