Comic Review: Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics #7

Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics #7

IDW Publishing

Writer/Artist: Stan Sakai

All good things must come to an end. Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics has finally reached the finish line. This fantastic series has reprinted colour versions of early Usagi Yojimbo stories. Starting with “Samurai” which gave us the protagonist’s origin before moving onto individual tales like “Kappa” and “Blind Swords-Pig”. IDW has really made an effort throughout this series to make Usagi Yojimbo more accessible to modern audiences. Aside from Usagi himself, we’ve also been introduced to numerous important side characters like Kenichi, Zato Ino, and Mariko. The final issue of the color classics introduces us to some other characters that will become important to Usagi lore. We’re going back further than any previous issue to revisit the tale of “Lone Rabbit and Child”. Let’s get into the review.

Originally released in 1985, “Lone Rabbit and Child” was the second ever Usagi Yojimbo tale. The first was “The Goblin of Adachigahara” which IDW released in colour last year to commemorate Usagi’s 35^th anniversary. “Lone Rabbit and Child” tells the story of Usagi meeting Tomoe Ame and Lord Noriyuki. Noriyuki is the young son of a recently deceased lord. Tomoe acts as his bodyguard as they travel to meet the shogun so that Noriyuki can be named clan leader. The pair are pursued by assassins who work for Lord Hikiji, the main villain of the Usagi Yojimbo franchise. Hikiji seeks to have the child killed so that he can claim his lands. After a chance encounter with Usagi, he decides to assist in defending this child until he can meet the shogun.

It’s a simple concept but Sakai manages to make a terrific, well-written, fast-paced, and action-heavy story from it. You might think this means the comic is a simple string of fights but that isn’t the case. There’s a lot of character development throughout “Lone Rabbit and Child”. We see a lot of Tomoe’s sense of duty and her protective streak in regards to her lord. Noriyuki for his part is the star of this story in this regard. Throughout the tale, he goes from a simple child to embracing his position as lord and even engaging in battle. We’re also shown the power-hungry Lord Hikiji, who was responsible for slaying the Lord that Usagi previously served under. Hikiji is a character who’s often spoken of yet rarely seen so it’s nice to actually see him here.

The one thing that some people may see as a drawback to this story is the art. I’d mentioned that this is one of the first Usagi stories and that’s reflected in the artwork. This is still a good-looking story but you can tell Sakai is still working out the kinks in his art-style. This is particularly noticeable in Usagi’s face. Some panels have minor differences in the shape of his head. The level of detail in some of the facial expressions is also lower compared to more recent stories in this series. None of this hurts the story and as I’d mentioned it’s still very visually pleasing. It’s just something to keep in mind since Color Classic readers will be reading this after later Usagi stories. That’s actually something I see as a positive. It’s a real treat to see how an artist like Sakai has developed over time.

Lettering is used very well in general throughout this tale. We get the standard use of bold lettering during dialogue to emphasise specific words and phrases for the reader. It may be a heavily-used technique but it’s still a great way to help build emotion in a comic. We’re treated to Herge-style speech bubbles with only large exclamation marks inside. These help illustrate a character’s shock at key moments without resorting to dialogue or having to show facial expressions.

There’s also the heavy use of onomatopoeia throughout.  Sound effects are used all through this issue to help immerse the reader in the action. Little things like chains spinning, shuriken being deflected by a sword, and singing field workers. It all helps keep the reader’s attention and adds detail to the story and the world it’s set in. The only flaw is that occasionally narrative boxes don’t stand out enough. Sometimes the art in the panel is so substantial that it immediately draws your eye and you miss the narration. On other occasions it’s because the narrative box is coloured similarly to the background, causing it to blend in. These are minor flaws that Sakai improved upon over time but they’re still flaws that I feel I should mention.

Overall, the Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics line goes out with a bang through this re-release of “Lone Rabbit and Child”. This is an excellent story with some minor faults but which still has stunning artwork and great use of lettering. Seeing this early work after reading the later stories from previous Color Classics or modern Usagi is a real treat. You can see how Sakai has evolved over time and why he’s become so respected within the comics industry. I can’t wait to read more of his work through the current IDW ongoing Usagi Yojimbo series he’s been writing. The only major downside I could find to this issue is that it’s the last one. I’ve loved this Color Classics line and it’s heartbreaking that it’s ending after being so consistently good throughout its run. Still, all good things must come to an end.