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Usagi Yojimbo (the Rabbit Bodyguard) is a
comic book series created by
Stan Sakai. Set in
Edo period (early
17th century)
Japan, where humans are replaced by different animals, it features a
rabbit
ronin, Miyamoto Usagi, who wanders the land on a shogyusha
(warrior's pilgrimage) occasionally selling his services as a
bodyguard. The character of Usagi has been inspired by the famous
swordsman
Miyamoto Musashi.
The books consist of short stories, with underlying larger plotlines,
including the 'Shadow Lord' Hikiji's relentless schemes to overturn the
Tokugawa Shogunate. The stories include many references to Japanese
history and folklore and sometimes include mythical creatures. The
architecture, clothes, weapons and other objects are drawn with
faithfullness to the period's style. There are often stories whose purpose
to illustrate various elements of Japanese arts of crafts such as the
fashioning of
kites and
swords and
pottery.
Usagi has also appeared in
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the comic, animated series, and toy
line).
Collections
- The Ronin
- Samurai
- The Wanderer's Road
- The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy
- Lone Goat and Kid
- Circles
- Gen's Story
- Shades of Death
- Daisho
- The Brink of Life and Death
- Seasons
- Grasscutter
- Grey Shadows
- Demon Mask
- Grasscutter II
- The Shrouded Moon
- Duel at Kitanoji
Spin-offs
- Space Usagi (A futuristic setting involving a descendant of
Miyamoto Usagi)
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