Confession time... I've never read an issue of Usagi Yojimbo before. I know, I know... it's been hailed as a classic for years, and Dark Horse has even put issues in my hands in the recent past. But I just never got around to reading it. Well, I got a look at this issue in advance of release this time, and man, have I been missing out. Sakai delivers a wonderful all-ages story about swordplay and sorcery, and it's brought to life through the most charmingly simple visual style.
Usagi Yojimbo frantically follows the sorceror Sasuke through the forest, hoping the magical warrior will lead him to the kidnapped youngster, Jotaro. Meanwhile, the young would-be samurai is being held captive along with a number of other children, and the purpose of their capture is a nefarious one. The wizard Goyemon needs blood sacrifices to create his magical inks, with which he can make any image on paper come to life. He sends one such creation to stave off Usagi and Sasuke's approach.
Sakai's cute furry-animal designs don't get in the way of the more adventurous and dramatic elements in the story, much to my surprise. On the surface, one might expect this book to be a humor title, but that's certainly not the case. Sakai's style is reminiscent of that of Sergio (Groo) Aragones. It's quite expressive, and his reptilian creature designs are detailed and impressive.
The greatest strength of this book, I think, is Sakai's script. He manages to capture a classic tone in the dialogue, but there's a more modern, grounded sense to it as well. Monsters, magic and sword-slashing melees are far from everyday notions, but Sakai maintains a believable tone to the characters through their words. I was also impressed to see that the title character was from being in control. In this story arc, it would seem, he's not the central protagonist.
The spotlight is usually shone on Jotaro. While there's an overall quality of accessibility to be found here, I was a little disappointed that the relationship between the title character and his younger counterpart wasn't clearly spelled out. Still, the little rabbit warrior boasts a lot of spirit and savvy. He made for a delightful hero, and I hope this moment in the sun isn't an uncharacteristic element in the series as a whole.
