Usagi Yojimbo

• Title: Usagi Yojimbo #154
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Stan Sakai
• Artist: Stan Sakai

Following a chance encounter, Miyamoto Usagi chooses to join Yamaguchi Kyosai on what should be an easy assignment to escort a merchant to trade negotiations. Well… easy until Usagi learns that the merchant fears an attack from Lord Hikiji. Of course he’s right to be be concerned as the hired guns are quickly dispensed with in a surprise attack by Komori Ninja.

The main story ties into the comic’s prologue, taking place three months prior to Usagi’s escort duty, when a weary rabbit ronin (still healing from a broken arm) rescues an injured Komori Ninja in a storm. When Kazehime turns out to be one of the ninja attacking the convoy the issue raises questions about debts and honor as neither the ninja nor the samurai is willing to back down from the battle.

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• Title: Usagi Yojimbo #153
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Stan Sakai
• Artist: Stan Sakai

Tying into the story of the previous issue, Usagi Yojimbo #153 picks up events during the storm and shows us what became of a certain rabbit ronin while the villagers where finishing saving their homes from the flood. After witnessing one of the men killed by a Kappa, Miyamoto Usagi goes after the creature to exact some manner of justice. Instead of the bloodthirsty water spirit, our hero finds a frightened Kappa female and her young son who, along with the villagers, have been put in danger by a new wild Kappa who has come to the shores of the river.

Vowing to put an end to the matter, Usagi actually doesn’t fair well against the Kappa. If not for both the timely intervention of his new friend and her healing touch things could have turned out far worse for our hero in the caves under the earth. (This issue is a rarity in which we see Usagi lose what appears to be a fair fight, and lose it badly).

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• Usagi Yojimbo #151
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Stan Sakai
• Artist: Stan Sakai

In another single-issue tale, Usagi Yojimbo #151 opens with the rabbit ronin stumbling upon a valley of death where a ruined procession, and the broken bodies of both its samurai escort and the attacking bandits all line the forest floor. In the middle of the carnage Miyamoto Usagi finds only a single survivor, the daughter of the sake brewer in Maru Town who is the promised bride to the son of a brewer in the town of Tansu in two days time.

With only two days before her scheduled wedding, and on the eve of a tempestuous storm about to erupt, Usagi volunteers to accompany Haruko to Tansu when the pair are attacked again on the road by Koroshi, the League of Assassins.

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