Usagi Yojimbo

• Title: Usagi Yojimbo #147
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Stan Sakai
• Artist: Stan Sakai

“The Thief and the Kunoichi” comes to a conclusion as Usagi and Chizu make the best of Kitsune‘s plan to sell Inouye’s secret treaty back to the merchant. The warriors decide to use the time and setting of the transaction to their advantage by destroying a secret shipment of Ginseng Inouye is counting on to help fund his underhanded dealings.

Usagi Yojimbo #147 continues to force Usagi in between the two women and into the role of peacemaker which leads to a humorous farewell with both women that leaves the rabbit ronin all but speechless. The end of the arc also provides plenty of action as Usagi and Chizu work to cut a wide swath through the merchant’s soldiers and provide Chizu a measure of revenge (even if it did mean having to save Kitsune’s life).

The unusual threesome provided by Stan Sakai proved to be a great way to relaunch the ongoing series after it’s lengthy hiatus. Usagi is back and, if this arc is any indication, the rabbit ronin will have his hands full with whatever fate has in store for him next. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

• Title: Usagi Yojimbo #146
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Stan Sakai
• Artist: Stan Sakai

Usagi finds his hands busy in the middle issue of “The Thief and the Kunoichi” dealing with an army of ninja and keeping Chizu from taking her aggression out on Kitsune all over the botched robbery of a worthless scroll that holds a secret tied to an old enemy of the rabbit ronin.

The reveal that the scroll leads back to Hijiki, whose actions led to the death of Usagi’s Lord and his fall from samurai to ronin, make this latest adventure hit close to home for the wandering warrior. As Usagi and Chizu attempt to keep the small group alive Kitsune tries to cash in on the situation by blackmailing Inouye and once again raising the ire of Chizu.

It seems Usagi’s thankless (but very enjoyable) job to keep the two women from killing each other is far from over heading into the final issue of the storyline. Usagi Yojimbo #146 is filled with the type of action and comedy Stan Sakai’s creation is known to deliver, I can’t wait to see how the story ends. Must-read.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

• Title: Usagi Yojimbo #145
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Stan Sakai
• Artist: Stan Sakai

Finally my rabbit ronin withdrawal is at an end. Usagi Yojimbo has returned! After three years of the series on hiatus writer/artist Stan Sakai returns to bring us the further adventures of Usagi Yojimbo with with first issue of a new three-issue arc “The Thief and the Kunoichi” which will reunite Usagi with a few familiar faces.

Usagi Yojimbo #145 begins with not one but two different thieves robbing merchant Inoyue’s heavily-guarded compound. The realization that neither is alone in the dead of night creates friction between the two thieves which eventually leads to guards and a nearby wandering ronin getting caught up in the night’s festivities.

Revealing Kitsune to be the less bloodthirsty of the the two thieves, the comic ends with the unmasking of Chizu as the other with Usagi likely being forced to step-in between the two women for the apparently worthless scroll that led to the night’s events unraveling. It’s good to see Usagi back in action, and entangled in another of Kitsune’s messes, once more. Best of the Week.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]