Demon Mask (Usagi Yojimbo, book 14) (v. 14) [Paperback]

Stan Sakai (Author)

Book Description

The close of 16th century Japan was a violent age, as rival feudal lords fought for land and power. Miyamoto Usagi braved many a battle only to lose his lord and find himself a masterless samurai, or ronin. While many ronin became bandits or mercenaries, Usagi chose the warrior pilgrimage: wandering the land, fighting injustice, seeking enlightenment. Eisner Award winner Stan Sakai has crafted a truly original and delightful work, an all-ages adventure epic that creates a world of excitement, mystery, and imagination, while building each story on painstaking research of Japan's history, culture, and mythology. Demon Mask is a collection of diverse Usagi stories, featuring a graveyard encounter with creatures from Japanese folktales, a whodunit clash with a mysterious masked assassin, a young adventure-lover insistent on receiving Usagi's sword training, a peasant village terrorized by a ravaging Spider Woman, and more. Few works of graphic fiction offer -- or deliver -- as much action, depth, and sheer fun as Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Usagi Yojimbo is an enduring work. Bravo. -- Will Eisner

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse; 1st Fantagraphics Books Ed edition (May 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569715238
• ISBN-13: 978-1569715239
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #869,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Usagi continues to strike gold in this versatile volume!, August 10, 2009

By 

shaxper (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Demon Mask (Usagi Yojimbo, book 14) (v. 14) (Paperback)

Usagi Yojimbo is the kind of quality work that transcends time, genres, demographics, and even age groups. It crafts a delicate and beautiful balance between honor and savagery, cute innocence and dark brutality, simple heart-warming stories and multi-part epics that shape a dense continuity. Whether or not you've ever been a fan of feudal Japanese culture, furry anthro characters, or independent, non-superhero comics, Usagi Yojimbo is a comic that can't help but impress even the harshest critic.

Perhaps the easiest way to summarize Demon Mask (volume 14) is that it builds upon and enriches a variety of successful styles that Sakai implemented in earlier volumes. "The Inn on Moonshadow Hill" and "A Potter's Tale" are absolutely two of Usagi's greatest stand alone stories, both done in classic Usagi style, but both adding unique and endearing twists to make them a little more clever and charming, a grade above Sakai's usual standard of excellence. While spending time on these one-shot stories, Sakai nevertheless manages to maintain a running continuity and sense of impending action as he delivers two well-executed back stories, "Deserters," which introduces a tragic new complication for Chizu of the Neko Ninja clan, and "The Missive," which marks the long anticipated return of two favorite characters that haven't reared their heads since volume 6 (no spoilers here).

"Demon Mask," the three part adventure for which the volume is named, borrows from and builds upon the careful balance of action and mystery that Sakai experimented with throughout the previous volume, delivering a thrilling story that contains two incredibly clever mysteries, both of which Usagi unravels with expert logic by the end. Even without Inspector Ishida, this story manages to surpass those wonderful detective thrillers from the previous volume.

Finally, this volume concludes with two important stories. "Kumo" introduces Sasuke, the Demon Queller, Stan Sakai's answer to Doctor Strange who is resourceful, dangerous, and thoroughly enigmatic. Like Inspector Ishida in the previous volume, Sakai risks turning the story over to a new character, and it pays off remarkably well. Both Ishida and Sasuke could easily maintain their own monthly titles if Sakai had the time and energy. Above all others, Sasuke is my personal favorite character in Usagi's world, and it's not hard to see why after reading this story.

"Reunion" unites Usagi, Gen, and Sanshobo for the first time since Grasscutter and sets the stage for its obligatory and arguably superior sequel, Grasscutter II, which begins in the next volume.

All in all, Demon Mask reflects serious growth in the Usagi series as creator Stan Sakai falls back upon a number of favorite themes and devices, using each more successfully than ever before. A lot of newcomers to Usagi make the mistake of beginning with Grass Cutter (volume 12) and then jumping right to Grasscutter II (volume 15). I think this is a tremendous mistake when there is so much genius and wonder contained in this volume, let alone several important points of continuity that will affect the events of Grasscutter II and at least one major storyline that follows it.

Take my advice: Even without a major storyline running through it, Demon Mask is not a volume to skip.

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Five Stars for Sakai, January 19, 2010

By 

romevi (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Demon Mask (Usagi Yojimbo, book 14) (v. 14) (Paperback)

Holy smokes, Usagi keeps getting better and better.

Though not the master of mystery, Sakai kept me on the edge in the stories of the Demon Mask, and successfully executed a masterful ending. The action was fantastic, the dialogue better than before (that goes with every succession), and the animation is simply astounding. You also get a better appreciation of the hard work Sakai does after reading The Art of Usagi Yojimbo, and this volume strengthens that adornment.

5.0 out of 5 stars Stan Sakai goodness, May 15, 2009

By 

Ethan Cole (Richvale, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Demon Mask (Usagi Yojimbo, book 14) (v. 14) (Paperback)

I love Usagi Yojimbo the series provides a unique comic experience that is thoroughly enjoyable. Don't be turned off by the funny-animal ascetic, it isn't the point.