Customer Reviews

Space Usagi

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even if you're not a fan of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yoyimbo, you can't go wrong with this excellent collection of his "Space Usagi" issues. Stan hasn't won the Eisner award for nothing, and once again he displays his talent for story and characters. If you are already familiar with his work, you will enjoy it even more. In today's comic book (or graphic novel, if you really insist) market, where there are so many new issues with nothing beyond some occasional good color illustrations, it's very refreshing to see how entertaining a story illustrated in black-and-white can still be when proper respect is given to the characters and the audience. Enjoy!

I read this after reading through all of Usagi thus far (as of May 2010, with the exception of Yokai). Seeing as Space Usagi spans years of Sakai's work (he was, after all, busy with the main series), it was interesting to see his earlier work mixed with the later, current depictions of Usagi. Nevertheless, the whole plot seems drawn out from the very beginning because it flows naturally without trepidation, despite the differences in art style.

At first, I wasn't very much impressed with this, sub-series, mostly because it felt like Stan's imagination of space didn't break the confines of '80s sci-fi cliches. I could see allusions to Star Wars, and the occasional space, anatomically-incorrect-by-Earth's-standards dinosaur was thrown in for fun. Don't get me wrong; I'm a huge Star Wars junkie, but I wish Sakai could've been more original. Also, since he worked closely with Eastman and Laird at the time for promotional issues, I saw similarities in the ideas of futuristic technology from Dimension X and Fugitoid comics.
The naming was unimaginatively taken from Usagi Yojimbo, as Space Usagi's protagonist is also named Miyamoto Usagi--even though he's an ancestor of the original one.
These are all trifles, mind you, but still things I felt I should bring to light.

Anyway. The entirety of it nonetheless proved to be very entertaining, and it was duly interesting to see Usagi taken into space. Although a lot of the ideas of space were not original, there was a lot that WAS original. The idea of how they build spaceships: nice; the whole plot: well-executed; the twist: unforeseeable.
Stan Sakai proves, in the end, that he has a great idea in mind, and, though there are few hiccups along the way, he proves his creativity in the end.

Stan Sakai takes the rabbit samurai, Usagi Yojimbo, and tells stories of his descendant in a science fiction setting. The tales of samurai honor are told in a way where the violence does not focus on bloodshed, but could be enjoyed by grade schoolers through adults. Usagi tales are well-told and often provide insight into Japanese traditions. Always recommended.

Space Usagi ROCKS! If you like Usagi Yojimbo, get this book! This book is good, But not as good as Usagi Yojimbo:Daisho because this book takes place in the future.

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, you will like it.