Usagi Yojimbo Volume 22: Tomoes Story (Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)) [Paperback]

Stan Sakai (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Series: Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

Learn why Tomoe is the most valuable retainer of Lord Noriuki of the Geishu Province, then plunge into a terrifying ghost story where a string of mysterious murders point to a woman dead for ten years. Finally, experience the mesmerizing beauty of a formal tea ceremony, as Usagi and Tomoe share this spiritual event to mark the rabbit ronin's departure from the province to resume his travels. This volume chronicles the evolution of the relationship between Usagi and Tomoe, with a collection of stories ranging from exciting to exquisite. "Tomoe's Story" captures the very essence of what has made Usagi Yojimbo a hit for over twenty years!

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593079478
• ISBN-13: 978-1593079475
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #564,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another good one from Stan, August 7, 2008

By 

Shaw N. Lacy (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Usagi Yojimbo Volume 22: Tomoes Story (Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)) (Paperback)

What can I say about UY? After 22 volumes, you would think that Stan Sakai would start to run a little dry, but it keeps coming on strong and good. I really liked this one because it does what Stan does best: character-driven story-lines mixing Japanese folklore with historical contexts. The artwork is as good as ever. The last chapter with the tea ceremony is sublime.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality time with Tomoe and Usagi, August 12, 2009

By 

shaxper (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Usagi Yojimbo Volume 22: Tomoes Story (Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)) (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.

For the whole of this volume, Usagi and Tomoe Ame spend time together in the Geishu province, getting to know each other better and taking on the occasional adventure when one comes their way. While there's no overarching storyline in this volume, it's a sincere pleasure to get to know Tomoe better and to watch the beginnings of a relationship brew between her and Usagi as they star in some highly enjoyable stand alone stories.

A minor point of confusion about this volume that needs clarifying: "Tomoe's Story," "The Doors," and "Fox Fire" appear more crudely drawn and generally a bit inferior to the stories preceeding and following them because they are actually decade old stories originally published in the Usagi Yojimbo Color Specials and reprinted here for the first time. Creator Stan Sakai took great care to make them fit into the Usagi continuity at this point. This is most evident in "Doors," which would appear to bring back the magic drawing tablet from Fathers and Sons (vol. 19) as well as make reference to the Tengu that appeared in Travels with Jotaro (vol. 18). Of course, Sakai cleverly introduced those stories ahead of this volume in order to make these older adventures fit.

"Tomoe's Story" reveals Tomoe's origin, and it's a very good one, even in spite of its cruder decade-old drawing and writing style. No real twists or turns here. It just helps to define Tomoe as a driven samurai and bodyguard.

"The Doors" is not a particularly memorable Usagi and Tomoe adventure, but the continuity that Stan retroactively weaved into it is quite exciting.

"Fox Fire" is a relatively forgettable old Usagi and Tomoe adventure.

"The Ghost in the Well" is the only two part story in this volume, and it's an incredibly good one. Usagi and Tomoe must foil an assassination attempt while dealing with the complications of a corrupt adviser who is trying to stop them. The story seems to intentionally parallel the events of "Tomoe's Story," which I find fascinating. Throw an excellent ghost mystery into the mix, and this is one fine story. It also sets up a new and important complication for Tomoe at the end, though this problem won't take shape until a later, forthcoming volume.

"The Thief and the Lotus Scroll" has Tomoe and Kitsune, both rivals for Usagi's affection, meet for the first time. The awkwardness is highly entertaining as the storyline becomes secondary to subtle character interactions. Highly enjoyable.

"Chanoyu" might be the best stand-alone Usagi story ever written. Here Tomoe and Usagi take part in the painstakingly researched Japanese tea ceremony as a beautiful means of parting ways once more. It's serene, informative, and highly touching. Sakai put so much work into researching this story that he actually redrew an entire page when he discovered that he'd had Usagi place his swords in the wrong location. Rare is a stand alone comic story that is the recipient of as much love and effort as this one.

All in all, while nothing of critical importance occurs in this volume, it provides a back story for Tomoe as well as three incredibly well executed stories, accompanied by two more that are, at worst, forgettable. If you're a fan of Tomoe, this is a volume you've been waiting for. If not, you're still destined to love it.

5.0 out of 5 stars The story of Tomo Ame! need say more?, August 23, 2011

By 

Michael Ikeda-chandler "ikeda" (Oxford,MS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Usagi Yojimbo Volume 22: Tomoes Story (Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)) (Paperback)

Great story! Usagi Yojimbo just gets better with each TPB. Beautiful brush work here, great story! After almost 200 issues, we finally see Tomo Ame's back story!