Customer Reviews

Usagi Yojimbo, Book 4: The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy

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4 star:		(3)
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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.

While "The Wanderer's Road" (volume 3) proved that Stan Sakai was master of the stand-alone adventure, "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy" (volume 4) raises the stakes a thousand-fold. Here, Usagi takes part in a 7 part epic, tying together much of Sakai's established universe and characters in a complex story of intense battles, political intrigue, interpersonal drama, and great pathos. Miyamato Usagi's world almost literally explodes on the page, proving without a doubt that you haven't seen anything yet. If this volume doesn't leave you panting, reeling, and in tears by its conclusion, then something is terribly wrong.

Of course, this is just another step in the development of the Usagi Yojimbo universe. Bigger and better things are yet to come, but that will almost seem impossible after reading this explosive installment.

Usagi Yojimbo Book Four "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy" was the first Hard Cover Limited Edition book published by Fantagraphics Books, in the Usagi series. It was such a success, that Fantagraphics proceeded to publish Books 1-3 in both Hard Cover and Soft Cover editions. Since it was the first in a series, it had some special additions that differentiate it from all of the other Usagi Hard Covers to follow. It contains a water color painted story at the end of the book titled "Return to Adachigahara Plain" which for a long time was unavailable anywhere else. The book was one of the hardest to find and most expensive of the Hard Cover line because of this addition. When the "20th Anniversary Art of Usagi Yojimbo" book came out with a reprinting of the Adachigahara story, recently, prices which had climbed to $400-$500 level fell to a more respectable $200-$300 level, if and when the book ever came on the market.

This was one of the largest print runs of the Usagi Hard Cover series. As Stan Sakai relates in the wonderful Usagi Yojimbo Dojo website, "Editor Kim had estimated that the initial orders would not exceed 500, so I offered to do a full figure drawing on each of the signature plates. The orders came in for 1,500. It took me a full 3 weeks to do those drawings. Nowadays I just draw an Usagi head sketch."

So in addition to the original color print story of Return to Adachigahara Plain, every copy of this limited edition run has an original full figure sketch by Stan Sakai on the signature plate. See the photo's I've posted to appreciate the effort that went into 1,500 completely original sketches for this edition.

Although one might think that this particular edition would be the easiest to find because the 1,500 print run was much higher than the subsequent volumes (usually 300-500 copies) that went hardcover, many speculate it is so difficult to find at times because it was the first Usagi HC ever produced without a softcover edition alongside it (the SC edition came out later with an entirely different cover -- probably adding to the scarcity of for-sale copies of the HC). Other HC editions were produced alongside or after the SC editions, with often little differences, making them less coveted then this HC edition with the fully painted color 8 page addition of the story of Adachigahara and original full figure sketch by the author.

It was revealed in "Return to Adachigahara Plain" who it was that gave Usagi his scar during that final battle. That 8-page story was fully painted in color and until recently had not been reprinted.

As many people have asserted, Usagi Yojimbo gets deeper and better the further it's read, and the more Stan Sakai has experience in developing the character.

This book out of the Fantagraphics series is the best yet (I'm reading them in order, so I'm sure it'll get better than this), and has the most complex and detailed plot line. Again, I'm no expert in Japanese history, but from what critics have stated before, Sakai is very well versed in the history of samurai, and his integration of the rabbit-bodyguard to create historical fiction is very welcome and adds for the creator's own sense of imagination and humor.

Onward to the next installment!

This collection consists of one long epic story arc. Tomoe is sent on a spy mission into a rival lords territory where she discovers a plot to overthrow the Shogun. Unfortunately she is captured before she can relay word to Lord Hikiji. It is left up to Miyamoto Usagi to free Tomoe and upset the rival lord's plot. Along the way Usagi finds himself allied with former enemies Ino (the blind swords pig/outlaw), Shingen and his clan, as well as his ol'buddies Gen and Spot.

This is a great story for fans of Usagi Yojimbo but I must caution new and young fans. This is more of an epic story instead of the usual short one shots you may be use to. Also, you may need to be familiar with the series to make sense with all of the events.

I just recently started reading the Usagi Yojimbo graphic novels, and while the past 3 books were excellent, book 4 is when Sakai really starts treating the world of Miyamoto Usagi as just that, an interconnected world. The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy sees all of the recurring characters from the previous arcs come together as Sakai tells a classic Samurai story of a corrupt lord and the desperate plan to stop his evil. Sakai's artwork is the same functional, minimalistic, expressive style that readers have come to know and love, and the story is complex without ever feeling overwhelming. I have not yet read book 5, but it will be hard to top the excellence of this arc.

A nice cast of characters and plenty of action. Shingen, Gen, Zato-Ino, Spot, Tomoe, Noriyuki, Chizu and introducing a favorite character of mine, Captain Torame. Who is friend and who is foe changes from chapter to chapter, and three of the main characters above bite the dust. Gen and Zato-Ino have their final showdown, and Lord Hebi makes a cameo near the end. A nice chapter in the Usagi saga, but not a book for one who is not familiar with Usagi and his world. A better introduction is Book 6, Circles or starting at the beginning with Book 1, Ronin.

While I agree with others' reviews that this is not the best place to start, for someone like me who had previously read other, later Usagi installments, it turned out that this issue filled in some key back stories. If like me, you are already familiar with the characters Jen and Ino, you definitely will want to read Volume 4.

In addition, the intro by Alejandro Jodorowsky provides an unintentional chuckle. Of Usagi, Jodorowsky writes, "Rendered with a grace that verges on the miraculous...". Hey Alejandro, it's just a comic book :-)

Another wonderful classic by Stan Sakai!

this is one of Usagi's grandest adventures and a must have for any Ronin fan!

Beautifully drawn and written!

My son and I love Usagi Yojimbo, so 'The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy' was definately a hit, though not our absolute favorite issue. It was in excellent condition and we are happy to own it.

I was somewhat disappointed with the purchasing however. I applied for the Amazon credit card in order to take advantage of the half off deal they were advertising... I was told that I didn't qualify, so I didn't order the other books I wanted. Then, some time later, I got their credit card in the mail! This made no sense to me, so I called and closed the account.