TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo preview & discussion
 

Preview here.

Always a treat seeing Usagi in color, even though I would've preferred it in black in white.
Preview doesn't get much into the story, but it does leave me wanting more! Can't wait for it to come out already!! :)

If you've read the first three issues from the Mirage Usagi series, then you may recognise the character that's about to appear ;)

Bummed to hear the special HC edition of this is delayed until late September! Maybe it was a clever ploy since it forced to me to double dip. Luckily my LCS is awesome and sold me the David Petersen variant for cover price. [puts on gloves and delicately opens to first page...]

Jei didn't really do much, did he?

I've been disappointed a little that Usagi Yojimbo doesn't seem to be wrapping up the Jei storyline. Is this particular villain never going to be defeated?

Does this printing include a reprint of the first TMNT/Usagi crossover or will that be exclusive to the hardcover?

It does not seem like it was included in the normal issue.

And it does seem like I was right about the Donatello arm thing simply being a mistake in the coloring on the cover. No sign of any armguards in the entire issue and the arms are green as usual. Unless someone wants to argue that he was only supposed to have them on that specific cover.

i really love how Stan Sakai handles all the fight scenes.
the way the Leo/Usagi duel was done really put a smile. :D

So I guess it's finally been confirmed that Kakera is indeed Splinter's counterpart in Usagi's world, rather than just a character invocative of Splinter?

has it actually been confirmed? i wasn't really sure.

Well "kakera" is Japanese for "splinter", so...

This was pretty good for the first TMNT/Usagi crossover in years. Typical Usagi story with the Turtles guest starring that played into Japanese mythology. The color was great.

Hopefully we do get a long crossover between the two again in the future.

And hopefully with art by Santolouco. Nothing against Sakai, quite the contrary, but anyone who's seen Santolouco's Usagi will understand.

As for the crossover itself, I enjoyed it for what it was. Particularly nice as a one-two combo with last Sunday's episode of the cartoon.

i loved the Sakai art.

Well Jei is the deity, not the physical host... this IS the third person that has been occupied by "him" now since Usagi began... one being Inazuma of course.

I know, but at this point, it feels like this particular villain (the demon, not the host) will never be vanquished.

I like seeing storylines progress, climax, and then finish, so I get if that's not how Sakai is going to do this... it just makes it a little frustrating for me personally.

Jei's been around for nearly 30 years, since practically the start of the Usagi series. He's the main recurring villain basically, he probably won't ever be stopped for good until the series ends.

Usagi Yojimbo comics are written like anime/manga that go on forever.

Wait, wow... 30 years?

See, I only binge-read the whole run last year. :tlol: I forgot how long it had been around.

Still, though... a little closure would be nice. :tgrin: I wonder if Sakai has a final ending in mind?