Usagi Yojimbo Saga Book 8

Usagi Yojimbo Saga Volume 8 by Stan Sakai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Usagi Yojimbo Saga Book 8 collects #139-158 of Usagi Yojimbo volume 3 plus stories from Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #5.

In this volume, Usagi Yojimbo battles a Kappa, learns how soy sauce is made, fights a dickhead Spanish swordsman, teams up with Inspector Ishida, and learns the chilling secret of the Hell Screen, among other things. It is a delight.

Stan Sakai's cartoony yet intricate style continues to impress, even after all these issues. He conveys tremendous emotion with just a few strokes of the pen and brush. No one would blame him at this point if he starting skimping on the backgrounds, having illustrated Usagi's adventures for almost forty years at this point, but there is no skimping to be found.

The stories are a pleasant mix. There are mysteries, ghost stories, adventure stories, and poignant moments. Sakai weaves Japanese culture from days gone by seamlessly into the story, making things like the creation of soy sauce and the practice of ubasute integral to tales rather than shoehorning in some interesting bit of research. "Carl Barks with ninja" is a good way to describe it.

This volume exemplifies why I love the series so much. If I had to strain to find something to complain about, it would be that Gen and Jotaro weren't in it but I'm sure we haven't seen the last of either character.

Stan Sakai is a modern master and Usagi Yojimbo Saga Book 8 is another collection of reasons why. Five out of five stars.

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