The issue begins with a shocking silence. In the previous issue, Usagi mentions that he intends to leave the following day, and Tomoe invites him to perform the chanoyu, or tea ceremony (literally, “hot water for tea”). Their romance, though, is forbidden by their strict honor code due to Usagi’s low status, (he is a ronin, or masterless samurai). ![]() Tomoe is one of the only characters in the series who is portrayed as equal in swordsmanship to Usagi, and is a potential romantic interest for him. ![]() Under Sakai’s pen, the comics medium begins to echo the form and process of the ceremony, creating a harmonious space wherein its participants have a profound aesthetic experience, within a very limited emotional framework.Īs the issue opens, Usagi has spent the last few issues visiting his allies Lord Noriyuki and Noriyuki’s bodyguard Tomoe. On its surface, it seems to be just another issue exploring a facet of traditional Japanese culture (in this case, a tea ceremony), but Sakai uses the issue to depart from many of the formal conventions that he uses in the rest of the series. Issue #93 of the series’ third volume, Chanoyu, is one such example. Within that framework, there are certain issues which elevate the series and demonstrate a mastery of the comics form, presenting an experience of striking beauty. On the other hand, Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo has relied, in its nearly 250 issues (give or take), mainly on two approaches: accessible and entertaining adventure narratives and interesting explorations of feudal Japanese life. ![]() Long-running creator-owned comics often rely on shock value to retain reader interest a major character dies, or the status quo is suddenly upended, and thus it renews its readers’ enthusiasm.
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