Usagi Yojimbo: Kaito ’84 #1 – Samurai in the City

The year is 1984. A long time has passed since the era of Miyamoto Usagi, but his legacy lives on in the spirit of his descendant Kaito, a Robin Hood-esque thief who steals from the rich and gives it back to the people of Osaka. His escapades make him loved by the city’s people, but hated by those in charge. When he is given an offer that he has little option to refuse, he must reunite both friends and family to get the job done. 

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running independent comics of all time. Created by the now legendary Stan Sakai in 1984, the original Usagi Yojimbo comic (which is still running today) tells the story of an anthropomorphic rabbit samurai named Miyamoto Usagi who becomes a ronin after a long war during Japan’s Meiji era. The comic’s enduring legacy has expanded decades, going through numerous publishers and rising in prominence with its vivid storytelling, memorable characters, and most notably its crossovers with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Kaito ‘84 isn’t the the first comic to center on a descendant of Usagi (that belongs to 1991’s Space Usagi), but the main difference between the two is that this one opts to take a more grounded approach. 

Zack Rosenberg crafts an urban fantasy tale that remains very much within Stan Sakai’s original vision despite its more contemporary setting. Kaito embodies the same heroic traits of his ancestor, but is also a bit of a troublemaker, as evidenced by his activities as a thief. He has earned the name of his ancestor, but he’s his own character as well and it will be worth seeing if Rosenberg introduces a conflict between Kaito’s view of himself and the memory of Miyamoto. Kaito’s older sibling-like relationship with his cousin Yuki is also endearing and gives more weight to Kaito’s choice to accept this secret assignment. 

Jared Cullum’s art is a wonder to behold. Each character is drawn with a bold black outline that jumps out against the gray and brown watercolor splashed landscapes of 1980s Osaka. The characters are also filled in by this somewhat faded pallet that quickly draws the eyes. The action sequences are also exciting to watch; the paneling and flow have the same pace as an 80s action film.