shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Feb 10, 2016 21:19:30 GMT -5
 Published: Critters #4, July 1987 Synopsis: Usagi once again agrees to serve as bodyguard to Gen the bounty hunter. Notes: Published in the same month as Usagi Yojimbo (v.1) #1 Discuss the issue and/or post full reviews below! |
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Post by coke & comics on Feb 20, 2016 15:15:44 GMT -5
Summary: Usagi encounters Gen the bounty hunter. Still angry about being cheated, Usagi wants little to do with him or his latest scheme. But Usagi is talked into it, as Gen agrees to do all the fighting if Usagi just uses the diversion to recover a stolen statue of the goddess Kwannon.
The plan turns around when a persimmon falls out of the tree, hitting Usagi, and alerting the bandits to his hiding place. He ends up fighting all the bandits while Gen grabs the statue.
A perfectly innocent accident, except that Usagi was standing under a pine tree...
Thoughts: As opposed to the tight continuity of the Albedo issues, where each issue followed the next in a quickly unraveling plot, here we get a better sense of how the continuity will flow. Usagi is a wanderer. Each story will take him to a new place and thus will not hinge on the previous issue. However, in his journeys he will occasionally run into the same people. And his history with them will come into play, and their relationship will progress.
Here we see the bounty hunter Gen for the second time. They formed an uneasy partnership with a humorous (though perhaps not to Usagi) ending. Now Usagi doesn't trust him, but gets duped again. Though this time is able to give as good as he gets.
A fun story, a developing friendship. Leaves us with the impression that we will see Gennosuke again.
Artwise, we see our broadest array of expressions for Usagi, all demonstrating his reaction to something Gen has said or done. And the character gets ever closer to its final form. It's hard to tell, but from many panels in this issue I wonder if Usagi is supposed to look like he has a bit of beard, or at least shadow. Stan seems to be intentionally putting some extra fur on the chin.
Grade: B+
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 18:59:44 GMT -5
Summary: Usagi encounters Gen the bounty hunter. Still angry about being cheated, Usagi wants little to do with him or his latest scheme. But Usagi is talked into it, as Gen agrees to do all the fighting if Usagi just uses the diversion to recover a stolen statue of the goddess Kwannon. The plan turns around when a persimmon falls out of the tree, hitting Usagi, and alerting the bandits to his hiding place. He ends up fighting all the bandits while Gen grabs the statue. A perfectly innocent accident, except that Usagi was standing under a pine tree... Thoughts: As opposed to the tight continuity of the Albedo issues, where each issue followed the next in a quickly unraveling plot, here we get a better sense of how the continuity will flow. Usagi is a wanderer. Each story will take him to a new place and thus will not hinge on the previous issue. However, in his journeys he will occasionally run into the same people. And his history with them will come into play, and their relationship will progress. Here we see the bounty hunter Gen for the second time. They formed an uneasy partnership with a humorous (though perhaps not to Usagi) ending. Now Usagi doesn't trust him, but gets duped again. Though this time is able to give as good as he gets. A fun story, a developing friendship. Leaves us with the impression that we will see Gennosuke again. Artwise, we see our broadest array of expressions for Usagi, all demonstrating his reaction to something Gen has said or done. And the character gets ever closer to its final form. It's hard to tell, but from many panels in this issue I wonder if Usagi is supposed to look like he has a bit of beard, or at least shadow. Stan seems to be intentionally putting some extra fur on the chin. Grade: B+ In these early issues it certainly appears as if we're supposed see him as a little bit scruffy, which makes sense given his wandering life style. I always thought that in these first stories that he was perhaps moddled after this famous mug right here:  And given that the basic plot structure of Usagi wandering into adventures I think that was purposeful, however as the book developed that scruff disappeared and Usagi developed more of his own personality. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 19:16:00 GMT -5
]In these early issues it certainly appears as if we're supposed see him as a little bit scruffy, which makes sense given his wandering life style. I always thought that in these first stories that he was perhaps moddled after this famous mug right here: And given that the basic plot structure of Usagi wandering into adventures I think that was purposeful, however as the book developed that scruff disappeared and Usagi developed more of his own personality. Oh, no doubt! The lord he served was named "Mifune" after all  He did have a more direct influence than that, though:  Usagi's story was originally intended to be based upon that of Musashi Miyamoto. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 19:33:26 GMT -5
]In these early issues it certainly appears as if we're supposed see him as a little bit scruffy, which makes sense given his wandering life style. I always thought that in these first stories that he was perhaps moddled after this famous mug right here: And given that the basic plot structure of Usagi wandering into adventures I think that was purposeful, however as the book developed that scruff disappeared and Usagi developed more of his own personality. Oh, no doubt! The lord he served was named "Mifune" after all He did have a more direct influence than that, though: Usagi's story was originally intended to be based upon that of Musashi Miyamoto. And now I have a new movie I need to see... |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 19:38:03 GMT -5
And now I have a new movie I need to see... You need to watch the entire trilogy!! |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 19:44:02 GMT -5
And now I have a new movie I need to see... You need to watch the entire trilogy!! Well it is franchise film month, so it sounds like it would fit. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 19:50:36 GMT -5
You need to watch the entire trilogy!! Well it is franchise film month, so it sounds like it would fit. I've been considering rewatching it for that event (I first watched it when we did Martial Arts films a long while back), but the mood hasn't entirely struck. The first film is a lot less compelling than the two that follow. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 20:02:38 GMT -5
Well it is franchise film month, so it sounds like it would fit. I've been considering rewatching it for that event (I first watched it when we did Martial Arts films a long while back), but the mood hasn't entirely struck. The first film is a lot less compelling than the two that follow. Ah, now atleast I know why it was familiar to me. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 20:05:39 GMT -5
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 20:14:55 GMT -5
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,353
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 20:16:44 GMT -5
I wasn't going to bring that part up |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 20:24:33 GMT -5
I wasn't going to bring that part up Ha, I had to when I went and re-read your posts. I wonder what, if any, new perspective I'll get on Usagi after watching these. Like many of the great issues of Hellboy, what I love about Usagi is all the other stories it introduces to me and how knowing those stories then goes on to increase my love of Usagi. That subtle inter-textual conversation is just fun to experience and makes rereading these comics so much fun. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,353
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Post by shaxper on Mar 13, 2016 20:25:23 GMT -5
I wasn't going to bring that part up Ha, I had to when I went and re-read your posts. I wonder what, if any, new perspective I'll get on Usagi after watching these. Like many of the great issues of Hellboy, what I love about Usagi is all the other stories it introduces to me and how knowing those stories then goes on to increase my love of Usagi. That subtle inter-textual conversation is just fun to experience and makes rereading these comics so much fun. There is so much Usagi in these films, especially the third one. If nothing else, Usagi's unconventional non-Bushido sense of honor clearly comes from here. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 13, 2016 20:31:08 GMT -5
Ha, I had to when I went and re-read your posts. I wonder what, if any, new perspective I'll get on Usagi after watching these. Like many of the great issues of Hellboy, what I love about Usagi is all the other stories it introduces to me and how knowing those stories then goes on to increase my love of Usagi. That subtle inter-textual conversation is just fun to experience and makes rereading these comics so much fun. There is so much Usagi in these films, especially the third one. If nothing else, Usagi's unconventional non-Bushido sense of honor clearly comes from here. Well I just picked up the boxed set from criterion so I'm pretty pumped now. |
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