Usagi Yojimbo Volume 18: Travels With Jotaro

Usagi Yojimbo Volume 18: Travels With Jotaro

Product Description This multi-award winning series continues the adventures as Uncle Usagi struggles with keeping a secret from Jotaro that everyone else seems to know. Not only do their travels bring the perils of the Neko Ninja (in hot pursuit of Chizu, ex-leader of their clan and friend to Usagi), they also have a close encounter with a new and deadly organization--the Koroshi League of Assassins. The beautiful thief Kitsune is up to her old tricks, and Usagi relates a story from his youth about a goblin swordmaster. Finally, an evil artist targets Jotaro with a possessed ink set in the three-part Sumi-E story, which features the return of Sasuke the Demon Queller! From School Library Journal Adult/High SchoolUsagi, the rabbit bodyguard, is traveling with his son, although Jotaro does not know that Usagi is his father. Their adventures range from the fairly straightforward defeat of two ninja assassins to fighting powerful creatures conjured by a cursed sumi (calligraphy writing) set. Several incidents involve people from Usagis past. Although readers new to the series can enjoy this book, it will have an extra thrill for those who recognize Kitsune, Chizu, and Sasuke. Sakai is a master storyteller, and his black-and-white, pen-and-ink artwork shows the same skill as his storytelling. Cultural notes and a gallery of covers from the original comics are included. Teens are bound to enjoy traveling with Usagi. Susan Salpini, TASISThe American School in England Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Gr. 8-12. This eighteenth Usagi graphic novel collection follows the continuing journeys of the rabbit samurai across feudal Japan. This time Usagis exuberant young nephew, Jotaro, is along for the adventure. As they travel, they meet old friends, including Kitsune the thief and Sasuke the Demon Queller, and they come up against new foes such as Boss Hayashi and the evil artist Katsushige. Sakai delivers plenty of martial arts action and solid storytelling. His tone is more relaxed than is usual in the over-the-top manga novels, and his well-researched backdrop of feudal Japan makes the story seem more like a fable than a traditional comic book. Packed with action and humor, the entertaining tale is wrapped in detailed art that allows characters to be cute yet believably human--despite their bunny ears. Tina Coleman Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved