Welcome back to Waiting on the Trade, a comics book club for people who don’t have time for monthly comics!
In this episode, guest host Callum Smith helps us power through some prologues, as we discuss Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo: Grasscutter.
This Month’s Discussion Questions
- Do you think reading the preceding 10+ years of Usagi Yojimbo was necessary to enjoy this story?
- Did you find the story’s prologues necessary?
- Do you feel that using Japanese folklore and history as a basis for this comic was a boon or a detriment?
- Do you think the story’s anthropomorphic characters and cartooniness helped or hurt it overall?
- What made Jei an evil character?
- Are there other series you’ve enjoyed that have comparable creative longevity and consistency?
Explanations, Observations, and Links of Note
- Yes, they are back, by popular demand.
- The spark that lit the fire.
- Behold: A montage of Usagi action figures, mostly tied to his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon appearances.
- We’ve. Got. Stan Sakai interviews! Cal passed those three links along, so I’m sure they are all very good.
- You absolutely have to check out Grasscutter’s Wikipedia page, because the sword’s real story is as exciting and wild as you’d hope.
- Here’s the concept art for Usagi-as-a-human that Cal mentioned. (Also, read Sobek; it’s great.)
- And finally, here’s that promised explanation of how the Tokugawa period led into the Meiji Restoration.
Follow-Up Recommendations
If you liked Usagi Yojimbo: Grasscutter, we think you might also like:
- One Piece.
- Hellboy (and yes, here is a link to Pancakes).
- Bone.
- Okami.
- Rurouni Kenshin (with my noted caveats).
New to the show? Waiting on the Trade is a monthly comics podcast, run by two gents who don’t have time for monthly comics. If you’d like to get in touch with us, you can email us at WaitingOnTheTrade@gmail.com.
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As always, thanks for listening!
Matt Reads Comics 