Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai by Stan Sakai

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of his Usagi Yojimbo character, author/illustrator Stan Sakai, winner of multiple comic book industry awards, has created Yokai, a hardcover graphic novel that tells an original, stand-alone adventure paired with painted watercolor panels.

For the uninitiated, like myself, the Usagi Yojimbo website explains the series "is set in the beginning of Edo period Feudal Japan (early 17th century) with anthropomorphic animals replacing humans, and features a ronin rabbit, Miyamoto Usagi, who wanders the land as a shugyosha (student warrior on a pilgramage) occasionally selling his services as a yojimbo (bodyguard)." The character's name alludes to famous samurai Miyamoto Mosashi, author of The Book of Five Rings, and his long-running series began in 1987, first published by Fantagraphics and now continues from Dark Horse.

The book opens with Usagi informing the reader it is the night of the hazy moon when the yokai, evil creatures of Japanese folklore, walk the Earth. While walking through the forest, a woman begs Usagi to find her kidnapped daughter. He discovers yokai planning what he thinks is their annual parade through the countryside but learns from Sasoke the Demon Queller that they are gathering for their centennial attempt to "subjugate the world of people" and "need a living soul to lead them." Usagi now understands why the young girl was kidnapped and, although his "swords are of little use against monsters," he stands by Sasoke's side. After the tale is told, there's an interview of Sakai along with eight panels showing the different elements used in creating a page.

Yokai is based on the Japanese legend “The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.” Sakai's characters fit into the story seamlessly and the plot offers a great twist, in part because it was unexpected. The panels are filled with designs of great imagination, which is likely something his readers are accustomed to, but the colorful imagery will surely cause fans to be clamoring for more of it because his watercolors are a delight.

Yokai makes for a perfect introduction into Sakai and Usagi's world. After reading it, I highly recommend it and find myself interested in seeking out Usagi's other adventures, starting from the beginning naturally.

THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi presents Satrapi’s acclaimed graphic-novel memoirs. This work, originally published in France in four installments, tracks her life through a series of short vignettes. The illustrations are in black ink and, though simple drawings, they do a very good job of conveying the story.

When the book opens Satrapi is age 10 and the Iran’s Islamic Revolution has recently taken place. The book moves back and forth through time providing history about Iran and her family. Her great-grandfather was the Emperor of Iran, but was overthrown by Reza Shah with the help of the British. His son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, succeeded him as the Shah and was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Her parents are progressive and appear to be a middle to upper-middle class family. They protest in the streets against both the Shah and the new regime even though people were jailed, like Marjane’s maternal grandfather, and killed.

Unaware of the dangers, Marjane wants to take part, but her parents deny her. Eventually she attends a rally with an older friend and continues until she witnesses violence from religious extremists. Dangers also come from outside the country as Iran and Iraq wage war for most of the 1980s. The loss or disappearance of loved ones by friends and neighbors becomes a regular occurrence.

As she grows up Satrapi continues to rebel, wearing Nikes and listening to music like pop star Kim Wilde and heavy metal band Iron Maiden. At 14, her parents fear for her safety and send her to Austria. She does her best to fit in, and even though she makes friends is always a bit of an outsider. She remains headstrong and constantly battles authority.

After completing high school, she returns to Iran where she attends university and gets married. Unhappy with the repressive nature of Iranian society and her unfulfilling marriage, she leaves Iran for good to attend art school in France where the book ends.

In the narration Satrapi says, “I became conscious of the contrast between the official representation of my country and the real life, the one that went on behind the walls.” She provides great insight into members of the Iranian population whose plight has gotten little coverage, especially in the United States. It’s refreshing and comforting to discover that, with the filters of both governments removed, many Iranian citizens are recognizable and appear essentially no different than any other people. They have the same wants and desires that freedom offers and many have paid a high price for what little they have.

The Complete Persepolis has been turned into an award-winning animated French film, Persepolis, which won the 2007 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize. The trailer below will provide an example of the book’s artwork: