shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Feb 22, 2016 12:34:06 GMT -5
We've done polls like this in other areas of the CCF, so I thought it would be fun to give it a try here. NOMINATE up to three Usagi stories published prior to 1990 by listing them and offering some explanation for why you feel each deserves to be nominated. You can find a list of Usagi stories here ("Frost and Fire," from Usagi vol. 1 #19, was the last Usagi story published in the 1980s -- December 1989) SECOND up to three nominations that are not your own. This thread will lock Sunday at 11:59pm EST. Any story that has been nominated AND has received a second by that time will be on the final voting ballot (which I will post next Monday). From there we will vote on the BEST USAGI STORIES of the 1980s. Please note -- there is no voting in this thread. Once a story has received one nomination and one second, that is all that is needed. If this thread takes off, we'll do another for the 1990s, the 2000s, and the 2010s. Confused? Need me to explain? Let me know. Otherwise, let the nominations begin! |
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Feb 22, 2016 20:17:27 GMT -5
I'll begin by nominating two that easily get overlooked: "A Mother's Love" begins as a simple enough tale but ends with such a powerful unexpected twist that leaves me incredibly moved and, perhaps, as ethically confused as Usagi. This one really makes you both feel and think. "The Tower" gives us the first appearance of Spot, as well as a touching story in which Usagi takes pity on an unfortunate animal in a dire circumstance. I'm generally not a pet person, but I also cannot stand cruelty to animals, and so this one moved me quite a bit. There are many others from this stretch that I adore, but I fully expect others to nominate them, so I will save you all the fun  |
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Post by usagigoya on Feb 23, 2016 12:51:44 GMT -5
The Goblin of Adachigahara - It is where it all begins! The artwork is awesome and the mood is so evocative of a chambara film, a relatively simple horror story of a life and death battle with a monster from hell. In one eight page story, it captures the full range of what the series can and will be.
A Mother's Love - Another seemingly simple story with an ending which shows just how different feudal Japanese culture was from todays. I am always amazed at how so many people seem to miss what has happened on the last page of this story (i.e. Ronin Rabbit podcast episode 20)
Kappa - How does Stan do so much with such seemingly simple stories? A great introduction into the weird and wonderful creatures of Japanese mythology(?) which seems to be a simple adventure tale until the end. One of Stan's earliest ghost stories, which completely sneaks up on you. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Feb 23, 2016 19:51:27 GMT -5
A Mother's Love - Another seemingly simple story with an ending which shows just how different feudal Japanese culture was from todays. I am always amazed at how so many people seem to miss what has happened on the last page of this story (i.e. Ronin Rabbit podcast episode 20) I'll count this as a "second" since its already been nominated (although you said it better than I!). That leaves you room to make one more nomination, if you'd like. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 20:03:08 GMT -5
I'll second Goblin and Kappa, two of my more fondly remembered stories of the early Usagi stuff I have read.
-M
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Post by eltanin on Feb 23, 2016 21:17:43 GMT -5
I'll second (can you say "third"?) Mother's love. It's a truly powerful story.
Otherwise:
-The Dragon Bellow conspiration: one of the first multi-issues, longer, adventures.
-Bounty Hunter: First time Gen! And the first time he cheats Usagi into paying the drinks.
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Post by usagiguy on Feb 24, 2016 1:02:33 GMT -5
A favorite of mine has always been A Kite Story because that is the first time that I actually did intensive research for a story. I had bought a book on Japanese kite making, specifically about the Odako, the giant 40 foot fighting kites. I thought that I should write a story about this someday. A few years later, while sketching in my sketchbook, I drew a picture of Usagi flying away on a giant kite. That sparked the idea for the entire story and lead me to do even more research.
A Kite Story tells the tale from three perspectives--a kite maker who goes into the forest to strip the bark of the mulberry trees, makes the paper, cuts and seasons the bamboo for the kite's bones and paints the image; the gamblers who come to town for the kite festival and starts cheating the people with crooked dice; and Usagi who is also drawn to the festival.
Usagi exposes the gamblers for the cheats they are, the townspeople chase the gamblers out of town, the gamblers chase Usagi out of town and into the kite field where Usagi makes his escape holding on to a giant kite.
Another story is Grasscutter, again because of the research. It took about 5 years to complete the research. The hardest part was finding what the sword actually looks like. Artists had always drawn it as a katana, but I knew it was a tsurugi, a straight double bladed sword much like what the Chinese used. Anyway, I did so much research that we decided to add story notes after the story to give further details about aspects of Japanese culture and history that I had talked about in the story. Grasscutter won an Eisner Award, an American Library Association Award, a Spanish Haxtur, and was used as a text book in Japanese history classes at the college level.
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Post by coke & comics on Feb 24, 2016 3:46:22 GMT -5
I will gladly second A Kite Story.
I would like to nominate Homecoming for being the story that introduced a lot of the heart to the Usagi saga, and gave a sense of why he wanders. For adding the characters of Mariko and Jotaro. But also Kenichi who you almost don't want to like, but proves himself to be stronger and more decent than he first seems. Because the Mogura Ninja are awesome, the first animals to really use their unique animal traits. And because the ending page is heartbreakingly touching and told with cinematic grace.
I would further like to nominate Blade of the Gods because Jei is the coolest villain of the series, the battle between the two is so well-coreographed, and the mood is so consistently well set throughout the issue.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Feb 24, 2016 8:37:22 GMT -5
Though A Kite Story was published in February of 1990, we can probably count it for being written in the 1980s. Besides, if Sensei says it counts, it counts  |
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Post by lobsterjohnson on Feb 24, 2016 9:43:56 GMT -5
I will gladly second A Kite Story. I would like to nominate Homecoming for being the story that introduced a lot of the heart to the Usagi saga, and gave a sense of why he wanders. For adding the characters of Mariko and Jotaro. But also Kenichi who you almost don't want to like, but proves himself to be stronger and more decent than he first seems. Because the Mogura Ninja are awesome, the first animals to really use their unique animal traits. And because the ending page is heartbreakingly touching and told with cinematic grace. I would further like to nominate Blade of the Gods because Jei is the coolest villain of the series, the battle between the two is so well-coreographed, and the mood is so consistently well set throughout the issue. I'll second Blade of the Gods. That one is creepy and great. |
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Post by usagigoya on Feb 24, 2016 13:07:20 GMT -5
I would second Homecoming, because it is definitely part of the heart and soul of Usagi Yojimbo, along with parts of Samurai and the Circles story.
Some years (decades?) back I worked for a painting company and the owner's wife was from England. One summer, a couple of her best friends came over for a couple weeks. By the time they had to return to England, I had become quite close with one of them, close enough that my comics containing Homecoming, Samurai, and Circles went back to England with her. I still have the lock of hair she sent to me when she mailed the comics back. Still miss her and wonder what could have been, much as I imagine Usagi wonders the same thing about Mariko.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Feb 24, 2016 14:18:03 GMT -5
I had become quite close with one of them, close enough that my comics containing Homecoming, Samurai, and Circles went back to England with her. I still have the lock of hair she sent to me when she mailed the comics back. Still miss her and wonder what could have been, much as I imagine Usagi wonders the same thing about Mariko. Wow. That's both so sad and so beautiful, Steve. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Feb 24, 2016 16:11:37 GMT -5
I'll have to go and check which are actually the 80s, but I think you guys have it covered.. the Kite Story, the 1st Gen Story, and/or a Mother's Love were definitely the ones I would have picked off the top of my head.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Feb 24, 2016 16:47:29 GMT -5
I'll have to go and check which are actually the 80s, but I think you guys have it covered.. the Kite Story, the 1st Gen Story, and/or a Mother's Love were definitely the ones I would have picked off the top of my head. No one has gone for "Samurai," "Bounty Hunter," or the Blind Swordspig stories yet, and Dragon Bellow Conspiracy still needs a second |
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Post by lobsterjohnson on Feb 24, 2016 21:02:13 GMT -5
I'll second Dragon Bellow!
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