shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Feb 16, 2016 20:47:21 GMT -5
 Published: August 1994 Synopsis: Jei is back, and more sadistic than ever. Notes: The original collected edition (Book 9: Daisho) and The Usagi Yojimbo Saga volume 1 place this story at different points in the reading order. Discuss the issue and/or post full reviews below! |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 25, 2016 21:20:21 GMT -5
With the parallel of Usagi learning that his master had survived his fall off the cliff and into the river I just knew Jei survived when the same fate befell him and here we see the confirmation. It was short and sweet, and knowing the parable the out come was easy to guess but it was fun none the less.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,865
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Post by shaxper on Mar 28, 2016 16:26:04 GMT -5
I sometimes wonder if this is the story that ruined Jei for me. "Ruined" might be too strong of a word, as he/she is still a fantastic antagonist, but what always disturbed me most about Jei was the idea that he/she believed they were serving the side of good. This story makes it harder to believe Jei truly sees things that way. I feel like the depiction of Jei from this point forward is of a pretty generically evil bad guy. He's lacking that really disturbing shade of gray that made him so unique in the beginning.
I've said this before, but I'd always expected to see a massive storyline where Usagi would end up inadvertently helping the side of evil despite his best intentions, thus warranting Jei's feelings towards him all along. At that moment, it would be clear that, had Jei succeeded in killing Usagi, the evil unleashed would have been averted.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Mar 29, 2016 7:50:36 GMT -5
I sometimes wonder if this is the story that ruined Jei for me. "Ruined" might be too strong of a word, as he/she is still a fantastic antagonist, but what always disturbed me most about Jei was the idea that he/she believed they were serving the side of good. This story makes it harder to believe Jei truly sees things that way. I feel like the depiction of Jei from this point forward is of a pretty generically evil bad guy. He's lacking that really disturbing shade of gray that made him so unique in the beginning. I've said this before, but I'd always expected to see a massive storyline where Usagi would end up inadvertently helping the side of evil despite his best intentions, thus warranting Jei's feelings towards him all along. At that moment, it would be clear that, had Jei succeeded in killing Usagi, the evil unleashed would have been averted. I liked him as a one off and this short was fun but I've never really been a fan of Jei as a returning villain though a story like you imagine would be interesting. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,865
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Post by shaxper on Mar 29, 2016 8:01:50 GMT -5
I sometimes wonder if this is the story that ruined Jei for me. "Ruined" might be too strong of a word, as he/she is still a fantastic antagonist, but what always disturbed me most about Jei was the idea that he/she believed they were serving the side of good. This story makes it harder to believe Jei truly sees things that way. I feel like the depiction of Jei from this point forward is of a pretty generically evil bad guy. He's lacking that really disturbing shade of gray that made him so unique in the beginning. I've said this before, but I'd always expected to see a massive storyline where Usagi would end up inadvertently helping the side of evil despite his best intentions, thus warranting Jei's feelings towards him all along. At that moment, it would be clear that, had Jei succeeded in killing Usagi, the evil unleashed would have been averted. I liked him as a one off and this short was fun but I've never really been a fan of Jei as a returning villain though a story like you imagine would be interesting. I do think he found new life in taking on Keiko as a companion. She gave him a new edge that he needed, having lost much of the original edge for me as I explained above. Long term, I'm more interested in what becomes of Keiko than of Jei. |
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Post by brutalis on Jan 4, 2017 8:25:49 GMT -5
For me i read this as a parable about Jei almost: that he has become so lost that he no longer can see the evil which he has become. Believing that all he does is the will of the Gods for being his own justification to himself that what he does is natural and a true mission and should be respected and expected all the same as any action of an animal and that there is no turning back from what Jei is and has become.
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