Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo, Volume 34: Bunraku and Other Stories. San Diego, CA: IDW, 2020. ISBN: 9781684056576.
- "Bunraku" where Usagi has to solve a mystery surrounding a living puppets theater.
- "The Hero." Usagi takes a job as bodyguard to a famous female writer. Her fame seriously annoys her samurai husband, but Bushido dictates Usagi cannot intervene even as her husband abuses her. This turns out to be a very moving story.
- "Adachi." This is a reworking of Usagi's first story. This is the time when Usagi became a ronin. Here he revisits his past.
- "The Swords of Higashi." Usagi joins two bounty hunter friends to help recover an heirloom sword belonging to the Higashi clan. The story has a bit of a humorous twist at the end.
The stories overall are well written and take you into feudal Japan. The stories feature good tales that range from moving to humorous. These stories are easy to read and entertaining. For folks who have not read the series before this volume can be a great entry point.
Sakai's art is light, colorful, and beautiful. The art can be playful at times. It captures the Japanese feudal era well. The comics in this volume are in full color, which is a plus.
Overall, this is an excellent volume and a great addition to the series. It's also a good entry point for new readers. It has good stories and great art. This is a volume I recommend for all readers. Definitely recommend it for all libraries with graphic novel collections. This is one I would add to my personal collection.
5 out of 5 stars.
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