UBLOG: We are approaching the 40th Anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo which was first published in 1984.

The single issue stories are great jumping on points for new readers but older fans like the character development and research that goes into the longer ones. I intersperse done-in-one stories with longer arcs. I know that 38 years of stories can be intimidating, but I try to make it so anyone can pick up almost any book or issue and will quickly know what is going on. Sakai: It is very important for me that my Usagi stories are easily accessible. UBLOG: How important do you find it to start your Usagi stories in a way that any reader can pick them up regardless of if they have previously read any of your work? The entire ending of Heebie-Chibis and the theme of “friendship” was her idea. I create alone with Usagi Yojimbo and it’s good to get another person’s perspective on how the story should go. Sakai: I bounce ideas off of Julie and she gives a lot of input in the creative stage, something I am not used to. UBLOG: What is the difference in your approach when writing for early readers as opposed to writing for adult readers? We are preparing to work on the next Chibi-Usagi graphic novel. We are very pleased with how Attack of the Heebie Chibis turned out and are so glad it is nominated for an Eisner Award. The pages then go to her daughter, Emi, who colors it on the computer, then back to Julie to add more texture to the colors.

Julie “corrects” the art into more of a chibi-style, hand letters, then inks it. Julie and I develop the story together then, since I am more used to sequential storytelling, I thumbnail and rough out the story on two-ply Bristol boards. but this has been my favorite collaborative effort. I’ve worked with a lot of people in the industry - Sergio Aragones, Stan Lee, etc. “Chibi” is Julie’s natural style so it works really well. Stan Sakai: We would definitely like to do more Chibi Usagi stories.

Stan sakai usagi