Usagi Yojimbo Book 23: Bridge of Tears by Stan Sakai
This volume includes the 100th issue of Usagi, a special treat!
Remanent of the Dead--Usagi visits a local merchant who has a delightful daughter and enemies who want him dead. Assassins are hired and go after the merchant, but Usagi is still there and he manages to save the day (no surprise). The League of Assassins is getting tired of Usagi's efficiency, so the next story happens.
Shizukiri--A new assassin is introduced and he takes one last job before he plans to leave the League with his girlfriend. Of course, things do not work out well and he winds up with a contract to kill a problem ronin who has been killing lots of assassins, like in the last story. A new and deadly enemy is introduced for Usagi.
Boss Hamanaka's Fortune--Usagi wanders into a town where two rival gangs are feuding over a fortune left by a former gang boss. The boss's son acts like the village idiot and claims not to know where the money is, so the rivals have been trashing the town in their search. Both gangs try to recruit Usagi who declines both at the local inn. The innkeeper, a young woman named Mayumi, is ready to leave town because she knows nothing good will come of the situation. Another ronin has also shown up. His motives are unrevealed until the end. The book is another exciting adventure for Usagi, who hits the road with Mayumi.
Rain and Thunder--Gen and Stray Dog are hot on the trail of Inazuma, who has a big bounty on her head. Inazuma has a much bigger problem--she is possessed by Jei, the evil spirit causing havoc in the name of justice across the land (hence the bounty). They have a big fight in a big storm, leaving things unresolved...except that Gen and Stray Dog realize they need more help if they are going to take down Jei.
Bridge of Tears--Usagi and Mayumi get to a new town where they bump into trouble. Usagi decides to leave her in the village though she is very clingy. Usagi collects a reward from resolving the trouble, giving the money to Mayumi through a secondary so he can sneak out of town but still leave her set up to restart her life. She is distraught that he's left her; he's distraught that he gave his word to come back and then left.
Fever Dream--Usagi runs into Chizu, the ousted member of the Neko Ninjas, who is still being hunted by her former fellow ninjas. He helps in the battle but is wounded by a poisoned dart. She nurses him back to health. During the illness Usagi dreams that he is possessed by Jei and attacks Lady Tomoe and Lord Noriyuki. The dream is horrible for Usagi, who hopes it is not a premonition of what is to come. Something almost as painful does happen at the end of the story--The new assassin Shizukiri shows up with Mayumi as his prisoner. He calls out Usagi because he want to kill Usagi.
The Killer--The final confrontation happens between Usagi and the assassin, with Mayumi as a bargaining chip. The fight makes for an exciting story and an unhappy ending.
The book ends with a bunch of "roasts" by other comic artist (including Guy Davis, Sergio Aragones, and Frank Miller) of Stan Sakai, which is entertainingly funny.
Recommended.
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