Book Review: Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 11 by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo Volume 11: Seasons by Stan Sakai

Another set of medieval adventure for the rabbit ronin...

The Withered Field--Usagi travels to a dojo to try his skill against another martial arts school. Nakamura Koji is already there and working his way through the best students. The master is absent on a trip but the guy left in charge does not want some wandering samurai (either Usagi or Koji) to show up the school. When Koji does, it sets some more conflicts in motion. The story is interesting and leaves on a cliffhanger that supposed to be resolved in a year when Koji faces the teacher who bested him years ago...Usagi's teacher. The story is exciting and has good twists and action.

A Promise in the Snow--Usagi takes a "shortcut" through a mountain pass in the winter recommended by his friend Gen (maybe friend should be in quotes too?). He comes upon a merchant being attacked by bandits. The merchant is injured in the fight. Usagi tries to heal him. The merchants daughter comes forward and begs him to get her father back to their town, half a day's walk away. Usagi is unsure if the old guy will survive but he promises, not knowing the hardships ahead. It's a touching story with an interesting twist at the end.

The Conspiracy of Eight--Usagi is sheltering in a temple when a samurai comes to the gate. He is wounded and fleeing from pursuers. They take him in and discover a message on him. A group of eight lords plan to overthrow the Shogun and restore the Emperor. Usagi and the temple priest debate what to do, especially since the samurai was from a different clan than any of the signatories. The messenger belongs to Lord Hikiji, an old enemy of Usagi's. They are unsure of their plan until the temple is attacked. Usagi and the priest (who was formerly in the military) work together to defeat seemingly overwhelming odds. The story is good and adds to future storylines.

Snakes and Blossoms--Usagi tells some tales to the temple priest. One tale is of Usagi and Gen using a mountain pass shortcut that turns out to be much more treacherous than either imagined. The other tale is from Usagi's childhood, training with his master, and learning about courage and other virtues from trees. Both tales are charming though they seem like filler.

Return to Adachi Plain--Usagi visits the battlefield where his lord was defeated in battle by treachery, forcing the rabbit to go ronin. It's a bitter memory but not much of a story.

The Crossing--A minstrel is entertaining the crew and passengers on a ship when he accidentally bumps into a samurai. The enraged samurai threatens to kill the clumsy minstrel. A defender rises up from the depths of the ship but it is Jei, an old foe of Usagi's who is traveling to get revenge. On the ship he deals out his own brand of justice in a haunting tale that does not bode well for Usagi.

The Patience of the Spider--A prestigious general has to flee when his lord is defeated in battle. He hides in a simple farm house and spends his time blending in to his surroundings while an underling goes to the capital to find out when the new lord will be vulnerable to overthrow. With the patience of the spider, the general does too good a job of blending in and realizes, when the time comes, that he has a hard to choice to make--going back to a warlord's life or staying with the new family he has built.

The Lord of the Owls--Usagi meets the eponymous Lord of Owls, a deadly samurai who can see death in other people's faces or eyes. He is quite willing to be the cause of those deaths though he leaves Usagi with a warning that one of them will kill the other. Usagi naturally does not want harm to come to either, but he is left pondering what will come in the future.

The First Tenet--Neko Ninja Clan lieutenant Kagemaru delivers the conspiracy letter to one of Lord Hikiji's underlings. The underling is persuaded to pass the info on to Hikiji and to denounce Chizu, the head of the clan who is plotting her own ends. Kagemaru ingratiates himself well with the underling, using betrayal at every turn to make himself look better.

The Obakeneko of the Geishu Clan--Usagi remembers a horrifying night he spent in a house haunted by an evil spirit. The tale is creepy enough but the light-hearted ending leaves things okay.

Green Persimmon--Usagi comes upon a messenger who is dying. He takes a porcelain green persimmon from him. The messenger insists that it be delivered to Lord Noriyuki of the Geishu Province. Usagi is honored-bound by the dying man's wish but there is a lot of fighting before he can make it to safety. The puzzle of the porcelain's importance is interesting and contributes to the ongoing political intrigues that are tangential to Usagi's adventures. 

This is another fun volume of adventures. They seem to be building to something bigger in a future story.

Recommended, highly for Usagi fans.