Book Review: Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 31 by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo Volume 31: The Hell Screen by Stan Sakai

More adventures from the rabbit ronin!

The River Rising--Usagi helps some villagers shore up the dike that protects their town. If the flooding rain wasn't bad enough, bandits rob the food stores from the village. Usagi chases after the bandits, leaving the desperate villagers to continue working. Once he catches up to the bandits, he makes a surprising discovery. The story plays out in typical fashion, though it ends with Usagi disappearing mysteriously from the village.

Kyuri--Kyuri is the word for cucumbers, which is the favorite food of kappa, the turtle-like demons that Usagi has faced before. Usagi chases after a villager who is attacked by a kappa. The kappa leaves the villager dead, so Usagi vows to destroy him. Once Usagi finds a cave with some kappa in it, he finds these kappa have a truce with the town. The new, hostile kappa is from up-river and is very troublesome. Usagi works with them to defeat the rogue kappa. It's another interesting story that resolves the prior cliffhanger.

Kazehime--Usagi is caught in a heavy storm and barely makes it to an empty shrine for shelter. As he approaches, a Neko Ninja named Kazehime falls from the sky. Usagi has had nothing but trouble from the Neko Ninja but he's too much of a humanitarian to leave an unconscious person to die from exposure. He nurses her back to health and they part ways. The story picks up three months later with another reunion of the rivals. This is another bittersweet story that is emotionally impactful.

The Secret of the Hell Screen--Usagi comes to a shrine that has some problems. The local lord is there to take possession of the shrine and its grounds, wanting to convert it to a hunting forest. The monks protest that the shrine has much more value as a place of worship where wayfarers can seek refuge. The situation gets more complicated when a death happens on the grounds. Usagi is pulled into the investigation by Inspector Ishida, who has been sent by the shogunate to moderate the dispute. The shrine is also protected by the Hell Screen, a large tapestry depicting the realm of the damned. It's claimed that the Hell Screen protects the shrine by cursing its enemies. Has the death (which is one of the lord's vassals) been caused by the Screen or is there a villain involved? Part of the story is very predictable but it is still enjoyable.

The Fate of the Elders--Usagi continues wandering as the rainy season finally ends. He travels near a village where they've clearly had a drought for a long time. On the road, he helps out a farmer and his invalid mother who are attacked by desperate marauders who have no food of their own. After driving off the would-be bandits, Usagi travels with the man and his mom to meet her husband at the top of a mountain. The story is very melancholy and has a surprise ending that is very moving.

Another fine collection of Usagi stories. 

Recommended.