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Usagi Yojimbo
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Creation & Design

Usagi Yojimbo was created by Stan Sakai, inspired by Japanese culture and samurai films. The character is a tribute to the samurai tradition and folklore.

Early Years

Usagi Yojimbo debuted in 1984 and quickly gained popularity for its unique blend of anthropomorphic characters and samurai storytelling.

Character Development

Over the years, Usagi has evolved from a simple samurai character into a complex figure embodying themes of honor, loyalty, and the struggles of a warrior in a changing world.

Cultural Reception

Usagi Yojimbo has been critically acclaimed for its storytelling, art, and cultural representation, earning multiple awards.

Character Details

Real Name:
Miyamoto Usagi
First Appearance:
Albedo #2
Aliases:
Usagi, Rabbit Samurai
Species:
Anthropomorphic Rabbit
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
The Samurai, The Tengu, The Rabbit Clan
Abilities:
Expert swordsman, Martial arts, Stealth
Equipment:
Katana, Shuriken, Armor
Weight:
100lbs
Height:
5' 3"
Eye Color:
black
Hair Color:
white

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Albedo #2
Thoughts & Images ⋅ 1984
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Albedo #2
 
Low
$950
Mid
$3.2k
High
$9.5k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Usagi Yojimbo

Yojimbo is Japanese for bodyguard

An animated series set in the Usagi Yojimbo universe is in production for Netflix

Albedo #3
Thoughts & Images ⋅ 1985
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Albedo #3
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

2nd appearance of Usagi Yojimbo and back cover appearance

Albedo #4
Thoughts & Images ⋅ 1985
View Details
Albedo #4
 
Low
$20
Mid
$80
High
$250

Key Facts

3rd appearance and second cover appearance of Usagi Yojimbo

Critters #1
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1986
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Critters #1
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

1st appearance of Gen, a rhinoceros bounty hunter

10-page Usagi Yojimbo story

Critters #3
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1986
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Critters #3
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$60

Key Facts

Cover art by Stan Sakai featuring Usagi Yojimbo

Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special #1
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1986
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special #1
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

One-shot with wraparound cover art by Stan Sakai

First reprint of Usagi Yojimbo first appearance from Albedo #2 (1984)

Doomsday Squad #3
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1986
View Details
Doomsday Squad #3
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

First Usagi Yojimbo story in color

Comics Interview #44
Comics Interview ⋅ 1987
View Details
Comics Interview #44
 
Low
$4
Mid
$12
High
$45

Key Facts

Cover art featuring Usagi Yojimbo

Interview with Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo #1
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1987
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$125

Key Facts

First solo series featuring Usagi Yojimbo

[July 2020 - an animated series based in the Yojimbo Universe has been announced for Netflix with the plot centered on a descendant of Miyamoto Usagi]

Anything Goes #6
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1987
View Details
Anything Goes #6
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Cover art by Stan Sakai, no interior Usagi story

Usagi Yojimbo #7
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1988
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Usagi Yojimbo #7
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$65

Key Facts

1st appearance and cover of Spot, an small aquatic dinosaur aka, a Tokage

[July 2021 - Spot confirmed for the Usagi Netflix series]

Usagi Yojimbo #10
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1988
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Usagi Yojimbo #10
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

1st appearance of Jei-san, a wolf and recurring villain of Usagi Yojimbo

Early appearance of Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Usagi Yojimbo #17
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1989
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #17
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

1st appearance of Chizu, a member of the Neko ninja clan

Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #1
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1989
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Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Anthology of stories featuring Usagi Yojimbo

Reprinted artwork, mostly covers, from early publications

Varmints Special #1
Blue Comet Comics ⋅ 1990
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Varmints Special #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$8

Key Facts

One-shot with Panda Khan story

Back cover art by Stan Sakai featuring Usagi Yojimbo

Amazing Heroes #187
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1991
View Details
Amazing Heroes #187
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

Interview with Stan Sakai and an 8-page comic story by Sakai that reveals the creation of Usagi Yojimbo

Usagi Yojimbo #32
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1992
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Usagi Yojimbo #32
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st appearance of Kitsune, a master thief

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #46
Mirage ⋅ 1992
View Details
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #46
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$55

Key Facts

Preview of Space Usagi, 4-page sketchbook of a far future descendant of Usagi Yojimbo

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #47
Mirage ⋅ 1992
View Details
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #47
 
Low
$20
Mid
$80
High
$200

Key Facts

1st appearance of Space Usagi, 8-page back-up story

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #46 previewed Space Usagi in 4 pages of sketches

Space Usagi #1
Mirage ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Space Usagi #1
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

Premiere issue of a three-issue series featuring Space Usagi, a far future descendent of Usagi Yojimbo

Usagi Yojimbo #35
Fantagraphics ⋅ 1992
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #35
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Cover art by Ken Steacy

Usagi Yojimbo #1
Mirage ⋅ 1993
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$10

Key Facts

Mirage begins publishing Usagi Yojimbo (Vol.2), previously published by Fantagraphics (Vol. 1)

Guest appearances by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Space Usagi #1
Ashcan ⋅ Mirage ⋅ 1993
View Details
Space Usagi #1
 
Low
$30
Mid
$80
High
$300

Key Facts

Ashcan edition, comic convention giveaway

Usagi Yojimbo #3
Mirage ⋅ 1995
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #3
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

Guest appearances by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, begins in issue #1

Usagi Yojimbo #1
Dark Horse ⋅ 1996
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Dark Horse begins publishing Usagi Yojimo

Dark Horse Presents #140
Dark Horse ⋅ 1999
View Details
Dark Horse Presents #140
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

Cover art featuring a Xenomorph and tie-in story to the Aliens: Apocalypse series

8-page Usagi Yojimbo story written and illustrated by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo #101
Dark Horse ⋅ 2007
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #101
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Copies ordered by retailers: 5,836

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Usagi Yojimbo #1
IDW ⋅ 2017
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (8)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

One-shot team-up of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi Yojimbo versus Jei

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Usagi Yojimbo #1
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2017
View Details
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$35

Key Facts

Variant cover art by David Petersen

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Usagi Yojimbo #1
Variant ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2017
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$65

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo #1
Non-Key
IDW ⋅ 2019
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (8)
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$4

Key Facts

Premiere issue of a new series written and illustrated by Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai with new publisher IDW

Usagi Yojimbo #1
1:50 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2019
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Kevin Eastman

Usagi Yojimbo #1
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2019
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Daniel Warren Johnson

Usagi Yojimbo #1
SDCC ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2019
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #1
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Ian Nichols, limited to 500 copies

San Diego Comic Con 2019 exclusive, offered by New England Comics

Usagi Yojimbo #6
IDW ⋅ 2019
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (8)
Usagi Yojimbo #6
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$4

Key Facts

Anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo's 35th year

Retelling of the first Usagi story "The Goblin of Adachigahara" with 16 additional pages of story from creator Stan Sakai

Origin of Usagi Yojimbo

Usagi Yojimbo #6
Foil ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2019
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #6
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

35th anniversary foil reproduction of Albedo #2 (1984), the first appearance of Usagi Yojimbo

Limited to 1,000 copies

Usagi Yojimbo #6
Variant ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2019
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Usagi Yojimbo #6
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

Variant virgin cover art by Julie Sakai, limited to 500 copies

First standard comic cover featuring a Chibi-style Usagi Yojimbo - Chibi refers to a type of art that depicts characters with large heads and small bodies

Cover art inspired by Albedo #2 (1984), illustrated by the wife of Stan Sakai, Julie

Usagi Yojimbo #10
SDCC ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2020
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Usagi Yojimbo #10
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$120

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Peach Momoko

San Diego Comic Con 2020 Comic-Con@Home exclusive

Usagi Yojimbo #15
Non-Key
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2020
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #15
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Mateus Santolouco

Usagi Yojimbo #16
Non-Key
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2021
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #16
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Jon Sommariva

Usagi Yojimbo #17
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2021
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #17
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Billy Martin

Usagi Yojimbo #18
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2021
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #18
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Jennifer Meyer

Usagi Yojimbo #20
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2021
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #20
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$70

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Jesus Hervas

Usagi Yojimbo #21
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2021
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #21
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$18

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Soo Lee

Usagi Yojimbo #22
1:10 ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2021
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo #22
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Rossi Gifford

Usagi Yojimbo: Lone Goat and Kid #1
Non-Key
Variant ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2022
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo: Lone Goat and Kid #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Johnny Desjardins

Usagi Yojimbo: Lone Goat and Kid #1
Non-Key
Variant ⋅ IDW ⋅ 2022
View Details
Usagi Yojimbo: Lone Goat and Kid #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by InHyuk Lee

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