Get ready for a hoppin’ good time as 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo, comic legend Stan Sakai’s titular rabbit ronin. To celebrate, Dark Horse Comics and Dogu Publishing will be releasing a special collection of eight handpicked stories which will be presented in color for the first time. This is a great opportunity for old and new fans alike to re-read some of Sakai’s best stories in a brand new way when the new collection hits shelves June 18th!

The stories included in Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader include: Chanoyu, A Mother’s Love, Blade of the Gods, The Way of the Samurai, Cut the Plum, The Artist, Buntori, and Adachi.

"Stan Sakai is not just a master storyteller, but a member of the Dark Horse family," said Dark Horse President Mike Richardson. "We are so glad to celebrate Stan and 40 years of his beloved creation, Usagi Yojimbo, here at Dark Horse. I'm thrilled to offer longtime fans and new readers a fresh look at some of our favorite stories over the years, now in one new collection." 

Official Press Release

MILWAUKIE, Ore., (January 9, 2024)— The year 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo, Stan Sakai’s award-winning artistic and storytelling epic featuring everyone’s favorite rabbit ronin! Dark Horse Comics and Dogu Publishing invite readers on a journey through the series in the Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader. This new collection of stories presents a selection of hand-picked Usagi tales in color for the first time from Emi Fujii, Tom Luth, and Ronda Pattison. The new cover art is painted by Stan Sakai himself, adding to the appeal for collectors.

This new paperback collection presents eight fan-favorite and Stan-Sakai-selected short stories, including the fan-favorite short story “Chanoyu,” which is appearing for the first time in color! Other stories include “A Mother’s Love,” “Blade of the Gods,” “The Way of the Samurai,” “Cut the Plum,” “The Artist,” “Buntori,” and “Adachi”. Readers are invited to follow Miyamoto Usagi through four decades of comic creativity and adventure. Relive the essential moments of Usagi Yojimbo or invite a new love of Sakai’s worldbuilding into your life or the life of someone you love.

"Stan Sakai is not just a master storyteller, but a member of the Dark Horse family," said Dark Horse President Mike Richardson. "We are so glad to celebrate Stan and 40 years of his beloved creation, Usagi Yojimbo, here at Dark Horse. I'm thrilled to offer longtime fans and new readers a fresh look at some of our favorite stories over the years, now in one new collection." 

Wish Sakai and Usagi Yojimbo a wonderful anniversary when Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader arrives in trade paperback on bookstore shelves on June 18, 2024, and comic shops on June 19, 2024. Pre-order at your local comic shop, bookstore, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble for $14.99. 

Praise for Usagi Yojimbo:

“Sixteenth-century Japan is never so entertaining as in Stan Sakai’s tales of Miyamoto Usagi.”—NPR’s Best Books of 2014

“Stan Sakai has successfully brought to American comics a collection of Japanese fables well told in the American style. Usagi Yojimbo is an enduring work. Bravo.”—Will Eisner

“Sakai is a total pro and a consummate craftsman.”—Rolling Stone

“Stan Sakai is able to spin a web of emotions with few words . . . nothing is lost as each sentence has a meaning and purpose towards the larger narrative. The art is equally gorgeously simple . . . a must read for any comic book fan.” —Graphic Policy