Review: USAGI YOJIMBO: SENSO #4

24434USAGI YOJIMBO: SENSO #4
Written by Stan Sakai
Art by Stan Sakai
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: November 5, 2014

Stan Sakai continues his look at Usagi Yojimbo under invasion in Senso #4. The quality readers have grown to expect from Usagi Yojimbo is here and readers who have been reading the series so far will be happy with the progression of this issue.

Stan Sakai is a master, this cannot be disputed. His storytelling skills are phenomenal and the expressiveness of his characters is fantastic in this issue. The plot in this issue deals with the concept of honour well, and this lesson will not be lost on younger and older readers alike. The brimming secret of this arc adds tension and the threat of this particular foe adds an interesting dynamic to this story that makes it different than any Usagi Yojimbo comic readers have ever seen before. This fresh element breathes a lot of life into the world and characters and brings an interesting element of strategy to this issue. Slashing through the foe will not be enough to win this battle and that adds something special to issue #4. Sakai uses this to focus on characters who believe they may be in their final hours and that leads to some powerful moments in the story.

On the art front, readers will feel right at home. Sakai’s artwork isn’t the sharpest it has ever been, but he tells the story so well that small blips are irrelevant. Sakai does an excellent job showing the emotions his characters are feeling and honour and pride are not easy things to convey in comics. He does this seemingly with ease and the way the comic flows is simple and comforting. Sakai’s style is as comforting as a warm blanket and fans of Usagi Yojimbo will be right at home with this comic.

Usagi Yojimbo: Senso #4 continues the series at a nice pace and Sakai leaves himself a lot of territory to explore in issues #5 and #6. The master-storyteller weaves a fine tale and I look forward to seeing how this arc of Usagi Yojimbo wraps up in a couple months.

The Verdict: 8.0/10

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