Have you ever heard of Usagi Yojimbo; maybe from watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? How about the numerous comics that wander from one publisher to the next? Have you ever heard of Stan Sakai? Perhaps you only know him by reputation and for what he does. No one can blame you, every time someone thinks they know something about him, a new thing comes up. Perhaps that’s what makes him a good storyteller.
Stan Sakai, Artist with no Master
Stanley Masahiko Sakai only gives his name, birth place, and education when it comes to his life before comics. Born in Kyoto in 1953, his family immigrates to Hawaii. For twenty-two years as a sansei Kepani, people can only guess his life before University. As far as anybody can tell, his Japanese ancestry allows for studies in Japanese schools. Some can even say he has to avoid learning Japanese to show allegiance to the US. In fact he later transfers schools to Pasadena California’s College of Design. Still this is only speculation.
Stan begins his career in comics by lettering comics including Groo the Wanderer which becomes an influence. As such his first attempt at writing and drawing comes in The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy. However the characters don’t seem to catch on in comparison to his magnum opus. The eighties were a notable time in the US in the rise of manga. Naturally this also includes other Japanese media. With influences from the Chanbara subgenre including Seven Samurai comes Usagi Yojimbo.
The Path of the Ronin
Miyamoto Usagi’s adventures are the absolute pinnacle of Stan Sakai as a creator. The art style alone evokes this sense of going through Japan’s history of art. Some of the earliest forms of manga come from illustrations in scrolls. One of which is Choju-jinbutsu-giga, depicting various stories in picture format. The linear monochrome drawings evoke the styles in Japanese paintings. Japanese Buddhist monks later create the means of using these scrolls for recounting history. This eventually turns into the Kamishibai narratives.
For Stan whether intentional or not show a synthesis between American cartooning with traditional Japanese manga. The aesthetics evoke immediate similarities with the Choju-Giga including the satirical take on Japan’s society. Usagi’s tale itself is a much lighter take on the journey of Miyamoto Musashi. Even the deaths are a more humorous sight than tragic. That’s not to say that the series doesn’t get serious when it has to. Each story however plays out as if a narrator tells it from a different point of view. A few side stories have no dialogue or text, evoking a Kamishibai vibe. This version however has an overarching story. The publications even evoke the fact that Usagi can never stay in one place.
The Ukiyo-e of Stan Sakai
Aside from Usagi Yojimbo, a few other projects come Stan Sakai’s way. However his style never seems to stray far from its Japanese influences. For example, Bart Simpson’s Treehouse of Terror story “I’m not in Springfield Anymore” features distinct Japanese art styles. In 2013, Sakai serves as the artist for a comic adaptation of the 47 Ronin. Contrasting Usagi is this gruesome tale of loyalty; the deaths feel heavy with emphasis in the coloring. The settings themselves look similar to Ukiyo-e styles of paintings in simple strokes. The backing by Mike Richardson and Kazuo Koike certainly drives the point home.
Showing the Utmost Respect to the Arts
Remember the introduction to this post? It’s safe to say the Japanese art styles and legends influence Sakai throughout his life. At some point some other storyteller will biographically tell the story of Stan Sakai. He touches various aspects of the arts and how much it means to any culture. The synthesis of these tales can each tell a story for anyone to enjoy. A fan production by Lintika Films makes use of limited animation and stop-motion for a proof-of-concept. It certainly means a lot when Stan gets the means to work on Usagi’s debut in the 2012 TMNT series. The episodes evokes the stylizations of Akira Kurosawa all the while synthesizing Sakai and the show’s CGI. While still on the topic of animations, I am hoping that French Studio Gaumont creates a memorable series.
I certainly hope I can make use of various art styles for what I work on. Thanks for coming and as always remember to look between the panels.