Dark Horse and Stan Sakai Reveal Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader (Exclusive)

Usagi Yojimbo is celebrating his 40th Anniversary this year, and Dark Horse Comics and Stan Sakai are celebrating everyone’s favorite ronin in style. Dark Horse and Dogu Publishing are inviting fans to experience the series in the Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader, which features several hand-picked Usagi tales and presents them in color for the first time. Bringing those tales to life are Emi Fujii, Tom Luth, and Ronda Pattison, and you can check out the brand-new cover art below, which was painted by the one and only Stan Sakai. The reader is set to hit bookstores and comic stores in June, and you can pre-order now at your local comic shop, bookstore, or digital retailer.

The Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader includes fan-favorite short stories hand-picked by Sakai, including the fan-favorite story Chanoyu, which is now featured for the first time in color. Other stories in the collection include 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.”

You can check out the gorgeous new cover for the new edition above, and you can find the official description below.

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.

The Usagi Yojimbo 40th Anniversary Reader will land in bookstores in trade paperback form on June 18th, 2024, and then will land in comic shops on June 19, 2024. You can pre-order the 40th Anniversary reader at your local comic shop, bookstore, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble for $14.99.

Are you excited for Usagi Yojimbo’s 40th Anniversary? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things comics with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!