Like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Usagi is a cute animal with a black belt in ass-kickery. But unlike those green-backed heroes in a half-shell, the ronin rabbit has kept to his adult-orientated roots with a saga that comprises all manner of murder, mayhem and the odd sexy scene in an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan. This iconic bunny with a blade was originally conceived as a human and based upon historical Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. However, inspired by a doodle of rabbit ears atop his hero’s head, Sakai was inspired to create a more unique and ultimately enduring comic book icon. The noble leporine’s longevity can be put down to an intriguing mix of historical and cinematic influence, cute fluffy bunniness and an ability to slice and dice with stunning efficiency.

FIRST APPEARED IN ALBEDO ANTHROPOMORPHICS VOL 1, ISSUE 2 (1984)
CREATED BY STAN SAKAI