Review: ‘TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo- Wherewhen’ #1 Is A Nostalgic Work Of Art

Welcome to the table,

One of the first games I remember seeing actual RPG books for was Palladium’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness, and the assorted mutant animal-focused After the Bomb books that were shelved alongside it. TMNT was a HUGE part of my childhood. The cartoon and live-action movies provided endless entertainment for most of the kids my age and while I never played a ton of the TMNT RPG it was something we messed around with during long weekends and one-shots.

I think my favorite of all the Ninja Turtle stuff though was the samurai rabbit action figure known as Usagi Yojimbo. The action figure was super cool with samurai armor leg and arm plates, katana, and a sword staff, and his face sculpt was fierce! I mean this bunny looked like it was ready to go to war. It would be years later I learned about Stan Sakai‘s comic but that rabbit went almost everywhere with me.

It lost a leg plate in some hospital along the way, the swords were tossed out by my parents when they had a particularly bad weekend and just started throwing random stuff they could find in the house away. I’m honestly not sure where the figure even ended up.

The last I recall seeing it was the last time I left my parent’s house, it was tucked in a drawer, white fur discolored from years of play, warped from being tucked into backpacks and pockets… I’ll probably never see it again but it will always hold a place in my heart, a bright spot in my strange youth.

But you guys are not here for stories about old action figures, you want to know about the New Hotness. And let me tell you, Sakai’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo – WhereWhen #1 (Out tomorrow from IDW) is indeed HOTNESS!

From the cover readers know our shell heads are going to be meeting up with Usagi and crew before this epic yarn sees completion. We start our story in feudal Japan, where Usagi, while serving as a guard for Lord Noriyuki, is approached by some local villages who tell stories of evil Kappa who dwell by a nearby river. Of course, we can see where all of this is going, but the ride is well worth it as Stan Sakai‘s art, lettering, and writing is flawless. Usagi, Tomoe, Jotaro, and Yukichi head off to sort out the Kappa issue.

Meanwhile, in present day, The Turtles are tracking down Dr. Wherewhen in an attempt to thwart his time travel plans to take over the past so he can be a conquering dictator in the future.

The boys look amazing in this book and Hi-Fi Design‘s color work really makes all the cool mechanics science bits sing. As things are bound to happen, the Turtles find themselves following Dr. WhereWhen through a time portal and arriving in Japan face-to-face with those looking for dangerous green monsters.

Is it predictable? Yes. Is it light-hearted? Yes. Is it freaking awesome? YES!!!

I can’t wait for the next issue. The setup may have been telegraphed, but how this epic story will end is anyone’s guess.

Until next time, keep being the adult the little kid you needed.