While Usagi's full origin story is not essential to the ongoing plot of his later adventures, it's always nice to know where our heroes come from. Because Usagi Yojimbo pre-dates Dark Horse, the original run was published by Fantagraphics from 1984-1987 and was later collected into a hardcover edition called Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition, published by Fantagraphics. Luckily, Dark Horse was able to obtain digital rights to the single issues collected in Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition and are available for purchase at digital.darkhorse.com and on the Dark Horse app.



The original run of Usagi Yojimbo covers Miyamoto Usagi's journey from student, to Samurai, to Ronin following the death of his master Lord Mifune in "The Samurai." It also includes the epic sequential story "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy" in which Usagi allies himself with past friends and foes to storm a fortress and save a friend...and possibly Japan.