History Creator / StanSakai

* ArtStyleDissonance: The often-serious subject matter coupled with his cartoony style.

* FunnyAnimal: Most of it.

* LighterAndSofter: ''The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy'' is much lighter than ''Usagi Yojimbo'', though Sakai has stated they take place in the same world.

Creating comics was a lifelong dream of his, but before getting in the industry he worked as a commercial artist. His comics career started in 1982 when his friend Creator/SergioAragones suggested that he do the lettering for his new book ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer'', which he still does up to the present. He has also lettered other comics, including the ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' newspaper strip and some of the earliest English-translated manga like ''[[Manga/KamuiDen The Legend of Kamui]]'' (''Kamui Gaiden''), and has won an [[Creator/WillEisner Eisner Award]] for his lettering alone.

In 1984, two of his creations were first published in the first two issues of the FurryComic anthology magazine ''[[ComicBook/AlbedoErmaFelnaEDF Albedo Anthropomorphics]]'': ''The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy'' and ''Usagi Yojimbo''. Both series had a WorldOfFunnyAnimals, and Nilson and Usagi were both rabbits (while Hermy was a guinea pig), but the former had a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting while the latter was set in [[JidaiGeki pre-Meiji period Japan]].

Stanley Masahiko Sakai (born May 25, 1953) is a Japanese-American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

His grandfather was a Japanese immigrant (''issei'') to the United States, making him a third-generation Japanese American (''sansei''). Born in Kyoto to a Japanese American father (''nisei'', second-generation) and a Japanese mother, he grew up in Hawaii. Today he lives in California.

Stanley Masahiko Sakai (born May 25, 1953) is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

In 1985, Sakai moved to Fantagraphics Books where his characters were published in their anthology title ''Critters''. In 1987, BreakoutCharacter Usagi got his own title which is still ongoing. Over the years, his work on ''Usagi Yojimbo'' has earned Sakai several awards. It has been published by Fantagraphics, [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Mirage Comics]] and currently Creator/DarkHorseComics. Sakai's friendship with Mirage's Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, creators of the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles, has also led to Usagi meeting them both in comics and in cartoons.

Stan Masahiko Sakai (born May 25, 1953) is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

Creating comics was a lifelong dream of his, but before getting in the industry he worked as a commercial artist. His comics career started in 1982 when his friend Creator/SergioAragones suggested that he do the lettering for his new book ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer'', which he still does up to the present. He has also lettered other comics including the ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' newspaper strip, and has won an [[Creator/WillEisner Eisner Award]] for his lettering alone.

Stanley Masahiko Sakai (b. 1953) is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

* AuthorAvatar: As drawn by Creator/SergioAragones, he appears in the ''Groo'' series as [[TheVoiceless a silent]] Scribe, and also makes cameos in ''Sergio Aragonés Funnies''. He also put a self-insert character in the 200th issue of ''Usagi'', an artisan named Masa.

* AuthorAvatar: As drawn by Creator/SergioAragones, he appears in the ''Groo'' series as [[TheVoiceless a silent]] Scribe and as himself in ''Sergio Aragones Funnies''. He also put a self-insert character in the 200th issue of ''Usagi'', an artisan named Masa.

* AuthorAvatar: He appears in the ''Groo'' series as [[TheVoiceless a silent]] Scribe. He also put a self-insert character in the 200th issue of ''Usagi'', an artisan named Masa.

Stan Masahiko Sakai (b. 1953) is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

Stan Masahiko Sakai (b. 1954) is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

Stan Masahiko Sakai is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984.

* AuthorAvatar: He appears in the ''Groo'' series as [[TheVoiceless a silent]] Scribe. He also put a self-insert character in the 200th issue of ''Usagi'', an artist named Masa.

* {{Homage}}: ''Usagi Yojimbo'' is one big homage to the JidaiGeki genre, especially in cinema. Sakai has stated that he's more influenced by Japanese films than manga.
* LighterAndSofter: ''The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy'' is much lighter than ''Usagi Yojimbo'', though WordOfGod states they take place in the same world.

* AuthorAvatar: He appears in the ''Groo'' series as [[TheVoiceless a silent]] Scribe. He also put a self-insert character in the 100th issue of ''Usagi'', an artist named Masa.

Stan Sakai is a third-generation Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984. Born in Kyoto to a Japanese American father and a Japanese mother, he grew up in Hawaii. Today he lives in California.

His career in comics started in 1982, lettering ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer'' (which he still does) and other books. In 1984, two of his creations were first published in the first two issues of the FurryComic anthology magazine ''[[ComicBook/AlbedoErmaFelnaEDF Albedo Anthropomorphics]]'': ''The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy'' and ''Usagi Yojimbo''. Both series had a WorldOfFunnyAnimals, and Nilson and Usagi were both rabbits (while Hermy was a guinea pig), but the former had a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting while the latter was set in [[JidaiGeki pre-Meiji period Japan]].

In 1985, Sakai moved to Fantagraphics Books, where his characters were published in their anthology title ''Critters''. In 1987, BreakoutCharacter Usagi got his own title which is still ongoing. Over the years, Usagi has been published by Fantagraphics, [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Mirage Comics]] and currently Creator/DarkHorseComics. In 2014, Dark Horse reprinted the Nilson and Hermy stories in hardcover.

Sakai has also illustrated a comic miniseries about UsefulNotes/The47Ronin for Dark Horse.

Stan Sakai is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984. Born in Kyoto in 1953, his family emigrated to Hawaii when he was a toddler. Today he lives in California.

Stan Sakai is a Japanese American cartoonist best known for creating ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', a FunnyAnimal comic series which he has written, drawn and lettered alone since 1984. Born in Kyoto in 1961, his family emigrated to Hawaii when he was a toddler. Today he lives in California.

His career in comics started in 1982, lettering ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer'' and other books. In 1984, two of his creations were first published in the first two issues of the FurryComic anthology magazine ''[[ComicBook/AlbedoErmaFelnaEDF Albedo Anthropomorphics]]'': ''The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy'' and ''Usagi Yojimbo''. Both series had a WorldOfFunnyAnimals, and Nilson and Usagi were both rabbits (while Hermy was a guinea pig), but the former had a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting while the latter was set in [[JidaiGeki pre-Meiji period Japan]].