A talk-back/discussion thread before we dive in to the side-canon/supplemental material. Air out all your feelings on kirishitans hidden or otherwise, the absolute state of Feudal Japan, bushido or bull, and just where Yukichi is tucking his umeboshis. Remember that this is NOT a general just spillover from an annual storytime tradition. Oh and don't forget to vote for best girl: https://strawpoll.com/61gD9r4x5ZwPrevious thread: >>153449934
>>153457477>Where is this art from? Is it a 47 Ronin-related piece?Commissioned piece from Sakai-dono himself.https://x.com/fymeikokaji/status/2037602214706118770
>>153457475>Death to carrots! Pineapples is rabbit's best friend!
>>153457475As someone who was recently introduced to Yukichi, I feel like he's a fine character but question why he is in fact here when we could have just had Usagi travel with Jotaro again.How do you guys feel about Yukichi?Also what's with all these Yukichi being a girl theory? I just headcanon him to have the Jason Griffith voice.
>>153457619At first I thought it was just anons jerking off but after the scene where he refused to bathe with Usagi in the onsen it can really only be that. We know that to be a female and skilled with the blade is pretty much a no to in this society from the tragedy of Tomoe. Yukichi or his parents knew this and undertook this ruse to at least give him a chance to live it as long as no one discovers the ruse.It's that or he's somehow hiding signs of leprosy under the robe. He's way too innocent and sheltered to somehow have gambler tats.
>>153457514I support this theory of Yukishi being branded in some way, sure he looks more femenine that most male characters but he is supposed to be young and sheltered so making him look less roughed that the rest works for his character. Another reason is in plain sight, Stan draws women with human hair, Yukishi doesn't have human hair.
>>153457475I think Yukichi is just scarred in some way
>>153457619I feel OK about Yukichi myself. I don't see him having a character overlap with Jotaro either, the two each have their own distinct type of naivete without too much overlap. If there is one point that I can see with readers who don't like him, it's that he has stuck around for a long time without giving Usagi a break to go solo again. Jotaro was with Usagi for three consecutive volumes, Yukichi has been around for five, with no signs of leaving his role as sidekick. At this point it really is a significant shift in the dynamic of the series.
>>153457619It's a combination of his facial features looking more akin to what females have, and this recent arc which showcased him dodging the Onsen. It's low-hanging fruit.That said, he's very much a cipher, the proverbial 'Player 2' of old gaming generations past. Whatever differences he might actually show in contrast to Usagi just get swallowed up by the end of the story and get repeated ad nauseum.
>>153457619I like Yukichi quite a bitThe naiveté is fine and helps with getting some plot points going, plus it gives someone for Usagi to play off of easily.He's not the most deep character but he makes for a good companion when we can't have Gen around, though I miss having Gen around as often as he once was.Also, as perhaps basic as it may be, I like his orange get up matches really well with usagi's blue.Also also I admit it, yeah I like the headcanon/theory he's a girl. I warned you niggas I WILL be doing the smutfic.>>153457752The lack of human hair is honestly probably the surest sign the girl thing is hogwash the more i think about itA man can dream though
>>153457767Yeah I was actually a bit surprised we got to the end of the main story without a split up, I could've sworn there was one.
>>153457749>>153457752What if Yukishi is two eta in a trenchcoat?
>>153457749>hiding leprosyOh shit, with all the christian themes going on with him that would actually make a lot more sense than being female or a branded criminal.>>153457752It just doesn't make any sense for him to be a branded criminal. It conflicts with his character and history too much. Also for the whole female aspect, look at how skinny Yukichi's wrists and neck are. Basically the only characters as skinny as him are female. Sure you might find one or two male starving background peasants as skinny as him, but the only group of characters that are consistently of the same build as him are female.
>>153457619>why he is in fact here when we could have just had Usagi travel with Jotaro again.Stan can't make Jotaro a christian/female/tattooed criminal/leper/whatever the fuck the twist with him is supposed to be.
>>153457619>I feel like he's a fine character but question why he is in fact here when we could have just had Usagi travel with Jotaro againJotaro is just Usagi 2.0 with a Kenichi Kicker circa some archery skills. It's taken us a while but the thing with Yukichi now is that he's showing signs of diverting from just being another samurai and it will make an interesting counterpoint. For a long ass time now Usagi has been questioning why he holds fast to the laws of the samurai, of honor over life in all things. He's starting to turn away from it as someone who lived and breathed that, was burned with it at Adachi Plains and killing his former friend Gunichi. Yukichi never had these lessons hard pressed into him. He was raised to them yes but he shows he can easily move past them like when he quickly wanted to apologize to Gen and Stray Dog after his Bushido Moment or gaining respect for and mourning Inuyoshi who he had insulted to his face.In fact, the biggest point might be him possibly converting to Christianity. Or at least becoming sympathetic to it while Usagi has been nothing but derisive, or confused and dismissive at best. It shows a willingness to engage with foreign ideas that I don't think Usagi himself quite has and can lead to some very interesting places if allowed to develop.
>>153457767>Jotaro was with Usagi for three consecutive volumes, Yukichi has been around for fiveTo be fair, there have been a lot less stories per volume after the Hidden.
>>153457767Despite hanging with Usagi for more volumes I feel Jotaro stuck longer. I think it has to do with the stories, Jotaro was in many different adventures while Yukishi's feels like one long continuous treck like everything that happened has been less that a week.
>>153457851But what if Yukichi is a female christian with a criminal history and recently caught leprosy.>>153457619>Jason GriffithSonic the Hedgehog?
>>153457619One thing we're assuming is that Yukichi is hiding something on his body when he could just as easily been meeting someone in secret.
>>153458053Assassin playing the long game?
tomoesisters we can't let this stand https://strawpoll.com/61gD9r4x5Zw
>>153457475Kitsunebros...she's getting btfo
>>153457868Five as opposed to six issues per TPB, isn't it? And I think that's only because Stan cut his annual publication pace to five issues from six.
>>153457619I like Yukichi. Its fun to have Usagi traveling with a partner for a few stories. And with Yukichi, Usagi's protective but doesn't smother him the way he might if it was Jotaro. Anyway my Yukichi headcanon is he got a tattoo of FEUDAL Jesus on his chest. Not gonna jump to the Yukichi is a girl theory yet although I can see why anons are running with it.
>>153458152>Kitsunebros>there is only one vote for KitsuneI don't think your bros exist, Kitsunefag.
>>153458126Shogunate spy?
>>153458195Pain. Still I stood by my thieving waifu to the end.
>>153458195>Kitsunefags don't support KitsuneChecks out
If Usagi was nominated for Mr /co/lympus, would you support him?Also what would be the best image to represent him?
>>153458138It always boils down to the main two. Didn't someone last year suggest NOT including them just to get a different result?
>>153458310The drumming sequence is the most kino Usagi has ever looked so that image
>>153458319I think Inazuma would be higher if not for the whole jeizuma thing going for a while.
>>153458310it's succinct
>>153458321This Page?
>>153458341Yeah I love it
>>153458310
>>153458310I predict he would make it to round 4 and lose to someone who has huge meme/recency bias. Probably Conquest from Invincible or Jax/Kinger from the Amazing Digital Circus. What really hurts his chances of winning is that we already have a comic book character who won, Spider-Man. So even if we start this "New Season" as /tnt/ calls it, it's going to be hard for him to win. Plus we all know Jack from Samurai Jack is probably going to win this year.
>>153458138>forcing me to choose between Tomoe, Mayumi, and MuraHow could you.
>>153458459Tomoe would whoop ass but Chizu might take it through ninja bs. Has there ever been a siege/castle defense tale?
>>153458527Dragon Bellow Conspiracy ended with a storming of the one piggy dudes castle by a bunch of a ninja
>>153458440>2018Johnny Bravo>2019Kronk>2020Tom Cat>2021General Grievous>2022Zorak>2023Skeletor>2024Spider-Man>2025Daffy DuckHonestly Usagi would be a better winner than most of the Night Shift Era winners.
>>153458138I voted for Kiyoko because she's the strongest.
>>153457619I just think he's too redundant with Usagi himself. Those two talking to each other might as well be a monologue.
>>153457889>female christian with a criminal history and recently caught leprosy.sans the leprosy, this is getting close to primo fetish territory.
>>153457475The Lutherans are at it again.
>>153458749>OblivatedFuck.
>>153457619>he's>he>him
>>153457619I don't care for Yukichi at all. I find he's largely redundant and Usagi has better back and forth with pretty much any other character. That he's been introduced as a deuteragonist means he gets a lot of page time too which really wears out his welcome fast. Further the whole didn't want to bath with Usagi giving fodder for the OMG GIRL faggots has only made any further discussion with him insufferable and annoying. You're all a bunch of retards.
>>153458732
I think one thing that feels off to me about more recent stories is that the shift to more of a limited series of five issues at a time system means that things are ironically being dragged out more than they were as individual issues of a continuing series.For instance, I feel like earlier stories wouldn't have come out and explained what was going on from the start like Ten Thousand Plums did and would also have had fewer reaction shots.So I tried a bit of editing on that first section with that in mind. See what you think of it.
>>153450603Sweaty reverse trap samurai bunny...I'll be in my futon.
I wonder if interest for an Usagi Game like Pic Related would be high?
>>153458459Mariko's way out of her weight class here.Though, if fairness, she'd get her ass beat by Mayumi even worse than Tomoe or Chizu,
>>153459025Makes me wonder if it was Stan's choice or if he's just unable to get an ongoing these days.
>>153458803I don't remember anons being this overbearing about it last year.
>>153458138The lack of Hanako disappoints me.
>>153459249Seems to just be the industry standard these days. Presumably because the constant First Issues play well to the speculator market.
>>153457619Yukichi is mostly there for parity with Yuichi from Samurai Rabbit netflix show. He's similarly sheltered and idealistic.
>>153457475Usagi and Usagi
>>153458560Man the art sure changed.
>>153459025I defiantly like it the old way. I'm not against multi parters but I feel like a lot of this shit can be truncated and more done in ones or twos would really help break up the monotony.
>>153459261annoying faggots always get worse over time. Retards who don't get it's a joke flood their fetish.
>>153459249I was in an ebay live show he did last year where someone asked about it and Stan answered. Basically >>153459294 is right. The series wouldn't be able to support itself as an ongoing with the current sales, but can survive as 5 issue minis.
>>153459394That's pretty sad
>>153459261The onsen thing wasn't part of the storytime last year, that issue wasn't out yet, and that's clearly turned a corner on this. For me, it has, and I doubt I'm alone. Before, I thought it was just a silly meme 'cause of the big dewy eyes he was always sporting, right up until that scene. Now, I'm hard pressed for a better explanation, and the competing theories feel like a cope from people who really want him to be a dude for whatever reasons. I don't think any of them really explains his reluctance to have anyone at all see him naked, to the point that he only visits a bath when nobody else is in there. Unless maybe Yukichi is a Nevernude, and he's sporting some denim cutoffs under his hakama, which would be my #2 most likely theory.
>>153459429It was because they didn't want him there to question the crucifix so they could explain later, you goddamn retards. That's the reason. Usagi had to be alone to see it so he could go HARUMPH and then Oriver can start asking questions later. You're an idiot. Fuck you.
>>153459463That's a story beat reason, not an in-character reason. "I went to an outdoor pool. No one was there" is not a line that needs to be there for story beat reasons, and your explanation doesn't handle it.
>>153457752>Yukishi doesn't have human hair.shaved bald then?
>>153459482It was a lazy story excuse but it wasn't anything more complex. Quit it with the retarded faggot headcannon. There have been plenty of times to hint at this. Remember when they fell in a frozen fucking river?
>>153459463The exposure too kuhristisn iconography one afternoon earlier makes no difference given it's brought up as a casual conversation topic the next day when they go to the checkpoint. Yukichi is very clearly hiding something, it may be bound bunny tits, it could be some sort of private meeting. I reread the last part but I couldn't see any meaningful looks between our new favorite enigma and anyone in the background or vice versa. It clearly was he needed to be away from Usagi for SOMETHING. After all they paid for the privilege of a private indoor onsen but instead in this super crowded town he just casually found one that was completely empty outside?I smell something funny and it ain't the pickles.
>>153459463That doesn't explain Yukichi's awkwardness when Usagi left for the bath. He had already said a couple pages earlier that he didn't like the crowds in the baths, so if keeping him out of that scene was the only reason Stan could just fall back on that instead of calling attention to it on two separate pages.
>>153459497>it wasn't anything more complexYour "story excuse" still doesn't explain the dialogue, Yukichi is 100% being weird about it, like he's hiding something. That's nothing to do with the Kirishitan cross reveal incident, it feels like you're dodging the point hard.
>>153457619>Also what's with all these Yukichi being a girl theory? I just headcanon him to have the Jason Griffith voice.Eh, it explains a lot about Yukichi's background as well as the bath scene and Usagi initially not recognizing who was speaking to him. The bath scene is one thing but Usagi not recognizing the voice of somebody that he's been traveling with for a while just seems like an odd bit to include if there's not some deeper meaning to it. Of course there's also a few other sequences where reading with that girl interpretation in mind changes those scenes considerably.Gen's reaction to meeting Yukichi now could also be seen as Gen instantly seeing through it, hearing Usagi call Yukichi his cousin, and then thought "Alright, fine, we'll play it that way."Plus anybody that calls Yukichi handsome is also falling into that old comedy bit about people in drag automatically being irresistible to their own sex. Of course, there's other interpretations but a secret Christian doesn't really make sense before Tabo and the tattoo proposal doesn't fit Yukichi's cloistered life at the sword school and generally naive nature. I also think there would be more foreshadowing if Yukichi had some sort of serious illness as well.Of course, the whole thing could be a red herring as well.
>>153459463>>153459497Bro you're being purposefuly delusional to "own" anons who have a theory you don't agree with. And Yukichi did not fall into the river, only Usagi did.
>>153459505>>153459511It's possible, and this is going to sound crazy, if a character says he doesn't like crowds, maybe it just means he doesn't like crowds. He was always a sheltered school boy. He could just as easily be not used to bathing in groups. In either case it's not a green light for your gay fanfic.>>153459540It's not a theory it's a fetish. Theories have bases in logic, not any straw you can reach to be a massive homo.
>>153459540I mean I get why he's so hostile to the idea, there's a risk it's gonna attract really fucking annoying autists who will ONLY talk about it but at the same time he's acting like an annoying autist himself
It shouldn't bother me as much as it should but it kind of annoys me Usagi's modern online legacy is either pic related or for gay shipping for another franchise to skirt around incest
>>153459548>It's not a theory it's a fetish.Ah, I see your problem. Consider that effeminate little twink bunny is a fetish for other people, and then neck yourself because literally everything is somebody's fetish, and that's the logical conclusion of your angry, outraged pushback against anything that somebody, somewhere might jack off to.
>>153459528One theory I don't think anyones mentioned is that he might've had a secret meeting with someone by the empty outside pool during Usagi's bathtime, and claimed he was bathing in the outside pool incase he was spotted by some traveller who then tells Usagi.Dont know who the candidates for a clandestine meeting are, maybe Shogunate spies? It maybe Koroshi or a ninja clan and Yukichi is being blackmailed or manipulated or something. Or a Hikiji agent?
>>153459572It's been brought up a couple of times, actually. But there's been no other hints of that so far, and the way the dialogue is phrased is suggestive of hiding one's body, much more than just making up excuses to slip away somewhere.
>>153459572I remember when non retards where suggest he might be a kirishitan himself. He very well could have feigned ignorance later on.>maybe Shogunate spieswe did just hear someone mention he knows of Usagi.
>>153459591>, and the way the dialogue is phrased is suggestive of hiding one's body,It suggest nothing of the sort. It suggest a off the cuff can't think of a better excuse. If they wanted to hide his body they'd make more an effort to draw attention to it. Have usagi tug at his shirt or something.
>>153459560This is probably because there wasnt any real UY cartoon, just spin-offs or cameos in other franchises.
>>153459593>we did just hear someone mention he knows of Usagi.Yes, but it's more likely it was one of the actual spies like the one he saved from the NekoOr the actual Shogunate agent he clashed with in The Hidden. Whoever wrote the report was apparently rather dismissive which makes me think it's the latter given they parted on non amicable terms
>>153459593Shogunate spy seems redundant with the non-Kenichi-shaped shogunate spies already established as keeping tabs on Usagi.>>153459597>Have usagi tug at his shirt or somethingFeels like you're the one reaching for things
>>153459622>Feels like you're the one reaching for thingsBecause it doesn't line up with your fetish.
>>153459560I will never believe shippers actually care about whatever series they infest.>>153459609>This is probably because there wasnt any real UY cartoonThe problem is that UY is a period piece that happens to feature funny animal characters as well as violence and serious themes. It's not something that would ever accurately be adapted by the animation industry. I'm imagining an early 90s cartoon where Usagi's not even allowed to draw his sword against another person. It's telling that Space Usagi is as far as the series got.
>>153459622*YukichiI'm tired, lol>>153459662That's really what's busting your brain, huh? Get this: it's not my fetish, you dope. It is, however, a venerable old story device and it currently appears to me to be the most likely explanation for whatever the big secret reveal is that Stan is now very clearly setting up for Yukichi. You yelling "fetish!" at people isn't convincing me of anything except that you have ingested toxic memes and need to switch off the internet for a while until you can get your head on straight.
>>153459463>>153459548>>153459662See>>153450608>>153450636So Yukichi earlier says "I don't like crowds," then when Usagi says "hey let's go to the baths while everyone's eating so they're empty" Yukichi bails on him and goes somewhere else for a bath. If this was simply about Yukichi not liking crowds then he would've gone to the baths with Usagi.Either this is a lineup for something with Yukichi later or Stan's writing has gotten as lazy as the art coloring. I don't know why you're so aggressively advocating for the latter.
Question for people who think the bath scene was about Yukichi hiding that he is a christian:>>153450684If Yukichi was a hidden christian why would he ask Usagi about the checkpoints completely unprompted and then harshly criticize christians, also completely unprompted? Feigning ignorance is generally a reactive behavior, so I don't see why he would start questioning Usagi about christianity unless he really wasn't aware of what was going on.
>>153457619His the Pepsi to Usagis Coke. I dont think he really adds anything to these stories besides going trough the same moments early Usagi went trough experiencing the Ronin life. Maybe thats what Stan wanted, a reason to go back to those kinda stories again. Him being Usagis cousin also doesnt sit well with me, feels like a thing you would come across on Deviantart.
>>153459572Again though, it's not just the bath but the bit immediately after with Usagi being confused by Yukichi's voice. Yukichi temporarily forgetting and using a higher voice than usual easily explains that.Far as a secret meeting goes, Yukichi meeting with a shogunate spy seems redundant; lately we see one pretty much every time they're in town and even with the detailed ledger destroyed, that one guy still could have made a lengthy report of Usagi's activities.Of course, there's also the simple fact that Yukichi passed Jei's Evil check, which we know for a fact only has one exception, and also confused the hell out of Jei in the process. Yukichi radiating Innocent Loli Energy while looking like a young man would certainly explain that encounter. I don't think somebody in league with Koroshi or Hikiji pulls that off. Not to mention how many opportunities Yukichi has had to kill Usagi at this point if that was the goal.
>>153459749>Yukichi passed Jei's Evil checkOh shit, he did. I guess that's the gangster and assassin theories wrecked.
>>153459729Didnt realise it until now but Yukichi trods on the Fumi-e. Not a single proven kirishitan in the entire series has trodden on one and instead have all gone to lengths to avoid it afaik>>153459732I think itd make more sense if he was a distant relative, it would explain why he and Usagi dont recognise each other at all and why Usagi never mentions him if he was like a second or third cousin in Usagi's extended family. Come to think of it beyond Usagi's nuclear family and Yukichi does this guy have any relatives?
>>153450608>looks at usagi's crotch at the mention of bathinghmmmmmmmmm
>>153459805This girl might be the exception, if she did go through the gate and if its the same girl but she changed her kimono
>>153459749I think the main problem with the Yukichi = female theory is that Stan just sort of sat on it for too long. The closest Yukichi has had to being in a story where the focus is on the women's lot in feudal japan is the thousand plums story, but Yukichi didn't really have anything poignant to say at all about the mother kitsune or her motivations. If Yukichi is a woman I would've liked some lines overtly sympathizing with the kitsune and providing Usagi another perspective to reflect on instead of falling back on his whole "innocence and justice" shtick.>>153459761Yeah the moment with Jei kind of blows away any theory besides the female theory or the christian theory (which has its own issues).There is also the final theory that all of this shit is all in our heads and a bunch of quibbling over random details. Although if that's the case I think Stan has wasted massive story potential here. With how the writing has slowly declined after the Hidden I'm a little scared that this is the case.
>>153459749>which we know for a fact only has one exceptionDo we? I don't really recall the other times he's found someone innocent besides Keiko, and she was probably more because of her resemblance to the girl he traded his soul to save rather than because she was female.
>>153459883>Yukichi didn't really have anything poignant to say at all about the mother kitsune or her motivationsYeah, that would have been good from a storytelling POV, though I also think it might have been too big a hint.>There is also the final theory that all of this shit is all in our heads and a bunch of quibbling over random details.I think we passed that with the scene where Yukichi acts super weird about getting naked, It absolutely feels like Stan did it as an intentional setup for something.
>>153459883I think its too early to make any conclusions, the first and only concrete evidence that Yukichi is more then he seems is the bathhouse moment in Tabo and that came out very recently we didnt even storytime it last year afaikSo I think this plotline just needs more time to ripen.
>>153457619I like Yukichi as being a kind of contrast to show just how much Usagi has grown. I do think he brings a very different dynamic than Jotaro. Despite all that I do feel as a character he hasn't really reached his full potential, due to his stories having to be reintroductions for other characters. It feels like only recently are we getting true yukichi stories. Why I am interested in the girl theory is it does kind of feel like the missing peice to his character.
>>153459371>>153458803Hey Anon, chill, that's just a theory... a GIIIRL theory!
>>153459901>Yeah, that would have been good from a storytelling POV, though I also think it might have been too big a hint.I mean if Yukichi just said Usagi's lines in >>153450548 >>153450558 that would've been enough without really revealing anything gender related. As it currently stands he's been a really reactive character and the only times I can think of where he's really voiced his own views proactively was the bounty hunter outburst and the kidnapping outburst where his sword was broken. I just don't think Stan is really using Yukichi to his full potential as a character which is a shame.>I think we passed that with the scene where Yukichi acts super weird about getting naked, It absolutely feels like Stan did it as an intentional setup for something.I don't know, it could've also just been a plot excuse to get Usagi alone and allow Yukichi to ask him about christianity later at the checkpoint. Contrivances and cliches have been showing up in the writing a bit more frequently recently, so I don't think we can discount a writing quality dip as a possible explanation. It's not that I want this to be the answer, it's just that I'm afraid that it might be.
>>153459935Yeah, I wanna see what it's gonna be, but considering the somewhat thin evidence we have, and how much Stan seems to like warrior ladies, I'd bet good money on the "Yukichi is a girl" theory after that bath scene.
I think we're all forgetting the most important question. If Yukichi is a girl where does she rank in the best girl polls?
>>153459987If Usagi ends up in another heartbreak romance with Yukichi I would lol harder than ever before in my entire life. Incidentally, were first cousin marriages a thing in feudal japan? I dont think they became taboo in the west until more modern times right?>>153458373Do you guys think Stan has seen any of this fanart?
>>153459901>It absolutely feels like Stan did it as an intentional setup for something.It FEELS like is the key word. Stan has set up plenty of plot beats without any resolution in the past, like the disappearance of all humans from his world, the simplification of animal species to mostly bears and cats, why Kitsune and her "sister" Sachiko are the only non-yokai foxes, the list goes on. We can try and come up with convoluted, indulgent fan theories as to why but it really is just as simple as Stan needed a reason to have Usagi alone with a kirishitan in the onsen. Of course when the next story arc comes out, ("Come Out, Cousin Yukichi!") I'm going to feel really silly but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.>>153459883>There is also the final theory that all of this shit is all in our headsThat is most definitely what is happening. It's fun and indulgent and a good reason why these storytimes keep happening year after year but some anons do go too far with it. Much like bushido, if you think about it, and this whole series is one long cautionary tale about the dangers of getting lost in the sauce.
>>153460012>Do you guys think Stan has seen any of this fanart?Look at this smug fucking faggot of course he has.
>>153460044I bet he's drawn some. Huh. That guy yelling "FETISH!" at everyone has me thinking. It's not my fetish, but I'm starting to think maybe warrior women are Stan's fetish. 'Cause he employs a lot of them.
Well, either Yu is a girl or he was scratched by nekomata and is turning into a were-cat, which would also give a good reason for Yukichi to finally meet Sasuke (so the wizard can turn the poor guy back).>>153450588 Look how he reacts when talking with Usagi about his health, something might be going on there. Are nekomata contagious? Do they heal fast? The lack of facial scars may be a clue. Sakai really made sure we see that scratch when it happened.
>>153460065They didn't seem to heal noticeably when Usagi was cutting them to ribbons. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
>>153460065Oh shit, you could be on to something there. I remember thinking that it would be interesting if Yukichi caught some were-rabbit disease when I saw that page, but I completely forgot about it by the time the bath scene rolled around.
>>153460065That one's got a big notch taken out of his ear, too, so presumably they scar like everyone else
>>153460065>Look how he reacts when talking with Usagi about his healthMaybe it the Yuki-Onna infected him or sucked his soul out or something and hes slowly turning into an ice demon and thats why hes avoiding the hot bath?
>>153460059>THREE onna-bugeisha's>TWO wakashu'sHis greed sickens me.
>>153460065>>153460082>>153460091>tags: reverse trap, amazon, femboy, transformation, corruptionDamn no wonder Jei let him pass.
>>153459327Usagi Squared
>>153458560EIGHTEEN NAKED RONIN AT TAMAKURO CASTLERONINS IN THE HOT SPRINGS AT TAMAKURO CASTLE28 SHINOBI'S PULLING UP ON HORSEBACKTAMAKURO CASTLE IS UNDER SIEGEUNDER LOCKDOWN!
Before I forget Etsuko and the Fox's daughter bring the dead children up to 15.
>the most talked about discussion itt is whether Yu has a dick or notkek
>>153460162That panel is perfect accompaniment. Well done, sir!
Ryan Kelly on xitter.
>>153460185And the accompanying piece.
>>153457475How big is yukichi's yukichi?
How did we go from>I HATE COUSIN ORIBURto this? And Kenichi has had a PR makeover as well, everybody loves him now.
https://x.com/KOLKKO_Artist/status/2037172643170783456What a garbage piece of fanart. No way Tomoe's tomoe's are that big. This HACKFRAUD should be ashamed to upload such trash.
>>153460197Yukichi's first appearance was 5 years ago now. And of course Kenichi's been around longer than some anons have been alive. In Kenichi's case it's just us getting older and having our own values change, with Yukichi it's our collective manchild gooner brainrot.
https://x.com/Hayaken_sarena/status/2037110406570009016Japanese fanart of Usagi Yojimbo. Usagi doujin reprint never fucking ever reeeeeeEEEEEEEEE
>>153459681Could it be done nowadays? Even as an indie thing?
>>153459703>I don't know why you're so aggressively advocating for the latter.Because you're so aggressively insistent on the contrary. This isn't just you having some theory or fan content like Punished Kashira. This is about being unable to talk about this entire fucking era without I THINK REVERSE TRAP! Based on one stretch of a clue.
>>153460162If we consider Kaito and Wherewhen, then it's an argument against secret girl Yu.But if you're a samurai class girl interested with swords and fighting?Tomoe is considered a weirdo. She was shafted by her dad, couldn't run his school and if not for her amazing accidental feats of skill while protecting the lord's family, she'd be doing laundry. Even now she is a second class advisor.Inazuma was called a demon. So was Noriko (though she deserved that). If you're a girl who can fight, you must be evil or supernatural. Or a dirty ninja. A criminal, a weirdo. That is a stigma you fight every day.If Yu is secretly a woman (and that's a BIG "if"), then pretending to be a guy to learn swordfighting seems logical. Foolish, but logical. And then you get so deep into the lie it becomes your true nature. It's like Mulan, but more self centered and we've seen that younger Yukichi was arrogant till permamently humbled by Usagi.I like discussing this theory, but we lack a lot of evidence to call it confirmed. But it makes me want to learn more about Yukichi (whatever the truth is) and that's good.
>>153459729>If Yukichi was a hidden christian why would he ask Usagi about the checkpoints completely unprompted and then harshly criticize christians, also completely unprompted?Two things. 1, he's a dumbass who never seen shit. 2. He protests too much.
>>153460270>I like discussing this theory,I don't. Frankly it's been a huge blow to the quality of the threads.
>>153460258Feels like you're projecting hard
Screw it, I'm posting some Usagi fanart, too>>153460199I ain't complaining, big tits are always nice
>narrowly avoid walking time discussion spiral into backpack tier autism>get blindsided by Yukichi gender autismit's arguably worse than the backpack autism because there isn't any historical basis for discussion
>>153460282The same threads, which have people drooling over Inazuma's tits and wanting to fix Noriko/Kitsune in bed? With people discussing secret kunoichi yuri revival techniques? Silly things like that are par for the course on /co/, you can't avoid it.Yukichi discussion is exactly the same, just with a different subject. Yes, it's discussed more at the moment, but that's because there is ambiguity and that causes speculations. Nobody can deny something is being set up in the comic and it's INTERESTING. Girl Yu theory is popular because it would be absolutely crazy and people like crazy. It seems to me you just dislike it for very personal reasons. That's ok, but don't pretend we aren't a bunch of silly people discussing anthro characters in feudal Japan for two months every year for 10 years in a row.
>>153459109More settings should get musous, super easy way to cram in fanservice
>>153460462I thought it was crazy, up until Yukichi was all "oh no, I can't let anybody see me naked!" Suddenly it didn't seem silly or crazy anymore.
>>153460496"Crazy" as in "the author set up an insane twist", not "impossible".Though you are right that with the onsen scenes it went from "implausible" to "possible".
>>153460496sure but there's half a dozen equally crazy explanations each with mild substantiation to back them>>153460401You should've just accepted marching pace autism. Your only out now is to push for yokaichi theories so he can handle the adds while usagi and sasuke deal with the boss or make up a plot about how he converts once they meet ishida
>>153460524>half a dozen equally crazy explanations each with mild substantiation to back themI dunno, the evidence for them seems a lot weaker, and they basically all have solid counterevidence that works against them.
>>153460537I agree other theories have more holes, but the girl theory is so radical (and countered by other Usagi comics) it cannot be just accepted as a fact without clear confirmation.
>>153460574Sure, I'll grant that. But I think it's the most solid one at the moment based on what little we have to go on.
>>153460584No there isn't because there hasn't been an established mystery and Yukichi's hasn't been seen as suspect. There's no reason not to take him at face value other then you dragging one single sentence out into the field and shooting it. You're forcing it. Yukichi has given us zero doubt.
>>153460610What the hell are you talking about? Did you reply to the wrong post?
>>153459241Actually with her killing two guys in her most recent appearance Mariko has been shown to be decent in a life or death scuffle, meanwhile mayumi never fought anyone
>>153460705Mariko keeps reminding us that shes a samurai as well, makes sense that she'd have training
>>153457619I feel like Yukichi and Jotaro cover two different niches. Jotaro is a VERY capable and competent kid, but he's still just that, a kid. Usagi's going out of his way to keep him from getting into danger and avoiding fights. Yukichi doesn't have that issue, and is much closer to being an equal in Usagi's eyes. Usagi's much more free to get up to his up to his usual antics with him.There's also the narrative element of both being a reflection of various parts of Usagi's life. Jotaro is basically Kid Usagi while Yukichi is pre-war Usagi, and the latter REALLY came to a head with the previous volumes. It was great seeing Usagi be the voice of reason to Yukichi's headstrong and naive personality, because that was almost exactly Usagi early on. It shows just how much Usagi's grown throughout the decades.
>>153460750Yeah, I get why people didn't like Yukichi in those early stories, but with the second half of what we saw here he's grown into an interesting character.
>>153460162Oh shit what if he's Christian and he's circumcized
>>153460866Christians didn't practice circumcision in the 17th century
>>153460882HuhAlso checking it looks like Catholics don't circumcizeI had no clue
>>153460906It's mostly Americans, and has more to do with the Kellogg's cereal guy who promoted it in the 19th century as having health benefits and curbing the evils of masturbation. I shit you not.
>>153460882>>153460921Catholics outight forbade it for most of their history while most other sects were neutral on it. Ethiopian Christians practice it as a religious obligation, and Copts practice it as a cultural thing, not religiously.
>>153460866>christians>circumcisedShalom and salam alaykum!
>>153460866Yukichi isn't an American.
I'm very neutral on Yukichi's serious case of Schrodinger's dick, so let me summarize:>Yu has big anime eyes. During his introduction, people here, years before anyone even mentioned the possibility of cross-dressing, were joking they don't fit on a dude. A stylistic choice or the first clue?>He isn't a buff dude nor very masculine much less than Usagi, and this is not just because of him being very young - he looks just the same in Wherewhen. Thin arms, slim body - a stylistic choice to make him different or another clue?>If we believe Kitsune and Chizu, he is apparently VERY good looking. In fiction, crossdressing women are often considered handsome by other women (remember Cybersix?). >Yu has very distinct body language and mimicry, different from Usagi's. He puts his tongue out, makes drowsy faces and stretches in a very particular way. Again, this might be just a stylistic choice.>A few years back, one anon added eyelashes to him, both in comic panels and in fanart (someone posted it again this year) and the result screamed "female". Didn't work on Usagi. It's not a new theory.>Yu is a sheltered kid from samurai caste, he spent last 10 years or so in a fencing school. He cannot have previous knowledge od Christianity couldn't be a bandit or yakuza.>He can't be a secret koroshi agent, he had too many chances to act and he saved Usagi too many times. And if he is, too many things had to work out for them to travel together. Too convoluted.>He might be sick or scarred, but his reaction to healing tears was very limited. Besides, he and Usagi are like brothers, it has to be a HUGE secret, one that could shatter their bond. Something that scares Yu.Conclusion: either everything was only a stylistic choice to make him look differenet and he's infected by a yokai curse after that nekomata meeting, or feudal Yu is secretly a girl. Or, the scariest possibility, Sakai mixed things up a bit and the answer is either a big nothing or will contradict other events.
>>153460866*Kiristian
>>153461134*Kirishitan
>>153457619>I feel like he's a fine character but question why he is in fact here when we could have just had Usagi travel with Jotaro again.Their character roles are not quite the same. Jotaro is functionally an expy of kid Usagi but also brings a different baggage with him, with latest stories emphasising how he's also very much the son of Usagi's rival. Yukichi's role is moreso to be a young adult Usagi having to learn the state of the world.With that said, the actual reason he's here seems to be metaliterary. Around the time he appears, Netflix did a cartoon inspired by Usagi Yojimbo, where the role of "Usagi" was heavily redesigned into a new character, Yuichi. Yukichi is basically just Yuichi, and we don't quite know what's the point or connection here. My personal theory is that while Netflix's Samurai Rabbit show was done with Stan's approval, he still wanted to feel a more direct ownership of it by incorporating its "new" protagonist into the comic.>How do you guys feel about Yukichi?I like him, I like his design, I like his role. He wouldn't work as a companion to Usagi long term, since the point is the contrast of experience to innocence and eventually Yukichi will have enough experience himself, but for now, it works.>Also what's with all these Yukichi being a girl theory? I just headcanon him to have the Jason Griffith voice.Because his design is based on the animated show's, he's got bigger wider eyes than every other male character in the comic, so people had been pointing out he looked more feminine. Then suddenly Thousand Plums has the scene where he seems to avoid being seen naked, and where Usagi seems to not recognise his voice, and it does basically play as the normal trope of a girl disguised as a boy. I don't know if it's what Stan's doing, but it's not an absurd guess.
>>153458138You should've added Yukichi this year
>>153459729I don't think it was about him hiding he was a kirishitan, but I think the way it's written really feels it is about it- until he steps on the kimi-e. If this were about him being a muslim somehow it'd make more sense, since there's the explicit element in islam of "you're allowed to break the rules of the religion for your own safety", but as far as I recall there's no element like that in the bible, at least nothing notably so.>>153460065I like this one too. Maybe not even something that supernatural- could be as simple as maybe some sort of injury from the Yuki-Onna that he doesn't want to show out of not wanting Usagi concerned, and he's thinking now he's going to die hence being more open to Christianity>>153460282The same threads where for days on end no discussion can be had because someone's screaming bloody murder about Kitsune whenever she appears? Get over yourself, at least here people are actually discussing and trying to understand and speculating over the plot, rather than 30 posts of UUUUGHHHH I HATEEEEE HEEEER DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOODLES DYING SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUN EXPLODING SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY CANCER SHE IS AKU THE GREAT SHAPE-SHIFTING MASTER OF EVIL
>>153461113You should add>Jei considers him innocent>He trods on a Fumi-E which all kirishitan characters go to lengths to avoid>Usagi doesnt recognise his voice at times despite travelling with him for long periods>we never once see his body exposed
>>153460065>or he was scratched by nekomata and is turning into a were-catNow THIS is theory racing!
>>153460197I still hate Kenichi, I'm just not going to start a big autistic backpack slapfight whenever another anon defends him. Conversations have their own ebb and flow and it's not strange that they're different from year to year (in fact if they were always the same storytime would be a bit tedious).
>>153460282>a huge blow to the quality of the threads.For what, the last two days? Did anyone even suggest Yukichi might be a girl before Plums, even? Worst case scenario it would have been "ruining" the threads for five (5) days since Cousin Oribaa hasn't been in for longer than that. In the words of El Presidente Bidet: come on, man.
>>153461537>someone's screaming bloody murder about Kitsune whenever she appearsGo ahead and link to the post where you think that happens
>>153459572Now that I think about it, is awefuly convinient he just happened to meet Usagi on the road, and eanted to travel with him for a bit. Maybe there is some monkey business going on.
>>153459681Yeah Usagi has the issue that is too silly looking for adults and too misserable for kids.
>>153460257You could get shorts based on it as an indie thing, sure. That's the other problem though- Usagi is too long as well. The only people who'd be willing to do an Usagi animation that's tonally correct would also not be ready to spend 8 seasons to do it.I think the best case scenario is probably just a short with a new story by Stan.
>>153461656No, because you are likely to just move the goalpoast. Instead I shall ask the guy doing this storytime every single year if that statement is true. Nobody else here holds higher authority. I'm making screencaps right now.
>>153459761Is there any other way to get a brand of shame in your body that isn't being a criminal? Could you get one for the crime of your parents?The thing with Orange Rabbit is that I can think on a couple of alternate ideas for why he wants to hide his body but all of them clash with the backstory of being a sheltered sword school instructor. Having Yakuza tatoos, having a criminal brand, the mark of a slave or even a scar on his back would go agaisn't this backstory, and I doub is a fake one because is part of the reason he passed Jei's judgement.I don't think he is a woman either, He might be femenine for many standards but not for the standars Stan's artstyle, who has a very noticeable way to draw ladies; he draws all of them with more human features and human hair they all have very distinct hair while males are more animal like fur. The only exception I can think off is Kitsune in the face department but even she has long black hair.
>>153460401At least it happened at the very end of the storytime and is contained mostly here.
>>153460401I think people cling to the gender theory because the "secretly a girl" trope was actually the big reveal of Dororo and this series was VERY heavily inspired by that.
>>153462212It's also just a plain obvious reading of the tropes being invoked, and the people acting like it's some insane reading that only coomers make come across more like they're coping. I don't think it's certain it's what Stan's going for, but come on, it's not an unreasonable guess- "younger boy does his best to not show himself nude" has been a setup for a "it's a girl" payoff for decades
>>153462255some people have just never watched mulan and it shows.
>>153462255It's also one of only a limited handful of things it could be, unless it's something completely out of left field. It's not a ridiculous guess.
What if Yukichi is really Hikiji?
>>153462364what if yukichi is actually this hijiki I keep hearing about in these threads...
I'm reading the archives, did that anon who made big collage with portraits on cream orange background stopped doing it?
>>153458819lol
>>153462390I'm having to draw work and it got in the way. Got to finish the comic I was doing and two covers, then meanwhile a few days ago got asked to draw more 10 pages, and after that still got 14 pages of personal comic I want to do. So the plan right now is to finish that collage and post it months from now whenever we do the last Kaito 84 storytime.
>>153462381Those Shadow Lord brothers are behind everything like they're Colonel Olrik.
>>153462434I didn't expect associating Usagi Yojimbo with Blake and Mortimer to be one of the legacies of this year's storytime yet here we are
I just want to say I like Lord Kotetsu's design. I don't think he should've stayed around, but he made for some really ominous panels.>>153462426Thank you for the reply. Did you stop around the Grasscutter? I don't mean to rush you or hurry up, just wanted to know if I was delving through /co/ dumpster for nothing.
>>153462485It was right before Grasscutter, yeah
Man, there's always gotta be one sperg...>>153458803Sakai constantly contrasts Feudal Japan to modern society. Yukichi having to conceal that he's a girl (an incredibly common trope in historical fiction, which Stan frequently takes advantage of) in a society that restricts their actions or limits their path in life is on point for the narrative. See:>TomoeCompetent and loyal samurai retainer being forced into marriage because she challenged the new guy at court>InazumaBeaten woman who was only able to freely use her skill with a sword after her husband was killed>KitsuneTwo paths in life, whore or thief>MayumiWaitress that only had Usagi as an out>Yukichi?Could very well have hidden his sex in order to take advantage of the opportunities a male samurai would have in Japan.The most compelling theory is that he's hiding SOMETHING different about his body.>>153459593>>153459463>kirishitanThis is the theory that makes no sense. Yukichi has lived a sheltered life. His repeated character trait is naivete. Every single character that Usagi hangs out with has caused him surprise or dismay, and his strict definition of what it means to be samurai is consistently challenged throughout his stories.>Yukichi at the start of TaboTramples on the fumi-e, literally tells Usagi that Kirishitans must be insane because they are different from him and don't fit in to his limited view of the world>Yukichi at the end of TaboHas come to understand that Kirishitans are human beings and that persecuting for their beliefs are wrong. Unlike Usagi, will not step on fumi-e out of respect for Masa and Tabo>You're an idiot.Pot, meet kettle. The only thing more asinine would be if Stan wrote a story about his departed brother's kindness and faith broadening the horizons of sheltered samurai then went no ackshually'd Yukichi hidden kirishitan all along.
>>153462434FUCKING COLONEL OLRIK SELLING FISSILE MATERIAL TO HIKIJI!
I have a nagging feeling that the kirishitan may be hiding in this very thread!
>>153462635Kirishitans aren't real you schizo, they're just a figment of propaganda by the Shogun to increase his control over the Daimyo.
>>153462628>Works for the legally distinct Axis powers as a high level agent>Seems to be on everybody's payroll during the Cold War>Plunders the tombs of Egypt>Steals the British Crown Jewels>Best henchman is named Sharky He can't keep getting away with it!
>a storytime of 5 issues takes almost 800 posts to process because there is a slight possibility of one character secretly being a girlI hope you FREAKS will give half as much attention to Kaito, it deserves it.
>>153457619My issues with Yukichi are indicative of my issues with the comic in its current state. He's perfectly fine, but never seems to introduce anything new or exciting into the mix. Aside from the "maybe he's a girl" baiting, everything feels very boilerplate. The plots are all fairly basic and work out roughly how we expect them too. Sometimes older faces show up and go through the motions of how we expect them to act. But there's no bigger story anymore. The world doesn't feel as alive, the characters don't feel as rich. Usagi and co bumbling into a town and getting involved in local problems is this comic's bread and butter, but those stories were often bordered by surprisingly rich plots about wider conflicts or issues. Character interactions were often much more interesting as well. It was fun to see Gen and Priest Sanshobo develop a respect for each other, or have General Ikida play sensible pragmatists opposite of Usagi's more good natured attitude. There doesn't seem to be much granularity to anybody anymore. Uasgi is usually sensible and in the right, Gen is hungry and oafish, Stray Dog is mean except when he's at the orphanage, and Ykichi is impressionable and learning. Everything is still perfectly competent (aside from the coloring) but nothing seems to hit as hard or feel as impactful as it used to.
>>153458440Come on if we're lucky and get all 400 anons here to support him I'm sure he can make the top 8.
cheese fags on suicide watch
>>153463378That was a problem for me as far as right after the Bridge of Tears. There is a serious lack of intertwining subplots like in the time between the introduction of Inazuma and her death, where there were other things to look forward to other than the solution to the most current arc. Resolutions to Chizu's and Tomoe's "problems" are taking their sweet time.
>>153463492Chizu, my beloved Cobra Commander.... wait that's just Hebi
>>153463513I don't know that they can be resolved in the current format. This kind of thing involves long term investment and overall long term plot progression. Tomoe and Chizu would be introduced with the problems in issue 200 whatever, resolved in 250 whatever and we'd see the fall out in the 290s
>>153457475>https://strawpoll.com/61gD9r4x5ZwBut a third of those died! Tragically!
>>153463492>>153463530I think Tomoe's getting a lot of pity votes on account of us not seeing her in decades
>>153460882>>153460906Jews circumcised though.
>>153461837>>153461113The "sheltered sword school instructor" part is mostly coming from him, bear in mind. We don't really know what he did *before* he became an instructor. Would it be possible he was a troubled youth who was taken in by the sensei and only there became more idealistic? Unlike Tomoe he's not related to the previous instructor.Here's an alternate theory: he's very uncomfortable undressing in front of others because he was abused as a child.
>>153463340UY is like the hottest thing on /co/, I dont think Ive ever seen a storytime with this much polite discussion unless you cound violent flame war or ragebait threads.
>>153462381What if Hikiji didnt stop at murdering Dadsagi and took his sister as a war trophy and the reason why we never hear about Yukichi's dad is because he was thrown out lest he challenge the inheritance for Hikiji's trueborn heirs?
>>153463687How old is Hikiji anyway? Late 40s? Early 50s?
>>153461837>Stan's artstyle, who has a very noticeable way to draw ladiesThere was that one old issue with the needle/hairpin murder where a man crossdressed as his sister or something like that, I feel like we should revisit that and see if it has any bearing on this
>>153463654I really don't think Stan would go with that for some reason.>>153463340Yukichi turns out to have a Mysterious Hidden Secret in the last story of the latest release, I don't know what you expect.
>>153463608What do you mean, we see her every year.;_;
>>153463728>>153463654I agree, I don't see him pulling that card even with the darker elements he's used over the years
>>153461837>>153463714I feel this is missing the forest for the trees that Yukichi's design doesn't exist in a vacuum. It already is an unusual design for male characters as well, because the whole point is it's not a character designed by Stan at the core- it's Yuichi. Stan doesn't do the big eyes on guys, Stan doesn't generally do the sideburns being just one angular shape, etc. We can't judge or try to determine much of anything from Yukichi's design in itself, because it's just Stan drawing a design by someone else for a Netflix show, then doing different clothes.
>>153461830I appreciate this.
>>153463714Oh yes, Goku.
>>153463657I haven't posted as much this year as I did last time because I've been busier, and it also ran at the same time as another storytime I was reading for a lot of it. But I think the reason for the attention is that it's both niche but has a lot to talk about and where else would you talk about it? So you get a snowball effect where anons come back every year.
>>153463654I doubt that. My personal theory is that he's a eunuch.
My personal theory is that he's very shy.
>>153463967Even if he genuinely hates crowds (rather than nudity), there has to be some significant reason for it that will come up later in the plot. What might that be?
>>153463654He would be nore street smart if he was a child of the streets or something. He reminds me of that Ronin living under a bridge were he could barely functions niw that he got kicked out of the palace.
>>153463340So far Kaito is pretty good.
>>153463967I'm telling you he is two kids in a trechcoat that or a backpack in disguise!
>>153463533I have the expectation of nothing being resolved regarding Chizu or Tomoe. That may not be something people want to hear but I believe it's a likely outcome.>>153464006Maybe he has two dicks.
>>153464235I worry going forward that the most recent Chizu story could very well be her tea ceremony issue. Usagi is kind of weird as a comic because there's a lot of big figures and plots moving around but they really don't focus or directly involve him, he's just a meddler who gets carried up sometimes. He really is just kind of a dull wanderer by himself.
>>153463492>kitsune tied for 4th with Keiko
>>153463714This one?
>>153464349>https://strawpoll.com/61gD9r4x5Zwkek I need to know who picked Keiko and KiyokoTOMOE AT 15 MY FUARKING FINAL BEST GIRL OF TRUE LOVE'S LAST KISS
This is about Arimara being controlled by Kotetsu? Or some another faction?
>>153462434Please do not compare Usagi to the worst aspect of Blake & Mortimer. He should have been behind the Pyramid Mystery and then been killed off with The Yellow M.
>>153464349>Mayumi: I'M NOT EVEN A RECURRING CHARACTER!
>>153464349Excellent choice of facial expressions for the other girls.
>>153464358NAYRT but this actually demonstrates the first anon's point really well – Goku has a wig to make him look like a woman, which he whips off to reveal that he's actually a man.
>>153464398>I need to know who picked Keiko
>>153464525Jei and at least a couple of his gang
