One of the best surprises of 2026 has been Usagi Yojimbo: Kaitō ’84, the Usagi Yojimbo spinoff miniseries exploring Miyamoto Usagi’s descendent in 1980s Japan. The series, written by Zack Rosenberg and drawn by Jared Cullum, is one of the best of the year so far. The two creators have successfully transplanted the long running samurai rabbit series into the setting of 1980s Japan. Like its predecessor, anyone who loves the look and feel of Asian action films of this era will absolutely love this book.
The highlight of the series has undoubtedly Cullum’s beautiful water color art. Usagi creator Stan Sakai has big shoes to fill but Cullum has proven up to the task. He’s added his own flair and style while If the original series took inspiration from Samurai dramas of the 1950s and 60s, every issue of Kaitō reads like an exciting homage to 80s Hong Kong action films. Occasionally, there will be subtle nods to Sakai’s iconic style but this is all Cullum’s show visually. By not entirely mimicking Sakai’s style, both Rosenberg and Cullum allow Kaitō to stand on it’s own.
Dark Horse has unveiled preview pages of Usagi Yojimbo: Kaitō ’84 issue #3 which features a flashback to Miyamoto Usagi from issue #3. Cullum once again outdoes himself in this sequence with these gorgeous pages influenced by Japanese prints. Last issue saw the reintroduction of a major Usagi Yojimbo foe into this era along with a scene featuring Usagi. Check out the pages below.
Usagi Yojimbo: Kaitō ’84 comes out tomorrow from Dark Horse Comics.
