Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis

I have read a great many Usagi Yojimbo comics in the past, and consider it one of the modern masterpieces of the medium. Its creator Stan Sakai is one of the greats, who has been awarded pretty much every accolade a living cartoonist can receive, and here he and his wife Julie collaborate on a slightly different version of his classic character. Drawn in a cuter, more cartoony chibi art style, this version seems pitched at a younger audience, but it's still enjoyable for pretty much any age. The artwork is adorable but not juvenile and coupled with a well-crafted plot, which incorporates a number of story elements, including individual character moments, slapstick, quests, and battles. This book offers something for pretty much any reader. It does not talk down to its audience, and I got a big kick out of reading it.

The narrative here focuses on a trio of adventurers, Usagi, Gen, and Tomoe, who are out fishing for unagi (freshwater eels) when they rescue a creature in distress. The creature is an animated clay figure named Dogu, and it tells the trio that it has escaped from slave labor from the nefarious Salamander King. That villainous creature has captured Dogu's people and forced them to do his bidding, and of course our three heroes embark to free the village and defeat the Salamander King's army. This mission is fraught with peril, including shaky bridges, meandering forests, and the titular Heebie Chibis.

This story works well as a straight adventure story, but it also features strong characters who are almost instantly related to the readers as well as snappy dialogue. The situations themselves are based on traditional Japanese folklore, which are explained further in  the end sections of the book. It is fascinating to see how well the detailed fictional world depicted here matches up with real life creatures, creations, and beliefs. In addition, there is a short story at the end of the book where the usual version of Usagi Yojimbo meets the Chibi version, which not only works as a stand-alone tale but may also be a great gateway into the further adventures of the rabbit samurai.

This book is one of the best kids of all-ages fiction in the best sense of the world. I think its potential audience is a vast one, and I hope that this book sells bazillions of copies.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Ingrid Lind-Jahn wrote, "It’s an adventure story that has plenty of danger without being overly scary and emphasizes positives like friendship by example rather than explanation." Pharaoh Miles called it "an exciting story that any fan of any age can get into" and "easily the most accessible story involving this enigmatic protagonist."

Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis was published by IDW Publishing, and they offer more information about it here.