Interviews

1. Inspirations

2. Making it happen

3. Richard Sakai

4. Works of Stan Sakai

5. His method

6. Influence as a youth

7. Manga vs. Comics

8. Reading all sorts of comics

9. Family’s acceptance

10. Styles and influences

11. Culture as a child

12. Cultural influences

Sakai,Stan

(b. 1953) Cartoonist

Family’s acceptance

It’s a challenge, especially if you’re Asian, yes. Asians go into doctors, they become lawyers or accountants or something. Actually, my father pushed me. “Well, you should go into computers, or take some business, get a business degree, you know.” But I really wanted to do artwork. I quit my job, I went full time into freelance artwork. And lived, moving up to LA from Hawaii. We did not know anyone here, so it was basically knocking on doors, calling, making phone calls, and basically taking whatever I could get. T-shirt designs, book illustrations, magazine illustrations, newspapers. But when Usagi [Yojimbo] happened, I was able to devote, pretty much full time to Usagi. And I remember my first book signing in Hawaii, my father thought he’d come over to see me. And he could not get into the store because of the crowds. So after that, “Well, I guess Stan’s doing okay then.” So I think that was the acceptance right there.

cartoonists comics families graphic novels Hawaii manga occupations (employment) United States

Date: September 28, 2010

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Lynn Yamasaki, Maria Kwong

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Stan Sakai was born in Kyoto, Japan, and raised in Hawai‘i. Sansei illustrator and writer Stan Sakai is known for his creation of the popular comic book character, “Usagi Yojimbo” in 1984. Since 1987, a series of comic books have detailed the adventures of Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in the late 16th and early 17th Century. Sakai is known for his incorporation of actual Japanese history and culture, once winning an award for “skillful weaving of facts and legends into his work.” An exhibition of his work was organized by the Museum in 2011. (August 2012)