Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai is slated to appear at this year’s Tokyo Comic Con, which runs from Dec. 6 through Dec. 8, according to a press release from Sakai’s Dogu Publishing.
Sakai is making the appearance following a research tour throughout Japan for a range of new upcoming stories. Tokyo Comic Con will also feature an exhibit of Sakai’s work with a mix of new and old art from the long-running and much-loved Usagi Yojimbo comics series.
There will also be show exclusive Sakai merch for sale, too. Specifically, Sakai has partnered with the Japanese skateboard company, silkmasterSB, on a pair of skateboard decks that feature a scene of Usagi with his famous sidekick, Spot.
“I’m excited to be a guest at Tokyo Comic Con!” said Sakai, who was born in Kyoto but raised in Hawaii. “Come wrap up our 40th anniversary with an unforgettable final convention of the year!”
So, while it’s almost-certainly too late to plan a spontaneous trip to Tokyo to see Stan, if you happen to be there now, it’s definitely a fun comics event to checkout.
The next Usagi Yojimbo series is slated to kick off in March, with the release of Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plumbs #1.