Usagi's cast of characters continues to expand with the first appearances of his longtime tokage (lizard) companion, Spot, and his greatest nemesis, the demented, seemingly unkillable wolf samurai, Jei! The bonds of family and the bounds of honor are tested as Usagi helps an elderly mother face the villain her son has become. When the blind swordspig Zato-Ino comes back for revenge, can Usagi still triumph after the playing field is leveled? All this, plus more adventures in anthropomorphic Edo Japan! Begining with these early issues find out why this series has won six Eisner Awards, two Harvey Awards, an American Library Association Award and has been called by Stan Lee, "One of the most original, innovative, well-executed comic books anywhere to be found." collects the stories "The Tower," "A Mother's Love," "The Return of the Blind Swordspig," "Blade of the Gods," "The Tea Cup," and "The Shogun's Gift" from Vol. One, issues #7-12, originally published in black and white by Fantagraphics from March to October 1988.