Tomoe have been trying to help Usagi clean his reputation as a trouble seeker to no avail.

The chaotics.

chapter one

HEY Y'ALL meet Hana, Hana Usagi!!! A former Neko Ninja, saved by Yuichi and Chizu, later trained by Chizu and adopted by Yuichi (along with the other ninja kittens they saved but sadly I really don't have the spoons to design all of them as adults, at least anytime soon)

She's about 29 years old by the time Yuichi and Leonardo's meet-cute happens (or meet-headtrauma, as someone so hilariously put it and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since) and very much a grown, independent cat who loves her found family and especially her dad a lot. <3

Full ref under the cut!

Another meme!

He's so proud of himself and for what?

My finger is doing better!!!!I did the RICE method and it practically healed overnight and a day. Almost done with Yuichi's lineart for the comic just have to do the cats, a few panel backgrounds and color!

Neo Edo magnetic "holsters"

so today/yesterday I started thinking....

what a cool detail the magnetic "holsters" - knobs and stripes are. A very unique design idea for the setting they went with (basically energy-punk or a kind of close-futuristic sci-fantasy)

for example, Gen has large magnet strips on his back, but also on the front of his vest?

The back strips are bigger, while the front strips I'm not entirely sure about, but they are slightly smaller and thinner, so it could be that they are something else, like pockets.

Chizu's appears to have dual magnetic strips on both her pants, her jacket lapels at the bottom, as well as a bigger/stronger magnet triangle on her back, assuming for her polearm, then later for her bow. The strips on her pants could also be just re-enforcing

The other Neko Ninja also appear to have magnets on their armor's backs and hip-pieces. (more longer images under cut)

Kitsune does not appear to have any magnets on her body? but she has a belt which she has a small pouch on and her belt goes around enough times that it could be easy to store her first set of tessen on her back.

Usagi's are small magnets on his obi, both the yoyo and sword have space to fit, one on either side. The sword is always on the left side, so that Usagi can draw it fast enough with his right hand without hurting himself by accident (at least, according to how sword-carrying became tradition during the Edo-era, the show is fairly consistent about this way the swords are carried)

From the first episode with Usagi, we see that the magnets appear to be strong enough that they lock onto the metal of the weapon long enough that the user can remove their fingers from holding the weapon.

and with the yoyo:

Overall, it's a super-interesting feature in the city! Other characters also have these magnets on their outfits/armor - you can pause any shot and see that characters have something magnetic/metallic on their body, with (I think) the exception of Karasu-Tengu and auntie, and the regular citizens of Neo Edo. So here for example the Keisatsu and Lord Kogane.

Most notably, one of the keisatsu guarding Usagi in ep 102, a set of keys dangles from it and we later find out it's this keisatsu's apartment keys haha.

Usagi waits and holds to test the magnet on his left side when he is holstering his auntie's sword, and we see that the effect is quite strong. But then in ep 2, he just slaps the yoyo onto his other side un-ceremoniously, even though this one is directly given to him by a magic stone haha xD You'll notice how Usagi's magnets have some sort of inset inlay, and a glowing symbol inside it which appears to be his clan emblem. Perhaps this means that his obi, or the magnet inlays were once commissioned for one of his ancestors? Since auntie does not appear to wear one of these, maybe it was a direct heirloom to Usagi from one of his parents? Or maybe it was something specially made for when Usagi was a bit older? Could even be that Auntie had it made for one of Usagi's birthdays (good source of a fanfic plot hehe). The magnets are also shown to always glow purple, like the Ki-Stone, and so is Usagi's yoyo itself, when activating any of its abilities, but in this case, the lines on the two sides of the yoyo glow just like the inset on Usagi's weapon-holster magnets.

For other fighter groups in the series, the Mogura crew don't seem to use any visible(?) weapons, while the Bat Squadron have switchblades on the top of their wings/fingers(?), while on their backs they have parachute backpacks. The Neko Ninja appear to have no visible magnets, but possibly their entire armor has hidden magnets within? just a theory for now.

Now, while Usagi's obi and its magnets seem to be custom, could the rest of Usagi's outfit be too? possibly. It seems to be a very specifc combination of both samurai, ninja and farmer outfits, as well as practical application of what samurai used to travel lighter while staying protected. First of all, his vest is a kind of deep blue which according to some historic records, is hemophilic? meaning, it can hold in blood if the wearer is struck suddenly, and according to older beliefs, it even had some healing properties. The vest is tied together by the obi, and the shoulder-gaps/edges appear to have either wooden or leather guards attached to the vest, enforced by these peculiar rectangular (i've seen this kind of work before in woodwork workshops but cannot remember the exact name) Under this vest, he appears to have a light leather or wood breastplate for protectin and under this in turn, he has a dark blue/black undershirt. His pants appear to be in two parts. The first part being the dark blue pants he wears, and the second a patterned "pants cover" which attaches to his chest guard or armor under the vest via light blue clasps. [edit: 10.10.2023:] Still looking around for the basis of this, but this appears similar to some pants I've seen irl. This cover and the pants both seem to be either tucked into or covered by the leg guards Usagi wears. [end edit] Whatever 3rd undergarment he has connects with the blue sleeves he has, which are tied with strings similar to his auntie's sleeves, but these strings are only drawn and animated in the 2D sequences (for the sake of simpler animation, it seems, since Usagi appears in so many scenes and has many moving parts) Then he has dark blue arm guards and kneeguards, while the boot part of his shoes seem to be some harder leather or other material. Usagi, because of wanting to follow in the steps of his samurai ancestor, does not have any other magnetic holsters on his body.

Chizu and Gen also seem to have customized magnets, but of a different appearance. First of all obviously, their shape is rectangular longer or shorter strips, without inlays or emblems, and Chizu has her back-triangle magnet.

I've sometimes also wondered if Gen's emblem is also a magnet, tho this is less likely... The rest of his outfit is fashioned to protect his body enough to also be mobile. So his back magnet-strips are way larger and fit nicely there, enough for his kanabo to attach comfortably to it without falling off. He has a lighter and thinner looking metal plate over his chest, which is obviously armor with a dipping neckline which is colored a golden/bronze? while the bottom part is a deep indigo, covered with studs. Traditionally what these kinds of studs do, is that if someone hits you in the stomach area (one of the most vulnerable areas in an armed fight), the metal studs set in the plate should deflect metal weapon blows to the stomach. so that's interesting to see, Gen's outfit is very practical and he is obviously a bounty hunter who has been doing the job for a while, evidenced also by Gen's healed-over facial scars. A purple vest with a higher collar covers this armor partly. The vest is patterned with these outlined hexagons which have a smaller hexagon inside them. The sleeves of this vest are puffed up(?) and either tied to his arms or it's a rubber band inside the fabric of the light magenta strip of his sleeve. I cannot see that he has any magnets on his belt, which is otherwise tied around the latter-bottom part of his armor and pants. The armor near the belt and on the stomach bends upwards in a semi-trapeze shape toward the dipping neckline of the upper part of his armor. His shoulder pads, kneepads and armguards appear to be enforced leather. I can't remember the exact term for this, but you see that the shoulder parts have stronger leather strings going through the inner parts, possibly to strengthen the rest of the pads. His warclubs sit comfortably on his back on the larger magnet strips.

Chizu's outfit is obviously made for blending in as a civilian, while retaining mobility and flexibility as a ninja, so it's not metal/hard armor like the other Neko Ninja - but instead seems to be wooden/light armor made to look like the shapes on the shirts of other (the dipping rectangle), and undergarment (black) + red and black leather vest and pants. The strips blend in nicely with this sort of outfit, while also allowing Chizu to have many weapons besides the hidden ones she has, the ninja stars and the small crossbow in her gauntlets/hand guards. Chizu's back-magnet triangle meanwhile fits her outfit style exactly, with a black inlay and golden-color outer rim, sort of like Usagi's magnet, but with no inset. Perhaps it's not a magnet at all then? But it sorta makse sense to be a magnet still. In ep 2, she brings her collapsible naginata along and sets it on her back. So this is a running design element amont the characters of Neo Edo that they carry their weapons on these magnetic shapes - strips, circlets, triangles, etc

Kitsune has a very straight-forward outfit. She presents herself as an ordinary street performer while also stealing during her performances, skillfully enough that she doesn't need a helping hand in this. Her outfit consists of mostly greens, teals and on the leaf-prints of her kimono vest, we see that she has maple-leaf patterns in beige, orance and yellow tones, in homage to her namesake and inspiration, the Kitsune in the Usagi Yojimbo comics. Her belt goes around her waist 2 times, while the 3rd time sits more loosely around her left hip, carrying her leather pouch, possibly from weight, but also comfort. compared to the previous two, Kitsune's outfit seems less about hiding or being openly her profession and more about her feeling comfortable, being herself. This is also why she has different bracelets and bangles on her writsts. As with Usagi and Chizu, her clothings are closed in the traditional kimono 'y' shape, left over right side, but while Usagi has only his vest over his armor and undershirt, and Chizu's is just her undershirt, for Kitsune she has both a vest and dark green undershirt, meaning that she appears more casual and layered. Possibly, because of living on the streets, she is ready for any weather and these clothes might have more other practical applications. But also likely, she just feels comfortable in these warm clothes. It is spring after all at the start of the series (exactly the same day it aired, April 28th), so possibly the air is more brisk and Kitsune has kept this look for just a while. All this is more observation + fantheory, but otherwise, there seem to be no metal or magnetic parts on her body. She does not focus on fighting as much as the others and her modus operandi in fights seems to more self-defense, which is what her battle fans are meant for, a self-defense weapon. It's possible she could have hiding places on her open-toed boots for smaller weapons, but then again, I do not believe we've seen them used as such in the show.

Now I wonder how these magnet strips are produced and made at all... do they use the Ki-Stone to magnetize strips of metal somehow? There are many methods to make magnets irl, so I wonder which ones were used here to achieve this strong magnet effect together with the rest of the Ki-Stone's effects...

Anyway, this isn't a deep-dive about clothing, I just wanted to shortly write about the interesting element of magnet wepon-holders, because these seem a ki-stone specific magic/science, but I got a bit lengthy about the clothings anyway bc I like this show ^^

Destiny called, and there’s no turning back.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Neko

Part 4

Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5

First

Really like this Neko Ninja design, with elements from Usagi Chronicles and Rise. This specific ninja has more of a leading role, perhaps as a Commander of their particular squad. I'll use this design as reference for other Neko Ninjas, but they'll have varying proportions, build, and less armor elements. They'll all have different fur colors, length, and varied styles of headgear, so this Commander is the only one without a mask. I debated a face pattern, but I think the lack of any facial markings helps to disguise them in the shadows. No name yet, but I'll take suggestions. I want to do another specific design, maybe a third one, to follow the lineage of the Usagis, but otherwise I'll just make an extended design sheet similar to a species sheet of different traits, colors, and accessories. When drawing this particular character, I wanted them to look far from humanoid, by exaggerating their proportions. They can stand fully upright, slightly on their haunches (as seen in image), or go completely quadrupedal. I imagine the Neko Ninjas are a bit too similar to the foot in that they are useless, disposable, casually terrible villains that hit it big every once in awhile, so I wanted to upgrade them with this more beast-like image, and maintain their feral, animalistic instincts. Ninjas could run up walls, sure. But these Neko Ninjas are crawling, running, pouncing off walls and hunting their prey, like a pride. You'd never see them coming if it wasn't for their empty white eyes.

Fanfiction writers (including me): these are the eyes of a killer

(has probably killed some before the age of ten tbh)

Usagi Yojimtober Day 6 - Sunset

Exploring colors with Chizu. The fem Fatale by excellence. Or something like that.

Loneliness can also be warm.

My latest painting finally finished!

In the movie "Batman vs TMNT" (2019), mutant ooze released in Arkham Asylum turns Batman's rogues into beasts.

Joker was turned into a cobra. Not as big as illustrated here, though.

About 9"x15", I hope to someday repaint this on a little larger scale.

(The orange background is more intense in real life, and the yellow highlights on the cobra are supposed to be more pink. My scanner, man. *feeehhh*) >_<;;

Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles - 1.09 Kagehito Unleashed

SRTUC: Fancomic

Little Sisters

En español

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Sequel

Rambles from notes copy-pasted:

How Yuichi starts seeing the orphans as his little sisters "oh Yuichi can you give this whetstone to your sister?" *Ninja orphans that live with auntie=> my little sisters that live with Auntie* "yeah sure which one?" "[Insert name for Burmese], dear." "Hey imouto-chan, whetstone for you!" *Leaves the room unaware of the bombshell he dropped*

Yuichi refers to all his sisters in an affectionate way because he holds great affection for all of them and doesn't have favorites, contrary to popular belief, he just spends more time with Hanna because he's more familiar with her and he worries about messing up with the others like he almost did with Hanna.

replies @elenorasweet @umhuhwellthen about this post...

Those are both really nice things!!

i also feel like the characters that SR added next to Usagi, Gen, Kitsune and Chizu, to build more on the family element of the show, were all really interesting. I'm a super slow writer myself but it would be cool to see more of that family element, and those other characters from other fans in general. I feel like this is a constant with SRTUC fans I've seen online who mention the other characters at least once haha x3

@umhuhwellthen those neko ninja designs are cool to see so I'm looking forward to the draw the squads you wanna make for them!

The Neko Ninja crew are ones I also have theories about, but I feel like people will start to write more about thme eventually, so in future fanworks, I would maybe like to just have some extra scenes at the farm, or the Neo Edo crew resting their legs a bit after a tough fight and seeing Auntie, Hana and the other kids again. almost like a vacation even :D

Something else I would also like to explore is how to write Gen and Toshiko, because I thought their sibling dynamic of "elder hypochondriac brother with abandonment issues* who became a bounty hunter" and "younger sister who ran away to the circus and other odd jobs" is interesting for me as an older sibling myself.

*lol that is just what I read into it, but the way his story is framed, with him staying with the Shiba Inu doctors after his family was run out of town, the way he felt emotional after Tetsujin and Chizu gave him a prosthetic horn, sorta makes it feel like it would fit...

I would also maybe like to see more of the Neo Edo crews? Or maybe just more of the 3 crews we see in the show, besides the neko ninja. Like the Mogura have a whole town underground and the Bat Squadron seems to have some sort of recent history with the city, with how they don't have a fleet but their leader is called an admiral... an admiral of what? That's something I'm trying to expand on in "Neo Edo Idol" x3

I'd heard in an interview that the show's crew also had other gangs designed so that seems something fun to tackle with the aesthetic the show has established and how different the three crew's shown are :3

Basilisk: Ouka Ninpouchou; Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls - Episode 6 at 07:25