5 out of 5

While on the one hand (ugh no pun intended) a typical Sakai setup – introduce an element, let time pass within the story, reintroduce the element – Senso has seemed to reinvigorate the artist in several respects.  First and most notable is that the looseness he employed and scope of that future tale has seemed to inspire Sakai to layer some more complexity into his panels, while sharpening his linework in general, employing a thick line for highlighting foreground from background.  Usagi has also gotten just a dash more stern – gotta love the way he angrily sashays into the eatery at the start of this ish – which goes hand in hand with some ‘darker’ morals that the stories employ.

Usagi meets a one-armed swordsman and engages him briefly on how this came to be, noting the swordsman’s self-taught style, which was learned as a necessity at the loss of his sword-hand.  They part ways, and of course, some time later, Usagi finds the man who must be the hand-lopper-offer, just as mean-spirited as the stories about him would suggest.  But before Usagi can engage… the one-armed swordsman returns.  This is all executed with the breezy Stan charm, but it’s the last panel, which I shan’t ruin here, that really elevates this into a notable Usagi tale.