Jotaro (Usagi Yojimbo)

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caption=Jotaro in the center with the bokken
Cover of "Usagi Yojimbo" v3 #67, art by Stan Sakai
comic_color=background:#80ffff
character_name=Jotaro
real_name=Jotaro
publisher=Dark Horse Comics
debut="Critters" #10
creators=Stan Sakai
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
status=Active
alliances=
previous_alliances=
aliases=
relatives=Miyamoto Usagi (biological father), Mariko (mother), Kenichi (adoptive father)
powers=student Swordsman with remarkable skill for his age and experience.|

Jotaro is a fictional character from the "Usagi Yojimbo" comic book series. He is the son of the titular character, Miyamoto Usagi, but due to circumstances they do not acknowledge it; they treat each other as uncle and nephew, and neither is aware that the other knows the truth. Jotaro is currently training to be a samurai and has displayed formidable skill for his age; he has defeated adult opponents with his bokken in single combat, despite his still small stature.

Character history

Jotaro is the son of Kenichi and Mariko, but his biological father is Usagi; before leaving to serve Lord Mifune, Usagi had a tryst with his childhood love, Mariko, who later discovered she was pregnant. Kenichi, who was also in love with Mariko, convinced her to marry him, so that she would not be dishonored by having a child out of wedlock. Kenichi treated Jotaro as his own child, but it is one of the many sticking points between Kenichi and Usagi. For his part, Usagi had no idea about fathering a child, and Mariko refused to tell him so as to not make him feel obliged to resign his post and return to her. In "Circles", just as Usagi is leaving the village, Mariko tells him the truth about Jotaro, and instructs him not to reveal it to Jotaro, for fear that it would alienate Jotaro from Kenichi.

Later, when Jotaro was old enough to study swordsmanship, he took Usagi's suggestion and came under instruction of Katsuichi-sensei, the same swordsmaster who taught Usagi. He in turn deduced Jotaro's parentage and felt the child was much like his father.

During the third volume of the comic, Jotaro travels with Usagi for a while before Katsuichi is scheduled to meet another swordsmaster named Nakamura Koji for a duel. Before the duel, the four (along with Katsuichi's other student, Shunji) meet in a village besieged by bandits, they form a plan to defeat the bandits and save the town; during which Koji is impressed with Jotaro's skill. When Koji is killed by Katsuichi during their duel, he leaves Jotaro his daisho for him to wield when he comes of age, and the young boy vows that he will grow up to be a great samurai like him; a noble goal according to Katsuichi.

When Jotaro rejoins Katsuichi for more training, Usagi leaves them again. In one of the most touching moments in the series, Jotaro reveals immediately after Usagi's departure that his mother told him the truth about his parentage (but for some reason, she did not tell him that his biological father knows as well). He runs out towards Usagi proclaiming that he is his father; a message that Usagi is too far away to hear.

So far, only a handful of people know the truth about Jotaro and Usagi. Katsuichi knows, likely deducing it from their similar styles, though Jotaro reveals it in front of him in volume 3, issue 75. Usagi has confided their relationship in Tomoe Ame, a possible sign that he thinks of her as more than just a friend. Sasuké's mind reading abilities have revealed the truth to him; and Jei likely suspects the relationship, and fathering a child out of wedlock could be one of the sins—if not "the" sin—that Jei has condemned Usagi for.

External links

* [http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/characters/jotaro.html Jotaro's official bio page]