Sakai became famous with the creation ofUsagi Yojimbo, the epic saga ofMiyamoto Usagi, asamurai rabbit living in late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth-century Japan.[7][8][9][10] First published in 1984, the comic continues to this day, with Sakai as the lone author and nearly sole artist (Tom Luth serves as the main colorist on the series, and Sergio Aragonés has made two small contributions to the series: the story "Broken Ritual" (Usagi Yojimbo vol. 1, issue 33, published byFantagraphics) is based on an idea by Aragonés, and he served as a guest inker for the black-and-white version of the story "Return to Adachi Plain", fromUsagi Yojimbo vol. 3, issue 10, published by Dark Horse, and reprinted in the collectionSeasons.). He also created a futuristic spinoff seriesSpace Usagi.[11] His favorite movie isSatomi Hakkenden (1959). TheJapanese American National Museum in Los Angeles'sLittle Tokyo presented an exhibit entitled "Year of the Rabbit: Stan Sakai'sUsagi Yojimbo" from July 9 through October 30, 2011.
Sakai wrote and illustrated the story "I'm Not in Springfield Anymore!" forBart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror #7 and illustrated the back cover ofTreehouse of Horror #6.
The seventh episode of the 2012Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series'fifth season, "Yojimbo", was written by Sakai and features Miyamoto Usagi, who has appeared in a few TMNT shows todate.
In 2020, it was announced that Sakai would serve as an executive producer on the then-upcomingNetflix original animated seriesSamurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, which is based onUsagi Yojimbo.[12]
In April 2022, Sakai was reported among the more than three dozen comics creators who contributed toOperation USA's benefit anthology book,Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds, a project spearheaded byIDW Publishing Special Projects EditorScott Dunbier, whose profits would be donated to relief efforts forUkrainian refugees resulting from the February2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[13][14] Sakai's contribution is an originalUsagi Yojimbo story in which the main character comes to the aid of refugees fleeing the invasion of their land by a warlord, themes that speak to the events in Ukraine.[15]
1996Eisner Award for "Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition" (Usagi Yojimbo)
1999Eisner Award for "Best Serialized Story" (Usagi Yojimbo "Grasscutter")
1999Haxtur Award for "Best Short Story [in Spain]" (Usagi Yojimbo "Noodles" [Spanish Edition])[19]
2000Haxtur Award for "Best Script [in Spain]" (Usagi Yojimbo's "Grasscutter" [Spanish Edition])[20]
2001 Ursa Major Award for "Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book or Strip"[21]
2002 National Cartoonists Society Comic Book Division Awards (Usagi Yojimbo)[22]
2002 Ursa Major Award for "Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book or Strip"[23]
2003 Ursa Major Award for "Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book"[24]
2003 La Plumilla de Plata (Silver Inkpen Award) inMexico for his lifetime achievements and contributions to comic books.[25]
2004 Ursa Major Award for "Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work" (The Art of Usagi Yojimbo) and "Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book" (Usagi Yojimbo)[26]
2005 Ursa Major Award for "Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book" (Usagi Yojimbo)[27]
2020Ringo Award for "Best Cartoonist" (Usagi Yojimbo)
2020 Ringo Award for "Best Presentation" (Grasscutter Artist Select)
2020 Ringo Award for "Best Single Issue or Story" (Usagi Yojimbo #6)
From 1993 through 2005, Stan Sakai has received twenty-oneEisner Award nominations. He has also been nominated for theComics Buyer's Guide Award for Favorite Writer in 1999 and 2000. In 2020, Sakai was inducted into theEisner Award Hall of Fame.
47 Ronin (2014, Dark Horse) – collects #1–5, story byMike Richardson, colors by Lovern Kindzierski, and letters by L. Lois Buhalis andTom Orzechowski
The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy (2014, Dark Horse) – collect stories fromAlbedo Anthropomorphics #1 and #5;Critters Special #1;Critters #5, 16, and 27;Usagi Yojimbo (vol. 1) #19;Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #1–3;Usagi Yojimbo (vol. 2) #9; andDark Horse Presents (vol. 2) #30; colors by Ryan Hill andTom Luth
