Stitch & the Samurai, known as Tono & Stitch in Japan and promoted as Disney Manga: Stitch and the Samurai, is a manga spin-off of the Lilo & Stitch franchise that ran from January 13 to December 28, 2020, on Kodansha's Comic Days website, written and drawn by Hiroto Wada.[1] An English translation was released by Tokyopop throughout 2021 in three volumes. A "Complete Collection" release compiling all three volumes of the English translation into one book was later published in 2023.
Wada died on July 18, 2021, just months after the twenty-sixth and final chapter was released in his native Japan, at the age of 46 from a cerebral hemorrhage.[2]
Summary[]
In an alternate universe, Stitch's ship becomes lost in time after making the hyper jump. Instead of modern Hawaii, Stitch's ship crash-lands in Sengoku-era Japan, a time where samurai warlords vie for control of the country. The army of warlord Yamato Meison discovers the crashed spaceship and after a brief struggle, Meison finds Stitch both cute and powerful enough to join him.
Characters[]
Trivia[]
- The final chapter of the manga was actually published on December 21, 2020; December 28 saw the release of a bonus mini-epilogue.
- A two-chapter side story of the manga was released on June 1, 2020, via the Japanese version of Disney Tsum Tsum, features Leroy's second-ever appearance within official Lilo & Stitch media, his first new appearance in the franchise since his 2006 debut in the film Leroy & Stitch. (He was also released as a playable Tsum in the mobile game that same month.)
- The side story is also the first Disney media to officially designate him as "Experiment 629",[3] despite previous Japanese and Disneyland Paris merchandise designating him as "Experiment 628" (which is false since the pod of an Experiment 628 was seen in the Lilo & Stitch: The Series episode "627", and Leroy was newly made in his debut film).
- The second part of the side story, the one that features Leroy and Dr. Hämsterviel, was not published in English.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 13, 2020). "Disney Character Stitch Gets Manga Set in Feudal Japan". Anime News Network.
- ↑ Loo, Egan (July 26, 2021). "Disney Manga: Stitch and the Samurai Creator Hiroto Wada Passes Away at 46". Anime News Network.
- ↑ Tweet from the Japanese LINE: Disney Tsum Tsum account written on June 4, 2020.
External links[]
- Tono & Stitch chapter 1 on Comic Days
