There's a long history of anthropomorphic animals in Japanese literature. The so-called 'funny animal scrolls' were the first narratives in Japanese history, and the heroes of many folk tales have animals as their companions.

The characters first appeared in Albedo #1 in 1984 and were subsequently featured in issues of Critters GrimJack Amazing Heroes and Furrlough. Biography

He began his career by lettering comic books (notably Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier) and wrote and illustrated The Adventures of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy; a comic series with a medieval setting influenced by Sergio Aragones's Groo the Wanderer. He is best known as the creator of the comic series Usagi Yojimbo.

Stan Sakai (スタン 坂井? born May 25 1953 in Kyoto Japan) is a third-generation Japanese American Cartoonist comic book creator. He is best known as the creator of the comic series Usagi Yojimbo.