Ikeda (Usagi Yojimbo)
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Ikeda is a supporting character in the Usagi Yojimbo comic book.
First introduced in the story, "Patience of Spider," Ikeda was a general for the Geishu clan until he participated in a failed insurrection in the province. Upon his defeat, Geishu and a subordinate decided to hide as peasants until an opportune time came to resurface against the province's daimyo.
That wait proved to take years in which Ikeda grew more and more accustomed to his simple life raising a family while enduring triumphs such as the successful construction an irrigation system and tragedies like the death of his subordinate and later of his second son. Eventually a compatriate arrived to tell him that Daimyo died and his son, Lord Noriyuki, who is still a child, has ascended to the position. Although momentarily eager to take this prime opportunity to strike, Ikeda ultimately decided he could not leave his peasant life and family and refused to participate in another rebellion.
This seemingly isolated story was in fact part of the buildup for the epic story "Grasscutter". In that story, Noriyuki and his most trusted samurai, Tomoe Ame, were attacked by a villain's minions during a trip and were forced to flee. By pure coincidence, they sought shelter on the farm of Ikeda, unaware of the true nature of the head of that household.
Although momentarily tempted to kill the young panda cub, Ikeda reconsidered upon learning of the panda's noble nature and agreed to protect him and Tomoe as they attempt to reach safe territory. Bringing along his son, Motokazu, the foursome endured a perilous adventure in which Ikeda decided he was wrong to have rebelled against Noriyuki's family and pledged his loyalty to him.
Upon reaching safety, Noriyuki gratefully offered to reinstate Ikeda to his former position. However, Ikeda, now preferring his current life, declined but offered the compromise of asking that Motokazu be accepted in the lord's court when his father finished training him—which Noriyuki accepted.
In "Grasscutter II", Ikeda joined a dangerous expedition that included Usagi Miyamoto and the monk, Sanshobo to transport the legendary sword, Kusanagi, to a special hiding place in a temple. At the climax of the story, Ikeda died fighting the forces determined to seize the sword while the prize reached its destination, decapitating three ninja assailants with a single swing of his sword.
In the face of this loss, Noriyuki called Motokazu to his court early and Tomoe arranged for him to be trained in one of the established schools, and later the lord appointed the cub as his personal page. So far, Motokazu has done his father's memory proud with impressive acts of skill and courage which earned him an early promotion to samurai.
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