Stan Sakai was born in Tokyo, Japan, grew up on Hawai and settled in California. He is the creator, writer and artist of 'Usagi Yojimbo', the comic book series about a samurai rabbit wandering in an anthropomorphic 17th-century Japan. For this series, and for his drawing style, Sakai received several awards. The character Usagi proved so popular that he appeared on the animated 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' series, as well as on clothing and toys. Sakai also worked on 'Albedo', 'Critters', 'Donald Duck' and 'Turtle Soup'.
Sakai paid graphic tribute to François Walthéry in the collective homage book 'Natacha. Special 20 Ans' (Marsu Productions, 1990), which celebrated the 20th anniversary of Walthéry's series 'Natacha'.