Seattle Samurai

Sam Goto's Seattle Tomodachi cartoons illuminate Japanese American life in the 20th century. Daughter Kelly Goto explores his legacy in this stunning, full-color collection. Between 2012 and 2018, Sam Goto drew over 250 multi-paneled Seattle Tomodachi comic strips for the North American Post. These comics chronicled the lives and stories of early Japanese settlers and their American-born offspring. Through his work, he captured elements of culture, nostalgia, and history, while infusing his characters - Shigeru Tomo and his alterego Samurai Shigeru - with the samurai values of courage, respect, and continuous improvement and compassion.