Amano

[Jules]

Mike - on the old forum I made some comment about there being a couple of characters in Japanese computer games that seemed very Elric inspired (white hair, black clothes, black energy-sucking swords) and wondering if there was some connection to some Japanese legend.

Well anyway, looking through a recent book of Yoshitako Amano prints, I found out the connection - as well as doing jackets for your books and working with Neil Gaiman, I discovered he also designed characters for video games - including one of the ones I was thinking of. So problem solved - it IS an Elric rip-off!

Anyway, the book is called 'Amano' and might be of interest to some of your readers.

[Michael Moorcock]

Great book. Stormbringer was a best-seller in Japan a few years ago and I suspect a lot of stuff was influenced by him there.

[Honoured_Matre]

Mike - on the old forum I made some comment about there being a couple of characters in Japanese computer games that seemed very Elric inspired (white hair, black clothes, black energy-sucking swords) and wondering if there was some connection to some Japanese legend.

Well anyway, looking through a recent book of Yoshitako Amano prints, I found out the connection - as well as doing jackets for your books and working with Neil Gaiman, I discovered he also designed characters for video games - including one of the ones I was thinking of. So problem solved - it IS an Elric rip-off!

Anyway, the book is called 'Amano' and might be of interest to some of your readers.

Amano did covers for some of Mikes books, i think they were published in the UK by Millenium. i certainly have, Prince with the Silver Hand with an Amano cover, i deliberately go out to find them!Have you seen Final Fantasy Advent Children, the bad guys all have silver hair, you cannot miss Sephiroth!

[Michael Moorcock]

I have a bunch of wonderful Amano books. I loved his covers for my work. He also illustrated Vampire Hunter D and has used almost every medium, including stained glass!

[Honoured_Matre]

I have a bunch of wonderful Amano books. I loved his covers for my work. He also illustrated Vampire Hunter D and has used almost every medium, including stained glass!

Absolutely, the best fantasy artist since, Rodney Mathews, I had a huge poster of corum by him on my wall when I was 17!
have and still collect both these artist, wish I could find/afford an original Amano though.

[manmiles]

I have a bunch of wonderful Amano books. I loved his covers for my work. He also illustrated Vampire Hunter D and has used almost every medium, including stained glass!

I've read the translated Vampire Hunter D novels released by Dark Horse, enjoyable Sword and Science adventure which seems to be above the usual fare, like the Elric books, it's the charecter that makes the books interesting, unlike the Conan stories, simply because the charecter failed to interest me. Solomon Kane, I prefered to Conan. But enough about my inability to read REH. Amano is a great artist, amazing to think he's come so far from being a charecter designer for an animation studio.

Actually, I've got a Vampire Hunter D poster on my wall.

[Honoured_Matre]

I've read the translated Vampire Hunter D novels released by Dark Horse, enjoyable Sword and Science adventure which seems to be above the usual fare, like the Elric books, it's the charecter that makes the books interesting, unlike the Conan stories, simply because the charecter failed to interest me. Solomon Kane, I prefered to Conan. But enough about my inability to read REH. Amano is a great artist, amazing to think he's come so far from being a charecter designer for an animation studio.

I am currently reading the third of this series,easy reading interesting character, up to now little has really been revealed about him!

Not great fiction, but good, not too challenging, entertaining!

[manmiles]

I brought the third book when I was in America last, still need to get around to reading it.

Of course, the description of D in the book went against the description of him in the film IMO. The book describes him as looking like a teenager while in the films, he's much older looking. But that could just be me.

[Michael Moorcock]

I'd wanted to put a Vampire Hunter D image on the English Von Bek omnibus, but Amano couldn't let me use it. At the time there were no VHD books available in the US or UK.

[Michael Moorcock]

That said, there actually is a Von Bek with the VHD picture on it, which had to be scrapped when Amano couldn't give permission. I still have one of those covers. Ought to put it on site sometime.

[manmiles]

Well, now I look at the hardback Von Bek cover, the image does look rather VHD-Light. Still a good image though.

[Typhoid_Mary]

Here's some information on Yoshitaka Amano's latest project:

http://www.boom-studios.com/hero.html

http://www.comicbookresources.com/ne...em.cgi?id=7760

[Octo Seven]

I bought The Prince With the Silver Hand today and was pleasantly surprised to see the Amano cover, I'm a big fan of his work, especially his character designs in the early Final Fantasy games, and his work with Neil Gaiman on Sandman.

[Governor of Rowe Island]

Don't forget we have a Yoshitaka Amano album in the Artists section of the Image Hive.

[Octo Seven]

Niice.