Manga's most beloved creator ventures into Japan's mythical past and
emerges with a menagerie unlike any other
Shigeru Mizuki is no stranger to the supernatural and its portents.
Kitaro and Tono Monogatari reimagined the obscure folktales of his
youth, bringing them to life with whimsy. Mizuki the cartoonist
certainly left an indelible mark on comics as world literature. Mizuki
the fine artist, on the other hand, rounds out the full scope of his
fascination with the otherworldly and fantastic, bringing these worlds
to life in robust color.
Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki showcases his expertise of not only
folklore, but celebrates him as a naturalist. Elements of Mizuki's lush
compositions--flora, fauna, and everything in between--showcase his
mastery of form and love for nature. These popular renderings of a
disappearing, rural Japan are his contribution to the preservation of a
cultural heritage that would have otherwise been forgotten. The
grotesque realism central to his body of work is offset by the ingenuity
of his fancy for the macabre. Pieces in this deluxe, full-color edition
call to mind the playful pop-sensibility of Maurice Sendak informed by
the technical prowess of traditionalists like Dürer and Doré. And like
any other Mizuki classic, each oeuvre is a unique snapshot of spirit,
human or otherwise, in constant transition.
Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki includes supplementary writing by
acclaimed Mizuki scholar and translator Zack Davisson.
