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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 741 EAN: 9781897376027 ISBN: 1897376022 Label: Udon Entertainment Manufacturer: Udon Entertainment Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 288 Publication Date: June 18, 2008 Publisher: Udon Entertainment Sales Rank: 23767 Studio: Udon Entertainment
Product Description: Okami is one of the newest Capcom action games boasting a very unique art style, heavily inspired by Japanese watercolor painting. The Okami Official Complete Works art book will take you behind the scenes to the amazing artwork that defines the wonderful world of this beautiful video game! The 288 full color pages are filled with character and location designs, concept sketches and production notes from the creators giving you an in-depth look at the fantasy world of Okami! A truly inspiring book, translated into English for the first time!
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - wonderful japanese art collection
I purchased this book for my son who loves Japanese art and Okami. The book is what he expected, a fine collection of Okami art. Very satisfied with the purchase.
Rating: - Beautiful Art Book
After perpetual delays in the English translation, Udon did finally get around to releasing the (300-page, full color) "Okami" art book in June 2008. It was mostly worth the wait.
As with most art books, the "Okami: Official Complete Works" is a series of game and concept artwork with commentary from people involved - both in the creative process of the art and the game itself. There are, interestingly, musical cues to match parts of the art book, but as I don't have the soundtrack CD I can't check them. The (English) commentary is marked with what I presume to be kanji noting the author of the commentary; I can't read the language, but the English version of the names is given early on, so it still works as a marker.
Since Okami got a great deal of praise for it's art direction, you'd expect the concept art to be beautiful, and it is. A lot of this was already used in the game - particularly the large pieces - but not all of it, and it's nice to have it printed out. The biggest disappointment here is actually that more of the pieces didn't get full page treatment, particularly some of the "leftover" pieces in the back. They got a number of different people to do the commentary on the early art - generally, whoever worked on it - and it's often informative (and occasionally very odd, in a "Only in Japan ..." kind of way) on the development of some the material. Okami was a unique game; a browse through the art is well worth it.
****1/2
Rating: - A fantastic art book
I collect a lot of art books, and this is easily one of the best I've picked up. Tons of designs, notes on the artists' process, finished pieces, it's really got everything. The art style for the game is so interesting and unique, and this art book so thorough and well-done, that you really can't go wrong with it.
Rating: - Absolutely beautiful.
A truly stunning book. With 288 huge full-color pages and shiny gold FOIL on the cover, this book is most certainly worth $40, even $50.
I love reading all the artists' and game creators' notes. They're so fun... and funny. Big full-page spreads of the brush gods, characters, divine instruments, bosses, etc. Not only are they big, they're super high quality! I'm also very glad that Udon kept the original Japanese right-to-left alignment. There would be lots of flipped images and confusing things if they had flopped it.
There are actually quite a few disappointing things about the book, but they didn't dishearten me enough to drop a star in my rating. For one thing, there are a few poorly translated things, and I was a bit sad that some of the translations that are supposed to use in-game text are simply translated and not written in accordance to the English version of the game. Also, 'Takamagahara' appears in the book three times... and is spelled differently each time. These inconsistencies were a bit saddening, but not too sad... mistakes happen, I guess.
Also, the binding isn't terribly great... I don't mind at all that the spine creases. In fact, that adds to the book's old beat-up look. However, just a few flips through it caused a few segments of pages to come loose of the binding glue. Thankfully it's all kept together by tough string, and about half the pages are still attached. Not to mention there are thick pages glued together at the beginning and end of the book, so nothing will be falling out any time soon. Life is good. :)
Rating: - Best art book value around.
This book is full of the most amazing artwork - it's both inspiring and humbling. Every page is chock-full of gorgeous imagery and for the price it's incredible.
- wonderful japanese art collection
- A fantastic art book
