Yoshitaka Amano Appreciation!

[ArEmEe]

Evening, all! I hope you're all well.

Final Fantasy has brought me many things over the years: joy, entertainment... an overwhelming urge to smash my TV (then rampage all the way to the off license and start drinking again) when chocobo racing for the Sun Sigil on the Calm Lands. It's also introduced me to some beautiful artwork, specifically the series' conceptual pieces by Yoshitaka Amano. Amano's fusing of traditional Japanese wooden prints with American comic styles is mesmirising, his pieces both moving and hypnotic. So much depth in such delicate pieces. I thought it might be nice to share a few of his works and see which pieces other people like too.

Where it all began:

What comes from scaling Mt Ordeals:

King of the seas:

King of villains:

Someday the dream will end:

 

[Miko]

Yoshitaka Amano's work is certainly unique to himself. I've seen his work out in the wild in shops in the past and just immediately knew it was his craft. My personal interest in him is how he draws his monsters; very interesting & awesome looking. Though honestly there's multiple works that shine as well. I wonder how long it roughly takes him to finish a piece. I suppose I don't actually know much about Amano other than certain title works, but in terms of Final Fantasy he's absoluely done an awesome job at his own takes on many different pieces from various games in the series.

 

[Vivi-Gamer]

This has always been my favourite Amano piece:

It's very busy like a lot of his work but it's also very striking with the contrasting purples/oranges. There's plenty to look at yet I feel the detail is very clear. I also just like the composition with the characters surrounded by demons and the emperor.

 

[ArEmEe]

This has always been my favourite Amano piece:
View attachment 11410
It's very busy like a lot of his work but it's also very striking with the contrasting purples/oranges. There's plenty to look at yet I feel the detail is very clear. I also just like the composition with the characters surrounded by demons and the emperor.

Love it, love it, love it!

 

[Dionysos]

I love Amano.
I have The World Beyond Imagination, a compilation of art which featured in an exhibition showcasing his works from throughout his career (including some FF stuff, a lot of non-FF stuff – and some erotica…). I also have the Wolverine and Electra Marvel book he worked on with Greg Rucka.

He’s also collaborated with Neil Gaiman on Sandman and other creators on other wonderful things.



I adore the contrasting colours Amano uses, and the weird, quirky stripes (the Zebra-pattern stuff). It’s like a fine/traditional art version of a 1980s music video (think Oingo Boingo) or Tim Burton’s wacky mind, and so on.


Additionally, I like it especially when Amano uses gold pigments in the background (such as in the Tidus and Yuna piece in the original post of this thread). It’s like Byzantine art mixed with Gustav Klimt and with a Japanese twist, and I love it.


I don’t know if I do have an absolute, favourite piece. I’ll have to come back and post that at a later date if I can think of one.

Here are some cool ones that are under-represented though:
FFXI

FFXIV (Garuda)

Vampire Hunter D (not familiar with this franchise, but I love some of the art he did for it)

And then this really, really quirky Cloud (Final Fantasy VII)

He looks like he's run over Terra, got her clothes caught on the bottom of his bike, but then just kept on driving.

It's great.

This has always been my favourite Amano piece:
View attachment 11410
It's very busy like a lot of his work but it's also very striking with the contrasting purples/oranges. There's plenty to look at yet I feel the detail is very clear. I also just like the composition with the characters surrounded by demons and the emperor.

That Final Fantasy II piece is STUNNING. It is essentially like a film poster (such as Star Wars, etc) but, in my opinion, aesthetically unique and is very impactful.

 

[ArEmEe]

I love Amano.
I have The World Beyond Imagination, a compilation of art which featured in an exhibition showcasing his works from throughout his career (including some FF stuff, a lot of non-FF stuff – and some erotica…). I also have the Wolverine and Electra Marvel book he worked on with Greg Rucka.

View attachment 11415​

He’s also collaborated with Neil Gaiman on Sandman and other creators on other wonderful things.



I adore the contrasting colours Amano uses, and the weird, quirky stripes (the Zebra-pattern stuff). It’s like a fine/traditional art version of a 1980s music video (think Oingo Boingo) or Tim Burton’s wacky mind, and so on.


Additionally, I like it especially when Amano uses gold pigments in the background (such as in the Tidus and Yuna piece in the original post of this thread). It’s like Byzantine art mixed with Gustav Klimt and with a Japanese twist, and I love it.


I don’t know if I do have an absolute, favourite piece. I’ll have to come back and post that at a later date if I can think of one.

Here are some cool ones that are under-represented though:
FFXI

FFXIV (Garuda)

Vampire Hunter D (not familiar with this franchise, but I love some of the art he did for it)

And then this really, really quirky Cloud (Final Fantasy VII)

He looks like he's run over Terra, got her clothes caught on the bottom of his bike, but then just kept on driving.

It's great.




That Final Fantasy II piece is STUNNING. It is essentially like a film poster (such as Star Wars, etc) but, in my opinion, aesthetically unique and is very impactful.

Some lovely books and pictures! My ex's sister had some Amano books too, I used to really enjoy spending time looking through them.

I never knew about the Neil Gaiman collaboration! Though I did see he's diversified a fair bit... and even illustrated tarot cards! Definitely a talent!

 

[Dionysos]

Some lovely books and pictures! My ex's sister had some Amano books too, I used to really enjoy spending time looking through them.

I never knew about the Neil Gaiman collaboration! Though I did see he's diversified a fair bit... and even illustrated tarot cards! Definitely a talent!

Yeah, I don't actually own the Amano Sandman volume. I really want to though.

Some of the art I've seen from it looks beautiful. Amano's style is a great fit for Morpheus and the weird dream visions of Gaiman's universe.

I didn't know about the Amano tarot deck. I can imagine those being amazing too!