最近、たくさんストレスになりましたよ。ストレスの中で、ブログすることができません、ごめんなさい。
The usual lame excuse aside, let’s come to the main reason for today’s update. It actually comes down to this – catching up with summer Comike ’10 coverage I’ve fallen terrible behind. Another trusted motivation of mine recently, but it’s still a special focus chosen for this entry.
Especially since there’s only been a single blogging dedicated on an Anime/Animator related Doujin release from that time, today’s write-up is most definitely overdue.
• Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu
Release: 2010/08/13
140 pages
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Given there is no fancy banner I could link to an artist private/Circle web presence with this time around (at least ot my knowledge), I’d like to pack and get this entry started with some introducing words for those not familiar with the talent in charge of this very special publication released at last year’s summer Comiket. Actually Umakoshi Yoshihiko turned into a famed Animator and especially in recent years through involvement on popular projects ranging from a muliplicity of genre. From hard edged SF like CASSHERN Sins up to Mahou Shoujo where Umakoshi-sensei shined as visual mastermind in charge of hits like Ojamajo Doremi up to the most recent and highly successful Heartcatch PreCure!, everything been represented througout the years on Umakoshi-sensei’s work list. This Animator’s simple yet coevally complicated and highly detailed style that enables smooth and most important vibrant usage/transition for Anime made Umakoshi Yoshihiko range amongst the most oustanding talents in the biz and without a particular Studio boundary either, he showcases to excel at each project he’s been entrusted with.
It’s therefore been no big surprise when fans reported that the formal debut Doujinshi release by Umakoshi, as published via his newly launched Circle BBM last summer, sold out within a mere hour, leading to immense demand (and pricing) for Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu instantly past the event. In case you wonder – no, despite your’s truly having attended Comike78 in person, I did not realize (or better phrased way too late) about this special attendance, hence was confronted with equal horrendous prices a couple of days past Comiket at Akiba Mandarake as well. Why this aspect of the release is considered so totally justified and in order to provide you with my stance over the release in focus for today, let’s take a closer look inside the summerly publication by Umakoshi-sensei’s Circle BBM now. While the majority of Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu is kept in b/w, the Doujinshi opens with full 12 color pages in all their glossy glory! Not that extensive in hinsight of the beyond hundred page count this publication crosses, yet Umakoshi-sensei truely knows how to impress with this sort of commencing things. With absolutely beautiful to stunning artworks througoutly dedicated on the project which been the most recent one this talent worked on and furthermore also been given true lion’s share treatment overall herein, everything starts with Heartcatch PreCure. Apart of the full/actual version of the pink/black outline (with golden shiny title imprint on it) kept cover artwork of Cure Marine and Cure Blossom, some of the most outstanding pieces of opening color artworks this Doujin impressed me so early on with already, are represented with the Dark Cure and Cure Moonlight illustration (キュアムーンライトは最高 だよ!) as well as the lovely Itsuku portrayal with sunset lightning drawing a Cure Sunshine shadow behind him! Also the neat Ikemen Sora student artwork makes this fanboy’s heart beat faster while coevally concludes the color intro part of Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu. Another aspect trhough which this starting color part shines so bright besides Umakoshi’s vibrant drawing goes to the coloration itself, as he makes usage of various different techniques and schemes to present this. From water color paint style to flashy pop coloration like right out of the 70′s (you know this coloring via little color dots, don’t know how else to describe that) all enabling Umakoshi Precure eyecandy per excellence.
After this also the first section starts right at page 15 and that part is dedicated to CASSHERN Sins. One of the striking arguments for me back then, to get ahold of this Doujinshi, over 21 pages are dedicated to present the series’ Opening in all its storyboard greatness. As decent as that is, it sadly remains as almost sole part within Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu focused on the project. Next section starting at page 37 and lasting up to 46 goes to Grappler Baki where Umakoshi-sensei been in charge of Key Animation for 4 episodes and this Doujinshi collecting several of the scene layers/Genga. Of course, this is among the few parts within this release where the Umakoshi esque or distinctive style isn’t fully showcased via the designs themself, yet the vibrant fashion the featured scenes are kept in actually bring forth the trademark of this Animator well I’d say. Another short part within section 2 of this publication collects some more storyboards for PROJECT ARMS, 7 pages in total, another seven for Kimi ni Todoke (Key Animation on episode 5) coevally bringing forth more of Umakoshi style through designs as well I’d say. Plus lastly Mo~tto! Ojamajo Doremi coverage is also part of this section with Genga and sketches scenes out of the movie Kaeru Seki no Himitsu. After these 13 pages in total, the third section within Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu comes up, and this one coevally represents the lion’s share among the Doujinshi – dedicated on Heartach PreCure. Taking up over almost 50 pages in total, he commeces with lots scene Genga originating from the series’ 10th episode (which means besides lovely Blossom and Marine coverage also lots of Dark Moon!!), as well as L/O修正 (retouch/correction) material from this episode. Another major coverage within the PreCure section of this book goes to episode 23, again featuring mostly the L/O Shuusei and therewith also lovely spotlight moved onto Cure Sunshine! Starting at page 127, the fourth section opens with a beautiful chara collage sketch artwork featuring the Doremi girls on it. A bit tricky or misleading though, as this is no specific series focused part and while no title is attached to this time around, the fourth and final section within Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu collects a selected variation of project done for artworks. Such as various poster and CD jacket artworks in their sketch/rough version for Doremi, Hokuto no Ken (Umakoshi-sensei was in charge of Key Animation for the OVA’s Toki-den part) plus lastly little more CASSHERN Sins coverage with rough art for the released Box art as well as DVD jacket rough, all sadly crammed onto 2 pages only. After one ending page that features Box/DVD jacket art for the Berserk Anime, where Umakoshi-sensei actually been Character designer as well as Animation Director for a handful of episodes, therefore a bit surprising how little coverage this work received herein, Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu “already” heads into conclusion with the talent’s (outro) message page.
While this short kept break-up over the content for this BBM release may not let it shine through as sufficient as I’d like to, Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu is truely brimful of awesome content from start ’till the very end. There’s very little to rant over this Comike78 originating publication, other than I wished for a little more, such as Marie & Gali that didn’t receive any coverage herein or a ful Doremi dedicated section, yet these would have required to enrich the Doujinshi with “a good couple” of more pages whilst the book already goes beyond 100+ to begin with. On the by far prevailing upside of this publication, I fully enjoyed the extensive focus on Heartcatch PreCure and that despite your’s trulyentered this release without prior knowledge of the series back when I picked up the Doujinshi. While I consider myself a big Mahou Shoujo fan ever since the days back of a certain Sailor Senshi appared, in recent years I followed the genre with little or fading interest and hence also skipped on Heartcatch PreCure, which *now* I know was a big mistake. It’s this Doujin release which enflamed my interest over the series and actually therewith totally revived/enflamed my fanboyism over Mahou Shoujo (of these scales). Among all the Animator released-by Doujinshi I’m aware of and picked-up back during the summerly installment of Comike, I can say without a doubt that Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu turned out to be the most impressive one overall (and there’s been plenty of tough competition as far as I’m concerned). This stance is founded for a huge part on the talent’s distinctive and unique vibrant style which enables each and every single piece of work collection as conducted herein such energetic look that it’s a real pleasure to go through the 140 pages the eyecandy spreads over! Regardless of whether you’re a fan of one of the particular projects this talent been in charge of or just looking for a stunning and engaging Anime art/Genga collection, let me tell you that Umakoshi Yoshihiko Gengashuu is everything one could ask for and even more hence definitely worth the pricing involved on acquiring this release. While back in summer I yearned for more the moment I finished my first paging through this Doujinshi, gladly meanwhile these wishes turned reality with the follow-up release published via the winter Comike participation of BBM. Therefore (with the parcel including that release on its way) you can be sure that my blogging on terms of Umakoshi Yoshihiko is to be continued for sure!
That said on a total unrelated note I also like to thank people checking out this little blog of mine for the 10,000 (and counting) views given to N-Field since the site switch/relaunch in March last year! アクセス一万のヒットありがとございます！
0verflow
