Interest
International Orders Open for Ghost in the Shell Ukiyo-e Prints
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Anime News Network's merchandise coverage sponsored by
Tokyo Otaku Mode.
Pazzy Entertainment and living Japanese national treasure Ichibei Iwano are working together to create and sell traditional ukiyo-e prints on tetsuki-hōshō-washi (Japanese hand-made paper) of the Ghost in the Shell film posters.
The poster creator for the original 1995 film, Hiroyuki Okiura, is signing each print via a wood-carved and hand-printed signature. A second print based on the most recent film released the year is also planned. Director Kazuchika Kise is signing those prints. Only 300 of each design will be made.
Edo-mokuhanga craftsman Kazuo Watanabe is carving the wood designs and preservation craftsman Hideo Yoshida will hand print each on e. Iwano is creating the handmade paper. In the video below, you can see Iwano's process.
Pre-orders for the first design are now open for international customers at the OtakuWorks Shop starting at US$370. The print measures 220mm wide and 328mm high. It's expected to ship sometime in December or January.
A Japanese crowdfunding campaign to make ukiyo-e prints of Star Wars characters raised a total of 13,932,000 yen or US$116,307 (of its 1,500,000 yen/US$12,522 goal) last month, showing the demand for the artwork—perhaps with sci-fi elements—is definitely alive.
