Small announcement and Junji Okubo

Wow it’s been almost a month since my last post. How times fly. I’ve been thinking to give this blog a little change of direction, I’ll be still blogging about anime and films but I will focus more on stuff related to robots and mechas. I think this will set Robototoro apart from the gazillions of other anime blogsites out there, as if there aren’t enough of them already. Since writing about anime episodes isn’t my strong point nor interest so there’s no point in following others when there are already better blogs out there that caters for this. It appears that the subject also fits the title of this blog very well, so I believe it’s the right thing to do. Though there will be some exceptions at times if there are any other unrelated but interesting stuff that comes along.

Anyway here’s an artist that I am really into recently Junji Okubo. Although I have been seeing some of his works I never knew who the artist was until I saw the Japanese magazine called Animation Note in which his work was featured.

His most famous works were for the game Steel Battalion:

Here’s some other designs which I’m not sure what they are used for. The realistic details of his mechanical designs are just amazing, it look as though these machines can be fully operated in the real world.

This is one of the pictures depicting Okubo’s workflow.

I apologies for the terrible quality of some of the pictures, unfortunately my mobile phone is the only best tool I’ve got at the moment to take the photos. I’ll re upload some better quality pictures when I have a chance to get hold of a decent camera or preferably a scanner.

This is Okubo’s official homepage for more of his works, but it’s in Japanese only:
http://www.izmojuki.com/

All images are copyright of Junji Okubo. IZMOJUKI. All Rights Reserved. Except the ones taken by camera which are from Anime Notes.

Akira Yamaguchi

It was few years ago when I was in Japan where I discovered the artist Akira Yamaguchi. I picked up one of the leaflet about an upcoming exhibition by the artist. Unfortunately I wasn’t around long enough to see the exhibition. One of the major element that really attracted me about his paintings was the use of traditional Japanese art style but with a twist of modern themes. For example a piece depicting a medieval battle scene where soldiers are unleashing a giant mech onto the battlefield. Another of samurai with what looks likes a cross between a motorcycle and a horse. There is a certain aspect of it which gives me the Samurai Champloo vibe.

Akira Yamaguchi is considered to be one of new generation of artists called Neo Nihonga (New Japanese style) who set to keep the traditional art technique going. Other notable artists are Hisashi Tenmyouya, Fuyuko Matsui, Ai Yamaguchi, Takashi Murakami and Kumi Machida.

For further information:
Outside the Lines