Artist Aoi Nishimata, renowned as the artist behind Shuffle and a variety of adult games and visual novels, has been at the centre of a storm of controversy as it became known that she was selected as a “representative” artist for Japan, to contribute an illustration to a Lucas endorsed commemorative art book. Non-fans fulminate that the opportunity should have gone to someone else…
For her part, she describes how excited she was to have no less than George Lucas himself look over her contribution, and apparently like it.
Along with one other Japanese artist (apparently working in conventional western style), she joins over a hundred illustrators contributing to the book, set to be released as an anniversary celebration for Star Wars. She will get an entire page to showcase her portfolio.
The release date for the book is not yet confirmed, but it should be due this year.
However, not all are happy for her triumph. Many voices have been raised around the Internet demanding to know why an illustrator of erotic games was selected as Japan’s representative in place of “worthier” and bigger name artists, some suggesting Dragonball creator and known Star Wars fan Akira Toriyama instead.
Complaints range from “What? A hentai representative?” and “This means a Star Wars eroge…” to “At least get a world-famous artist like Toriyama in” and “Can she even draw mecha?”
You can read Nishimata’s blog entry here. A sample of the criticism can be seen here.
Looking over the responses, it seems this generally comes down to a variety of fans upset that their favourite “major” is not the choice, and going on to make the rather exaggerated complaint that this will tarnish Japan’s image overseas.
Aoi Nishimata’s style may be idiosyncratic (you can see more on the Channel), but would a dated artist like Akira Toriyama really be a better choice?
I’d have gone for Range Murata, but she draws ok, too. (a little “typical”. can’t really explain it, but yeah…)
Is Nishimata even a fan of Star Wars? I don’t object to the idea of giving her the spot, per say, but I can’t help but think it seems a little strange to give it to someone who isn’t really into it…?
should try to redraw 33 faces of luke skywalker
http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2008/12/06/tsukasa-33-the-33-faces-of-tsukasa/
and put it in one of the artbook page o.O, well see
sayonara zetsubo jedi, skywalker!&, jedichu, star wars frontier
Hahaha. That’d be interesting to see, actually!
Nishimata is waaayyyy better than Toriyama.
Honestly, I thought the “world famous artist” they’d suggest would be someone like Miyazaki Hayao, rather Toriyama, who isn’t so much famous himself, as much as his work is. Most people I know would sooner recognize his art as “Dragonball” than “Toriyama”.
*Personally* though, considering the quality of the recent Kannagi illustration he did, I’m personally curious as to what Azuma Kiyohiko would be able to pull off.
On the other hand, more “art-y” and classically trained people like Murata Range or Masamune Shirow would probably be a more logical choice. Yoshitoshi ABe would be great too, considering he should be familiar enough with illustrating robotics.
Still, I’m curious as to what Nishimata can do.