An anonymous artist on 2ch has turned his hand to illustrating the excessively numerous characters of Touhou in Japan’s classic “ukiyo-e” artistic style, with some quite interesting results…
For those not entirely au fait with Japanese art history, “Ukiyo-e” (“pictures of the floating world”) describes the stylised genre of art predominant in Japan from the 17th through to the early 20th century, typically taking the form of paintings and mass produced woodblock prints.
Alongside scenes of nature and high (or, more often, merely popular) culture, ukiyo-e art also frequently depicted the erotic and grotesque, being in certain respects the direct precursor to Japan’s more modern visual culture – and many motifs and even occasionally the visual style itself survive on to the present day.
With Touhou itself deliberately drawing on an eccentric mixture of traditional Japanese visual influences and mythology with more western elements, the use of ukiyo-e style is certainly appropriate – in fact, not a few of the characters already owe their designs to the sort of visual conventions (such as the depictions of Japanese style ghosts, demons and spirits) established by the genre.
The images, all apparently the artistic output of one anonymous artist over a long period of time:
Kanako Yasaka and Suwako Moriya
This pair are actual ukiyo-e classics which the artist has adapted into two of the images above:
Omake, ukiyo-e style and by the same artist:
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These are pretty impressive. It must have taken a while to do all of them.
Its love for sure...
Thats hilarious.
Extreme de-moeification.
how the fuck has touhou have such a large fanbase
There's a favorite character and setting for "everyone" with a large cast to allow a vast amount of interactions to keep things interesting.
In fact, the large cast/setting is great for beginning/no-named doujin artists. The touhouverse is open enough to allow for a lot of creativity for the aspiring but has a strong enough "name" attached to it that they'll get a decent look-over that they wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
The trickle down results in more fans.
Zun creates a bunch of girls based on fantasy, mythology, and religion; he gives them a back-story & personality through a game; he then says, "Please! Use my work however you wish! Just don't try to make it official or charge lots of money for what you do with it!" Marketing genius!
Becoming a Touhou fan grants you special super powers. You gain the power to walk through the rain without getting wet. The power to run through solid crowds of people and even ravers without bumping into anyone. You will learn how to resolve any fight or dispute with tea or booze. And the highest level fans don't take the bus, instead choosing to fly.
This does take time though unfortunately. Personally, the only super power I've unlocked so far is to break down and cry at the sight of a butterfly. But I'm working on it! >:D
((Pyrus offers a more sensible explanation.))
DAT REIMU (pic 29)
there isn't a pic 29 o.O
Oh well, *fapfapfapfapfap*
Next I want to see renaissance styled touhou, maybe Michelangelo-themed painting.
There's already the Last Supper of Byakuren Hijri.
Sistine Madonna of Scarlet Devil.
Mona Marisa.
Mount ⑨more.
The Creation of Sanae.
Baba With A Parasol.
pic or FAKE!
learn to lurk in danbooru
Link to such fine art if you'd please.
Somes remain me of Parodius game.
There's also a Golden Witch Hijiriche painting.
This sort of thing?
http://arieaesu.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2do1jh
Not Baroque / Classical enough.
I never thought if ever there'd be a time I'd prefer ZUN's original art. Now I know.
Damn, no Tenshi... I was going to tease giascle with it.
strangely I got a boner.. and I didn't enjoy the pictures :/
It's called conditioning. Probably has something to do with you visiting this site.
GLORIOUS.
Picture 37 - Papillion from Busou Renkin. Deal with it.
lol, but no thnx
thou i didnt like them, they are still nice
lol wat
Just imagine. If the same effort that was put into anime was put into curing cancer or A.I.D.s.
aids and cancer research would become sexualized and full of overused character types and perdictable plotlines with bad endings ;o?
I guess u mean this ukiyo e art by anime...
I am not really sure but you clearly only determine the value of things by there practical global aplication. You science worshiper you :D most artists wouldnt be able to delve too deep into disease cure research. They wouldnt have a passion for it, that isnt to say they dont value it just the work wouldnt suit them most likely. so iunno, get the scientists to learn a thing or to from over worked japanese anime studio employees and then your imaginated effort to cure disease will succeed?
Just imagine. If the same amount of money world-wide that was put into curing cancer or AIDS was put into anime production...
A master's work!
i wish al anime was done in ukiyo e style. that way i wouldn't care what they do with anime anymore.
Belldandy and Papillon...
Oh god why.
Nice try, but it lacks the softness and delicate feel that female (and often, man) had on Ukiyo-e paintings. It feels more like a cartoon with Ukiyo-e faces rather than a Ukiyo-e touhou.
It was nice though.
Pic28
What the hell is that? Scat attack? :V
Also I find it somewhat harder to appreciate the art style when most of the girls have such modern clothes. And frills clothes.
It's a tanuki, which are purported to have large, hairy scrotums.
As shown in the Ghibli film Pom Poko, scrota are extremely versatile as weapons.
Forget the Touhou..... Papillon is godlike.
I came here for the Touhou art.
And I stay for the Touhou art.
Betcha Leon was googling the names when he wrote this
Totally awesome.
Amazing! And funny too ^^''
This is horrifying... Why, Japan, WHY?!
Just an another moetard with not taste in art. /ignore
These are great! Must took hard work and time to do them. Leon really posts dome great stories, anime/manga/game related too unlike a certain someone with stories that would make ms facepalm my face off a thousand times......
What, no Mei Ling?
She's the best of them all!
Not sure if I want...
028 It's a trap!
2ch really doing good to draw all those picture.
but no matter how much effect 2ch use to draw those picture I still think...
It...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMzxDmsaLm8
They look so manly! XD
More than a few looked Kenshiro-level manly if you ask me.
I Laughed so hard at Papillon Ukiyo-e XD