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:
| 
Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Story Trailer Rather Redundant
Slimy Yuusha Marudea Figure
Top 20 Most Romantic Anime Confessions
Shinmai Testament Burst BD Running A Fever
Anti-Demon Fox YUZUHA Rather Bestial
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Xtremely Exhibitionist
Gate Brimming With Conflict
Street Fighter V Costumes “Now In A Multitude of Colors!”
Queen’s Blade Grimoire OVA A Sexy Tale
To Love-Ru Darkness 2nd BD Forcefully Feisty
IdolMaster: Platinum Stars Trailer Dances About
Dagashi Kashi Oral Insertion Anime
Attack on Typing “Take Down Titans With Words!”
Okusama ga Seitokaichou OAD Sensually Sudsy
Phantom World Cute & Deadly
Nami Nude Mod for One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 Surfaces
Subarashii Sekai Pantsu Pilfering Abounds
Angelic Nina Figure
Sankaku App 1.4: Comments & Personal Recommendations
Valkyrie Drive Mermaid BD Works Up A Lather
Serene Horo Cosplay Pure Gold
Iona Ero-Cosplay by Komugi Taking on Water
Cute Kashima Cosplay Full of Elegance
Umaru Ero-Cosplay by Asami Hamsterific
Goddess of 2ch: “Pink & Soft All The Way!”
Kuroneko Cosplay by Mikehouse Full of Life
Busty Hotaru Cosplay Delightfully Delectable
Adorable Ati Cosplay by Kaieda Kai Kemonomimi Chaos
Momo Velia Deviluke Cosplay Bursting With Bridal Beauty
Skimpy Sonico Cosplay Barely Contained
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.
Link to such fine art if you'd please.
There's also a Golden Witch Hijiriche painting.
Somes remain me of Parodius game.
pic or FAKE!
learn to lurk in danbooru
I never thought if ever there'd be a time I'd prefer ZUN's original art. Now I know.
This sort of thing?
http://arieaesu.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2do1jh
Not Baroque / Classical enough.
These are pretty impressive. It must have taken a while to do all of them.
Its love for sure...
Oh well, *fapfapfapfapfap*
I'm not Japanese, but this art is good, even if is antique, I like the sytle itself
I Laughed so hard at Papillon Ukiyo-e XD
DAT REIMU (pic 29)
there isn't a pic 29 o.O
Extreme de-moeification.
They look so manly! XD
More than a few looked Kenshiro-level manly if you ask me.
if 100 years later some archaeologists dug up pieces of drawing above, their puzzled faces would be so funny to watch. too bad we won't be around to see it.
Man, this is super awesome. Has been ages since the last time something coming from japan shocked me this much.
This is...Fucking Amazing...and classic too.
Amazingly done. Except I hope they try to do these styles in anything other than Touhou for maybe more than one odd picture..
MY EYES, IT BURNS!!!
I can fap to this.
Do you realize the tanuki reference in pic 28 and 29?
Basically, they're known for having huge testicles, so... that huge thing is just one huge one. ... lol pic 29 is a huge
Reimu tanuki ball.
im so turned on
I've spotted a lot of Hungarian flags...
I want a sumi-e touhou. that would've been more epic.
nice ukiyo-e though.
I'm not damning the artwork at all. It's actually very good! But just imagine if the girls of Touhou all started out with that kind of look.. The popularity of Touhou today would be almost nonexistant by comparison.
Am I the only one seeing Powerpuff Girls in pic 33?
Powerpuff Skuld to the rescue!
Fuck the what
Not sure if I want...
A master's work!
Just imagine. If the same effort that was put into anime was put into curing cancer or A.I.D.s.
Just imagine. If the same amount of money world-wide that was put into curing cancer or AIDS was put into anime production...
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?
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.
lol wat
lol, but no thnx
thou i didnt like them, they are still nice
how the fuck has touhou have such a large fanbase
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.))
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.
Thats hilarious.
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.