GHOST IN THE SHELL Ukiyo-e woodblock prints are available in limited quantities at the AKIHABARA PREMIUM COLLECTION!

©1995 Masamune Shirow/Kodansha, Bandai Visual, MANGA ENTERTAINMENT
©1995 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA・BANDAI VISUAL・MANGA ENTERTAINMENT. All Rights Reserved.

TOKYO DUB AGENT COMPANY, LTD. (CEO: Kazuyoshi Takagi, hereinafter referred to as TDA) will be releasing an ukiyo-e woodblock print of “GHOST IN THE SHELL”, a world-famous Japanese animated feature released in 1995, on the EC platform “AKIHABARA PREMIUM COLLECTION”, which develops the ultimate series of works that bring together AKIHABARA otaku culture and the Japanese passion for craftsmanship, simultaneously worldwide from 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 1st (Japan time).

We have taken one of Japan's most iconic works, “Ghost in the Shell,” and created a new ukiyo-e print using the traditional ukiyo-e woodblock print technique, a technique that Japan is proud of, and incorporating new printmaking techniques based on the main visual.

Sales site: AKIHABARA PREMIUM COLLECTION
URL:https://www.akihabara-premium.com/products/ghost-in-the-shell-ukiyo-e

[Attention to detail in the production of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints]
The ultimate Echizen Kizuki Hosho paper by Living National Treasure Ichibei Iwano

“Ichibei Iwano IX”

He took on the stage name of Iwano Ichibei IX in 1978. In June 2000, he was recognized as a holder of the important intangible cultural property of Japan, “Echizen Hosho” (living national treasure).
We continue to make “Echizen Kizuki Hosho”, a paper that has been passed down for generations in the Echizen climate.
“Kizukihosho” is made from kozo paper and is a type of washi paper that is backed by Japanese tradition and history.

We used the ultimate Japanese paper, which has a smooth brush stroke, is used for ceremonial paper in Shinto rituals, and is also used for prints, and can withstand the pressure of being printed with woodblock prints hundreds of times.We chose this paper with the hope that it will retain the texture of traditional Japanese paper from the Edo period, and that it will remain for 100 or 200 years to come.

The ultimate in hand-carved, handrail aesthetics.

[Carving]
The creation of an ukiyo-e woodblock print begins with dividing the woodblocks into different colors based on the design, and then carving them out one by one. As you can see, this is a series of incredibly detailed tasks, and even a deviation of just 1 mm can have a major impact on the entire picture. The way the woodblocks are carved out perfectly without any deviations is the result of years of training by the craftsman.

Everything is carved by hand, including the outline, hair, and figure, as well as the background parts that do not appear in the title or colors. Because such delicate woodblocks are used, they are prone to chipping and damage during the thousands of printings, which is why all ukiyo-e prints are produced in limited quantities.
This work is based on the key visual of the theatrical film “Ghost in the Shell” released in 1995, and the expression of the sea surface is based on the work of Kawase Hasui, who was active from the Meiji to Showa periods in an effort to revive Japan's declining ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

[Tattoo artist: Kayoko Suga]
After graduating from high school, she applied to become an apprentice for the Arakawa Ward Artisan Development Support Program in Tokyo, and after seven years of training as an Edo woodblock print carver, she became independent. Currently, as one of the few female traditional craftspeople certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, she is contributing to the cultural preservation of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints with her outstanding skills.
Demonstration at the “Great Edo 808 Towns Exhibition” at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in 2003
Demonstration at the “100 Famous Views of Edo Completion Commemorative Exhibition” at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi in 2005
Demonstration at the “Hokusai Manga Exhibition” at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in 2008. Member of the Ukiyo-e Woodblock Printing Carving Technique Preservation Association. Member of the Tokyo Traditional Woodblock Printing Crafts Association.

[Printing]
Next, the printing process begins, using traditional paints for each color. This is also a world that requires craftsmanship, as even a 1mm deviation or too little pressure can cause the entire screen to become misaligned.

In addition, while it was impossible to know what the final color would be until the print was made, the paint was changed dozens of times in pursuit of the ultimate color. The pale deep blue of the ocean, the city lights that emerge from the overlapping prints of gradation, and the green and gray of Motoko's figure all harmonize in a bold composition.

[Printer: Tatsuya Ito]
Born in Nezu, Tokyo in 1965.
In 1985, he succeeded his father, the fourth generation head of the Ikuma lineage, Tomohiro Ito, and trained under his master, Fumihiko Ogawa.
1994: Exhibited and demonstrated at the 1st Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print Exhibition.
In 1995, he received the Tokyo Governor's Award for Outstanding Skills.
1998: 15 volumes of “Hokusai Manga” printed (joint printing).
Demonstrated in Europe (Austria, Hungary, France).
2001: Printing of Takeuchi Seiho's “Seiho Study Painting Album”. Demonstration at the Gakushuin University “Sakura Regeneration Project Exhibition”.
2002: Print of Maruyama Okyo's “Red-crowned Crane.”
Demonstrated at the “Great Edo 808 Towns Exhibition” at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in 2003.
2005 Demonstration at the “Hiroshige Exhibition” at the Japan-France Cultural Center (Paris)
2006 Printing of “Jakuchu Paintings” by Ito Jakuchu
Demonstrated at the Hokusai Manga Exhibition at Koriyama City Museum of Art in 2010.
A craftsman certified by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as an intangible cultural property selected for preservation techniques.

■Product Information
“Ghost in the Shell Ukiyo-e”

Sales price: 80,000 yen + tax and shipping
Sales quantity: Limited to 300 sets worldwide
Specifications: Picture (W: approx. 215mm x H: approx. 350mm)
Frame (W: approx. 425mm x H: approx. 540mm) with frame
Frame: Wood, back plate and wooden plywood
Mat: Paper
Japanese paper: Echizen Kizuki Hosho by Living National Treasure Iwano Ichibei
Carver: Kayoko Suga (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry certified traditional craftsman, Agency for Cultural Affairs selected preservation technique certified craftsman)
Printer: Tatsuya Ito (Member of the Tokyo Traditional Woodblock Printing Crafts Association, recipient of the Tokyo Governor's Award for Outstanding Craftsmen)

©1995 Masamune Shirow/Kodansha, Bandai Visual, MANGA ENTERTAINMENT
©1995 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA・BANDAI VISUAL・MANGA ENTERTAINMENT. All Rights Reserved.