Ito Hikozo (伊藤 彦造 1904–2004) was a Japanese painter and illustrator renowned for his extraordinarily detailed pen drawings. His primary subject matter is focused on Japanese period genre pieces and ‘Chanbara’ ( Samurai sword-fighting ) themed novels, of which many were published in serialized form by the major Japanese publisher Kodansha.

While I know very little else about the artist’s background and history, I was immediately impressed the very first time I stumbled upon his work by his superbly detailed pen drawings and the fantastic sense of drama and energy depicted in all of his art. The sheer technical excellence of his drawings brings to mind another artist I respect greatly; the singular Bernie Wrightson.

This volume released in 2025 is a revised and expanded version of an earlier edition first published back in 2006, collecting a comprehensive showcase of the artist’s huge portfolio spread across 200 pages.

A decidedly accomplished draftsman with a keen eye for dramatic compositions, Ito Hikozo’s meticulously detail drawings are quite a sight to behold, and this bountiful volume is one of the best ways to enjoy his stunning work. Recommended.

“Ito Hikozo Illustration Art Book 伊藤彦造イラストレーション details :

– Dimensions – 8.86 x 0.63 x 11.69 inches
– Softcover, 200 pages
– Full color, in Japanese

  
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An unprecedented look behind the curtain of the preeminent stop-motion studio, this comprehensive volume is brimming with exclusive artwork, photography, and interviews with key creatives.

In this rare glimpse at LAIKA’s 500,000-square-foot dream factory, read how the visionaries of the renowned stop-motion studio bring LAIKA’s handcrafted films to life one frame at a time. Stunning new puppet photography, never-before-seen artwork, and interviews with the studio’s community of storytellers take readers on an unforgettable tour through the studio’s key people, places, and processes, from script development to production design, puppet fabrication, 3D face printing, animation, and visual effects.

Featuring a double-page gatefold measuring nearly three feet wide ( see preview image further below ), this expansive illustrated publication on the illustrious studio reveals LAIKA’s innovations in stop-motion filmmaking over the last two decades, from Kubo and the Two Strings to ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Coraline, Missing Link, and Wildwood.

This in-depth coverage on LAIKA is not only an utterly fascinating peek into the marvelous creative processes that culminated in the studio’s many wonderful films, but also a celebration of all the brilliant and talented artists and craftsman who make it all possible. While enjoyment and appreciation of LAIKA’s movies do not require any prerequisite, a thoughtful read of this book will surely make the viewing experience immeasurably better. My highest recommendations.

Also be sure to check out my art book reviews for LAIKA’s films like Kubo and the Two Strings, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls andMissing Link.

I will also be picking up the art book for Wildwood when it is released in October, so look out for my review then.

“LAIKA: The Magic Behind a Stop-Motion Dream Factory″ book details :

– Dimensions – 9.3 x 0.95 x 11.22 inches
– Hard cover
– 240 pages, full color

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Amazon Prime Video has just released 2 versions of a new trailer for the upcoming Spider-Noir series starring Nicholas Cage, this one with quite a bit more action scenes than the previous teaser. Check them out below-

Spider-Noir was the last VFX project I worked on at ILM ( Industrial Light & Magic ) back in 2025 before I moved back to Sony Imageworks, and I’m really looking forward to the series myself !

All the 8 episodes will be released on May 27th, both in full color as well as black & white versions. Which one will you be watching it in ? :]


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From the renowned creator of The Electric State and Tales from the Loop, Simon Stålenhag returns with his long-awaited new work of retro-futuristic dystopia within the mysterious zone of an abandoned Swedish military facility.

Beginning in 2024, yet set largely during the early 2000s, Sunset at Zero Point unfolds on a secluded Swedish island, home to a secret weapon lab that has been off-limits for years, evoking the bestselling works of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven.

Stålenhag’s masterful storytelling and hyper-realistic art transports you to an alternate history revealing his most intimate work to date, delving into themes of masculinity, friendship, and sexuality through the lens of a queer science fiction tale. The story spans decades following two young men, stuck in the past and each other’s orbit, as fleeting moments become defining memories as they set out to explore the forbidden zone together.

Set against the backdrop of Stålenhag’s native Sweden and based on the alternate version of Mälaröarna outside of Stockholm, Sunset at Zero Point juxtaposes giant futuristic machines with the inner turmoil of its characters facing a social dystopia, crafting a narrative that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.

I cannot offer any meaningful insights or thoughts on the quality of the writing as I have yet to read the prose, so my review is based purely on the strength of the art work. In that regard Simon Stålenhag’s compelling visual narrative style hits the sweet spot every time, conjuring up powerful sci-fi vistas that are ever so moody, evocative and thought-provoking. I am confident the writing will add considerably to the art work and make for a most immersive reading experience, something I hope to enjoy when I have more free time. Based on the merit of the illustrations alone at least, I can fully recommend it with no hesitation.

If you are new to the artist’s books, be sure to check out his earlier works – Tales From The Loop, Things From The Flood, The Electric State and The Labyrinth.

Sunset At Zero Point – Simon Stålenhag Art Book details :

– Dimensions – 11 x 1 x 9.88 inches
– Hardcover, 192 pages
– Full color, in English

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Released in January 2026, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL is a sci-fi anime directed by Kenichiro Akimoto, with animation by the renowned Studio 4°C. It is based on the 2004 novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and has been previously adapted into a manga by Death Note artist Takeshi Obata, and also the Hollywood live-action feature film adaptation by Doug Liman, renamed with the more marketable title ‘Edge Of Tomorrow’ starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

This art book for the anime is great showcase of the unique visual look and design of the film that is markedly different from either the manga or the Hollywood film, with the contents spread across 7 chapters – character design, props, color scripts, background art, animation ( genga / keyframe drawings ), film stills and visual concepts ( imageboards ).

Consistent with many of the Studio 4°C ‘Art Of’ titles released previously like Tekkon Kinkreet, Children Of The Sea and MFKZ, the book is released in a hardcover landscape format that is ideal for showing off the huge collection of background art which takes up almost 1/2 of the book’s page count.

Also worth noting is that the mecha designer for the film is none other than Izmojuki ( Junji Okubo ), the artist behind the art book Industrial Divinities. Folks who are fans of his design work will probably be able to recognize his style of design aesthetics and form factor for the mecha seen in the movie.

(above & below) The mecha and vehicles in the film are designed by ‘Industrial Divinities’ artist Izmojuki ( Junji Okubo ).

For better or for worse, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL will inevitably be compared to the much more well-known Hollywood adaptation, and while I absolutely adore Edge Of Tomorrow, I personally like to appreciate this anime adaptation as a completely separate piece of creative work and to that end, I really like the visual style of the film, in particular the character designs as well as the the stunning background art. If you feel the same way, then this art book comes recommended.

I am also looking forward to the upcoming physical media release by GKIDS.

“ALL YOU NEED IS KILL Art Book details :

– Dimensions – 7.48 x 10.63 x 0.98 inches
– Hardcover, 248 pages
– Full color, in Japanese

  
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