One of the things I love the most about the marketing strategy of major F&B brands in Japan are their openness and enthusiasm in using animation for their promotional media, in particular the work of lesser known, indie animators and artists.

In this summer ad campaign for McDonald’s Japan, the company engaged the artist Urachan ( 浦浦 浦ちゃん ) to create a series of 3 animated spots to market their Samurai Mac burger. The animation style is lively and fresh, giving great exposure to the artist and at the same time also selling lots of burgers. A win-win.

Somehow, I was unable to locate the original videos even on McDonald’s Japan’s official youtube channel, so I’m embedding the twitter versions here for everyone to enjoy –

ｱｰｳ! https://t.co/aY863oom4W pic.twitter.com/dsRTPwPBQX

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) August 29, 2026

第二話「君のとなりで、夏が暮れる。」
声：佐々木舞香(＝LOVE) https://t.co/jg0LXVuSRq pic.twitter.com/Ixlo9Tqhm8

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) August 21, 2026

最終話「また会えるなら、それでいい。」
声：佐々木舞香(＝LOVE) https://t.co/4z4CxeV26q pic.twitter.com/lYq44sfAsW

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) August 22, 2026

Craving for a McDonald’s burger yet ? You can follow Uranchan on twitter here.


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Angura (アングラ), also known as the “Little Theater” (小劇場, shōgekijō) movement, was a Japanese avant-garde theater movement in the 1960s and 1970s that reacted against the Brechtian modernism and formalist realism of postwar Shingeki theater in Japan to stage anarchic “underground” productions in tents, on street corners, and in small spaces that explored themes of primitivism, sexuality, and embodied physicality. The term “Angura” was an abbreviation of the Japanese phrase “underground theater” (アンダーグラウンド演劇, andaaguraundo engeki ).

This giant sized art book showcases 100 posters from the Angura theater movement. While I have zero knowledge of Angura prior to picking up this book, I was fascinated and intrigued by the fantastic visual aesthetics and design of these posters; some of them look outlandish and bizarre, others scary even, but all of them are interesting, and there is little question that many of the pieces feature some very excellent art work and illustrations. There’s even one illustrated by AKIRA creator Katsuhiro Otomo. ( see image further below )

(above right) One of the Angura poster designs illustrated by AKIRA creator Otomo Katsuhiro. The poster is also collected in his excellent 20 Posters art book.

A fascinating dive into the somewhat bizarre world of Angura theater visual art and design. Poster art aficionados looking to expand their collection with something uniquely Japanese will likely find this to be of interest.

On a technical note, the very large print size of the book really shows off the vibrant colors of the posters to great effect.

“Japan Avant-garde Stage Play Poster Art ジャパン・アヴァンギャルド -アングラ演劇傑作ポスター” details :

Dimensions – 11.69 x 16.54 x 0.63 inches
Softcover, 120 pages
Full color, In Japanese language

  
Buy From Amazon.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | CDJapan

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Of all the traditional media, watercolor has always been my favorite. The visual quality of watercolor paintings exude a gentle, mellow quality compared to other medium like acrylic, gouache and oil paint. This is also the reason why I love the illustrations of Hayao Miyazaki, who paints primarily in watercolors.

This hardcover volume showcases the stunning watercolor art of American landscape painter Winslow Homer, a collection of 50 pieces that the artist painted in a variety of locations across several different continents. The images are evocative, introspective and somewhat melancholic all at the same time. A beautiful visual journey and a feast for the eyes.

Publisher synopsis –

Resplendent watercolors of the 19th-century world by New England native Winslow Homer.

“You will see,” said American artist Winslow Homer, “in the future I will live by my watercolors.” From his early forays into pastoral landscapes to his more mature works encompassing the maritime scenes for which he is best known, Homer’s watercolors are most remarkable for their reverence of nature and the people who thrive within its conditions―sketches that are both quaint and sublime in scope.

Boasting one of the most significant collections of Homer’s watercolors in the United States, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, presents a luminous collection of nearly 50 works that demonstrate the artist’s mastery of the medium. Readers will be transported to the rugged Maine coast, the rivers and streams of the Adirondacks, the weathered shores of seaside England and the bright beaches of the Caribbean. The many facets of these environments―ecological, artistic, social and economic―are reflected in Homer’s thoughtful compositions that, though more than 100 years old, shine with a modern effervescence.

Winslow Homer (1836–1910) was born in Boston and apprenticed to a commercial lithographer. He taught himself painting while working as a freelance illustrator for Harper’s and other magazines. In 1883 he moved into his permanent home and studio in Prouts Neck, Maine, but continued to find inspiration in his travels to Canada, Cuba, the Bahamas, Key West and the Adirondacks.

Winslow Homer is an artist that I’ve been aware of ever since I started my art education back in the day, but I’ve never been very familiar with his work. I was however captivated by this book after a chance browsing in a bookstore in Tokyo earlier this spring. Given the very affordable price of the book ( less than $15 at the time of writing ), and in a hardcover format as well, I cannot recommend this enough.

“Winslow Homer In Watercolor” art book details :

– Dimensions – 9.84 x 0.79 x 10.63 inches
– Hardcover, 160 pages
– Full color

Buy From Amazon CA | Amazon JP | Amazon UK

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I have been enjoying Japanese animation studio Science Saru’s new ‘The Ghost In The Shell’ anime series on Amazon Prime immensely, a really faithful take on Shirow Masamune’s original groundmaking manga. Amazon Prime has released this fantastic making of documentary showcasing the splendid work of the artists behind the series. Check it out below-

Cannot tell you just how much I’m enjoying Science Saru’s The Ghost In The Shell series. These Motoko gags are straight up killing me lol#????? pic.twitter.com/z2CgIICunF

— blauereiter (@blauereiter) August 13, 2026

I’m really hoping this documentary, or maybe even a more extended version will be included in the eventual physical media release of the series. An art book will of course be much appreciated as well.

Are you watching The Ghost In The Shell ? If you’re subscribed to Amazon Prime Video and have access to the series, I very highly recommend it.

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I have no training or background in architectural studies in any way, but thankfully I am still able to partake in the appreciation of the achievements made by the professionals who do so. Paraphrasing a line from the movie The Devil Wears Prada, “Architecture is greater than art…because you live your life in it.”

This handy pocket sized guide book showcases some of the most iconic and impressive structures and buildings found in Tokyo, from the Tokyo Skytree to the Sumida Hokusai museum, and many more. The presentation format is simple and elegant; the first 2 pages offers some background information and vital stats of each building/structure, and the next 2 pages utilize charming sketches and drawings to illustrates core concepts and design features, making for a most interesting and illuminating read.

This is an excellent resource to learn and discover more about the some of the most iconic architecture that can be found in Tokyo, and the delightful explanatory illustrations are a fantastic bonus. I can imagine visitors to the city using this book as a handy guide to plan an itinerary for an architecture focused tour. Recommended.

I would also recommend checking out this Tokyo Architectural Heritage Guide Sketchbook.

“Top Tokyo Architecture Guide Book 最強TOKYO建築図鑑” details :

Dimensions – 8.27 x 5.83 x 0.63 inches
Softcover, 240 pages
Full color, In Japanese language

  
Buy From Amazon.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | CDJapan

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