#blog article

Born in Akita, Japan, in 1960, Takato Yamamoto is a renowned Japanese contemporary artist celebrated for his distinctive and mesmerizing style that seamlessly fuses traditional Japanese aesthetics with a dark and surrealistic touch. His work often explores the interplay between beauty and the macabre, creating a unique visual experience that captivates audiences worldwide.

Yamamoto's intricate and highly detailed paintings showcase a mastery of the ukiyo-e tradition while incorporating elements of horror and erotica. With a background in classical art and a penchant for pushing creative boundaries, Takato Yamamoto stands as a captivating figure in the contemporary art scene, offering viewers a glimpse into a realm where beauty and the mysterious coalesce in hauntingly beautiful harmony.

In an enchanting realm where the ethereal dances with the earthly, he is a soul whose brush strokes transcend the boundaries of reality and immerse us in a world where beauty and darkness coalesce in perfect harmony. Takato Yamamoto, a maestro of the macabre, has carved a niche for himself in the intricate tapestry of contemporary art, creating a visual symphony that resonates with the sublime. To gaze upon his canvases is to embark upon a journey, a pilgrimage through the landscapes of the soul where emotion is not merely portrayed but intricately woven into the very fabric of existence.

In a world saturated with noise and fleeting emotions, Yamamoto's creations stand as sentinels of sentiment. Each painting is a frozen moment, a glimpse into the timeless dance between life and death, beauty and decay. The colors are not mere pigments but vessels of emotion—deep crimsons that pulse with passion, ethereal blues that whisper of melancholy, and inky blacks that cradle the secrets of the night.

Yamamoto's early fascination with the mysterious and the esoteric laid the foundation for his artistic exploration. Although it is the haunting beauty of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, and the enigmatic allure of ukiyo-e prints that became the canvas upon which Yamamoto painted his dreams, his Heisei aestheticism is a celebration of life's fleeting nature and the beauty found within that transience.

It’s also possible to feel the enchanting spirits of European Symbolists and the virtuosos of Art Nouveau in Yamamoto’s art style. And it would not err to declare that within this realm of inspiration, Gustav Klimt and Alphonse Mucha emerge as paramount luminaries. Gustav Klimt whispers stories of the symbolic dance between human nature and the enigmas of life, with intricate ornamentation and elongated forms imbued with a vanishing allure. On the other hand, Alphonse Mucha, with his elegant, flowing lines and delicate figures, invites us to a realm where romance and decorative patterns weave a spell of timeless elegance, secretly summoning spiritual muses. In this way, this ethereal encounter, akin to the gentle caress of the sea shaping the shoreline, became a luminous catalyst in Yamamoto's artistic journey, igniting a passion that subtly shaped the contours of his unique expression.

By finding a delicate balance between life and death, serene and macabre; Yamamoto gives us a glimpse into a universe where the fragile grace of beings intertwines with the grotesque to create a surreal ballet that defies purity.

The elements Yamamoto uses in his artworks read like the lines of a poetic elegy. Delicate yet bold lines float in endless voids, forming sinuous compositions with intricate details. The use of subdued colors, often bathed in sepia tones, not only adds to the timeless quality of his work; it is as if each painting is a fragment of an old scroll dug up from the depths of forgotten memories.

Each stroke is deliberate, a journey into the depths of the subconscious. His technique is not merely a means of representation but a portal into a realm where the tangible and intangible converge, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

In the tapestry of contemporary art, Takato Yamamoto stands as a weaver of dreams, a conjurer of emotions, and a storyteller of the surreal. He invites us to embrace the shadows within ourselves, to find beauty in the ephemeral, and to revel in the exquisite melancholy that permeates every stroke of his brush. As we navigate the delicate threads of his visual symphony, we find ourselves not just spectators but participants in a dance that transcends time and space, leaving an indelible mark on the canvas of our souls.

As I get older, I'm able to look at various fictional characters more closely, understanding more about why they're so iconic. A few years ago, I gained a renewed interest in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, seeing why so many people love its story, characters, and of course, its crossover element with Disney and Final Fantasy. I want to take a little look at the franchise's main protagonist, Sora, shed a light on him if you will. I feel you could draw some similarities between him and the DC Comics hero Superman (aka Kal-El, aka Clark Kent).

Now, I know this may seem like an odd comparison to some of you, but personally, I think it does kind of make sense when you think about it. Obviously these two have very different personalities, backstories, powers, and motivations that drive them. However, both are kindhearted, optimistic heroes from humble beginnings, with a strong sense of justice and morality. Not to mention a desire to help others and do the right thing.

Their respective actions certainly speak for themselves on that front, as they each go about it in their own unique way. In the comic book All-Star Superman, one issue sees him fighting a group of lizard men invading from the Earth's core. Then, in another issue, we see him stop a depressed teenage girl from stepping off a building, giving her comfort and support. Yes, he's got super strength and godlike powers, but he's also considerate, compassionate, and gentle enough to offer a helping hand whenever needed. Superman is a hero who inspires the best in all of us. He is, as filmmaker James Gunn once put it, kindness in a world that sees kindness as old fashioned. Even though he lives on a planet he wasn't born on, he still aspires to bring hope to that planet, providing them a light to show the way. Krypton made him the man of steel, but Earth made him human.

There are moments in the Kingdom Hearts series where we see a bit of that kindness mirrored in Sora as well. One minute he would be cutting down Heartless with his keyblade, the next he'll be enjoying good times with his friends, old and new. Whether it's dancing around with Rapunzel in the Kingdom of Corona, visiting Winnie the Pooh and his pals in the 100 Acre Wood, or helping to make Boo laugh in Monstropolis. He protects the world order and fights against the forces of evil, but he's also having fun along the way. There's a playfulness to Sora, a big smile on his face that warms people up inside. He's a brave young man who can easily form connections with anyone he comes across. There are still hardships to face, but he perseveres through it, showing that deep down, there is a light that never goes out. Even when it seems like he's on the verge of giving up, his friends are there to inspire him and lift him back up, just as he had done for them. He follows his heart, which is, and has always been, his guiding key.

You could say that these similarities are due to the fact that Sora and Superman are very much archetypal heroes. Joseph Cambel's hero's journey cycle (which also heavily influenced Star Wars) can be seen in both of their respective journeys. Individuals from humble beginnings who venture out into the wide world ahead of them, encountering various allies, enemies, and obstacles along the way. The journey ultimately leads to the heroes gaining greater powers and becoming more than who they were before.

It's also worth noting that another thing Superman and Sora have in common is that sometimes they are both willing to take great risks in order to save the people that they love. In Superman: The Movie, the man of steel himself flies around the Earth at great speed, turning back time to save Lois Lane from an earthquake. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora uses the power of waking to bring back Kairi after her body was destroyed by Xehanort, sacrificing his own life in the process.

So, why do I bring all of this up? Because I believe that this is something that writers should keep in mind when tackling Sora, whether it's for fan fiction, comics, novels, etc. I've noticed this trend on the internet of people deconstructing the psychology of Sora and delving into the negative effects that his adventures have had on him. A few of them have even declared his optimism and playful smile as a form of "toxic positivity". While it does seem like an interesting idea, I feel like it's causing people to forget about why they love him in the first place. In some cases, there are those who end up going too far with that notion.

Not long ago, I stumbled upon a Kingdom Hearts fan fiction story titled Keys to the Kingdom. Basically, it reads as an alternate universe reimagining of the events of Kingdom Hearts 3. Even though it was well written, this version of the story gets extremely dark, depressing, and cynical. Not only that, but it also mistreats Sora in a somewhat disturbing way, portraying him as a tortured and tormented soul. While his arc in this does prove to be compelling at times, it was still very jarring, making for an overall unpleasant experience. The fic seemed to be so focused on beating this character down, so intent on having him suffer throughout, that it ends up losing sight of what makes him so endearing and likable. Or, to borrow a quote from the young keyblade wielder himself:

"You're so caught up in finding the shadows, you forgot about the light that cast them."

This doesn't feel too out of place with the "evil Superman" trend that was around for a period of time. The video game Injustice is a prime example of this, as it depicts Superman as a merciless dictator of a fascist regime, who rules with an iron fist and shows no compassion towards crime or his enemies. Even other creations like Homelander from The Boys and Omni-Man from Invincible are representations of this idea since they are basically evil Superman-types. Admittedly, I do give those two a little more leeway since they were made specifically for the stories they came from. They are not directly related to Superman other than having similar powers. Although this concept can be fun to tackle with an original character, I don't think it feels right to try to do it with the genuine article himself. That's not really who he is.

When making the first Superman movie back in 1978, director Richard Donner took it upon himself to do the big blue boy scout justice. He didn’t want the material to be treated with disrespect, nor to be seen as a joke. There's a word he used to emphasize this as a top priority: "verisimilitude". For those unfamiliar, the basic definition of it is the appearance of being true and real. Not only was that word hung up on the wall above Donner's office (which it was), but it also established the mission statement that many of the great superhero movies made in the years since then have followed:

Be truthful, honor the source material, believe in it, take it seriously.

This is the type of mindset that should be adopted by anyone who adapts any kind of preexisting work, especially when it comes to something like Kingdom Hearts. If you want a good example of how to write Sora in a way that showcases how great he is while also being faithful to who he is, there's another fan fiction story titled Starbound, created by my friend @skygent. An anthology with an overarching narrative mixed in, it uses the setup of Sora's disappearance at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3 as a way to examine the impact that he's had on all of his friends and allies. In a deeper, meta sense, it offers an analysis of the connection that fans of the franchise itself have formed with him.

The stuff that has been written so far for this fic is absolutely amazing. In fact, it's what led to my renewed interest in Kingdom Hearts in the first place. It has pretty much what you would want in a story like this one. Balancing a sense of scale, mystery, and adventure, but also quiet reflection. Offering some fun little twists, but still retaining the core essence of what the source material is all about. Through this story, we see various characters (including some not featured in the games) learning of and reacting to Sora's disappearance, remembering their encounters with him in the past. Some of them are even inspired to try and figure out where he is, willing to doing whatever it takes to help find him and bring him back home. Here, they demonstrate just how much he means to them, just as they all do to him.

To be clear, I'm not saying that Sora should stay exactly the same. In a series like Kingdom Hearts, we want to see those characters grow and evolve. With the things that Sora has experienced throughout the series, and with where we will find him at in Kingdom Hearts 4, it'll be interesting to see where he goes next. At the same time though, we also should remind ourselves that people love this character for a reason. As this young hero embarks on his newest adventure, he shouldn't lose what makes him who he is as a person. Instead of pulling him apart, I think Sora is someone who deserves to be celebrated. To be treated with dignity and respect, just as Donner did for the last son of Krypton. In the same way we've celebrated Superman over the years for what he stands for and represents, Sora should also be recognized in an equally similar way. Their respective core values and good morals, all the stuff that makes them heroes. It's these things that turned them into pop culture icons who remain with us to this day. It's why they will continue to be icons in the foreseeable future.

Two beacons, shining bright in the darkness. Never forget that.

Day 30/100 days of productivity | Tue 19 Mar, 2024 (spring equinox)

Beta-read my friend’s blog article reflecting on her Master’s degree, it’s a great article and I’m super excited to read it again when it’s published!

My work hosted a panel for Women’s History Month, it was a very interesting panel discussion and I learned a lot about how women, especially early-career professionals like myself can cultivate leadership traits

My work is also hosting a trivia night tomorrow, spent some time preparing for that

Did some more research on the grad programs I applied to (but I still need to hear back from some schools, and the wait is killing me)