#katachi

Graphis Japan

Visual Art and Graphic in Japan Werbekunst und Design in Japan Arts visuels et design au Japon

Graphis Press, New York 1968, 190 pages

euro 90,00

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Issue 138/139 of Graphis magazine is a special double issue all about Design in Japan. It starts with an Editor’s Note from Editor In Chief Walter Herdeg and an Introduction by Masaru Katzumie, and includes articles on: Katachi-Traditional Japanese Pattern and Design, written by Y. Kamekura; Japanese Family Crests, by Yusaku Kamekura; Japanese Design Education, by Richard S. Thornton; Japan’s Younger Generation of Designers, by Ikko Tanaka; Advertising Art in Japan Today, by Yusaku Kamekura; Japanese Advertising Photography, by Shigene Kanamaru; Packaging Design in Japan, by Kazumasa Nagai; Display Art in Japan, by Kyoshi Awazu; Editorial Art in Japan, by Hiromu Hara; and Industrial Design in Japan, by Masaru Katzumie.

Fantastic 1968 special double issue of the "international journal of graphic and applied art" featuring the design of Japan. Features hundreds of striking examples of sixties modern Japanese graphic and industrial design, as well as beautiful depictions of traditional Japanese design. Features on traditional Japanese pattern and design; Japan's younger generation of designers; advertising art and photography in Japan today; packaging art, display art, editorial art, and industrial design in Japan. An amazing, comprehensive review of sixties modernist design in Japan. Stunning cover by Walter Herdeg.

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"Mononoke" is my favorite anime. I have seen many animes, but none has made me feel like this. It is difficult for me to put into words what I feel when I hear their soundtrack, or when I appreciate their animation, their colors (or lack of them), it really is a very strong wave of emotions.

The anime tells five moving stories, and its overarching theme is the evil that lives within us, human beings.

Scenes take place in a wide variety of locations, spanning scenarios such as the first underground train in Japan, inaugurated 1920s, to an inn in the Edo period; following Kusuriuri, the apothecary, in his quest to eliminate a demon or “Mononoke”.

We could interpret that the message behind the vocation of our protagonist to eliminate the antagonists of the stories, is to eliminate the evil that lies in them and that led them to be what they are, demons that seek revenge and torture psychologically or physically to those who are still alive.

To eliminate the mononoke, the apothecary needs to find out the Truth (Makoto), Shape (Katachi) and Reasoning (Kotowari) that drove the spirit to act as it has done. To do this, he will "interview" the characters of each story respectively, and come to a conclusion that will explain the performance of Mononoke.

As I write all this, I am listening to the audio that I have attached to the publication. In the audio you can hear the three saddest and most emotional songs of the entire anime soundtrack. The names of these three melodies are "Hakanage", "Samishige" and "Kanashige". Although the soundtrack is full of beautiful compositions by Yasuharu Takanshi, these are, for me, the most beautiful and remarkable.

I hope my text reaches many people, and I can take you to watch and enjoy this wonderful anime that captivated me so much. It really is very worthwhile, and saddens me that despite being such a beautiful work, it is so little known.

Anyway, thank you very much for reading this and sharing it.

- Sofía.