When I first heard that this book was coming out I assumed it would be just another gimmick to bilk Yoko fans out of a bit more cash, consisting of little more than recycled Megami and Newtype posters padded with screenshots from the show. This is Gainax we’re talking about, after all – the company that never sells something once when they can sell it twice (or a dozen times). Imagine my surprise upon paging through it that the volume in fact contains an astonishing amount of new material created exclusively for this book – and much of it really nice work. After rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating the Gainax of two decades ago I immediately decided the volume had to be procured, so here, a mere three months late, is our look at Yoko’s portrait collection:
Product Title: 天元突破グレンラガンヨーコ写真集 – Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Yoko Shashinshuu
Source: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Release Date: February 1st, 2008
Publisher: Ichijinsha
Page Count: 64 A4 pages, full color
Price: 1,890 JPY (tax included)
Availability: Amazon, Mangaoh
Support HD!: J-List, Play-Asia, YesAsia
The book’s 64 pages are broken down thusly:
- 1-3: frontspiece, table of contents
- 4-35: gallery
The gallery’s 32 pages contain 20 “photos” (the book’s Japanese title translates as “photo collection”), 15 of which are newly published here.
- 36-39: interview
Comments from the artists of the various gallery images about the creative process behind their works.
- 40-41: guest comments
Commentary on Yoko from the perspective of various other characters in the Gurren Lagann universe.
- 42-49: Yoko style check
Yoko character design and accessory/vehilce illustrations and commentary on them from throughout the entire series.
- 50-51: teach me, Yomako-sensei
Questions from thinly veiled silhouettes of various G-L cast members directed at Yomako-sensei, Yoko’s teacher alter ego.
- 52-59: memory album
Screenshots and descriptions of memorable Yoko scenes from throughout the series.
- 60-61: Yoko jargon file
A dictionary of key words from the series and their definitions as they pertain to Yoko.
- 62-63: figure catalog
A compilation of photos of the Yoko PVCs and resin kits released to date (February ’08).
- 64: endspiece, credits
The book also contains a Yoko “bromide”, a word I had to look up that apparently means “celebrity photo” in Japanese. I typically don’t open the sealed packets these things come in so I’m not sure what’s inside, but I assume it’s another image printed on glossy photo paper.
Impressions
In evaluating the contents of this collection there are two points of view one can take, as I see it. One is that taken by most of the Amazon reviews, which fault it for false advertising, essentially: “It’s called a ‘photo collection’, and it’s only half full of ‘photos’ – what gives?” “There’s not enough content,” etc. etc.
The other viewpoint is that compared to similar items in its class, this collection has an exceptional amount of original content – more than any other artbook I’ve reviewed, and perhaps more than any other artbook I own. While I think we’d all like to see 64 pages of completely original material in a volume such as this the economics of the sequential art world make it a virtual impossibility, and in recognition of that fact the amount of original work here is truly exceptional.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I’d say that while as a “photo book” Gurren Lagann Yoko Portraits may be a weak offering, as an “artbook” this volume is one of the nicest I’ve seen in terms of the amount of original content created specifically for it, and I hope this is a format we’ll see repeated (and improved upon) in the future.
If you’d like to support HD with your purchase of the book, it’s currently available at J-List, Play-Asia, and YesAsia; other retailers are listed at the top of the post.
Yesasia probably has the best price if you don’t mind waiting. Qualifies for free shipping too. http://global.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/code-j/section-index/pid-1010015080/
>>hiero_yo
Thanks for pointing that out. I didn’t bother checking YesAsia as they usually have the worst prices for everything… I’ve added it to the list of affiliate options in the post, thanks.
(YesAsia affiliate link)
now you should actually watch the show!! :V
yesasia usually have higher prices, but the free shipping usually balances things out.
I’ve had this photobook for a couple of months now. Like it a lot! btw, The bromides are smaller (postcard sized) copies of some of the main contents. not much to shout about but it does mean that you can get nice scans without the gap in the middle due to the spine.
I’m still wondering if they plan to carry on these photo portrait books — maybe one for Nia? OR KAMINA?
>>wildarmsheero
I have a newly invented policy against watching clock shows unless they’re about lesbians.
Actually after looking through this book it’s making me want to watch a bit more, I’ll get around to it when I have a free block of time (after I invent my time stream replicator doomsday device).
>>gundamjehutykai
In this case not only is there free shipping, but the base retail price is lower than the other options. Seems like they’re not making a profit from the book, which is kind of crazy.
It’s disappointing to hear that the bromide illustrations are just duplicates of content from the book; guess there’s no need to open the envelope after all. Thanks for the info.
>>Shiro
I’m sure if they don’t it’s not for a lack of willing artists, Kamina has seen his fair share of attention from fujoshi over the past several months. :3
I’m disappointed to learn too that in the 64 pages there’s only 20 “photos”, as an ‘artbook’ is a book that has ALL pages full of “full-page” art..
Oh well, the scans of each picture from the book are on the net. I can just get them, I guess. Either way, it’s the enterbrain figure of Yoko I want, as she’s 3D! ^_^
>>Deibi Manabu
Perhaps an “artbook” is a bit of a misnomer on my part; this volume aims to create a new category of product, from what I can tell, in that it’s like an anime “visual fanbook” for a show only it focuses on a single character and contains way more original art. By your definition it’s not an artbook in that it’s solely a collection of art, true. However given its subject, a volume such as you describe has never existed (there’s never been a book created for an anime series that’s purely art from the show, other than a few Megami poster collections – that I know of at least).
My point stands – please enlighten me if you know of a single mook-style book (artbook, fanbook, etc.) that contains 15 pieces of original art, not reprints, that were created exclusively for the book. On that front I think this is an exceptional volume.
I’ve already bought this art-book & I love it! Great Yoko! :)