Akihiro Yamada
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
illustrator and manga artist
. He was born in Kōchi
, Kōchi Prefecture
on the island of Shikoku
in Japan, and now resides in Kyoto
. Yamada is known for delicate images reminiscent of suiboku and depiction of fantasy subjects. He is the 1996 Seiun Award
winner in art category.
's Twelve Kingdoms series and Mizuno Ryo's Record of Lodoss War
. His character design credits include concepts for the anime
series RahXephon
as well as a variety of video games. He is currently working on concept design of the movie Shinobi: Heart Under Blade.
. His work on video games includes Saiyuki: Journey West
on the Sony
PlayStation
, various Might and Magic
and Wizardry
titles for the TurboGrafx-16
, both versions of Mystic Ark, Enix
's role-playing game for the Super Famicom
and PlayStation
and character designs for Shinkai Densetsu Meremanoid and Terra Phantastica. Yamada also worked on a game called Chaos Gear and a PC game, Black Rainbow.
Yamada's designs can also be found in Castlevania: Dracula X for the Super NES and in Front Mission 3
for the PlayStation. Yamada has produced many anime artbook
compilations.
in conjunction with writer Ryo Mizuno
, and is currently working on an Asian-themed solo manga, Beast of East.
's long-running The Twelve Kingdoms
light novel
series. He specially designed the rich cover illustrations for the home DVD
releases of the anime adaptation of this series. Within Japan he has illustrated covers for numerous translated anthologies of Cthulhu Mythos
literature, and is currently working with Kurodahan Press on their translation of a four-volume Japanese anthology of Cthulhu Mythos literature, . Yamada is drawing covers that are exclusive to the English translation.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
illustrator and manga artist
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
. He was born in Kōchi
Kochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
, Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
on the island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
in Japan, and now resides in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. Yamada is known for delicate images reminiscent of suiboku and depiction of fantasy subjects. He is the 1996 Seiun Award
Seiun Award
The is a Japanese science fiction award for the best science fiction published in Japan during the preceding year, as voted by attendees of the Japan Science Fiction Convention. "Seiun" is the Japanese word for "nebula", but the award is not related to the American Nebula Award. It was named after...
winner in art category.
Introduction
While he has created many manga, Yamada is widely known as a novel illustrator and as a character designer. As an illustrator his best known works are Fuyumi OnoFuyumi Ono
is a Japanese novelist who is best known for writing series, on which a popular anime is based. Her name after marriage is , but she writes under her maiden name.- Biography :...
's Twelve Kingdoms series and Mizuno Ryo's Record of Lodoss War
Record of Lodoss War
is a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based around the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia for role-playing games . There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English...
. His character design credits include concepts for the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series RahXephon
RahXephon
is a Japanese anime series about 17-year-old Ayato Kamina, his ability to control a godlike mecha known as the RahXephon, and his inner journey to find a place in the world...
as well as a variety of video games. He is currently working on concept design of the movie Shinobi: Heart Under Blade.
Character design
Yamada's character design credits for anime include RahXephonRahXephon
is a Japanese anime series about 17-year-old Ayato Kamina, his ability to control a godlike mecha known as the RahXephon, and his inner journey to find a place in the world...
. His work on video games includes Saiyuki: Journey West
Saiyuki: Journey West
Saiyuki: Journey West is a tactical role-playing video game released for the Sony PlayStation by Koei. It is based loosely on the Great Classical Novel Journey to the West...
on the Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, various Might and Magic
Might and Magic
Might and Magic is a series of role-playing video games from New World Computing, which in 1996 became a subsidiary of The 3DO Company...
and Wizardry
Wizardry
Wizardry is a series of computer role-playing games, developed by Sir-Tech, which were highly influential in the development of modern console and computer role playing games. The original Wizardry was a significant influence to early console RPGs, such as Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. ...
titles for the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
, both versions of Mystic Ark, Enix
Enix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
's role-playing game for the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and character designs for Shinkai Densetsu Meremanoid and Terra Phantastica. Yamada also worked on a game called Chaos Gear and a PC game, Black Rainbow.
Yamada's designs can also be found in Castlevania: Dracula X for the Super NES and in Front Mission 3
Front Mission 3
is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation developed by and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on September 2, 1999, and later in North America on March 22, 2000, and in Europe on August 11, 2000. Front Mission 3 is the third main entry and the fifth entry overall in...
for the PlayStation. Yamada has produced many anime artbook
Artbook
An art book may mean a conventional book on art or art history, or an artist's book, which is a work of art in the form of a book, usually produced in a small limited edition, often not just using normal printing techniques. The term might also cover graphic novels, books of anime and other types...
compilations.
Manga
Yamada drew the manga Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of PharisRecord of Lodoss War
is a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based around the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia for role-playing games . There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English...
in conjunction with writer Ryo Mizuno
Ryo Mizuno
is a Japanese author and game designer. Mizuno created Record of Lodoss War, Rune Soldier, Sword World RPG and Starship Operators. He was also involved with the Galaxy Angel manga. Mizuno recently worked on Tri-Ace and Square Enix's action-RPG Infinite Undiscovery. He has shown talent in both...
, and is currently working on an Asian-themed solo manga, Beast of East.
Novel illustration
Yamada attracted attention outside of Japan through his illustrations of Fuyumi OnoFuyumi Ono
is a Japanese novelist who is best known for writing series, on which a popular anime is based. Her name after marriage is , but she writes under her maiden name.- Biography :...
's long-running The Twelve Kingdoms
The Twelve Kingdoms
is a series of light novels by Fuyumi Ono. The first entry in the series was published in Japan in 1991; the last volume was released in 2001. The series was published by Kodansha and contains illustrations by Akihiro Yamada.The Chinese mythology-influenced books were adapted into an animated...
light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
series. He specially designed the rich cover illustrations for the home DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
releases of the anime adaptation of this series. Within Japan he has illustrated covers for numerous translated anthologies of Cthulhu Mythos
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
literature, and is currently working with Kurodahan Press on their translation of a four-volume Japanese anthology of Cthulhu Mythos literature, . Yamada is drawing covers that are exclusive to the English translation.