MABOROSHI NO HANA YOI NO TSUKI — Matsuri Akino Artbook
Asahi Sonorama, 2006, 100 pages, Paperback, Japanese Language

Genre: Art/Illustration/Manga

In 2004, and pretty much every year since then, I made it a point to complain that Matsuri Akino (of Pet Shop of Horrors and Genju no Seiza) did not have an artbook of her own. This, for me, was a travesty as I have a particular affinity for her art and wanted a full color collection to go along with the other numerous art books that I have on my shelf (well, shelves, actually).

Last October I discovered that this had finally come to be. At last, I could have my very own copy of a Matsuri Akino artbook — as soon as I tracked it down on a website I could actually read and then pay the import price, which was, as most Japanese artbook collectors will know, rather steep. But I managed to do that, though it took several months, and now I have it here to show off to other Matsuri Akino, or Japanese manga art, fans.

It’s my understanding that the title of the artbook is Maboroshi no Hana, Yoi no Tsuki. Now, can I swear to that? Not really. I can tell you that the words “Maboroshi no Hana Yoi no Tsuki” are on the book, as I can read that bit, but I don’t read kanji and, even if I did, I don’t yet know the rules of title layout on Japanese books. For instance, what do the very large gradient-filled kanji mean? It could be the artist’s name, or it could be something else. I really don’t know. One day I’ll find out. But in any case, every place I’ve looked notes this as the title. Even Wikipedia, so it must be true.

(As it occurs to me that someone might unwittingly take me seriously, I’ll just point out — that was a joke)

The dustcover itself is made of a thick paper that has a metallic cast. It’s really quite lovely and a very pleasant weight.

I won’t go through each image in the book, as I don’t have the time, and that would essentially be reproducing it, which is, you know, illegal. But since it is mine, I can at least post a couple of the images I like the most.

Let’s take a look at which ones those are….