Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Motoko Ukiyo-e Woodcut Print

Product Name: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Motoko Ukiyo-e Woodcut Print

Bringing the traditions from the Edo period to the present day.

A representative of Japan art.

The embodiment of a modern bijin-ga as an Edo ukiyo-e woodblock print.
Ukiyo-e is one of Japan’s representative traditional crafts. However, the entire industry is now on the verge of a crisis. The number of artisans who have inherited this traditional craft since the Edo period has decreased to a few dozen in Japan, and while efforts are being made to train young people, the fact is that the volume of production, including raw materials, is shrinking day after day, and the number of artisans is decreasing.

Together with the artisans (painters, carvers, printers) who are still working to pass on the woodblock printing techniques of ukiyo-e, we wanted to create a “genuine ukiyo-e” by combining traditional techniques with Ghost in the Shell, a masterpiece of modern anime, so that people around the world can recognize the merits of ukiyo-e from a new angle. We also wanted to contribute to the development of this culture that Japan is proud to share with the world without letting it die out.

With this in mind, we have created this work without compromise.

We want to deliver to you the essence of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 "Motoko" Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print
The ultimate ukiyo-e woodblock print that interweaves tradition and the present day.

Based on the first key visual by Ilya Kuvshinov, the character designer of Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (herein SAC_2045) and the very embodiment of Ghost in the Shell’s modern day motif, we wondered how we should express the work using an ukiyo-e woodblock print, the pinnacle of analog artwork.

We visited ukiyo-e artists countless times and adopted Edo-derived materials and techniques thoroughly backed by tradition and high quality, such as ukiyo-e techniques, ink, Japanese paper, and framing, while adding an expression that can only be found here, woven using traditional Japanese craftsmanship to wonderfully depict the key visual.

The ultimate Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print meticulously created entirely by hand with the pride of Japanese ukiyo-e has now been completed.

The ultimate Echizen Kizuki Housho by Ichibe Iwano, a living national treasure
Ichibei Iwano IX
In 1978, they succeeded to the title of Ichibei Iwano IX. In June, 2000, they were recognized as a living national treasure of “Echizen Housho,” an important cultural asset of Japan.

They continue to create “Echizen Kizuki Housho,” which has been handed down for generations in the Echizen area.

“Kizuki Housho” is a type of Japanese paper backed by Japanese tradition and history and made from mulberry bark.

This time, we used the ultimate paper which can withstand the pressure of printing hundreds of times using woodblocks and is used not just for art prints but also as ritual paper for Shinto rituals. We chose this paper because of its traditional texture from the Edo period and with the hope that it will endure for 100 or 200 years.

The ultimate aesthetics of hand-carving and hand-printing, completed using 7 woodblocks and over 40 printing processes.

[Carving]
Ukiyo-e woodblock printing begins with carving the woodblocks one by one and dividing them into different colors based on the design.

As you can see, it is a series of frighteningly precise processes, and even just a shift of 1 millimeter can have a significant impact on the entire image. The way it is carved perfectly without any misalignment can be said to be the result of the artisan’s countless years of training.

Everything is carved by hand, from the eyes, hair, and figure to the background which doesn’t include a title or color. Because woodblocks are so delicate, they can be chipped or damaged after thousands of printings, which is why ukiyo-e can only be produced in limited editions.

This time as well, we have decided to produce a limited number of 300 prints worldwide to maximize production. They will not be resold and will be a limited production run.

[Printing]
After finishing carving the woodblocks on all 14 sides (7 double-sided woodblocks), the printing process begins, using traditional paints as the base for each color. This is also a world that demands craftsmanship, as a mere millimeter of misalignment or too little pressure can result in misalignment of the entire image.

In addition, since it is impossible to know what the final color will be until it is printed, we changed the paint dozens of times in pursuit of the ultimate color. The pale blue at the edge uses Katsushika Hokusai’s famous “Bero-ai” from the Edo period to make it vivid, and the interior uses the traditional Japanese “Hon-ai” to create a profound feeling and base.

Furthermore, while being conscious of a collaboration with the modern day, this time we selected a vivid pink not used in ukiyo-e prints to date for the reverse side, which emphasizes the composition of the entire image as an accent color.

The ultimate dedication. It is beautiful and sparkling like jewelry.
Our dedication and the dedication of the artisans was not just to reproduce it as an ukiyo-e woodblock print but to fight to the point of knowing how to finish it as the ultimate work of art.

It isn’t merely a woodblock print, it’s a work of art, it must shine like jewelry and continue to shine in your hands.

With that in mind, we drew inspiration from representative bijin-ga ukiyo-e artist Utamaru Kitagawa of the Kansei era (1789-1801), which is said to be the golden age of ukiyo-e, and we have adopted “kirazuri” to make the whole background sparkle.

“Kirazuri” is a special technique that uses powdered shellfish rubbed into the background of the ukiyo-e. By adding the cyber metallic feeling of Ghost in the Shell, we have realized the ultimate ukiyo-e that sparkles in the light.

In addition, ukiyo-e usually feature outlines in black ink that are clearly printed in black, however this time we daringly didn’t use any black ink but rather used Motoko’s skin tone and the pale blue to express the outlines in order to pursue and express the exquisite texture and charm of the space between humans and machines that she possesses.

We hope that you understand the value and dedication of this project and see it in person for yourself.

The essence of Japan, to you.