From the kitsch cuteness of Hello Kitty to the cult of manga and anime, Japanese design has long paved the way for the West to follow. Graphic Japan goes beyond this well-known territory to reveal the myriad styles of design produced in Japan today, from packaging to posters, and typography to new media. Contemporary Japanese graphic design is a unique collision of traditional cultural influences and a focused thrust toward modernization on global terms, and the book reflects this marriage of tradition and hypermodernity. Essays on today's innovators are beautifully printed in a simple, elegant manner that is typical of traditional Japanese work, and are combined with bold and colorful visual material which reflects the brash, global commerciality of much new material. This book is an inspirational "must" for designers in the West.

For many, Made in Japan is synonymous with quality the perfect marriage of aesthetic appeal and functionality. The intentions of the designer can be found in the slightest detail, but none are overworked, preferring spare elegance to busy excess. Mixing traditional art and philosophy with contemporary design to create a material and visual culture that blends seamlessly into their lives at home. With this strong national identity and focus on design, it is no wonder their creative output is admired and imitated throughout the world. Made in Japan highlights more than 40 creatives from different fields who exemplify this design character through their work in graphic design and branding, illustration, packaging, fashion, product and spatial design.

Latest title in the "Graphic Lives" series

Launched in December 1869 in direct competition to The Illustrated London News, (ILN) which first appeared in 1842, The Graphic set out to upstage its competitor through the quality and amount of its illustrations (including colour) and the paper it was printed on. Together, however, the two periodicals dominated nineteenth-century British journalism. With circulations far in excess of The Times, the extent of the news – including considerable foreign reporting – opinion and miscellaneous data of these two publications provides an invaluable resource for researchers and historians. As with the ILN, this complementary one-stop reference volume brings together the complete archive of all reports, features, illustrations and incidental commentaries relating to Japan from the first report of 5 February1870 discussing Japan’s recent civil war, the overthrow of the ‘Shiogoon or Tyocoon’, the restoration of the Emperor (Mikado) and a vindication of Britain’s ‘policy of firmness’ vis à vis Japan. Its concluding report on 16 December 1899 (the year of the ratification of the ending of the Unequal Treaties was concluded) notes: ‘No power in the world stands in a more delicate and difficult position than Japan does just now.’ This volume of 400 pages includes an 8-page plate section featuring a selection of The Graphic’s colour printing relating to Japan, a full cross-referenced Index by J.E. Hoare, together with an historical perspective by former British Ambassador to Japan Sir Hugh Cortazzi and an introduction to The Graphic in the context of nineteenth-century media history by Terry Bennett.

Part of a formidable publishing industry, cheap yet eye-catching graphic narratives consistently charmed early modern Japanese readers for around two hundred years. These booklets were called kusazōshi (“grass books”). Graphic Narratives from Early Modern Japan is the first English-language publication of its kind. It enables anyone new to kusazōshi to gain comprehensive knowledge of the field. For the specialist, our edited volume marks a turning point in scholarship, uncovering fresh research avenues. While exploring the powerful effects of the visual-verbal imagination, this collection opens up bold new vistas on the act of reading and advances provocations around comics and manga. Contributors are: Jaqueline Berndt, Joseph Bills, Michael Emmerich, Adam L. Kern, Fumiko Kobayashi, Frederick Feilden, Laura Moretti, Matsubara Noriko, Satō Satoru, Satō Yukiko, Satoko Shimazaki, Takagi Gen, Tanahashi Masahiro, Ellis Tinios, Tsuda Mayumi and, Glynne Walley.

An indispensable guide to the colors and combinations of contemporary Japanese design--by one of Japan's leading colorists! Color consultant Teruko Sakurai finds inspiration everywhere--in the foods, landscapes and everyday objects of her native land. Flipping through the pages of this book is like taking a tour through modern Japan. The tones, hues and palettes will dazzle and inspire you. Over 3,300 different color combinations are presented in over 125 different themes. Each two-page section in this book presents a different theme with the following information: An introduction giving a brief background on the color scheme and a description of how it can be used A number-coded nine-color palette board showing the range of shades and hues that complement and comprise the scheme CMYK, RGB and HEX (the color code used in Japan) references for all nine colors 26 examples including two- and three-color combinations with photos and illustrations This is an indispensable guide for graphic designers, illustrators, decorators, artists and publishing professionals. It will also be enjoyable and inspiring for readers planning their own home design or art projects.