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The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Topic started by: beingthehero on February 27, 2012, 06:40:33 PM

Title: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: beingthehero on February 27, 2012, 06:40:33 PM
(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee35/beingthehero/51uiJLTBBwL.jpg)(http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee35/beingthehero/518ERGJ4Q0L__SS500_.jpg)

This is some of her post-CV work she's done, and it's very good. Do you wish they'd bring Kojima back to do the art for the CV games, or stay the course with Lords' art?

Also she really has a thing for skulls.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Neobelmont on February 27, 2012, 06:47:18 PM
Yes there is a reason why I have three wall scrolls in my room of her artwork. yes I like Los style, but her work just has so much detail and if konami were to do a game again with her make it cel shaded game or something to repersent that dark style. I told my friend about her and the very first thing I say about her is how much detail she puts into her work it's mind blowing. So yes hell but also make the men more manly that would be it other than that yes
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: PFG9000 on February 27, 2012, 06:53:48 PM
Yes, absolutely.  Together with Michiru Yamane, she defined the series at its peak.  Her art is beautiful and fitting, and got better with each game.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 27, 2012, 07:18:12 PM
Yeah, she's definitely gotten far better, would be nice if she did some more CV art.

that said, the Lords art, EG the kind used for the bestiary/character entries, has an amazing style, which I wish they would utilize more, instead of making a generic looking CG'd cover. Japan got the special edition cover as the default, and EU and NA should have too. It would have cemented the tradition of CV games having epic box art, (DoS and PoR notwithstanding) and is more in line with the kind of work that Kojima did, highly stylized. I mean seriously, DAT HAIR.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ahasverus on February 27, 2012, 07:30:17 PM
Of course!
While the LoS art is artistically great (Pitch perfect even) Kojima's art is less, ehmm, "literal" and more "Evocative", and I'd love to have her like Yoshitaka Amano is in Final Fantasy, a guest artist giving her vision in every game with one or two illustrations.

But I don't want her to be the main designer, she's repetitive, a lot.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: C Belmont on February 27, 2012, 07:40:14 PM
Not really
There are elements of her style which I like but her art has never appealled to me all that much.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 27, 2012, 07:54:44 PM
To those that think she's repetitive or her stale is style, you should check out Santa Lilio Sangre, she's very versatile (see wut i did there ;)

also,


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/c0mbat/Booklet20Front.png)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/c0mbat/Booklet20Back.png)



Kojima DEFINES Castlevania.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: C Belmont on February 27, 2012, 09:10:53 PM
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Kojima DEFINES Castlevania
Oh please :rollseyes:
Castlevania did exist before Kojima came along and I think you would be hard pressed to convince someone that has had no exposure to the games released after SOTN that her art defines castlevania. Her work may embody aspects of Castlevania and a particular direction Castlevania took in it's history but not the whole darn thing that’s over exaggerating things more than a little, in some regards her work was the complete opposite of Castlevania’s early identity.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on February 27, 2012, 09:16:40 PM
I completely misread the topic, and was wondering why people wanted to turn her black.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Fofa on February 27, 2012, 10:03:52 PM
Quote from: Crisis on February 27, 2012, 07:54:44 PM
Kojima DEFINES Castlevania.

I thought a game series was defined by the gameplay rather than the artwork (unless the art was a major theme). Just might be me though.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 27, 2012, 10:28:18 PM
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Castlevania did exist before Kojima came along
Never said otherwise.

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and I think you would be hard pressed to convince someone that has had no exposure to the games released after SOTN that her art defines castlevania.

you mean on the internet right? Cuz I personally know people that don't even play Castlevania & still recognize her art as "Castlevania," or if they see something else she drew (a lot of different stuff) they'd still think it was Castlevania-related.

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Her work may embody aspects of Castlevania
Obviously, most definately, glad you agree!

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in some regards her work was the complete opposite of Castlevania’s early identity.

You refer to the Conans wearing loincloths? That style went out with the 80s, and many other series used similar "tough guy with muscles holding a weapon" imagery, it was all over the place. So it's not like that particular style was unique to CV or anything. It was excellent artwork, don't get me wrong (CV1 still has the best boxart in the series in my opinion), but the Conan-esque look had to go. Belmonts are vampire hunters, not barbarians. However if they ever make a game or 2 set in the 1100s-1300s, I wouldn't mind seeing artwork depicting ____ Belmont wearing a bearskin or a Tanooki suit :D Since in those days, they must've been really roughin' it! :D

Just to further clarify, if we were talking comics and I were to say "Jim Lee DEFINES Batman," many would agree despite there being dozens of other artists that came before him. I'm not saying those artists sucked, it's that he's just that damned good, and there's a reason why his work is so coveted amongst fans and why he has attained a level of notoriety over his fellow [well-received] artists.



*waits for the tired "kojima draws effeminate girlymen" argument to ignite*
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on February 27, 2012, 10:35:00 PM
But Kojima draws girlymen!

I kid, I kid.  Though I kind of prefer Simon to stay Conan-like, the Kojima version doesn't sit well with me. Just personal preference.  I really do love her art, though - she certainly defines a large part of Castlevania. Not EVERYTHING, but a goodly amount of stuff.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 27, 2012, 11:07:57 PM
Hey...

Hey Guys...

Hey Guys...

A Castlevania game- with- get ready for this-

With Yamane and Arujo on music,

And Kojima and Vaello on art,

and Cox and IGA as directors/writers

with LoS' budget and scale.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: TheouAegis on February 27, 2012, 11:07:58 PM
Anyone else reminded of Yoshitaka Amano by Ayami's art? I mean, Ayami puts more detail into the art, but both have a somewhat fluid art style and both draw the human figure similarly, I think. I dunno, I just see Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy in Ayami's art. Locke, Setzer and Edgar had very girly figures.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 27, 2012, 11:09:53 PM
haha, yeah i see what you mean there, though Kojima's art is more detailed while Amano's is a bit more sketchy
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on February 27, 2012, 11:10:24 PM
Quote from: Flame on February 27, 2012, 11:07:57 PM
Hey...

Hey Guys...

Hey Guys...

A Castlevania game- with- get ready for this-

With Yamane and Arujo on music,

And Kojima and Vaello on art,

and Cox and IGA as directors/writers

with LoS' budget and scale.


...And with the play control of Order of Shadows!
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ahasverus on February 28, 2012, 08:32:38 AM
Quote from: Flame on February 27, 2012, 11:07:57 PM
Hey...

Hey Guys...

Hey Guys...

A Castlevania game- with- get ready for this-

With Yamane and Arujo on music,

And Kojima and Vaello on art,

and Cox and IGA as directors/writers

with LoS' budget and scale.
Perfect recipe.

Without IGA.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Nagumo on February 28, 2012, 09:35:29 AM
That seems like a weird thing to say coming from someone who really liked Curse of Darkness.  :-X
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: X on February 28, 2012, 10:01:07 AM
I wouldn't mind seeing her art-style in CV again, but only so long as she makes the guys look like...well, guys. I don't think CV needs anymore pretty-boy Belmonts or villains *cough*Issac*cough* I have no problems with how she draws her women. They are very beautiful and have an almost otherworldly charm. But that is as far as it should go. It should not bleed out onto the dudes who're supposed to be dudes.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Sumac on February 28, 2012, 10:59:05 AM
I'd prefer if there were two games - one in style of "metrodvania" to quench fans of that particular style (just to shut up them for quite a time) and LOS-like - more action oriented and keeping up with the technology and trends. Kojima obviously would be welcome to join "metroidvania" game. But that's a fantasy.

In reality, I am not opposed to her style, but after a while it really become a bit repetitive and samey. While her style is certainly exquisite it tend to become boring after a while. I believe long running series need to shake things up sometimes. And changing the art style is one of those things.
That said, if, by chance, she become a guest artist, giving her own version of established characters, that would not have effect on their actual in game appearance, I'll like this. But having her as a main character designer...no. Been there, done that, time to move on.

Quote
Castlevania did exist before Kojima came along and I think you would be hard pressed to convince someone that has had no exposure to the games released after SOTN that her art defines castlevania. Her work may embody aspects of Castlevania and a particular direction Castlevania took in it's history but not the whole darn thing that’s over exaggerating things more than a little, in some regards her work was the complete opposite of Castlevania’s early identity.
Exactly.
I having the same feelings when somebody says that IGA or Yamane defines the Castlevania. While both of them contributed to the series, Castlevania existed and was successful before them and many things that defined series was made, also, before them. They changed and redefined some things, but I don't think that there is a need to make such statements.
It would be akin to saying that "IGA's Castleanias were the only true Castlevanias" or "without Yamane or Kojima the game is not Castlevania". Sentiments like this certainly will find their supporters, but there are also a lot of people, I believe, that have a much wider view of what Castlevania is, not necessarily being connected with certain people or certain styles.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: DragonSlayr81 on February 28, 2012, 11:11:48 AM
Quote from: Flame on February 27, 2012, 11:09:53 PM
haha, yeah i see what you mean there, though Kojima's art is more detailed while Amano's is a bit more sketchy
Amano's preferred medium is watercolor, which gives his work an airy, whispy effect. Kojima's art is more defined because her bolder methods in painting. It's not not airy like Amano's, and she focuses on intricate details. That being said, I think Kojima's work can be represented in CG quite well. I recall people saying Amano's characters don't work well without a mediator to "clean" the designs up and make them more render-friendly. That's not the case with Ayami's work. Her work, IMO, is just as render friendly as Tetsuya Nomura and is probably more render-friendly than Yoji Shinkawa.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 28, 2012, 11:25:53 AM
You guys that keep saying "her boys look like girls" obviously never looked through any of her many artbooks, so that's kind of a baseless point when there's plenty of evidence that proves otherwise.

You may be able to get away with saying Juste has girly features or Simon, but that's pretty much it.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 28, 2012, 11:27:22 AM
Quote from: Ahasverus on February 28, 2012, 08:32:38 AM
Perfect recipe.

Without IGA.

IGA is GREAT at original stories, when he isnt doing direct sequels. Aria was great. And considering LoS went with the "you play as Dracula" thing... Plus, Cox could balance out IGA's more worser bad sequel story habits.

Quote from: Crisis on February 28, 2012, 11:25:53 AM
You guys that keep saying "her boys look like girls" obviously never looked through any of her many artbooks, so that's kind of a baseless point when there's plenty of evidence that proves otherwise.

You may be able to get away with saying Juste has girly features or Simon, but that's pretty much it.
Then she should bring some of that to the CV series. Almost all of her Castlevania men are very effeminate.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VampirehunterB on February 28, 2012, 11:31:27 AM
I have never been so disappointed as when I noticed that she didn't illustrate the art for the DS. I mean, if I never would have heard of castlevania I would never have had the eye notice to the game on the sale shelves. "just another low budget anime game" I would have thought.

She is a fantastic painter who makes castlevania aesthetically unique and exclusive . one can only pray that she will be back.

 for me, her art DOES define castlevania, as it is the best substitute one can imagine for the cool 80's-early 90's vintage art. That was cool, but things needed to be updated, and Ayami Kojima made that art reform perfect. 
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 28, 2012, 11:55:46 AM
Quote
Then she should bring some of that to the CV series.
She has.

Quote
Almost all of her Castlevania men are very effeminate.
well thats just your opinion
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 28, 2012, 12:11:53 PM
You have a pretty interesting idea of what characterizes being effeminate.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: beingthehero on February 28, 2012, 12:35:13 PM
YOU are effeminate.

I'd actually like to see castle areas based entirely on her illustrations.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Dark Nemesis on February 28, 2012, 12:38:39 PM
Quote from: beingthehero on February 27, 2012, 03:14:19 PM
She still illustrates novels, if Amazon Japan is anything to go by.

(http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lww1l6jQjh1qgl9aho1_500.jpg)

I really love this one and yes, like beingthehero said, i would love to see a game with enviroments, like this one on the picture.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 28, 2012, 12:52:49 PM
Quote from: beingthehero on February 28, 2012, 12:35:13 PM
YOU are effeminate.

I'd actually like to see castle areas based entirely on her illustrations.

Why yes, yes I am. How nice of you to notice.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VampirehunterB on February 28, 2012, 01:24:24 PM
that picture, its vampire hunter D isnt it?
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: beingthehero on February 28, 2012, 01:51:10 PM
Quote from: Flame on February 28, 2012, 12:52:49 PM
Why yes, yes I am. How nice of you to notice.

It's not confirmed until someone paraphrases Leon Kennedy.

Also I'm not sure if it's Vampire Hunter D, but I know the book is by the same author, though.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Sumac on February 28, 2012, 02:21:55 PM
Note: when I played HOD for the first time and didn't know nothing about its story, I honestly thought that Maxim was a woman. I kind of get that Juste was a man, but still his is the most feminine Belmont out of her designs.
And, yes, some of her early characters in Castlevania are feminine. However it's stopped some time around LOI. After that game none of her Castlevania male designs looked particularly feminine. I'd say, they even become looking more masculine with each new installment.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 28, 2012, 02:25:11 PM
Some images I scanned from one of her artbooks, with my own personal captions:

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i can't tell which 1's the boy & the girl in this image...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/c0mbat/kojima/tnCASNTGE9.jpg)
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VampirehunterB on February 28, 2012, 04:33:51 PM
GOD! thank you so much for translating the description of the pictures! Now I finally know what Im looking at when viewing the book=)
Wow I didn't know that so many unique sketches were dedicated to castlevania!
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 28, 2012, 04:53:11 PM
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"Quincey Morris & company discover Lucy"
Pretty sure that's a guy.

Quote
"before declaring war on humanity"
dunno, I dont think he would have a stake in him if that were the case...
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: C Belmont on February 28, 2012, 05:00:37 PM
He said "with my own personal captions"
 
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: beingthehero on February 28, 2012, 05:12:15 PM
The 'mathias courting elizabetha' picture is actually a romantic horseride between two gay lovers. It's a bondage/submissive-themed gay novel, described on Vampire Killer as 'i'll rape you until you love me' so there's that!
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on February 28, 2012, 05:35:37 PM
Oooh, is this like a caption contest?????

Here are mine:

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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/c0mbat/kojima/tnCASNTGE9.jpg)
Boobskulls: The Enduring Problem
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Odile Kuronuma on February 28, 2012, 05:38:41 PM
Quote from: beingthehero on February 28, 2012, 05:12:15 PM
The 'mathias courting elizabetha' picture is actually a romantic horseride between two gay lovers. It's a bondage/submissive-themed gay novel, described on Vampire Killer as 'i'll rape you until you love me' so there's that!
Yeah it's for a novel called Silver Requiem or something.And it's obviously Yaoi. Also young Vlad in contemplation is wearing a kimono. Weird.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 28, 2012, 05:46:39 PM
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The 'mathias courting elizabetha' picture is actually a romantic horseride between two gay lovers.
pfft, should've known. Those Japs & their endless obsession with nonsense yaoi >_>

b-but the image could still fit in Castlevania lore, that's the whole point <_<


Quote
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/c0mbat/kojima/tn18.jpg)
"Detroit."

LOL
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: TheouAegis on February 28, 2012, 05:47:53 PM
She should so totally do a Cthulhu Mythos art book.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: TheouAegis on February 28, 2012, 05:49:01 PM
Quote from: Crisis on February 28, 2012, 05:46:39 PM
b-but the image could still fit in Castlevania lore, that's the whole point <_<

Yeah as long as women in the Castlevania mythos don't have breasts.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 28, 2012, 06:29:30 PM
Quote from: beingthehero on February 28, 2012, 05:12:15 PM
The 'mathias courting elizabetha' picture is actually a romantic horseride between two gay lovers. It's a bondage/submissive-themed gay novel, described on Vampire Killer as 'i'll rape you until you love me' so there's that!

Well that explains the pic of the guy strung up by chains.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ahasverus on February 28, 2012, 07:54:20 PM
You could change pretty much every name of those pictures with Alucard. They look the same.

Howver there are some intriguing, I understand they are your captions, but are some of them related to CV? Some are just MADE for your descriptions  :o
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 28, 2012, 09:51:03 PM
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You could change pretty much every name of those pictures with Alucard. They look the same.

Funniest Family guy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb9vGwIOvBk#ws)

Quote
Howver there are some intriguing, I understand they are your captions, but are some of them related to CV? Some are just MADE for your descriptions  :o
:o


derp
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Lumi Kløvstad on February 28, 2012, 10:36:05 PM
Ayami Kojima should grace us all with renditions of the cast of Lords of Shadow.

That is all I have to say at this point.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on February 28, 2012, 10:43:10 PM
The Dawn of Sorrow art switch was... odd, to say the last, although there are two things that I'm fine with.  Dmitrii looks really unique in his art style, and I dunno how well Jokima could have done somebody so blocky.  And the other is Julius - his Aria of Sorrow art looks... justa little off. He looks like a woman in stage makeup and with a fake beard; I think it's something around the eyes, but he reminds me of Julia Roberts's disguise in Sleeping With the Enemy.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VampirehunterB on February 29, 2012, 03:08:29 AM
Quote from: C Belmont on February 28, 2012, 05:00:37 PM
He said "with my own personal captions"


oh..my bad=p
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: X on February 29, 2012, 08:45:51 AM
I will say out of all the images done by Ayami Kojima, the only one that even looks remotely manly enough is Hammer from AoS. It must be the bald look...
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Sumac on February 29, 2012, 09:39:53 AM
Dunno about Julius. He always looked very manly to me, comparing to most of her other Belmonts. Though, given apperances of Simon and Juste - its not saying much.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crisis on February 29, 2012, 09:53:39 AM
Julius is actually Hammer in disguise.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VampirehunterB on February 29, 2012, 10:37:36 AM
Julius looked ok in AoS, but she updated him really good in HoDespair!
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Nagumo on February 29, 2012, 12:02:39 PM
Quote from: Sumac on February 29, 2012, 09:39:53 AM
Dunno about Julius. He always looked very manly to me, comparing to most of her other Belmonts. Though, given apperances of Simon and Juste - its not saying much.

Simon just looks like a female body builder?
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VampirehunterB on February 29, 2012, 05:46:57 PM
I have never understood and will never understand this interpretation of her illustrations being so feminine. I think she clearly distinguish the masculine and feminine features correctly.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Flame on February 29, 2012, 08:36:52 PM
look up "Bishounen".

Yes, she differentiates them, but they still look highly stylized and sometimes effeminate.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on February 29, 2012, 08:38:44 PM
Some of her men are affeminate, plenty aren't. It varies from work to work. I love her art, but I think she was phoning it in for Juste.

...Juste was hers, right?
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Nagumo on March 01, 2012, 03:08:27 AM
I think only her early artwork had lots of men with effimnante faces. It's because of the faces that people often mistook Alucard and Juste for girls I suppose. However, from CoD onwards that is no longer the case and you can see Kojima improved over time. When looking at her artwork from Hodespair you can clearly distinguish Soma and Alucard as male.       
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Inccubus on March 01, 2012, 07:58:12 AM
Quote from: TheouAegis on February 27, 2012, 11:07:58 PM
Anyone else reminded of Yoshitaka Amano by Ayami's art? I mean, Ayami puts more detail into the art, but both have a somewhat fluid art style and both draw the human figure similarly, I think. I dunno, I just see Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy in Ayami's art. Locke, Setzer and Edgar had very girly figures.

In a word; no. I could say a lot more, but I don't feel like it right now.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crimsonmist on March 01, 2012, 02:13:57 PM
sure, she gave us castlevania art at its prime: mysterious, dark-toned, astounding...
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Odile Kuronuma on March 01, 2012, 04:11:40 PM
Quote
Anyone else reminded of Yoshitaka Amano by Ayami's art? I mean, Ayami puts more detail into the art, but both have a somewhat fluid art style and both draw the human figure similarly, I think. I dunno, I just see Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy in Ayami's art. Locke, Setzer and Edgar had very girly figures.
This again? Ok she might have said that she admired Amano's art when she started drawing, but NO her art isn't similar in any way to Amano's. First she likes to use strong contrasts between light and shadow, Amano doesn't. His art looks like it doesn't have shadows at all.
Secondly, she draws the human body in a more realistic way than Amano. The proportions as well as the body types are more close to reality than in Amano's work. Only the faces are drawn in a fantasy way, with idealised figures. Yoshitaka's drawing of the human body is just isn't realistic .
The way she paints is also different. They both use acrylics, but Amano uses very dilluted paint that looks almost like Watercolor.Kojima on the other hand uses dilluted paint, but since she uses sfumato a lot (it's the blury spots in her paintings) she must use two layers at the least. Also she likes to use thickened Acrylic paint for her backgrounds, as well as modeling paste, to give texture to the painting.Lastly she uses a glossy medium or varnish to give her paintings a glossy look.I'm pretty sure Amano doesn't since he uses very dilluted acrylics and sometimes even watercolors.
If anything, her work is more close to the painters of the Italian Renaissance because she uses the Sfumato and because she likes to idealise the human figure.
How do I know all this? Because I tried to copy works made by Kojima and Amano, and I can tell you that their styles are completely different from each other. Also Kojima's way of drawing and painting is a lot more challenging than Amano's.
You might find some similarities in the themes, especially now that Kojima works with the creator of Vampire hunter D. But it's just because they seem to like the same universe, with Kojima being more attracted to gore ,and Amano being more Fantasy oriented.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on March 01, 2012, 04:41:42 PM
There are similarities in themes, but their art styles are unqiue and individual.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: X on March 01, 2012, 06:28:04 PM
Quote
Secondly, she draws the human body in a more realistic way than Amano. The proportions as well as the body types are more close to reality than in Amano's work. Only the faces are drawn in a fantasy way, with idealised figures. Yoshitaka's drawing of the human body is just isn't realistic .

I'd look at some of her CV art again if I were you. More specifically art she did for Curse of Darkness. Trevor's figure wasn't at all natural. His legs were like Scissors and his ankles dainty; Like that of a woman when he's supposed to be a man. Hector also suffers from this lack of naturalism. For instance his head is too small on his large body. You can clearly see it on the US boxart.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Odile Kuronuma on March 01, 2012, 07:03:17 PM
The gesture seems a little awkward, but the way the head, the limbs, muscles and everything are drawn are realistic. As for Hector's head, I'm pretty sure she chose the Heroic figure over the Normal figure. Meaning that instead of using the 1/7 proportion ratio that is often used in art to draw the body, she used the 1/8,5 ratio instead. The characters drawn with this ratio look taller and their head a bit small compared with their shoulders and rest of the body. It's something that was already used in arts,by  Parmigianino to be more specific.So even though it looks weird, it was used by many painters before, and on the contrary it shows how much she knows about the art of drawing the human figure.
About Amano's art, I find that he alters the body more than Kojima. And his drawings seem unfinished.Kojima's drawing are more academic and seem more solid. Not to mention how much details she puts on them. I'm surprised how good she's at drawing nudes.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ahasverus on March 01, 2012, 07:27:15 PM
I think you are comparing two different beasts.

Kojima makes modern gothic art, with strong emphasis on scene and ambient.


Yamano paints traditional water color art, the way it's used for dishes and porcelain decoration, he's not realistic nor striking, he just needs to be as precioucist has possible.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on March 01, 2012, 07:31:18 PM
I really miss the single greatest art style that truly defines Castlevania:

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3x13p8DsVQ0/S8AK0otHnqI/AAAAAAAAA4k/Avu2MEsdg9U/s1600/N10.jpg)
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Mystic Myotis on March 02, 2012, 03:15:26 AM
Quote from: Odile Kuronuma on March 01, 2012, 04:11:40 PM
You might find some similarities in the themes, especially now that Kojima works with the creator of Vampire hunter D. But it's just because they seem to like the same universe, with Kojima being more attracted to gore ,and Amano being more Fantasy oriented.

Amano has done some graphic stuff in the past but nothing in comparison to Kojima. XD

Amano uses less realistic palettes and very loosely structured figures; they often look sketch-like.  I liken it to a combination of classic Japanese art and the pop art of the early 1900's; see here:
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: beingthehero on March 02, 2012, 05:34:49 AM
I take back what I said. This is the artist we need back:

http://castlevania.armster.org/magazine/codad.jpg (http://castlevania.armster.org/magazine/codad.jpg)
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: X on March 02, 2012, 10:15:50 AM
Quote
I take back what I said. This is the artist we need back:

http://castlevania.armster.org/magazine/codad.jpg (http://castlevania.armster.org/magazine/codad.jpg)

Wow! Hector actually looks like a man now! I agree with that artstyle.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: VGuyver on March 03, 2012, 12:46:57 AM
Quote from: X on March 02, 2012, 10:15:50 AM
Wow! Hector actually looks like a man now! I agree with that artstyle.

Though it should be noted the evil bird is making this expression:
(http://t1ak.roblox.com/7517e084499e349a9482f02be6223369)
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: crimsonmist on March 04, 2012, 06:04:49 PM
Quote from: Ridureyu on March 01, 2012, 07:31:18 PM
I really miss the single greatest art style that truly defines Castlevania:

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3x13p8DsVQ0/S8AK0otHnqI/AAAAAAAAA4k/Avu2MEsdg9U/s1600/N10.jpg)

lolz gotta love the contrast between that style and kojima's  ;D
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Ridureyu on March 04, 2012, 07:33:03 PM
You realize, it's easy to incorporate him into canon, too...

Simon Belmont II, son of Richter Belmont, is the reason why Belmonts weren't allowed to use the whip for so long.

Because he was a putz.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Arma on March 06, 2012, 12:55:59 PM
Quote from: beingthehero on February 27, 2012, 06:40:33 PM

This is some of her post-CV work she's done, and it's very good. Do you wish they'd bring Kojima back to do the art for the CV games, or stay the course with Lords' art?

Also she really has a thing for skulls.

Normally an artist's skills will change with time and practice, with that said it would be interesting to see if she can bring something new to the series' designs now or just the same stuff she did before.
Title: Re: Do you wish Ayami Kojima was back?
Post by: Gambit Belmont on March 09, 2012, 08:13:51 AM
God yes.  I love Kojima's art style.