Topic: Meanwhile, Ayami Kojima...

[crisis]

I'm surprised no one noticed Ouroboros in the background!

It's very appropriate, given the context of the image.

[Ahasverus]

Ayami, as an artist, is unbetabale in her style, but as a game-artist is very poor, not because the quality of her designs, but because they are impossible to translate to game world (each of her pictures has some imagery that only works on that, a picture, and of course her models are very particular)

[kadosho]

Oh its so good to see new stuff, especially during a difficult time like this.
I really wish she was a member of our fun forum here. Would be fun to see what she would have to say back to us.
Regards to the new art found, and shared. Koei has always had a soft spot in finding specific artists to represent their series.
Koei & Konami have always had an interesting kinship. Look up their history, and you may be surprised.

Btw, that one cg piece of Soma stabbed through the heart. I haven't seen that one in awhile.
I wonder how many more hidden artworks there just might be.

**Note to Citizen Freddy, haha you got it pal, Flying Daggers is an awesome, yet tragic tale.
I'm sure some DW has its tales ripped directly from that time line.

[cecil-kain]

Ayami Kojima's vision of Castlevania is simply iconic --it really burns me up that she got dumped along with Michiru Yamane...  These women enrich Castlevania with that distinct, otherworldly --flavor...  And that's something important the western developers have missed entirely... that air of otherworldly mystery that is distinctly Castlevania!  You can see it in these generic monsters like Goblins, Spiders, Trolls, Werewolves, Ghouls, and Gremlins....  Compared to say...  Venus Weeds, Medusa Heads, Bone Pillars, Peeping Eyes, Frozen Shades, Oija Tables, Slogra, etc....

[A-Yty]

I respectfully disagree..

Notice the word "many". Those are indeed awesome. But she has done not-that-good CV stuff too. The pinhead Hector, the rubberneck Annette, the generic poses etc.

[crisis]

Eh.. I never had an issue with many of her CV stuff, it's all pretty awesome IMO. I'll give you those 2 examples, but even those are just a few style choices that don't bother me that much. To each his own I guess.

[Odile Kuronuma]

Awesome! Thanks for the scans
Ayami's art gets better and better. Wish i could see more of her stuff.

[DarkPrinceAlucard]

Nice to see that Ayami still has a pretty awesome talent for making trully beautiful artwork.

Hopfully she returns for future CV artwork in the near future.

[X]

Notice the word "many". Those are indeed awesome. But she has done not-that-good CV stuff too. The pinhead Hector, the rubberneck Annette, the generic poses etc.

You forgot about 'scissor-legs' Trevor...blech 

-X

[Munchy]

I want Ayami Kojima to do artwork for the next Street Fighter. It'd be hilariously surreal.

[Dremn]

Gorgeous artwork, I really hope she does the artwork again for Castlevania 3DS.

[Harrycombs]

Notice the word "many". Those are indeed awesome. But she has done not-that-good CV stuff too. The pinhead Hector, the rubberneck Annette, the generic poses etc.

You forgot about 'scissor-legs' Trevor...blech 

-X

Don't forget Richter's head on that DXC promotional art. His head is turned so far he looks like an owl. And Maria's eyes made her look like an alien.

[thernz]

Ayami, as an artist, is unbetabale in her style, but as a game-artist is very poor, not because the quality of her designs, but because they are impossible to translate to game world (each of her pictures has some imagery that only works on that, a picture, and of course her models are very particular)

I guess Yoshitaka Amano is the most horrible game-artist lol. Well, it's not like concept art that gets translated into any game turns out as good in the game. And considering, the imagery is usually separate from the design, I say she does pretty well. I think it was really only a problem with Chronicles Simon because it was so asymmetrical and full of details. As for her painterly style not getting across. Well, I don't think they ever really had the intent of bringing it over into the games. So it's really the fault of the art director than Kojima's own.

[Dremn]

Notice the word "many". Those are indeed awesome. But she has done not-that-good CV stuff too. The pinhead Hector, the rubberneck Annette, the generic poses etc.

You forgot about 'scissor-legs' Trevor...blech 

-X

Her redesign of Simon was probably her lowest point in my eyes.

[Ahasverus]

I guess Yoshitaka Amano is the most horrible game-artist lol. Well, it's not like concept art that gets translated into any game turns out as good in the game.

Get a look to LoS art
I always feel Kojima as a "Cover artist", she makes nice and fancy covers filled with beauty but I've always seen them as a way to see CV, not THE way to. It's more a stylization of the feelings and atmosphere rather than a litteral interpretation.