Huber Publishing made it clear that they wanted to continue exploring the bibliography of Shintaro Kago, an eroguro master. They also published a first book in February 2022. These ambitions began to manifest at the end of last year with the launch on ulule a new participatory finance around two works by the artist. The standard version of the works has just been released in bookstores, while those who participated have received them last month.
One is Dementia 21 which we will be returning to soon, and the second is simply The Art of Shintaro Kago Vol.2. This is the work that we are interested in. The new artbook is available in both a standard edition (22x31cm format and 152 color pages), as well a collector edition (limited to 299 copies) that is exclusive to participants (hardcover with cloth binding, gold stamping, 22x31cm, 22x31cm form, 24 exclusive pages, and sleeve). This review is based upon the collector’s edition, as yours truly was involved in funding ulule.
Let’s start by stating the obvious. Once we have the book in our hands, we can begin to look through it. We were expecting nothing less when we paid for it. The book is large in size and has a nice slipcase. It will be very well received to make use of Kago’s visuals. It also has a cardboard cover with gold hot stamping the title logo. We have the right to a quality binding. The paper is thick without transparency and allows for a very satisfying printing. This allows us to bring out the artist’s rich, varied and nuanced colours.
The second artbook layout is the same as the first: there are a few illustrations in color (some in black and some in white), each one taking up two pages. However, only two-three of these are full double-pages. The majority of double-pages have the title of the illustration highlighted and the full page of the illustration. The standard edition contains 73 illustrations, while the collector’s edition includes 11 additional illustrations.
We are also in the same space as the first artbook with a selection works in the most pure Shintaro Kago style. Each illustration is not only a delight in line, color management, and composition but also a treat for grotesque or absurd gore. The artist explores deformations and improbable anatomy mutilations by retaking subjects that are recurring in his art, mainly animals and young girls, which are symbols of innocence that become something else in their hands.
Kago fans will be delighted by this new selection of illustrations, which is well enhanced with editorial quality. You can’t go wrong with the second artbook, which is the same quality as the first.