The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Book 1

by Yoshitaka Amano

Previously available only as a part of the now sold-out The The Art of Final Fantasy Boxed Set or still-available T he The Art of Final Fantasy Slipcased Edition , Dark Horse is pleased to offer the stunning visions of designer Yoshitaka Amano as three individual volumes.
The legend begins here with The Sky Book One , containing Amano's sketches and paintings for the first three Final Fantasy games; I (1987), II (1988) and III (1990). Introduced are characters such as Princess Sarah, Firion, Cid, Maria, Sara Altney, Alus Restor, Ricard Highwind, and many others, as well as the creatures that challenge beholders, hydrae, dragons, manticores, chimerae, and liches! Bonuses include illustrations done for the 1989 Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite CD Oath of Dawn , promotional art for the French release of the Final Fantasy anime, and drawings from the 1989 Final Fantasy novel Labyrinth of the Incubus!

Don't miss your chance to return to the strange and beautiful realms of Yoshitaka Amano with T he The Art of Final Fantasy Book One !

Genres: Art, Fantasy

144 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 2014

About the author

Yoshitaka Amano (Japanese: 天野 喜孝) is a celebrated Japanese visual artist, illustrator, and character designer known for his ethereal style and cross-genre influence in anime, video games, literature, and fine art. He began his career in 1967 at the age of 15 with Tatsunoko Production, where he contributed to iconic anime series such as Speed Racer, Gatchaman, and Tekkaman. In 1982, he became an independent artist, illustrating acclaimed fantasy novels including Vampire Hunter D and The Guin Saga, and later provided character and logo designs for the globally popular Final Fantasy video game franchise, which brought him international recognition.
Amano’s distinctive aesthetic combines intricate linework with vivid colors, drawing on Western comic books, Art Nouveau, Orientalist painters, and traditional Japanese ukiyo-e. He has published numerous art books and illustrated graphic novels, including The Sandman: The Dream Hunters with Neil Gaiman, which won the Bram Stoker Award.
In addition to his work in illustration and design, Amano has contributed to stage and film productions, created album art for musical artists, and exhibited paintings in galleries worldwide. In 2010, he founded Studio Devaloka to develop animated and multimedia projects, including the illustrated novel Deva Zan. With a career spanning over five decades, Amano remains one of Japan’s most influential and visionary contemporary artists.

Reviews

[Ylva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing art.

This is an artbook without any extra text besides the names of a few characters, so not the place for learning more about the visual devolopment of the game etc but Amano's beautiful art is worth a look-through any given day.

[Edward Rathke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing art for fans of the series.

Not much more to say than that.

I loved it though.

[Rosenblue(vintage & retro manga & classic literature deserve more love on GR) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yoshitaka Amano's art is amazing as usual.