BLOODY UKIYO-E – S. Maruo K. Hanawa Yoshitoshi Yoshiiku

Published in 1988 – Japan

21 x 30 cm – 110 pages in color – soft cover with dust jacket

Muzan-e “無残絵” (Bloody Ukiyo-e) is a subcategory of ukiyo-e prints depicting sex, gore and cruelty. The book is a homage to the famous 1866 series of the same name by artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, who is often names as the last great master of Ukiyo-e.

“This book couples Maruo & Hanawa’s contemporary prints with Yoshitoshi’s 19th century Muzan-e, along with commentary on each piece in both English and Japanese. Some of my favorite prints include a few by Suehiro Maruo depicting Hitler & Eva in the bunker, Marc Bolan hanging from a helicopter toting a machine gun, and a scene inspired by Kazuo Umezu’s Snake Girl manga! Hanawa’s prints are more classically-informed, but the one of a woman strangling her lizard fetus (I know, WTF) is perhaps the most disturbing of the whole bunch.”