Okami Official Complete Works Now in Stock

One of the pleasant perks of working for an anime store is always being surrounded by cool and fun stuff. But occasional something turns up that’s especially nice, and deserving of extra special mention. The new Okami Official Complete Works book from Udon is one such item that just arrived in stock yesterday.

When the original Japanese Okami Complete Works book, devoted to Clover Studio’s celebrated PS2 action game, hit the Japanese market in September 2006 it sold out almost immediately and became a sort of frustrating holy grail import for Americans collectors to chase after, mostly unsuccessfully. Albeit after some delays, the Capcom friendly folks from American publisher Udon have localized the gorgeous Japanese illustration book into a stunning 288 page English language edition.

Virtually identical to the original Japanese version in every way, including authentic Japanese right-to-left publishing and a similar retail price, the English translated Okami Complete Works book is a massive and lovingly created volume. I’ll tell you, this book is weighty! I wouldn’t want to drop it on my bare toes! Its full color contents consist almost entirely of amazing contemporary traditional looking Japanese illustrations and art including characters, monsters, and backgrounds used in the award winning game. This is no strategy guide. This is a genuine art collection that introduces and archives the gorgeous artwork and creativity that went into creating the revolutionary Okami game. As a result, this wonderful book is ideal for not just fans of the game, but literally anyone that appreciates contemporary Japanese fine art.

All of the abundant artist commentary on the art is fully translated into English. Original Japanese language notations in the artworks are annotated with English translations. The mythological references are illustrated and explained. The book also features sheet music for its theme with a composer introduction, a gallery of rarely seen Okami promotional art used only in Japan, and afterwards from Inaba Atsushi and Kamiya Hideki, the lead creators of Okami.

Yes, this book costs a bit more than an average translated manga, but I promise you that it delivers more than your money’s worth of value and enjoyment. If you’re debating with yourself over purchasing a copy of this amazing book, don’t think about it any longer; just buy it. You won’t regret the decision.