Nekosuke – illustratör

The Maiden’s Bookshelf series combines classic short stories of the early 20th century with gorgeous original artwork to create collectible editions for a contemporary audience.At what cost art?In the course of a routine journey, government inspector Yuan Can encounters his old friend Li Zheng—but not as he remembers him. Transformed by obsession into a hideous beast, Li Zheng spins a tragic tale, and ultimately presents his confidante with a singular request. Dressed in the trappings of 8th-century China, Atsushi Nakajima’s meditation on poetry and friendship nevertheless transcends time and language to speak directly to our hearts about what it means to be human. 14+

Another spectacular collaboration from the Maiden's Bookshelf series, this dark and intense fable by the great giant of postward literature is brought to vivid life by contemporary master Nekosuke. Suwa, a charcoal burner's daughter, lives together with her father in a small village at a foot of a mountain so remote it doesn't even appear on maps. Slowly she comes to realize the dark futility of her life, leading to a strange and elliptical transformation... Dazai depicts the adolescent awakening to death and the desire to escape through this quiet and ominous tale.