30 Missing Heroes

If there is one work which has managed to capture the attention of everyone from the East to the West, fascinating scholars, artists and fans of history, legends, literature, painting and tattooing for almost a millennium, it has to be one of the first and greatest novels in Chinese history, known with the generic title of Suikoden. This editorial project began in July 2013, when Greg Orie showed tattooist Crez a book that had been discovered the previous year by Amar Gouchem during one of his trips to Japan. The book, illustrated presumably by the Japanese artist Totoya Hokkei (1780-1850) – an apprentice of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) – presented 78 of the 108 heroes of Suikoden. From there, an idea emerged of completing this ‘collection’ by entrusting 30 tattooists with the task of representing the 30 missing heroes. This editorial project celebrates the art of design and tattoos with 108 illustrations: 78 antique originals and 30 new and original works, which were realized by some of the greatest interpreters of contemporary tattoo art. Each illustration is accompanied by a complete description, which is the result of meticulous comparative research. The book merges oriental artwork from the past with modern interpretations, through the images of those ancient and legendary characters, known as the heroes of Suikoden: the 108 good bandits.

Text and contributions by: Miki Vialetto, Greg Orie, Crez and Rossella Menegazzo (Associate Professor of the History of East Asian Art at the Università degli Studi di Milano).

Works by: Claudia de Sabe, Rodrigo Melo, Manekistefy, Shad, Rico, Horikitsune, Koji Ichimaru, Wido Josui de Marval, Yuji Odachi, Horishio, Miyazo, Pino Cafaro, Houryu, Adam Kitamoto, Horimasa Tosui, Ichibai, Regino Gonzales, Crez, Ichi Hatano, Ivan Tsazim, Amar Goucem, Luke Atkinson, Horizakura, Horimomo, Mick Tattoo, Kiku, Chris O’Donnell, Marco Serio, Senju Horimatsu, Mike Dorsey, Filip Leu

KEY POINTS:

• A must for enthusiasts of Japanese culture.
• A reference to art of the past and today through the images of Japanese heroes.
• A unique source of inspiration for artists, tattooists and art fans in general.