Old Sonic art in Japanese SEGA art book

[Detective Shadzter]

My brother was searching round the net and sent me these links -

http://sega-memories.blogspot.com/2008/07/japanese-sega-art-book-of-sheer-beauty.html

http://sega-memories.blogspot.com/2008/07/japanese-sega-art-book-of-sheer-beauty_31.html

Their pictures taken of an old Japanese SEGA art book called 'SEGA Video Game Illustrations' that I've never seen before or heard of. I don't know wether you guys have so I thought I'd bring it to your attention. I recognise alot of the Sonic art but some of it is new to me, like the crying Tails art for example.

Here's the cover, back cover and the Sonic art pics, see the links for other SEGA game art pics -

[KIRBY]

Interesting

Never knew they have stuff like this before...=w=

Do hope one day ST would release a SONIC art book...

dying on getting them if possible

[Badnik Zero]

Some of it definitely looks familiar, like the Egg Walker thing and various Sonic poses. I think Azukara was using the one on the Tails page as an avatar. But the Tails sitting and tied up, and the furry friend section is all new to me. I've seen them all posing before, but not like this. Some of this was used in JP game manuals, right?

[SchemingMinor]

Interesting find. I have noticed that many of the Tails and Sonic early art design poses I haven't seen before. Needless to say, I liked Tails a lot more like this than now, because he has that "adorable sidekick" look to him which reflects his age.

That standing Eggman design is the only one that is new to me from the Robotnik department.

[redmenace]

Some of it definitely looks familiar, like the Egg Walker thing and various Sonic poses. I think Azukara was using the one on the Tails page as an avatar. But the Tails sitting and tied up, and the furry friend section is all new to me. I've seen them all posing before, but not like this. Some of this was used in JP game manuals, right?

I think every image there was from/reused the JP manuals. Tails tied up wasn't though, nor those badniks.

[azoo]

Some of it definitely looks familiar, like the Egg Walker thing and various Sonic poses. I think Azukara was using the one on the Tails page as an avatar. But the Tails sitting and tied up, and the furry friend section is all new to me. I've seen them all posing before, but not like this. Some of this was used in JP game manuals, right?

Yep, I used the one of Sonic crouching down for quite a while. However, I'm still looking for a really good avatar to have, yet I'm stumped and I need help with that. But that's another story.. =P

OT: The Sonic pose with him shaking his finger + the cheesy smile is pretty epic (although I'm pretty sure I've seen it before thanks to Tom Payne and his Sonic 2 goodies), and I've never seen that eagle nor the monkey, most of the Tails poses (besides the tied-up one), and those robots on the page with said tied-up Tails.

[Detective Shadzter]

If their possibly from the Japanese manuals, could the Tails tied up one be from Sonic 2 Game Gears manual? Tails does get kidnapped by Eggman in that game plus I'm sure those 3 Badnik's are from that game too.

[Badnik Zero]

^ I don't even remember the Game Gear Sonic 2 US Manual. You're right though. That's the bubble blowing seal robot from Aqua Lake, and the only time Tails was abducted. Sonic Retro has part of the manual, and it's there.

[Detective Shadzter]

^ I don't even remember the Game Gear Sonic 2 US Manual. You're right though. That's the bubble blowing seal robot from Aqua Lake, and the only time Tails was abducted. Sonic Retro has part of the manual, and it's there.

Oh cool, I didn't think even Retro would have that.

EDIT:

Some of that animal artwork is new to me, I just looked at the larger version of that image and lol'd at the monkey being called 'Wookie'. As if the Death Egg wasn't enough of a Star Wars rip off

[HunterTSF]

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to say that none of the artwork featured in that book hasn't been featured elsewhere previously. The small animals, Eggman's mechs, as well as Tails and Sonic's various poses have all been recycled from the Japanese instruction manuals and other what-have-yous. It's still an interesting find to see them all compiled in one book, however.

Some of that animal artwork is new to me, I just looked at the larger version of that image and lol'd at the monkey being called 'Wookie'. As if the Death Egg wasn't enough of a Star Wars rip off

Possibly nothing more than a translation error. His name in Japanese is "ウッキー", which roughly translates to either "Ukki" or "Ooky" in English. It's quite possible that the "W" may have been intentionally added to reference the similarly-named Wookies featured in the Star Wars series, though.

Edited November 21, 2009 by HunterTSF

[Tweaker]

Interesting. It'd be a worthy effort to scan all of the content in the book at a high resolution for the sake of preservation, even if all of the art is nicked from other existing sources.

The art of Tails is adorable, though! I always thought the classic style portrayed far more personality and style than Uekawa's heavily outlined new-age stuff ever has, and this just helps support that. It's a shame that kind of stuff isn't really in style anymore.

[Faded Echoes]

That Tails art is adorable. I agree with Tweaker, the classic style art and design has much more personality and flair than the modern art style we have now. I still can't used to seeing Tails with yellow fur and blue eyes...*sigh*

Edited November 21, 2009 by Foxwhisker

[Barry the Nomad]

It's a great book, I bought it last year. Tons of awesome Sega art (obviously). Gagaman's articles, which you linked, were what inspired me to buy the book. Since then, I now write for Sega Memories (I'm Barry the Nomad)

[Jix Hedgehog]

A lot of those pictures were in the Japanese Sonic 1 and 2 Game Gear instruction booklets.

There were also a bunch of different ones in various Japanese Mega Drive instuction booklets. (Virtua Racing was one of them)

[Adamis]

That tied Tails pic was used in the Sonic 2 (GG) manual.Maybe the japanese one, I'm not sure.

[Leonard]

Most of the art has popped up here or there before, but I admit, it's a very nice compilation. <3

Kinda makes you miss the old art. I don't want to sound like a hater for the other artstyles (especially from the Sonic Adventure times, with Sonic skiing and dj'ing, etc.), but I guess it's just so hard to get used to new stuff after some time. :/

But I agree with Foxwhisker, please make Tails cute again for the love of god! D:

[SABRINA]

I threatened to buy a tie on ebay that had these SAME sonic illustrations on it. so yeah, I've seen these.

Neat old find.

But then again, what would I do with a tie. I DEFINITELY couldn't be a plumber.

ALSO, I like that outrun pic on the back of the book

[Scarred Sun]

Possibly nothing more than a translation error. His name in Japanese is "ウッキー", which roughly translates to either "Ukki" or "Ooky" in English. It's quite possible that the "W" may have been intentionally added to reference the similarly-named Wookies featured in the Star Wars series, though.

The actual name of the monkey is Wocky, which fits with the animal naming scheme of Sonic 2.