Tuesday 12 February 2008

Japanese Cryptozoology book

Here are some scans from a book I picked up in Japan, the contents of which are recreated mythological animals and Cryptozoological specimens. The author/creator is Hajime Emoto (gallery in Japanese here) who builds them out of very convincing-looking materials.

The Tsuchinoko, a mythical Japanese snake:


The mischievous Kappa:


The Basilisk, which will kill you as soon as look at you:


And finally, what looks like the Pirhana Plants from Super Mario Brothers (I can't find evidence on them being based on mythology):


Here's a watercolour of the Pirhana Plant in a natural surrounding: