Book Review: 背景画集 草薙7 (Kusanagi 7)

草薙 (Kusanagi) is really a productive background art studio. They have really talented artists and the quality of their work is always so high.

草薙7 (Kusanagi 7) is still in the same format, a paperback and this volume has 128 pages.

Here are the titles of video games and anime that the background art are for:

• ラブプラス (Loveplus)
• ザックとオンブラまぼろしの遊園地 (ZAC to OMBRA: Maboroshi no Yuuenchi)
• 学園黙示録 (Highschool of the Dead)
• 夢色パティシエール/夢色パティシエールSPプロフェッショナル (Yumeiro Patissiere)

The first few pages gives a clue to how those seemingly 3D-like paintings are created. Well, they are painting over 3D renders. Of course, not all are paint over 3D.

The background paintings are beautiful and detailed. The use of colour is wonderful.

Most of the backgrounds are based on Japanese environment, the buildings and places. There aren't a lot of fantasy background art in this volume.

Straying from the usual artistic style are the paintings for the game ZAC to OMBRA, the paintings for this video game are very stylised and looks cartoony. They are certainly very cute. The drawings are about houses and places on a fictitious island. The drawing from aerial view is pretty cool, showing the houses like they are paper cutout sprouting from the ground. Art for Yumeiro Patissiere takes on a fantasy setting with castles and townhouses.

Highschool of the Dead and Yumeiro Patissiere have some line art but the rest of the artwork in the book are all fully coloured.

It's another nice art book for the Kusanagi art book series.

Here are direct links to the book:
Amazon Japan | YesAsia

If you buy from the links, I get a little commission that helps me get more books to feature.

Here's the Amazon Japan buying guide for your reference.