The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Slipcased Edition

The last time a similar set was released was a couple of years ago. Granted, the previous set was a limited edition box set, but the content is very similar. For those unfamiliar with Yoshitaka Amamo, shame on you! All joking aside, the man is incredibly talented, and his art has inspired many video games, manga, and anime series. He was the main concept art creator for most every Final Fantasy up to 10. Tetsuya Nomura usually had the final design job for most of the newer Final Fantasy games. This collection contains three very large, and very well constructed texts with hundreds of pages of beautiful art from the first ten Final Fantasy games. Each volume covers a few of the games. When I first opened this collection I was amazed at the weight. This set is seriously 5 pounds at least! I know the shipping weight says 2 pounds, but there is no way that it is less than 5. Here are a few notes I think folks will find interesting: * Fabric enclosed slip case (high quality) bearing Amano-san's art. * Three high quality, very large format books with durable binding. * Nearly 600 pages of amazing art from Yoshitaka Amano * A variety of art mediums including charcoal, pencil, pen, watercolor, and more! * Format according to game, not style, so there is variety from page to page. * Highly collectible and sought after - this WILL go up in price once the initial printings are out of stock * Cheaper here than the $89.99 MSRP (Currently $53.99) * Amazing shipping from Amazon, the slipcase was inside a plastic wrap inside a form fitting box inside an Amazon box with bubble padding. No damage at all to the slipcase or the books! * A must have for any Yoshitaka Amano fan! I highly recommend this collection. From one art lover and game design book collector to another - buy it! You won't be disappointed!

This is a great item: a heavy, lush, high quality set of three hardcover art books and one book about the artist, Yoshitaka Amano, himself. These books contain some previously unreleased Final Fantasy illustrations. Most of them seem to be various illustrations from Final Fantasy VI, including but not limited to unreleased renderings of Terra in a predominantly blue outfit; a bluish Shadow and his red-and-white-striped dog, Interceptor; and Locke sporting the finest of pale pink jackets. However, most of the art you will probably have seen before in some form or another. Oddly, this collection does not contain any of the promotional artwork Amano did for the series after Final Fantasy X. Surely some of it would have been available at the time this set was being assembled; maybe not. It's not enough of an omission for me to actually complain, though. The extras are fun: the flip book has a little moogle going splat on one side and a ethereal woman twirling around on the other side. The acetate print is metallic silver on a clear background; I imagine it would look great framed against dark purple or blue matting. The post-cards are pretty self-explanatory and I'd probably rather frame them than use them. And there's a card with an autograph. I know people want the autograph, but it's on its own separate card and not on the books themselves. If ever a copy of this set is published without all the extras, you'll probably eventually have a chance to get the set signed in person at one comic con or another, and maybe Amano will do a quick illustration for you to go with the autograph! Still, I am glad to have mine. I waited anxiously for this to arrive and I was not disappointed. Hopefully Dark Horse will release a stripped-down set for those who are mainly interested in the art books, which by themselves are quite beautiful and worth the price of the set.

Warning: This "blog" will most likely not help you with anything and does not refund your time back! :P I pre-ordered this back in June and happily and joyfully and tearfully received my copy after release. At the time of pre-ordering I had no idea this was limited in quantity of release! I can't say I'm reviewing this for the full content as I've yet to unsealed its plastic wrapping! At this stage I don't actually want to as I preferably like my limited/collectors edition of art books and such kept sealed without a breath of oxygen. As an avid collector, I would also prefer to have multiple copies of such treasures...one to keep a virgin, the other to break open! ;) Therefore, this non-review score/rating/moogle-star is based on what I've held in my hand. It's beautifully presented with a massively weight distribution and cover with a plastic seal of death for anyone who dare lets it rip!! Mwuhahaha! I love the lavish art work on the cover of the hard bound box holding all the contents, I've never seen such elegant material used for an outer box before...but then again, I don't exactly have a huge collection of expensive art books either. It's all glittery and shiny right now, and hopefully it remains that way :) Like mentioned previously, it was only found out that there's only 1000 units produced and released! I was chatting about this stealthy move with a friend, and he came up with a theoretical reasoning of why the "magic" number wasn't announced months ago or at the beginning. So perhaps they were deciding to limited production to 1000 units and with-holding that vital information from the public until later found out practically...though still not officially or properly announced about the "magic" 1000 number!? One sneaky reason for this was, maybe, to deter 'scalpers' from pre-ordering this in great numbers and therefore 90% of buyers would have only be those who want to profit from poor fans! Had they initially announced that production will be limited to 1000, I'm willing to bet that pre-orders would have been fulfilled within a weeks or just a few days even! There would have been even less chance of any real fans getting hold of just one copy?! eBay right now would have hundreds being auctioned off or with even absolutely ridiculous prices soaring to over $2k?? As it is, I've only found 3 on evilbay, which is a huge decline compared to last week when I found over 10. I've also read on other forums that some have hope of stripped down presentations being released so that everyone else will have a chance to just own the books itself without all the glamour presentations. Selling the main attraction of the package, which are the 3 main art books, may alleviate some hard-done-by would be owners. It is a shame there were only 1000 units released, and I sure hope the individual books will be available to the mass sooner rather than later. I sure would (re-)purchase the books so that I can indefinitely keep the Limited Edition sealed with a kiss! ^___^

In a word: fantastic. This set is a priceless addition to any collector's mass of artbooks or Final Fantasy merchandise, and at just over $60, I practically stole the thing. Like other reviewers ecstatically related, this set doesn't really come in a slipcase; instead, it's packaged in a lovely and extremely sturdy case that's covered in a silky, decorated fabric which makes for a beautiful display piece in itself. The three books included in the set are very well constructed and made of quality materials. Many of the illustrations inside, especially in the first volume, are conceptual fiend designs done in black-and-white ink, and I actually think that these are some of the most breathtaking in the whole set. Book 2 is easily the largest, and there is a good amount of FFIV artwork in this publication (which I was most excited to see!), but it's dominated by FFVI works, which comprise about half of the volume. The final artbook isn't as colorful or varied in terms of technique as the others, and a number of the portrayed works are just magnifications or WIPs of other pieces shown, which is somewhat disappointing. It's like the publisher just ran out of stuff to add to the book, so it was done to fill up more pages. Also, there's a weird close-up of Kuja's crotch on one of the latter pages (you've been warned!). Additionally noteworthy is the fact that the final illustrations are peculiar marker drawings of moogles. Still, it was fun to see Amano's representations of later Final Fantasy protagonists and villains, and the third volume brought the set to a satisfying close nonetheless. Basically, you can't go wrong with this purchase.

I am still in shock, but lets see if I can manage a quick review. This is probably the best investment in printed media I have ever made. When the package arrived, it felt like it was loaded with bricks. When I opened the package, I got my second surprise: The gorgeous box containing the books themselves. I was under the impression it was a real 'slipcase' from the item description - a circular piece of paper or printed plastic that slid off from around the books. No, it's this big, sturdy case covered entirely with the fabric cover illustration. The case has a tab that opens the side panel which snaps shut well with all three books inside. The books themselves are delightful. Not only containing Amano's most iconic works from 1987 to 2001, the books also have countless character, monster, and location illustrations. The reproduction is gorgeous, to the point where I'm still not completely sure I paid as little as I did for this collection. If I had to lay out a drawback, I would mention that this collection does not encompass Amano's work on Final Fantasy XI, which I consider to be one of his peaks of illustrative perfection. The only other con would be lacking the goodies of the very limited run first edition 'box set', but most of those box sets were snapped up by scalpers and now run for literally 10 times the current price of this item on Amazon. Summary: If you're a fan of Amano's work and would consider one of the many collections available, this set should be the top of the list without question. It is more comprehensive, at a lower price, than pretty much any other on the market.

When I first acquired this, the first thing I noticed was its weight. I mean, this thing is heavy. Not only that, but it came wrapped VERY thickly with bubble wrap. So much bubble wrap that it took awhile to get through it all, but I guess when you pay as much as you do for a special collection of hardback books, you want to know you're getting them in mint condition. After getting through all of the wrapping, I was absolutely elated to pull gently on the little ribbon to the right edge of the slipcase, which open the hatch on the side and gives you access to the three books. At first, I had the idea in my mind that each picture would come with a description, or kind of story behind it, written out to the side or something, but this isn't exactly what I had thought up. It's actually just kind of like an art gallery. On every page, more pictures of Amano's work, but no descriptions. If a story or description is important to you, then this may not be what you want, but Yoshitaka Amano, I have to say, is one of the most creative artists I've ever paid attention to. I'm not really big on art, unless it's the art related to games, but what Amano has done doesn't look like he was sketching for a game. It looks like a story in pictures. A story of heroes with swords, fighting off many monsters and enemies. I have to say, his artwork is amazing and different than that of any other artist I've seen. His style for fantasy and characters is so unique and amazing that I feel it made up for not having any descriptions. In my opinion, if you're a fan of the art behind the Final Fantasy series, then this collection is worth the hefty price tag.

First off, if you are expecting video game 3D art this isn't the collection for you. Let me get that out of the way so that can move on to how truly amazing this collection is. The three books included in this collection are quality items. The box the books come in is not only beautiful and sturdy, but covered in silk. It is fancy schmancy, and I love it. Now, onto the art books themselves. The creators didn't skimp on quality in these books. They are heavy, sturdy, and the pages that art is printed on are of high caliber paper. Each of the books displays different years and games of the Final Fantasy series, starting with FF1 and ending with FFX. The art in these books is beautiful, and varies from character concepts to beast ideas to full-fledged paintings. While none of the pictures feature any "true" 3D images, it is loads of fun turning the pages and seeing how the ideas and stories behind the games unfolded. And trying to match up what creature became what in the final games, that too. I grabbed this collection when it was on sale for $31, and I would gladly pick up extra copies for my friends if it comes back in stock. The quality of these items at that price point can NOT be beat. It is truly a great collection for any fan of art or the Final Fantasy series.

You can’t have played games in the Final Fantasy series without becoming aware of Amano’s art. His work borders on legendary. And even if you haven’t heard of him, take a moment to browse through some of his artwork and chances are you won’t be able to deny that the man has some serious talent going on. This gorgeous collection is packed with hundreds of pages of beautiful artwork from most of the Final Fantasy games, and if all you’ve ever played is the original versions of the games, in all their 8- or 16-bit glory, here’s a great chance to see more detail than you get to see with blocky sprites. And also the chance to see many of your favourite characters wearing long flowing dresses (females) or skin-tight pants that show off one’s butt (males). Seriously, Amano seems to have a thing for tight pants. This isn’t an artbook I would recommend for everyone. I can’t even say that I would recommend it for every die-hard Final Fantasy fan, though that’s mostly due again to the collection’s cost. This isn’t an everyday purchase. But for the fan who has the money to spare, it’s definitely worth buying this collection. The art is beautiful, the insight amazing, and there will be no regret in acquiring this artbook. I can assure you, you won’t be disappointed.

The box itself is like a piece of art! I'm very impressed with both the quality of the prints and the content. It has all the artwork from my favorite Final Fantasys and many that I have not seen before. The binding is well done (I mention this because I have seen many art books with weak bindings that you have a feeling if you open it more the pages would fall apart). The only minor drawback for some might be the lack of information, there are only occasionally names of the character next to the art but not much else (though it doesn't really bother me). As a big fan of Final Fantasy IV and VI that loves Amano's unique art style, this is a must have item.

This is a review taken from my blog and edited (in case you see it elsewhere over the internet). This is a reflection on the book and not on Amazon/Dark Horse. It should be noted I did purchase this copy from Ebay for £100 just before the UK launch. These were released a week early in the US, hence why UK Ebay sellers had them before Amazon UK. My Amazon order did pull through however so I sold my £100 copy on to a friend and kept my cheaper Amazon order. Before I get flamed - my friend was one of the ones who missed out on an Amazon copy too and no, I didn't make any profit. Now to the review. I've finally managed to get my hands on a copy of the English version of The Sky by Amano! It has just been released in the West although this was first released in Japan back in 2001. There is little difference between the two versions except for two things: the language - one is Japanese and the other English, and the Western version includes a hand signed card by the legend himself - Yoshitaka Amano! The contents: Book 1: Final Fantasy I, II, III Book 2: Final Fantasy IV, V, VI Book 3: Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, X Book 4: All About Yoshitaka Amano Book 5: The Sky Premium Flipbook Two Postcards (Bartz & Terra) One clear sheet with an illustration etched in silver (this is really hard to explain) One hand signed card (1 in 1000) This is probably the best piece of Final Fantasy merch I have ever brought. Amano is my favourite artist so to have a whole boxset of his work is too much for words! Not only is it pure awesome, it was also limited to 1000 copies so if you see one for sale don't hesitate to snap it up! I will make a little note about the amount of content each game has received because they are very disproportional. I, II and III are fairly even in my opinion. Amano was heavily involved in the design of I in particular and you can see a lot of the enemies and environments. IV has little art compared with V and VI, and VI in particular has a hefty amount. Amano's favourite characters are Tina (Terra in the Western games) and Mog so expect several images of these two. All the other characters have many illustrations too. VII is extremely heavy on Cloud and Aerith. Red and Sephiroth make some appearances too and there is one of Tifa but most of the remaining cast barely get a look in. VIII is even more limited, focusing completely on Squall, Rinoa and Seifer. There is a group shot of the party and one of Ultimecia but little else. IX however is -extremely- heavy. Not only do we have double pages of each character but several sketches of each are included as well as many scenes. This is a joy for me as VI and IX are two of my favourite of the series! Amano has taken a completely different approach to X and seems to be experimenting with a new art style. There is a lot of sketching and scenes (you'll have to look up photos to get a proper idea of the difference) but I really loved these sketches so much! There isn't a great deal for X either and again there is a heavy focus on Yuna and Tidus but the images are fantastic. It should also be noted that VII onwards is very character based (which some environment scenes) whereas pre-VI has a lot more monsters included (but still has many characters images too). Book 4 offers an insight into the artists personal life. It is completely translated in English though so I will at some point read through it. It has a variety of things included such as an interview, how he became involved with Final Fantasy and a list of all of his books and artworks. Book 5 can't really be considered a book as such but it is lovely nevertheless. It is a very small flip book which has two stories depending on which way you flip it. One is of a moogle as it stumbles around and the other is of a dancing spirit. There is not much to comment on regarding the postcards. They both must be favourite pieces of Amano though as the same drawing of Bartz is also used on the front cover of the box and Tina is also used on the inside cover. They are made from card and have a very plain back. It always makes me wonder why postcards are included in sets like this as they clearly will never be used but either way they make lovely prints. Next is the clear, plastic sheet. This is a very unusual item and I have tried my best to photograph it at the right angle so the silver shows up. It has been suggested to me this artwork could be of Cosmos and now I look back at the image it does resemble her. Lastly included in this set is the hand signed card. When I first heard about this boxset I assumed Amano's signature would be printed and just thrown in but no, these sets are limited to 1000 and each card is signed personally. I've spoken to others who also have this set and some have had the item signed in black ink, another in red ink but mine is signed in black paint. Amano must have got bored signing so many cards! The sets aren't actually individually numbered which is a shame but it does say `limited to 1000′ on the card. Sadly XI-XIV aren't included in the box. I know Amano has been less and less involved with the series post X but I would have loved a minibook including some of the later work. Although in saying this there is no shortage of content in here so don't let the lack of post XI put you off! To give some of you hope who weren't able to get the limited version, Dark Horse are planning a rerun of this set with just the 3 main artbooks in a slipcase (as far as I am aware). I don't know specifics but they tweeted about it in Novemeber. It might be a cheaper alternative for those who don't mind missing out on the exclusive extras. To leave you with one last thought about this collection... These are the last powerful words in book 3... Look up at the sky... There must be a fantasy.

Qualidade do material impecável. Caixa linda. Artes do Yoshitaka Amano dispensa comentários. Apenas a edição das imagens poderia ser um pouco melhor, com espaços mais otimizados. Alguns pequenos rascunhos de baixa relevância ocupam uma página inteira. As vezes as duas páginas. Fora isso, você ficará com vontade de arrancar algumas páginas e colocar em quadros pela casa, de tão lindos.

Vorweg muss ich sagen, ich kenne bislang nur das japanische Original und darauf beruht diese Rezension. Halte ich die englische Version in Händen, vergleiche ich mit der japanischen Version und dann wird die Rezension entsprechend aktualisiert! Als ich damals eine Review dieses Artbooks in einem Manga-Magazin gelesen habe, musste ich es haben. Als begeisteter Final Fantasy Fan, seit der Super Nintendo Ära, war dieses Artbook ein absolutes Must-Have. Mit einem damaligen Preis im vierstelligen DM Bereich angepriesen, war es aber, nachdem man es sich einmal angesehen hat, defenitiv diesen Preis auch wert. Es erwarten einen rund 800 Seiten Final Fantasy Artworks des Meisters Yoshitaka Amano, unterteilt in 3 Hardcover-Artbooks, 2 Softcover und ein Hardcover, der die 5 Bücher beinhaltet. Yoshitaka Amano war bis Final Fantasy VI der Reihe für das Charakter-Design verantwortlich und alle diese Artworks zu Charakteren, Gegnern und vielen mehr ist hier komplett enthalten. Natürlich hat der Meister es sich nicht nehmen lassen, auch für die Teile VII bis X weitere Artworks zu gestalten. Bis heute designt er auch die Final Fantasy Logos auf den Verpackungen der Spiele. Die 3 hier enthaltenen Hardcover Bände beinhalten somit alle Artworks zur Reihe begonnen mit Teil 1 bis zum 10.ten Teil. Das erste Buch vereint Final Fantasy (I) bis III, das zweite Buch Final Fantasy IV bis VI und der dritte Band die Teile VII bis X. In einem Softcoverband werden Artworks erläutert und ein Interview runden den Softcoverband ab. Kleines Highlight ist für mich das Daumenkino, das eine kleine Geschichte erzählt. :-D Alle Bände vereinen sich in einem weiteren Hardcover mit dem "The Sky" Schriftzug. Dieser hat auch auf der Innenseite ein tolles Artwork, hier wurde nichts weiß gelassen, einfach alles hat Farbe und ein Artwork verpasst bekommen. Der japanischen Version beiliegende Karton hat einen Tragegriff mit dem Hinweis, dass das Buch oder die Bücher 7 kg wiegen. Ich habe es damals im Winter gekauft und neben den Kilos die man so schon täglich mitschleppt zur Arbeit, waren auch nur 7 kg schon eine Tortur. Aber eine, die es wert war! :-D Alles in allem ist dies wirklich die Mutter aller Artbooks. Der Preis ist unschlagbar günstig im Vergleich zum Original und bestimmt nicht nur für Final Fantasy, Videogame, Manga oder Anime Anhänger ein echtes Highlight.

天野喜孝氏のイラストが好きでFFシリーズのイラストだけを見たいという方におすすめ。 作品はⅠからⅩまでで情景的なものからキャラクター・モンスター・召喚獣まで総ページ数600ページ超の天野画のFFの世界を楽しめます。 結構なお値段ですが買って後悔はしないイラスト集だと思います。