Review date: 8/15/2003

Publisher: Seishinsha

Artist: Shirow, Masamune

Released: 2003

Availability: NORMAL

Type: Artbook

Bound: Softcover

Review Edition: First Printing

 
 
Personal Story/ Introduction:
This is the third artbook titled "Ballistics" by manga legend Masamune Shirow. I saw this in a Japanese online store and I preordered it right away. I had to continue my collection after all. ;)
 

Main Themes :
Girls, Guns, Technology, Military, Modern Fantasy
 

Art / Content:
Watercolor/acrylic/color pencil/digital art. This artbook continues to showcase Shirow-san's best works. The size of this book is the same as his previous collection. It's a huge departure from "Blades". The main focus for this edition is on hot babes with guns in the modern era. The style has also changed dramatically. Many of Shirow-san's girls are a lot sleeker and sexier than his previous artbooks. The bodies of the girls are even more solid than his previous works (if you can believe that!). Shirow's skills with a computer have also improved significantly in this edition. The digital coloring of the girls is excellent. Most of the art here was digitally enhanced. The nudity in this collection has been kept to a minimum. There's only one page with a topless girl.

Shirow-san's trademark running commentary continues in this issue. But it doesn't feel the same as his previous collections. The ramblings aren't as entertaining as before. Shirow gets a little too technical with his analysis here. I got so bored that I actually stopped reading halfway. That's bad. I'm not sure what happened but Shirow-san could've talked more about his feelings for the art rather than the technical aspects of it.

 
Overall: A
Masamune Shirow's art has improved once again. His girls are even more sexier than before and his coloring is even more detailed than before. But the trademark running commentary here is very disappointing. If you enjoyed reading his rants, you'll find them very boring in this edition.
 

Where can I find this?
The popularity of Masamune Shirow is still going strong so this artbook can still be found quite easily at comic book stores and online.
 
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