Product Review

This book introduces the techniques needed to draw the ultimate bishonen (literally, "beautiful boys"), vital to Yaoi manga and presents how to draw the typically delicately delineated bishonen characters. Illustrations accompany the carefully explained, step-by-step drawing processes, which are designed to give even beginners a clear understanding of everything from bishonen sketching basics to practical application. Trends in design are also traced, exploring characters from the 1960s, including the work of Shotaro Ishinomori; characters from the 1970s as represented in Keiko Takemiya's The Song of the Wind and Trees; characters from the 1980s, including from the Captain Tsubasa series; and characters from the 1990s up to the present. Eight styles of reflecting today's characters that represent a blend of such works as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Death Note and Psycho, are presented along with specific sample works.