steve forrestさんのイラストまとめ

Given the number of spinoffs of his story in the Edo period, including TWO 17th century print editions of his collection, one illustrated, he had great popular appeal, as is clear from the number of ukiyo-e prints depicting him (or actors playing him). Lots to dig into!

5/6

Beautiful & unusual example of polychrome woodblock printing in work of popular fiction from 19th cent. Edo.

More on this anomalous text in the next Glimpses from Gōkan, tomorrow

(technically, it's a not-quite-a-gōkan, but close enough--I'll take it!)

#GōkanProject21

So much energy and promise -- it's going to be a beautiful springtime!

(the briar rose is also snaking all over the place, sharp as ever; caught me by surprise, but a little pain now is a promise of the fragrance to come, I guess)

Got back from my run yesterday to find the mild weather has brought more signs of spring. Its colder today, but at least we have sunshine to match the daffodils

‘Jiraiya monogatari’ 自来也説話 is a vendetta tale with supernatural elements more or less translated from Chinese sources. It inspired retellings in song, woodblock prints, & on stage, leading eventually to the gōkan we’re looking at in this Episode.

Next time, more TOADS!

5/5

Talking of serial gōkan (works published over a number of years), our next title is one of the most striking examples, which reached *43* volumes over nearly 30 years.

It also features characters that will be familiar from “the most popular manga in the world”...

5/6

...which starts with Yajurō’s wife but grows to include other characters who cross the fleeing Gunnai.
At the conventional (for a gōkan) final confrontation, in addition to the text & image of vengeance accomplished, there are advertisements--for Kyōden's shop & pills!

6/8

...in the camel gōkan (Episode 6), also right after Kōnantei’s name at the end of the preface.

In the Mukashi Otoko gōkan it shows up once more on the final page, where artist & author both sign off.

Note that the artist Kuniyasu has his own sign, too, but his was...

3/6

@classical_txt This particular ‘Ise monogatari’ spin-off gōkan was written by Kōnantei Karatachi & illustrated by Utagawa Kuniyasu, working this time with publisher Senkakudō 仙鶴堂, a regular producer of gōkan.
The cover to Pt 1 lists *only* the publisher of the three, plus a date 酉の春

4/8

@classical_txt ‘Tales of Ise’ reception is a vast topic, but happily there’s some great reading available in English (pictured: books by Joshua Mostow & Laura Moretti).

It’s easy to read the source text in translation, too (e.g. this by Royall Tyler & Mostow), & why not? It's a classic!

3/8