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yyh4ever · 1 year

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Review of Yoshihiro Togashi Exhibition -PUZZLE-

I would like to make a summary of Togashi's Exhibition that is currently taking place at the Mori Arts Center Gallery located on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, in Tokyo, from October 28, 2022 to January 9, 2023. After that, it will head to Osaka in Summer 2023 and to Fukuoka from Autumn 2023 to Winter 2024.

Since photos are not allowed in the venue, I will be using photos from the press and from the official catalog to illustrate my review. I focused more on the Yu Yu Hakusho Area.

The press had access to the exhibition one day before the official opening to the public. Even though photos are forbidden, you can buy the exhibition catalog at the official store. It contains the manuscripts, storyboards, original illustrations, and other exclusive materials displayed at Puzzle.

If you type "富樫義博展" (Yoshihiro Togashi Exhibition) on YouTube, you will also find good coverage from the media that will provide you with a general view of the place.

youtube

Before entering the exhibition, you can rent for 700 yen a 30-min audio guide voiced by the comedian Bakarhythm and voice actor Daisuke Namikawa (Hisoka and Prince Baka VA).

Bakarhythm is the navigator, and Daisuke is the commentary narrator. The guide includes a quiz, if you solve it correctly, you will hear a message from Hisoka.

The Exhibition consists of more than 350 original drawings distributed in 6 different spaces, plus an official shop.

Prologue

Area 01. Yu Yu Hakusho

Area 02. Level E

Area 03. HunterxHunter

Area 04. World of Strange Creatures

Area 05. Yoshihiro Togashi

Shop

This little map that comes with the audio guide may help you visualize the exhibition layout. The numbers 1 to 14 are also the spots where you can hear Bakarhythm or Daisuke Namikawa talk.

The areas have information panels with explanatory text and english translation. As english is not available in the official catalog, I tried to take notes and copy some of the explanations.

"Prologue"

This space is basically a hallway to welcome the visitors. It introduces the author and the concept of the exhibition: "Puzzle". Several characters from all his works are displayed as puzzle pieces in the walls and hanging from the ceiling, inviting everyone to join the wonderful world of Yoshihiro Togashi.

As soon as you enter the Prologue area, there is a black panel with a greeting from the organizers and Togashi's basic profile:

Profile

Yoshihiro Togashi was born in Shinjo, Yamagata in 1966. In 1987, his one-shot story Tonda Birthday Present was published in the Weekly Shounen Jump Special Edition Winter Special. In 1989, he made his debut as a serial manga artist with Ten de Showaru Cupid, which was published in Weekly Shounen Jump. Following the huge success of his second series, Yu Yu Hakusho (1990-1994), he became one of Weekly Shounen Jump's leading manga artists and went on to publish Level E (1995-1996) and HunterxHunter (1998-present) in Weekly Shounen Jump. Fans of all ages praises his captivating, skillful artwork.

There's also a handwritten greeting from the author himself. Photos are not allowed, but luckily, his greeting is included in the official catalog (scan by: @Vishkujo)

Greeting

Expression of Gratitude I would like to sincerely thank you for visiting the Yoshihiro Togashi Exhibition -PUZZLE-. I hope everyone enjoys the various displays and information that are only available here. My progress is slow due to health reasons, but I intend to continue leaving new footprints.

Next to his dog avatar, there's a haiku poetry. I tried to follow the haiku syllable rule of 5-7-5 for each line.

Tip of my dip pen When it severs the sound is like That of my lower back - Yoshihiro Togashi

And next to Togashi's hips, there's the onomatopoeia "guki" (グキッ), which is the cracking sound of the joints. *crack*

Still in the "Prologue", right before reaching the YYH area, there's an explanation about the "Exhibition Concept".

Togashi's works stand out in terms of "character," "setting," "depiction," and "story," all important elements in the creation of a manga. So, in order to gain a deeper understand of the charm of his series (YYH, Level E and HxH), the exhibition is focused on these 4 points:

Character

Story

Setting

Depiction

Each series also has a fifth point called "special piece", a singularity that is particular to each one. I'll talk more about them later, but they are called:

Yu Yu Hakusho: Punch Line

Level E: An Unexpected Development

Hunter x Hunter: Nen

The handwritten manuscripts are undoubtedly a piece of the puzzle that Togashi-sensei continues to create. The idea is that you appreciate all the precious original drawings, while having in mind the five points and the thought process that goes into the completion of each piece.

After you leave the "Prologue", you will arrive at Area 01 dedicated to "Yu Yu Hakusho".

The 3 main areas "Yu Yu Hakusho", "Level E" and "HxH" begin with general information, including: serialization period in the Weekly Shounen Jump, number of chapters, copies sold, and Togashi's first comment in the Table of Contents.

Area 01. "Yu Yu Hakusho"

Serialization Period: November 20, 1990 (Weekly Shounen Jump 51, 1990) to July 12, 1994 (Weekly Shounen Jump32, 1994). 175 chapters in total.

Series cumulative circulation (including digital editions): more than 50 million (as of September 2022)

Comment at the start of the series: "I went back to the basics and started drawing. I aim to create a story that I myself am satisfied with. I'm hoping for you support." (Yoshihiro)

If you are interested in Togashi's comments from all the 175 chapters, please have a look on my translations: Togashi’s Comments from the Table of Contents (1990-1994)

As introduced in the Prologue, Yu Yu Hakusho is explained and detailed in four topics: Character, Setting, Story and Depiction.

There is also an Introduction section that shows a synopsis of YYH, some colored manuscripts, the cover of the WSJ#51 1990, and an explanation about the production background and how Togashi came up with the name "Yu Yu Hakusho". Actually, it's the same explanation found in the volume 6 of HxH, end of chapter 46.

Synopsis "One day, a delinquent junior high school student named Yusuke Urameshi dies saving a child from a traffic accident. It was an unplanned event in the Spirit World. The Spirit World gives Yusuke a test, and after he passes it, they bring him back to life as a special exception. Then, after becoming a Spirit Detective by order of Great King Emma's son, Koenma, Yusuke joins powerful companions and begins a life of fierce battles with demons."

An interesting panel also talks about his influences.

Influenced Works "When interviewed in 2003, he said that he was influenced by H. R. Giger, who designed the alien in the 1979 movie Alien (directed by Ridley Scott). He has also stated in the first volume of Ten de Shouwaru Cupid that if he were to choose just one manga work as his favorite, he would pick The Drifting Classroom by Umezu Kazuo."

Then, we learn more about the characters, setting, story and depiction.

An informative panel introduces the characters:

Character "There's the delinquent but hot-blooded Yusuke, the chivalrous Kuwabara, the clever Kurama, and the always cool-headed Hiei. With these four at the center, even the enemies have attracted zealous fans, and their popularity has spread to readers of all walks of life around the world. The characters' ranges are broadened by the dissonance between facial expressions that are drawn with a dramatic touch despite their caricature-like look, as well as the dissonance created by words and actions that occasionally provide comic relief in the midst of serious developments, which have heightened the appeal of the work."

There's a colored manuscript of Yusuke facing Toguro after Kuwabara's "death", and an explanatory text:

Yusuke Urameshi "Until this point, Yusuke had been enjoying fighting to some degree. That's when Younger Toguro takes Kuwabara's life (his death is actually temporary) in order to draw out Yusuke's power at the Dark Tournament. Unable to forgive himself, the soft, clear eyes of Yusuke as he stands up are enough to convey to the reader a change in his Spirit Energy and a sudden strengthening of his power."

Then, following this "Character" wall, we learn more about the other main characters of YYH. Kuwabara's highlight is the storyboard of chapter 36 (Byakko's Battle Roar!!) when he fights Byakko's beasts.

The Storyboard for Chapter 36 "The storyboard of an early work that was specially provided for this exhibition as a valuable material of the time. Chapter 36 depicts Kuwabara's battle strategy of using his Spirit Sword to skewer the beasts unleashed by Byakko, which is shocking even for Hiei."

I like that the explanatory texts also include some Togashi's comments taken from interviews and the "Yu Yu Hakusho Official Characters Book".

For example, they mentioned that Hiei wasn't supposed to become an ally, like Kurama, but it was Togashi's editor at the time who suggested it (Togashi mentioned that in a interview with Kishimoto to JUMP GIGA, 2016). A colored manuscript of the second popularity poll is also displayed with a note saying that Hiei won first place twice during the serialization. It's not mentioned, but after the serialization, there was a third poll in WSJ, and Hiei got first place again.

Character Popularity Poll "Hiei topped the character popularity polls conducted twice during the series. Initially, Kurama was drawn with a conscious effort to create a popular character, and Hiei was not even planned to be a part of the group. Hiei was only put in the group after an editor pointed out that he should be, but he eventually grew to become a beloved character with top-ranking popularity."

Other interesting comments taken from the official databook (2005) and "Yoshirin de Pon!" (1994) also appear. Kurama and Hiei weren't named after the mountains in Kyoto, but Togashi came up with their names by himself. Shuuichi's family name "Minamino" comes from celebrity Youko Minamino, and Hiei's model is Skunky from "Patalliro!". If you're interested, I made a post once of Togashi's comments about Hiei and Kurama.

Another example is the text about Toguro in the "Story" section:

Story "The powerful enemies in the story are not necessarily absolutely evil, and the story's ending is not defined by the duality of right and wrong. The reason why Younger Toguro stopped being human, and the reason why Sensui lost faith in humanity was because they were only humans. What awaits beyond the fierce battles are questions posed to the readers by these very human characters." Younger Toguro "In the series, Koenma speculates that Younger Toguro's relentless pursuit of strength was based on his anger at his former powerlessness and his need to redeem himself for his friends. However, Mr. Togashi tell us that Younger Toguro has no remorse for his actions and all his decisions were his own to make."

The last part about Togashi's commentary on Toguro is actually an excerpt from the databook.

The "Story" section also brings a brief synopsis about Sensui, the former spirit detective.

Sensui "Sensui was a Spirit Detective before Yusuke. The dark side of humanity that he encountered during his mission changed him. Sensui, who feels that human existence itself is evil, aspires to join the demons and eventually opens the entrance to the Demon World. Sensui goes to the demon world out of contempt for humanity, and Yusuke is a demon who tries to protect humans. Although they are both Spirit Detectives, we realize that their paths were completely opposite."

I don't know if it was a matter of space, but I wish they also had talked about Yomi and the 3 Kings Arc arc in this section.

I like that on the "Setting" wall, they included a panel of Kurama VS Kaito.

Setting "Yu Yu Hakusho features a number of battle styles, including one-to-ones, battle royale, and tournaments. Yusuke and his companions are often involved in some kind of disturbance or test, whether it is against humans or demons. On the other hand, the battle settings themselves are also wide-ranging, from strength battles to brain battles to videos games, such as the Knife Edge Death Match, a head to head battle; Taboo, a battle of words without physical attacks; and Game Master, a gaming match. Each battle has a betrayal in a good sense, and the satisfying betrayal makes the reader feel even more expectations for the story."

VS Kaito "A prime example of a "brain battle" in this brilliant battle manga is the famous game between Kurama and Kaito. Kurama proposed an unusual rule: every minute, one letter of the alphabet is banned from being spoken. Something not commonly seen before, this battle of intellect highlights Kurama's cognitive capabilities and gave birth to a new type of "battle scene" that was more than a simple clash of power and strength, what's profoundly impacted the manga world."

It is said that Togashi has been inspired by many works, and the "territory" from this chapter was based off a Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel. He actually mentioned that information in an interview with Kishimoto, from Naruto's fanbook.

Yu Yu Hakusho gradually develops to a typical battle shounen, but in the Sensui Saga, it turns into a battle of wits.

The "Depiction" is a small section with some battle manuscripts from the Dark Tournament of Yusuke VS Jin and VS Younger Toguro. It talks about the impressive fights, spreads, and Togashi's skillfulness to guide the viewers between stillness and movement.

Depiction "There are many famous scenes in the series, but the battle scenes are especially impressive. The effective use of the spread, the skillful segmentation of the frame to guide the viewer's gaze, the contrast between stillness and movement that seems to stop time for the reader, and the occasional deliberately clear background are all designed to make the movement look spectacular."

After going through the introduction, and the explanations and manuscripts dedicated to the four points - Character, Setting, Story and Depiction - of the Yu Yu Hakusho series, we reach the fifth point.

When it comes to the "special piece" mentioned in the Prologue, the Yu Yu Hakusho Area has a special section called "Punch Line". The walls are decorated with the characters famous quotes, and there are also many selected manuscripts with famous lines.

Punch Line

"Words are powerful in Yu Yu Hakusho. The work captivates the readers with monologues and explanatory text that are sometimes even more convincing than the illustrations. Famous lines includes, "I'm going to kill you with a double-page spread," "Don't underestimate the power of the evil eye," and "You don't even deserve the death." Togashi says his favorite part of the creative process is by far the making of storyboards. He says the peak of enjoyment is when he is thinking of what to draw just before starting the storyboard. Many of his hard-hitting punchlines are likely to have been created during the storyboard creative process."

I really like this special segment. Yu Yu Hakusho's lines and words have marked a whole generation and continue to attract new fans. I guess we all use some of the characters quotes in our daily lives.

One of my favorite quotes is Kurama's "You don't even deserve death" to Elder Toguro.

After gaining a better understanding of Yu Yu Hakusho, we arrive at a bigger hall, it's finally time to appreciate the original drawings and color illustrations. They are displayed in chronological order, following the arcs of the "Spirit Detective", "Dark Tournament", "Black Chapter" (Door to Makai) and "Three Kings" (Makai Tournament). The walls are also painted and decorated with many scenes from the manga.

The cool thing about the manuscripts is that some words are actually different from the ones published, and we can even see some fine details such as Mukuro's nipples, that were erased afterwards in the comics. You can also buy copies of the manuscripts of the last two chapters in the shop.

In the center of the Yu Yu Hakusho Area, there are those big panels of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama. Behind them, there are original manuscripts called "Battle Scene Selection".

I thought we could take photos of this central area, but they are forbidden. It's understandable, otherwise the fans would form a huge queue and obstruct the flow of people. Be aware to not step on those white/black lines. The staff called me out many times (lol).

This is an example of the carefully selected battle scenes that are behind the central panels. The double spreads of Hiei VS Seiryuu and VS Shigure are my favorite.

The battle scenes of the quartet include manuscripts of:

Yusuke: VS Suzaku; VS Jin; VS Younger Toguro; the famous scene of Yusuke knocking every one of his opponents off of the platform, in the preliminary matches of the Makai Tournament.

Kuwabara: VS Rinku; VS Rishou; VS Elder Toguro; VS Mitarai (seaman).

Kurama: VS Touya; VS Karasu; VS Kaito; VS Elder Toguro.

Hiei: VS Seiryuu; VS Zeru; VS Shigure.

The Yu Yu Hakusho Area ends with the last chapter Act 175. "And so...". Notice the big illustration of the guys, drawn exclusive for the the Yu Yu Hakusho Artbook (2005), decorating the wall.

Now, we head to Area 02 - Level E.

Area 02. "Level E"

Serialization Period: September 19, 1995 (Weekly Shounen Jump 42, 1995) to December 21, 1996 (Weekly Shounen Jump Double Issue 3/4, 1997). 16 chapters in total.

Cumulative circulation (including digital editions): 2,6 million (as of September 2022)

Comment at the start of the series: "I wanted to do everything myself, so I decided to make a monthly series. Each successive chapter will appear when you've already forgotten the last one. Please feel free to read it." (Yoshihiro)

To get a better understanding of the Level E series, there is an introductory panel with a synopsis:

Synopsis "Hundreds of alien species come and go, living their lives on Earth. The only people unaware of this fact are the earthlings living on the planet. One day, Yukitaka Tsuisui, an ordinary high school student, meets a young man who calls himself an alien, and his daily life is disrupted without warning. This science fiction story depicts the strange lives of various aliens through Prince Baka, the first prince of the planet Dogra, who has both the brain of a genius and a devilish personality, and gets everyone else involved in his mischievous escapades with irreversible results."

Production Background "The production of Level E began with the unthinkable idea of creating a work that would not receive votes in a reader survey. As if to say he had drawn enough orthodox manga for his preview work, Yu Yu Hakusho, Mr. Togashi made the most of all the tools in his drawers and wrote it in an omnibus style, drawing what he liked in a monthly serialization."

Then, another panel that merges the 4 themes (Character, Setting, Story and Depiction) into a single explanation called "An Unexpected Development" (想定の斜め上).

The japanese expression "斜め上" literally means "diagonally above", and it means going up at a 45-degree angle (diagonally above) from one's imagination; to describe things that are unexpected or in a way different from what was expected. Because of its relatively widespread use since the 90s, this expression recently got into the japanese dictionary. It is said to be first used by Togashi in the Level E manga, a quote from Captain Kraft. Togashi-sensei is really a genius!

An Unexpected Development "In a sense, the lines of malicious dialogue by Kraft, a character in the work, most accurately express the essence of the work Level E. The series provides fresh surprise and excitement by always taking the least expect turns. As the fifth special piece to showcase the appeal, we have chosen one of these unexpected developments."

Initially, Level E was planned to be a self-contained series that does not need prior viewing of any other chapter to understand. However, Prince Baka was so well received by the readers, that he became the main character of Level E. It was really an unexpected development.

In this area, selected manuscripts from all 16 chapters are distributed in an 8-episode exhibition.

In Japan, Level E is known for its 8 small episodes or arcs:

Episode 1. バカ王子・地球襲来編

Prince Baka: Invasion of Earth Arc (Chapters 01 to 03)

Episode 2. 食人鬼編

Cannibal Demon Arc (Chapters 04 to 05)

Episode 3. 原色戦隊カラーレンジャー編

Genshoku Sentai Color Rangers Arc (Chapters 06 to 09)

Episode 4. マクバク族サキ王女・ムコ探し編

Princess Saki of the Macbac Kingdom: Searching for a Husband Arc (Chapters 10 to 11)

Episode 5. 高校野球地区予選編

High School Baseball District Qualifiers Arc (Chapters 12 to 13)

On their way to the regional preliminary site for Koshien, the entire bus containing the Kisaragi High School baseball team members gets lost in a mysterious space. The baseball team tries to solve the mystery of supernatural phenomena caused by the subconscious mind, and the readers have as much fun guessing the "culprit" as the characters do.

Episode 6. 原色戦隊カラーレンジャー・人魚編

Genshoku Sentai Color Rangers: Mermaid Arc (Chapter 14)

Episode 7. バカ王子・結婚編

Prince Baka: Marriage Arc (Chapter 15)

In this chapter, Prince Baka proposes to Princess Luna. It's said that Togashi got the idea from Goku and Chichi's sudden marriage, from Dragon Ball.

Episode 8. バカ王・ハネムーン編

Prince Baka: Honeymoon Arc (Chapter 16)

This area is the smallest of the 3 series, but it feels like you're in a science fiction movie. Prince Baka's decoration is also too cute.

Area 03. "Hunter x Hunter"

Serialization Period: March 3, 1998 (Weekly Shounen Jump 14, 1998) to present.

Series cumulative circulation (including digital editions): more than 84 million (as of September 2022)

Comment at the start of the series: "Nice to meet you! My name is Togashi Yoshihiro, and I am excited to be able to create my dream Jump series. Please address your letters to "Toga P." (Yoshihiro)

It begins with an Introduction section:

Synopsis Gon Freecss, who aspires to become a hunter in order to find his father, Ging, passes the Hunter Exam, which is said to be extremely difficult, with the help of the friends he meets, and obtain a Hunter License. He then train as a hunter during his journey to find Ging, maturing as he overcomes various challenges. The storyline is unpredictable, and the novel Nen battles, which features both physical and intellectual combat, are just one of the elements that keep readers engaged in the adventurous action.

As explained in the Prologue, and similar to the "Yu Yu Hakusho" Area, the HxH work is also detailed in four points - Character, Setting, Story and Depiction.

I copied the english explanations from the "Character" and "Depiction" sections:

Character "The story centers around Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio. However, in some chapters, characters other than the four are depicted as the focus of the story, and the individual characters have a strong presence that contributes to the distinctive appeal of the work."

Hyskoa "Hyskoa is a magician that Gon meets in the Hunter Exam. He is a combat enthusiast who takes great pleasure in fighting and winning against strong opponents. Mr. Togashi also describes him as a popular character whose next action is always unexpected. He is a master trickster who acts only to satisfy his own desires and becomes both an enemy and ally of Gon and his companions."

Meeleem "Meeleem is born as the king of the Chimera Ants. He is portrayed as the strongest enemy of mankind, who believes violence to be true virtue. However, his encounter with a human girl named Komugi gradually changed his mind, and he appears to grow as a statesman. The conclusion of the emotional exchange between a tyrant and a weak girl becomes a shocking scene that remains one of the most famous in manga history."

Depiciton "Mr. Togashi says that one of the most important aspects of manga portrayal is whether or not what the character is trying to do in that moment is conveyed. Evident in the depicition in HunterxHunter is a sense of confidence in the ability to make the reader understand what is going on without relying on explanatory lines or stage directions."

When it comes to the 5th point, instead of a punch line section, there is a special section called "NEN".

This special exhibition also shows some Togashi's unpublished notes about "nen". It is called Togashi Memo's "Nen Ability Setting Material" (冨樫メモの「念能力の設定資料」). If you're interested, you can see scans of this material and translations on reddit.

My personal opinion: this is probably early notes from when Togashi was still creating and developing the nen system. It doesn't mean you have to follow those memos to the letter. I believe Togashi is still improving his ideas, and making changes over the years.

After immersing yourself in the world of HxH, we arrive at the main exhibition room. The original manuscripts follow a chronological order, beginning with Gon meeting his friends to the current arc. They are divided in 7 parts:

Hunter Exam Arc (ハンター試験編)

Heavens Arena Arc (天空闘技場編)

Yorkshin Arc (ヨークシン編)

Greed Island Arc (グリードアイランド編)

Chimera Ant Arc (キメラ＝アント編)

Election Arc (選挙編)

Succession to the Throne Arc (王位継承編)

In the last arc, there is like this huge chart with all the characters that appear in the succession war. It is explained that Togashi challenged himself by asking, "How many characters can one have in one chapter of the manga?". His goal for the Succession Arc is to surpass the number of characters in Captain Tsubasa's Jr. Youth Arc (excerpt from Jump Ryu interview, 2016). They also added that counting from chapter 340, when the Kakin Kingdom was introduced, over 200 characters have already appeared in 50 chapters.

In the exhibition, the manuscripts are displayed in frames, but when you buy the official catalog or copies of Hunter x Hunter manuscripts, you realize that many of them don't use the standard HxH manuscript paper with the "Yoshihiro Togashi POT" logo, but instead, it's Naoko Takeuchi's manuscript paper. What a cute couple!

In the center of the HxH area, there's the mizumi-shiki glass (water divination glass).

Unfortunately, we can't neither take pictures nor do the test :P

Adjacent to the HxH Area, there's a weird area with manuscripts of bizarre creatures, it's Area 04.

Area 04. "World of Strange Creatures"

This small area is a special exhibition dedicated to the bizarre creatures that appear in Togashi's works. I was happy to see Helen from Yu Yu Hakusho.

World of Strange Creatures "The creatures (?) with bizarre designs that occasionally appear in Togashi's works leave a powerful impression. This special exhibition area features a collection of all the strange and lovable beings depicted in each work. They are an interesting bunch of designs that offer a glimpse into the creativity and tastes of the artist."

Finally, we reach the last area.

Area 05. Yoshihiro Togashi

As the name suggests, this area is dedicated to the author.

It begins with a timeline of his life, from his birth in 1966, the first submission to the Weekly Shounen Jump in 1986, manuscripts from his early works (one-shots and his first series "Ten de wa Showaru Cupid"), to the present day.

"Sensee wa Toshishita" was a finalist of the 20th H☆S Award in 1986. Togashi won a cash prize and got a call from Toshimasa Takahashi who became his first editor, the same who proposed to Togashi that Hiei should become a main character.

Togashi's first submission is displayed in his timeline and printed in the catalog. He used a pen name at the time, Toritome Yomoya.

It was hard to tell the correct reading of his pen name (鳥留夜母屋), because the furigana (reading of the chinese character) was not printed in the WSJ magazine. But, now, thanks to the exhibition, we know it reads as Toritome Yomoya.

In Yuusuke Murata's book, Hetappi Manga Laboratory Returns, Togashi mentioned that in his first submission he asked for sharp criticism that would kill his enthusiasm of a beginner. The late editor Mr. Takahashi had also mentioned that this particular line caught his attention.

It's funny that Togashi thought that someone else was in charge of creating the titles for the covers. That also crossed my mind. Yu Yu Hakusho, for example, has such a beautiful logo with stars (幽☆遊☆白書).

In the back wall of this area, there are color illustrations of all his works, and in the opposite wall from his timeline, a corner called "Creators Messages".

Creators Messages

To congratulate Togashi for his exhibition, there are a total of 9 messages and illustrations from other manga artists and celebrities.

Messages and illustrations from other mangaka

(to see HD scans, follow @Vishkujo thread on Twitter)

Yusuke Urameshi by Hirohiko Araki (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Gon Freecss, Monkey D. Luffy, and Tony Tony Chopper by Eiichiro Oda (One Piece)

Pakunoda and Hisoka Morow by Gege Akutami (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Machi Komacine and Shizuku Murasaki by Koyoharu Gotouge (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)

Yusuke Urameshi, Kazuma Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, Gon Freecss, Killua Zoldyck, Hisoka Morow, Chrollo Lucilfer, Prince Baka, and Kraft by Sui Ishida (Tokyo Ghoul)

Translated messages by #hxhsource:

Messages from celebrities

(check original scans on @Vishku)

I translated the messages from:

Film director Chloé Zhao

Togashi-sensei, congratulations on your exhibition! "Yu Yu Hakusho" had a great artistic influence on me when I was young, and it continues to inspire my work to this day. I can't forget the emotion I felt when I first read the scene where Toguro bids farewell to Genkai on the bridge of the Spirit World. When he took off his glasses, smiled at her and uttered his last words, I was 14 years old, and cried my eyes out in a crowded bus! Toguro's last words still bring me to tears. I re-read all the volumes every year, but when I see the photo of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei on the last page, it always brings a lump to my throat. The beautiful and complex human nature of the heroes and villains depicted by Togashi-sensei has set the standard for me to tell amazing stories. Thank you, Togashi-sensei!

Actor Kento Kaku

Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei, nice to meet you. My name is Kento Kaku, and I am an actor. I am fully aware that it is very rude for someone like me to have the privilege to comment on sensei's great day. However, allow me to inform you. When I saw sensei's work for the first time, was deeply impressed. By the story, the characters, the development, the structure, everything. Once I came across it, my criteria for "amusing" became sensei's work. I was at a loss. I was no longer excited by other stories. How many times did I practice the Black Dragon Wave (kokuryuuha), in my youthful days? (I also tried to feel like Bui). Why can't become a demon fox (Youko)? Why can't I put out 120% of my power? Sometimes, I spent half a day practicing "ten" (纏) (I also practiced "ten" (点) like I'm supposed to). I also imagined the flow of "gyo". In my Water Divination, the leaf do not move at all. There must be people throughout the world who have had the same experiences. That's how much we're obsessed with sensei's work. Sensei, thank you very much for giving us such exciting emotions. I would like to continue enjoying sensei's work.

T/N:

纏 (Ten): "Envelop"/"Shroud", the first of the Four Major Principles of Nen.

点 (Ten): "Point", the first exercise of the "Nen of the Flame".

TV Producer Nobuyuki Sakuma

Togashi-sensei has been in a different league, since I was a teenager 30 years ago. "This manga is so interesting to me now, but will I find it even more interesting when I'm older? I still don't understand it at all, do I?". With this thought in mind, I put it back on the bookshelf and read it again from time to time. It's entertainment, it's art, a guide, but in the end it's an extremely interesting manga. I'm glad I was born in the world line where Togashi-sensei was born and is drawing manga. Thank you very much.

Writer Yumeaki Hirayama

Despite the position Togashi-sensei holds in the current manga industry, isn't his writing style itself unusual? And yet, even though he sticks to it, there is no sign the reader's enthusiasm will drop at all. This is surely rare, and I have never heard of such a thing. According to his passionate believers, one of the charms of Togashi's work is the basso continuo (severe realism) that lies in his shounen manga style. Sometimes it looks splendidly cruel, sometimes even grotesque. However, I guess it is the outstanding grasp of reality that makes his work so appealing. I believe this is the reason why it has become a bible for modern youth. For me personally, it is as if you're being challenged to play a long, long tens of thousands-moves "tsume shogi". It is always a frightening work where there is no correct answer other than the checkmate. When I think about how much trial and error goes into producing the next frame, I can only shudder and gaze at his work in wonderment. I'm praying from the lowest seat that you may continue to wield a powerful pen for many years to come.

Togashi Yoshihiro Amusement Land

In the center of Togashi Area there's the only spot where photos are allowed, the "Togashi Yoshihiro Amusement Land".

There are big covers of the first volumes of "Yu Yu Hakusho", "Hunter x Hunter" and "Level E". Hanging from the ceiling: Botan & Puu (Yu Yu Hakusho); Color Ranger's Golden Hammer crushing Prince Baka (Level E); and Knuckle's Potclean (HxH).

New illustrations

Behind the big covers of the photo area, the beautiful frame "ALL☆STAR in the PUZZLE", with the exhibition visual key, is strategically placed. So, it's impossible to take any photo. I'm glad the media shared this one. This frame is absolutely amazing, I want it in my living room.

Finally, when you are leaving area 5, there's a message from Togashi, "Thank you very much for visiting us", and one more big surprise:

A totally new illustration of Gon and Yusuke (check HD scan on @Vishkujo)!

Some people have been complaining that Yusuke is red, but Togashi color-coded him red many times during the YYH serialization in the 90s. I guess we all have this strong green image of him from the anime.

Official Shop

Of course, before you exit, don't forget to visit the Official Shop. Depending on the day or time you visit it, you may face a queue to get in. I recommend purchasing the Exhibition Official Catalog. It's just a pity that they didn't include the english text displayed at the exhibition in there.

Moreover, check the official site to see the current status of the merchandise. Many products are out of stock or being back-ordered. They have also changed the limit purchase of some items. And, if you're buying from resellers, take a look at the original price on the site first. Some products are being sold on sites like Mericari for three times more the retail price.

The goods will also be sold after the exhibition ends. So, probably only in 2024, after the Fukuoka tour. Details will be announced on the official site.

Pieces Cafe

On the 52rd floor, next to the venue, there's also the Pieces Cafe. Contrary to the shop, you don't need to have bought a ticket and visited the exhibition to enter the cafe.

I only had time for the Quartet Eternal Bond Tapioca milk/tea drink. The photo of the quartet is precious, I could hardly eat it.

Next time, I want to try the Kurama x Hiei "TWO SHOTS" curry and the Toguro Brothers dessert.

I didn't have much time in Tokyo, so I hope I can spend more time and take down more notes when the exhibition comes to Osaka. I could only stay a few hours, but I would recommend at least four to five hours if you wanna check all the details and properly enjoy the shop and the cafe.

That's all. I want to write more, but this post is already too long and Tumblr only allows 30 photos per post. Maybe, I'll do a second post, talking more about the manuscripts and catalog. It's hard to explain everything without showing photos or videos of the place, so if there's any confusing information, let me know.

#Yoshihiro Togashi Exhibition #Puzzle #Yu Yu Hakusho #Level E #HunterxHunter #Yoshihiro Togashi #富樫義博展

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