Legendary Gundam Animator’s Official Art Book Returns After 25 Years Out of Print
One of Gundam’s best classic art books is officially back in print, with Hirotoshi Sano’s EDGE of GUNDAM set to return more than 25 years after its original publication.
Hirotoshi Sano is one of the veteran animators closely associated with Gundam’s hand-drawn era, serving as mechanical animation director on Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory and Mobile Fighter G Gundam while building a reputation for powerful, heavily detailed mecha artwork.
His career extends well beyond Gundam, with credits connected to productions including The Venus Wars, The Vision of Escaflowne, RahXephon and Tekkaman Blade, making the new release part of a much broader celebration of his work as an animator and illustrator.
EDGE of GUNDAM was originally published in January 2001 as a collection of Sano’s Gundam illustrations, bringing together artwork that showcases the bold mechanical forms and sense of movement that have made his work instantly recognizable among longtime franchise fans.
Rather than simply putting the old book back into production, publisher Hobby Japan has recreated the original pages using high-resolution scans, allowing the illustrations to return at a quality designed to remain faithful to the original publication.
The restored edition runs for 136 pages and preserves the format of the original collection, making it especially appealing for fans who missed the book during its initial release or have struggled to find an older copy in good condition.
Its return has been timed alongside The Work of Legendary Animator Hirotoshi Sano, a major retrospective currently being held at the Tagawa City Museum of Art in Fukuoka Prefecture.
The exhibition traces Sano’s career through work from Gundam, Tekkaman Blade, The Vision of Escaflowne, RahXephon and other productions, while also displaying around 1,500 drawings created across his wider career.
Visitors can also see animation material and footage from projects including The Venus Wars, Gundam 0083, G Gundam and The Vision of Escaflowne, with selected sequences presented across three walls inside one of the exhibition spaces.
The retrospective runs through August 23, giving fans only a short time remaining to see the collection before the exhibition closes in Fukuoka.
Hirotoshi Sano Gundam Art Book EDGE of GUNDAM [Reprint Edition] is priced at ¥4,400 (approx. $28 USD / £20 GBP).
The book is available to order now through the Post Hobby Web Shop and Yodobashi Camera, with copies also sold through the Tagawa City Museum of Art during the exhibition.
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