Kuniyoshi is a homage to Utagawa Kuniyoshi, the ukiyo-e printmaker whose violent narratives, surreal characters, and layered compositions disrupted the visual structure of Edo-period printmaking. His work moved between grotesque fantasy and refined beauty, often pairing chaotic battle scenes or supernatural figures with serene interiors and intricately patterned fabrics. A lifelong lover of cats, he filled his prints and sketches with feline imagery, using them as satire, symbol, or signature. The humor, detail, and force of his work have made him one of Japan’s most celebrated artists.

Shintaro Kago pays homage to Kuniyoshi in this limited edition print, titled directly after the Edo period master. A classically Kagoesque explosive bifurcation showers the room with viscera and creatures. A large skeleton recalls the composition and scale of Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Specter (相馬の古内裏). The crawling mass of yokai and distorted faces emerging from the girl's body draws from Tametomo and the Earth Spider (源為朝 妖怪退治図). Most importantly, felines appear throughout the scene, directly referencing both Kago and Kuniyoshi’s shared love of cats.

Set inside a tatami-based interior, the graphic text panels on the walls reference Kuniyoshi’s frequent use of inset labels. Some panels directly cite or parody titles from his catalog, including Kiso Kaidō Rokujūkyū-tsugi (木曽街道六十九次), Sōma no furudairi (相馬の古内裏), and phrases like “Old Cat” (古猫), “Brain of the Old Cat” (古猫の脳), and “Cat for Repelling Rats” (鼠よけの猫).

Interestingly, Kuniyoshi’s use of embedded titles within his Edo-period compositions creates a direct historical link between ukiyo-e and modern manga. This shared structural device brings the two artists into dialogue across time, reminding us of their respective roles in the evolution of Japanese visual art and its uniquely linear history.

Available for 48 hours only from 26th July, 9am EST, Kuniyoshi will be printed only once. Each print is hand signed and numbered in Tokyo, printed on Hahnemühle Bamboo 290gsm with archival ink, and shipped worldwide. The release will go live at the link below.