YU-KON, KEN TAKAKURA (“Melancholic Soul”)

YU-KON, KEN TAKAKURA (“Melancholic Soul”)

Published by Kokushokankokai , 2009
Book Size 28 × 20.3 × 35 cm
Pages 371 pages
Binding Hardcover, Slipcase
Language Japanese
ISBN978-4-336-05121-9

“Yu-Kon, Ken Takakura (“Melancholic Soul”)” is an eclectic, invigorating visual tribute to Ken Takakura, one of the biggest stars of postwar Japanese cinema and the most iconic male role model for the Showa generation. Graphic designer Tadanori Yokoo edited an impressive 370 pages using still photographs (mostly taken by Tsutomu Endo), private snapshots and professional photographs taken by artists as renowned as Eikoh Hosoe, Daido Moriyama, Yoshihiro Tatsuki or Kenji Ishiguro.

Originally, “Yu-Kon, Ken Takakura (“Melancholic Soul”)” was published in 1971 but never reached a single bookshop due to the publisher going bankrupt, an injunction by a movie production company and other reasons.
This phantom of a book remained hidden from the world for more than 30 years before it was finally published in 2009 – in its original form but taking advantage of the latest advances in printing technology.

The book also includes an interview with Ken Takakura as well as several essays relating to the making of the book (all texts only included in Japanese).

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“Yu-Kon, Ken Takakura (“Melancholic Soul”)” is an eclectic visual tribute to Ken Takakura, one of the biggest stars of post-war Japanese cinema and the most iconic male model of the Showa generation. Graphic designer Tadanori Yokoo has edited 370 impressive pages using still photographs (mostly taken by Tsutomu Endo), private snapshots and professional photographs taken by such renowned artists as Eikoh Hosoe, Daido Moriyama, Yoshihiro Tatsuki or Kenji Ishiguro. .

Originally, "Yu-Kon, Ken Takakura ("Melancholic Soul")" was published in 1971 but never reached a single bookstore due to the publisher's bankruptcy, an injunction from a film production company and other reasons.
This ghost of a book remained hidden from the world for over 30 years before finally being published in 2009 - in its original form but benefiting from the latest advances in printing technology.

The book also includes an interview with Ken Takakura as well as several essays relating to the making of the book (all texts are included in Japanese only).