[Photos] Kiyohiko Azuma’s Intricate Sketches of Tokyo’s Urban Landscapes

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May 10, 2017

This manga artist creates backgrounds with such extreme attention to detail that they could pass for standalone works of art.

Many may know Kiyohiko Azuma from his hit series Yotsuba&!, a manga about the life of a clumsy five-year-old named Yotsuba. The series is a fan favorite for its whimsical portrayal of a child’s happy-go-lucky approach to life; however, it has also drawn attention from fans for its extremely detailed background sketches.

Azuma’s attention to detail is immense, thus, at times, his backgrounds almost appear like hyper-realistic artworks.

In an interview back in 2014, he discussed his art style and the dichotomy between realism and stylized characters in crafting manga: “I lean toward realism, but at the same time, it’s not like I’m trying to make things actually realistic – what I’m going for is more like having a somewhat strange character within a realistic world.”

More of the artist’s urban landscapes can be found on this Tumblr and also at DesignStack. Check out some examples below.