The “Amano Corpus Animae” exhibition in Milan

Milan celebrates the artistic visionary nature of Yoshitaka Amano with the opening of the “Amano Corpus Animae” exhibition at the Fabbrica del Vapore. The event, which will remain open to the public until March 1, 2025, representing the largest exhibition ever held in Europe dedicated to the Japanese master known for his significant impact on the world of animation and entertainment.

Organized by Lucca Comics & Games in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and curated by Fabio Viola
the exhibition aims to be an immersion in Amano’s creative universe, marking the fiftieth anniversary of his illustrious career. Visitors and enthusiasts will be able to explore 137 original works ranging from his early works in the famous Tatsunoko studios to recent artistic collaborations, including the three posters created for the centenary of Giacomo Puccini presented at the 2024 edition of Lucca Comics & Games.

The retrospective not only celebrates Amano’s achievements in the fields of anime and video games, but also his forays into digital art and innovative use of mixed media. A fundamental aspect of the exhibition is its exhibition design, developed in collaboration with POLI.design, which aims to create a dialogic bridge between the visual arts and contemporary design.

Through a visual narrative that incorporates elements of digital interaction and augmented reality, the exhibition offers a multi-sensory experience that invites visitors on a journey through the different creative phases of the Master. From works that have marked the history of world animation to creations that explore new frontiers of technology, such as the work “Hiten”, destined to be sent into space, “Amano Corpus Animae” is configured as an exhibition event of rare intensity and beauty.

The exhibition represents a unique opportunity to understand the evolution of Amano’s art and its transversal impact in various cultural sectors, from animation to video games, to fashion and beyond. It is also an opportunity to reflect on how Japanese artistic tradition interfaces with and influences global pop culture, showcasing Amano’s ability to serve as a bridge between cultures and generations.

The almost 50 works dedicated to Final Fantasy will also be on display: from the first chapter of 1987 up to Final Fantasy 16, visible both as original drawings and in the form of game boxes. Of these works it will be possible to admire how – according to what was narrated by Yoshitaka Amano in the installation phase – the inspiration for the creation of the characters is linked to the imagination of the great master of European fantasy Michael Moorcock.

The character room in which Maestro Amano spent part of his early years of activity, from ’70 to ’76, when he was an employee of the Tatsunoko company, will be reproduced on display: a room created for him by the company’s founder Tatsuo Yoshida , where new designs for future anime were developed.

And again, thanks to the VR experience, the result of the collaboration with director Omar Rashid, you will have access to exclusive content: visitors will be able to enter Yoshitaka Amano’s three studios in Tokyo, places where his works are conceived and created. A journey into the life of the Sensei in which it will be possible to get closer to the tools of work, observe the books and objects of his daily life, but also access a large collection of works, many of which have never left his home, and which will also allow us to investigate other aspects of his artistic career.

An “exhibition within the exhibition” which, together with the many collateral activities of the exhibition, designed for the occasion by Lucca Comics & Games, will make the visitors as protagonists as the works.

In the special bookshop it will be possible to purchase exclusive merchandising available only to visitors to Amano Corpus Animae. Here it will be possible to purchase the exhibition catalog and unique gadgets such as Fine Art prints of all of Amano’s most iconic works, printed thanks to Canon technology, technical partner of Lucca Comics & Games and of the exhibition itself. There will be no shortage of miniatures, t-shirts, exclusive sweatshirts and many other unique gadgets.