It’s often the case that Hollywood movies hit theaters in Japan only after their American, and that’s happening again with “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” which opened in the U.S. last Friday. This time, though, Japan doesn’t have to wait too much longer, as the movie started playing on Japanese theaters on Friday, and to celebrate the occasion, Tetsuo Hara has created a jaw-dropping illustration of the titular protagonist.
You could call it a fan art project, as Hara (pictured above) is unquestionably a fan of the “Mad Max” movie franchise. That doesn’t mean that he’s an amateur, though, as Hara himself is the artist of Japan’s most successful post-apocalyptic franchise, “Fist of the North Star,” and his illustration of Furiosa is packed with the gritty stylishness Hara packed into the seminal manga/anime series.
Hara’s Furiosa artwork was used for the cover of the July issue of Japanese cinema magazine Eiga Hiho (eiga being the Japanese word for “movie,” and hiho meaning “secret treasures”). But just before Furiosa’s Japanese premiere, Hara was able to speak with director and “Mad Max” franchise creator George Miller, who was presented with a signed copy of the illustration.
Though Hara and Miller have been working in their respective fields for over 40 years, this was the first time for the two to speak with each other directly. Hara was quick to acknowledge the connection between “Mad Max’s” visual design and the look of “Fist of the North Star,” telling Miller “The series I drew, ‘Fist of the North Star,’ took inspirations from your film, ‘Mad Max 2.’ I never imagined that, 40 years later, I’d be able to meet you, and I am truly grateful to you. It is an honor to be able to meet you.”
Hara had even more nice things to say about the director after their conversation wrapped up. “I’m so happy I was able to talk with him. He was so kind, and even knew about my work. I wish I could have asked him what his secret is for keeping so young!”
Source: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga official Japanese website, PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga official Japanese website
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