Okay, full disclosure: Matt did the cover for my first novel.

However, the reason I approached him to do my cover in the first place was because I loved his artwork so much.

Matt's illustrations perfectly captures the look of classic yokai ukiyo-e (many of his works even have faint impressions of wood grain, a common feature of actual block-printed ukiyo-e) while still possessing a style unique to him.

He's clearly put hundreds of hours into researching even the most minute details of the yokai he presents, making this one of the definitive guides to Japanese monsters.

I particularly like that this book presents the creatures "in scene" rather than isolating them on a white page as many field guides to monsters often do. You get a sense of how they would actually look and behave as actual creatures in the countryside of Japan.

The only small quibble I have is that the cover of the book is rather plain and the words a bit hard to read. I get that Matt wanted it to look like an old bound tome-- something you might dig out from a pile of moldy tatami mats in the back of a forgotten temple. But if I saw this cover in a store, I would probably breeze right by. Again, though, that's a very, very small complaint about a gorgeous, well written encyclopedia of yokai lore. ( )

I did my bachelor's thesis in college about Japanese monsters and the cultural implications thereof, and it would have been much easier to research if I'd had this book available. I've been interested in world mythologies for a long time, and Japanese mythology specifically since college. But I have often been frustrated by the dearth of English translations. Until my Japanese gets a whole lot better, I'm not going to be able to go to the source material.

This book is exactly the kind of thing I've been looking for. Sadly, I missed out on the Kickstarter drive, so I had to buy my copy through Amazon. But I am incredibly happy with it. The descriptions are all very well done and concisely written, the art that the author made for each yokai is beautiful and goes very well with each description. Overall, my one negative comment about the book is that I wish it were available in hardcover.

Recommended for people interested in mythology, Japanese culture, or nice art. ( )

The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: A Field Guide to Japanese Yokai written and illustrated by Matthew Meyer was able to be published in 2012 thanks to a Kickstarter project. The book grew out of Meyer's "A-Yokai-a-Day" series of illustrations and posts on his website, which is how I first came across his work. Originally from near Philadelphia, Meyer has been living in rural Japan since 2007,  where he draws inspiration for his art. When Meyer launched the Kickstarter project for The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons I immediately supported it. Over the last few years I have become increasingly interested in yokai--a general term used for a wide variety of Japanese spirits, supernatural creatures, and urban legends. There are actually very few books available in English that are devoted to the subject which is one of the reasons why I was so incredibly excited that The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons was able to make it into print.

Meyer collects information on one hundred eight different yokai and yokai phenomena; the guide easily lives up to its name of The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Each entry in the book is accompanied by a full page, full color illustration which includes the yokai being discussed. The yokai in The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons are loosely divided into five sections based on where they are likely to be found: "In the Wild," "Out at Sea," "Out on the Town," "At a Festival," and "In the House." Within these categories the yokai don't seem to be organized in any particular way that I noticed, although Meyer does try to keep similar and related yokai close together. The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons provides basic information about yokai: names, habitats, diet, appearance, behavior, interactions with humans, origins, and legends. A list of references, bibliography, and a helpful index are also included in the book.

Meyer's artwork in The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is marvelous. The illustrations take direct inspiration from traditional Japanese ink paintings and woodblock prints. They are very colorful, but instead of being garish Meyer has selected a more natural, subdued palette. Many yokai have close ties with nature and so I was pleased to see this reflected in Meyer's artwork. He pays as much attention to the details of the yokai's environment as he does to the yokai themselves. Occasionally Meyer takes a bit of artistic license, his yokai don't always match up exactly with their accompanying text, but I really enjoy his interpretations. The artwork in The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is one of the things that makes the volume so fantastic. I was just as happy flipping through the book enjoying Meyer's illustrations as I was reading it.

The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is a very approachable volume. Meyer's writing style has an almost conversational feel with just a touch of humor to it. A few minor typos managed to slip through the editing process, but otherwise The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is a delightfully enjoyable and informative read. The sheer number of yokai covered in the book is wonderful. I was already familiar with quite a few of them but there were plenty that were new to me, too. I like that Meyer makes a point to note the significant regional differences of the various yokai included in his field guide. He also addresses the similarities and relationships that exist between different yokai. I absolutely loved The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. If you are a fan of yokai, or even just a fan of excellent Japanese-influenced art, the volume is well worth looking into. I haven't been this excited about a book for a very long time.

Experiments in Manga ( )