Anime

Rating:
Summary: Really nice book.
Review: All projects in the book are outstanding. DVD contains all clips and has a nice interface. The package is also good. It comes with design plastic case. One of a good design book you can't miss.

Rating:
Summary: Screenshots
Review: I receieved a perfect designed plastic package and a nice DVD. But the book is a total disappointment. People can see almost all the works printed on the book over internet. No explanations, no strategies, no interviews and no text enough on book. Well no need a book to see again webby animation screenshot stills that can't move on paper. What's the idea?

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: I suppose references to "dancing about architecture" yadda yadda can be made about a book that prints still images of what should be moving. But the design and content of the book is actually quite brilliant and very useful.
Many people in the design field never get the chance to see their work get animated or move. They design for print.
But as things happen, print can get static and dull, which is why I recommend my designers read books such as this. Seeing a scene and a moment in time from something that is moving becomes an inspiration for a new way of making static images look kinetic.

The book covers a myriad artists who work in the digital realm, and the accompanying DVD brings the images we see on the pages to life. The book is not, I think, intended to describe the reason and rationale behind their work, but rather to serve as pure inspiration for designers young and old to bring their work to the next level. To this end, as other reviewers have noted, there is little in the way of copy.

Taken as inspiration not as education, the book is invaluable to every designer's library.

Rating:
Summary: Innovative art book of digital art
Review: The high quality book that's neither officially hardcover or paperback fits snuggly into its transparent plastic case with a DVD in its own holder. The book stands alone as a techno-collection of still shots of design, but couple it with the DVD and it takes you away into the diverse world of motion accompanyed by sound created with Web technology that leaves you in awe. Think of the best music video mixed with superb art and that's what you get from the DVD.

Even if you're unfamiliar with artistic styles, you'll recognize many of the presentations because they're found in today's media: television, movies, online, art, and music. The influences come from the Beatles, Bubbleheads (think PowerPuff Girls and Super Mario Bros. video game), Japanese manga and anime (comics style like Sailor Moon), and artists like Dali and Mondrian. To experts, these are comprised of grunge, Gothic, transformer robot, duotone, geometrical, and pixelated styles.

The DVD has a collection of vector presentations, interactive art, linear storytelling sequences, and motion graphics, and movie clips. The Quick Check Reference card lists all of the projects and their codes to make it easier to find and view on the DVD.

The pages in the book indicate the creator and the title of the artwork, but it would've been nice if it also included the influence or style with a description to educate readers new to these styles. There are also a handful of interviews with the designers.

The back of the book lists all the contributors, the location of the work (page numbers for the book and chapter numbers for the DVD), contact and Web site information, designer's location, project description, development platform and software information, and other tidbits. Joshua Davis of Praystation, DesignerShock, and WDDG are some of the talents whose works appear in the compilation.

Admittedly, I don't have an artistic eye and could not begin to properly describe the kind of works found in anime. Students of design and designers will appreciate the journey through the virtual gallery.