ONE TO WATCH: SANA TAKEDA

[MattBrady]

by Vaneta Rogers

As the world becomes a smaller place thanks to technology and the ability to easily communicate with people around the globe, fans of American comic books have benefited. Work by artists and writers from France to Brazil to Japan have been showing up between the pages of comics more and more as their pages and scripts can be shared with publishers with the touch of a button.

Sana Takeda is one of those artists. Hailing from Japan, she's bringing her unique style of painting to comics in the Image Comics title Drain after working as a video game illustrator. With a rich, colorful palette that mixes a sensibility to character with a very distinct look, Takeda's work on Drain will be her American comic book debut.

Beginning next week, Drain tells the story of Chinatsu, a female vampire from an ancient Japanese ninja clan who does what most of us would do with the prospect of living forever -- she interacts with history and becomes even more skilled as a ninja over the decades as she travels the globe, trying to enact revenge upon the vampire who turned her. Written by C.B. Cebulski, the comic has a decidedly Japanese style -- not only because of the main character's heritage, but because of Takeda's artistic approach.

We talked to Takeda, with a little help from an interpreter, about her work on Drain and what she found appealing about the story of Chinatsu.

Click here for the interview.

[Ye Olde Iowa]

I'm not one to jump at Vampire comics very quickly, but between CB's skillful writing and Takeda's amazing art, I'm definitely going to give this book a try. It is pretty amazing that all of this can be done with Photoshop. If her work is consistently this good, Sana definitely has a future in the business.

[kingofcities]

That art is just beautiful.

Great interview.

[Toneloak]

I've watched a lot of anime I hope this book isn't just the same old same old for a new market.

[bishop-m]

The art does look great, and i've never been let down by Cebulski, so i'm in for this....

[deeunlm1t3d]

I thought i would never say this on a comic book, but it seems I will. That is one beautiful piece of art.

[AlexLothos]

All the art from start to finish in Photoshop?! Wow... that's amazing.

Can't wait to read the full issue.

[callmekenny2]

My mom is a Takeda.

I've never heard of any other ones. This is cool.

(Although, if I was looking in Japan, it probably wouldn't be very hard to find.)

(Also cool that Sana is such a great artist.)

[BlueThunderArmy]

That is some stunning art. The story doesn't sound like something I would normally pick up, but I may give it a go just to take in the visuals.

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by kingofcities

That art is just beautiful.

Great interview.

Very much agreed.

[beta-ray]

Originally Posted by callmekenny2

My mom is a Takeda.

I've never heard of any other ones. This is cool.

(Although, if I was looking in Japan, it probably wouldn't be very hard to find.)

(Also cool that Sana is such a great artist.)

You never heard of Takeda Shingen?

Perhaps it's where you live. There are a couple dozen Takedas here.

Art looks really nice. From her website it looks like she did some pieces for Ranger Strike (think of it as a CCG for Power Rangers)... Cool.

[Royal Nonesuch]

Is this the same Sana Takeda who worked with CB Cebulski on X-Men Fairy Tales #1? If so, wouldn't that be her American comics debut?