Japanese prints have a long history of hyper-violent, blood-soaked imagery. Just google "Kyosai face rip" or "Yoshitoshi murders" and you'll quickly get the point. 

Because of this established genre in Ukiyo-e, it wasn't a big jump to adapt this game series into the traditional Japanese style. It came pretty naturally!

The top caption reads 八熱地獄深入, which translates to 'Into the Eight Levels of Hell'. Many sects of Japanese Buddhism describe a Hell that is separated into eight different realms:

1. Toukatsu Jigoku – The Reviving Hell

2. Kokujou Jigoku – The Hell of Black Rope

3. Shugou Jigoku – The Crushing Hell

4. Kyoukan Jigoku – The Screaming Hell

5. Dai-kyoukan Jigoku – The Hell of Great Screaming 

6. Jounetsu Jigoku – The Burning Hell

7. Dai-jounetsu Jigoku – The Great Burning Hell

8. Mugen Jigoku – The Hell of Unending Suffering

You can learn more about Japanese Buddhist Hell here. 

The bottom caption has the characters 斬 (to kill by the sword) and 裂 (to tear). Together, the caption can be translated to say "Rip and Tear".

NOTE - You can choose between two paper types for your print:

1) Handmade Japanese Paper: Created by the Kikuchi Studio in Ehime Japan, this paper features a lovely mulberry texture and rough deckled edges. The overall effect makes our giclée prints look like real historical Japanese prints. I'm very proud of these!

2) Western Paper: This is a high quality 80 lb cover paper, similar to hot press watercolor paper. My art prints look stunning on its smooth, matte finish. This is the paper I usually bring to conventions, so if you have purchased art from me at a live event, you probably have this paper style.

Every print is signed by the artist.
Measures 12x17 inches.

This print looks great in three standard 16 x 20 frames (US, Canada) or 40 x 50 cm (everywhere else).