Artist: Kabashima Katsuichi

Artist Kabashima Katsuichi, born July 21, 1888 in Isahayashi, Nagasaki Prefecture, was a magazine illustrator and manga artist. He created many illustrations of aircraft, tanks, ships and animals for magazines like the "Shonen Club" (Youth Club) and others.

Although he initially moved to Kagoshima to attend a merchant commercial high school, he had to abandon his studies due to his stuttering problems. He relocated to Tokyo and started painting but without any money he couldn't attend an art school. Inspired by foreign geography magazines he developed his own personal style using tiny pen strokes. He was hired to work exclusively with Asahi Shinbun and from November 1923 started illustrations for the manga "Shochan no Boken" (The adventures of Shochan).

After the end of the War the subjects naturally changed but Kabashima-san continued to create art inspired by future technology and rockets until his death on May 31, 1965.

Title: "Zenki Kikan" (all the aircraft came back)
From "Koku Shonen" magazine, October 1943 issue.



Title: "Yumo Maishin Suru Waga Kubo No Iyo" (Our majestic aircraft carriers make a bold push). From "Koku Shonen" magazine, January 1944 issue.



I would say that Kabashima-san's style although definitely unique reminds me of vintage book illustrations from the late 1800s, early 1900s.

Among modern comic artists, I can see similarities in the style of the great Hugo Pratt and his "Corto Maltese" and in one of my most favourite comic artists, Andrea Pazienza (who left too early).

Check the fabulous work of modern British artist Mark Powell.