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Master System/Game Gear cover art by Osamu Muto
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 5:52 pm
Via https://twitter.com/VGDensetsu/status/1588087384670887940 - see also https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1310503324530114560.html

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For the past few days, Osamu Muto has been posting on Twitter some of the cover illustrations he has created in the past, starting with Ragnacenty, the Japanese version of Soleil / Crusader of Centy:

Osamu Muto did a lot of cover art for Sega in the late 80s-early 90s, including the Japanese exclusive Tatakae! Pro Yakyū Twin League

Osamu Muto won a prize for the cover of the Japanese version of Ecco II (released in 94). Sega gave him the OK to make a digital cover so he drew the dolphin on paper then scanned it and painted the cover on Photoshop, using the Kai's Power Tools plugins.

Another Mega Drive game whose cover illustration was created by Osamu Muto: Tanto R.
After determining the composition he wanted for this illustration and finishing the sketch, the colorization was done in about one day with an airbrush.

Osamu Muto is credited for the cover art of the Mega Drive version of Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair in the book Sega TV Game Genga Gallery. He is also credited on the back of the Japanese cover of Dynamite Headdy.
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Osamu Muto did the cover art for Pepenga Pengo. He suggested to Yoshihiro Sakuta (then in charge of packaging design at Sega) to add/hide Sonic, a character he had already drawn and which is the same color as Pengo.

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Osamu Muto did many illustrations for arcade ports such as the Master System version of Forgotten Worlds, painted with a brush.

Osamu Muto was also in charge of the cover art of the Japanese version of Space Harrier for 32X, painted with an airbrush and liquitex on a Crescent drawing board. You can see his signature on the bottom right.

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Osamu Muto's signature can be seen on the manual cover of the Japanese version of DJ Boy for Mega Drive as well as on an alternate cover of the European version of Laser Ghost.
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Osamu Muto designed several Sonic illustrations for a 1994 calendar. According to this page, it was made in collaboration with Naoto Ohshima.
sonic.fandom.com/wiki/SegaSonic…
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SegaSonic the Hedgehog 1994 Calendar
SegaSonic the Hedgehog 1994 Calendar is a calendar for 1994 made by Sega, based on the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was only released in Japan and it is part of the SegaSonic the Hedgehog brand. It f…
https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/SegaSonic_the_Hedgehog_1994_Calendar
Sonic 2 illustration painted by Osamu Muto, used for the cover of the Sonic the Hedgehog Book as well as in ads published in Japanese and South Korean magazines.
info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_the_Hedg…


http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_Book
Osamu Muto / 武藤修 confirmed to me that he did the cover art for the Master System game Basketball Nightmare. He painted it with an airbrush in less than 2 days once the rough sketch was ready.
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I also asked Osamu Muto about 3 other Master System games not released in Japan: Psycho Fox, Summer Games and World Games. He answered: "Yes, some of these works are slightly blurred in my memory, but I think I drew them."


* Game Gear Tatakae! Pro Yakyū Twin League
* Master System Forgotten Worlds
* Master System Laser Ghost
* Master System Basketball Nightmare - "He painted it with an airbrush in less than 2 days once the rough sketch was ready"
* Master System Psycho Fox, Summer Games and World Games
2022-11-03 17.47.56 threadreaderapp.com 7ba292741118.png (2.84 MB)
Screenshot of the thread
2022-11-03 17.47.56 threadreaderapp.com 7ba292741118.png

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Post Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:13 am
Hi! I'm the guy from VGDensetsu.
I forgot to ask Muto about Alex Kidd in Shinobi World.
I'm currently working on a Master System / Mark III gallery for my website. It's far from complete but I already have identified dozens of artists and am wainting for answers from some of them.
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Post Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:55 am
I guess there’s more in the same style, e.g. Wonder Boy III. Is it likely they’re all by the same artist or was it a common style?
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Post Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 5:45 pm
This style of airbrush animation was quite common at the time. It is mainly by the faces of the characters that you can recognize the style of an artist.
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 1:04 pm
I sent him another message earlier today and am waiting for a reply.
Meanwhile, I got a some info from Mari Koizumi, a former Sega in-house illustrator.

I already knew she illustrated Phantasy Star Gaiden...
https://twitter.com/koizumimari1/status/1059249969633275904

...but she confirmed that she also worked on Shadam Crusader...
https://twitter.com/koizumimari1/status/1593930989050683392

...an added that she did the cover art for the Japanese version of Chuck Rock for Game Gear.
https://twitter.com/koizumimari1/status/1593945027239383040
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 1:35 pm
We should add these to our game credits…
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 6:54 pm
Very interesting! The 16-bit covers mentioned aren't particular favorites of mine, but I do like most of his 8-bit art. In particular that of Psycho Fox and Basketball Nightmare.
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Post Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:36 am
I asked Osamu Muto about Alex Kidd in Shinobi World. He recognizes his style but doesn't remember the illustration itself.

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それからAlex kiddも私のにとても似ているのですが、、、ちょっと記憶にないんですよ。似てはいるんですが(^^;
当時多くのパッケージ描いていてはっきりしないのもありすみません。

https://twitter.com/ekaki_samu/status/1594222853213556737

By the way, you can add the Game Gear version of Tant-R to his worklist.
https://twitter.com/ekaki_samu/status/1310412033519579136

...a game for which Mari Koizumi designed the logo:
https://twitter.com/koizumimari1/status/1594200186662027264
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2023 4:08 pm
I've uploaded my gallery of Master System / Mark III cover art for which I've found the identity of the illustrator(s) involved as well as a more detailed page on the work done on each game for which I've found info (click on the artist's name to see the sources).
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:11 pm
That’s amazing :)
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