Art of Kubo and the Two Strings

Description

An art of book for the next stop-motion animation feature from the studio behind CORALINE, PARANORMAN, and THE BOXTROLLS. A swashbuckling adventure set in a mythical ancient Japan, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS features an original screenplay by the writers of PARANORMAN, and a voice cast that includes Art Parkinson (Rickon Stark on Game of Thrones) as Kubo, plus Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, and Brenda Vaccaro. Scruffy, kind-hearted Kubo cares devotedly for his mother while eking out a humble living in their sleepy Japanese village. But when a spirit from the past appears, Kubo suddenly finds himself in the midst of a conflict fought among gods and monsters. To survive, he must seek the magical suit of armor once worn by his fallen father, the greatest samurai the world has ever known. Summoning his courage, and an unlikely coterie of friends, Kubo embarks on an epic adventure that requires him to face his family's history, navigate the elements, and bravely fight to free himself from an age-old vendetta. Blending the handcrafted artistry of stop-motion filmmaking with cutting edge CG technology, LAIKA creates incredibly detailed worlds and characters, pushing the possibilities of animation further with each new film. In this fully illustrated book, the creators of KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS reveal the inventiveness and painstaking work they poured into creating Kubo's world and his odyssey. With concept art, puppets, props, and set photos on every page, and with insights from the filmmakers and artists themselves, this is a lovingly curated behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.

LAIKA is an animation studio that produces original animated films. Their latest feature, The Boxtrolls, was nominated for a Golden Globe. ParaNorman, released in 2012, was nominated for both an Oscar (R) and a BAFTA. And their first stop motion movie, Coraline, was released to critical acclaim and won an Oscar (R) in 2009. Travis Knight is LAIKA's president and CEO as well as lead animator on LAIKA's first feature, Coraline; producer and lead animator on both ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls; and producer and director on Kubo and the Two Strings. He lives in Portland, Oregon. Emily Haynes is an editor and author.

"This book is filled with gorgeous artwork, character designs, and storyboards. There are a few film stills, as well as a few examples of Kiyoshi Saito's woodblock prints, which had a huge influence on the look of the film...if you're a fan of the movie, you'll love perusing this book, too." -GeekDad Holiday Gift Guide Pick --Nerdist