Nihon SF Grand Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 36 (2015) achievement award
Noriyoshi Ohrai
おおらい のりよし
Ohrai Noriyoshi
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1935-11-17 （Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan）
- Died
- 2015-10-27 （Kunitomi, Higashimorokata District, Miyazaki, Japan） age 79
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Tokyo (residence / work base) → Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture (moved in 1973)
Career
- Occupations
- Illustrator, Artist
- Active Years
- 1962-2015
- Influenced By
- Frans Hals
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kagoshima Prefectural Sendai High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts | Faculty of Fine Arts | — | — | 入学後中退 | Japan |
Kagoshima Prefectural Sendai High School
Country:
Japan
Graduated from high school
Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts
Faculty of Fine Arts
Period:
入学後中退
Country:
Japan
Enrolled but later withdrew
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Seiun Award (Art) | Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back — international poster (image) | アート部門 | Federation of SF Fan Groups of Japan | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Miyazaki Prefectural Cultural Prize (Arts) | — | 芸術部門 | Miyazaki Prefecture | 受賞 |
| 2014 | Agency for Cultural Affairs Film Award (Merit) | — | 功労賞 | Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) | 受賞 |
| 2016 | Japan SF Grand Prize (Merit Award) | — | 功績賞 | Japan SF-related organizations | 受賞（追贈） |
| 2016 | Seiun Award (Art, posthumous honor) | — | アート部門 | Federation of SF Fan Groups of Japan | 受賞（追贈） |
Seiun Award (Art)
1980
Work:
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back — international poster (image)
Category:
アート部門
Organization:
Federation of SF Fan Groups of Japan
Result:
受賞
Miyazaki Prefectural Cultural Prize (Arts)
2013
Category:
芸術部門
Organization:
Miyazaki Prefecture
Result:
受賞
Agency for Cultural Affairs Film Award (Merit)
2014
Category:
功労賞
Organization:
Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result:
受賞
Japan SF Grand Prize (Merit Award)
2016
Category:
功績賞
Organization:
Japan SF-related organizations
Result:
受賞（追贈）
Seiun Award (Art, posthumous honor)
2016
Category:
アート部門
Organization:
Federation of SF Fan Groups of Japan
Result:
受賞（追贈）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Noriyoshi Ohrai Illustrations
1980 Illustration collectionAn early representative illustration collection showcasing his oil-paint-like realism and bold compositions.
Science fictionHistoryWarMyth
Ohrai Noriyoshi 198X Illustrations
1982 Illustration collectionA collection of early-1980s works, including many pieces from his SF and movie poster commissions.
TokusatsuKaijuMilitary chronicles
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back — International Poster (illustration)
1980 Poster illustrationAn image that caught George Lucas's attention and led to an official poster commission; one of his representative SF works.
Science fictionMovie poster
Adaptations
- [Poster] Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (international poster) (1980)
Bibliography
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Illustrations (1980, Tokuma Shoten)
- Ohrai Noriyoshi 198X Illustrations (1982, Kodansha)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Illustration 2: The Phantom World (1983, Tokuma Shoten)
- Myths — THE BEAUTIES IN MYTHS (1988, Tokuma Shoten)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai: THE ILLUSTRATOR (2014, Miyazaki Bunka Honpo)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai: Green Universe (2014, Genkosha)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai II: Corridor of Memories 1966-1984 (2015, Miyazaki Bunka Honpo)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Exhibition: THE ILLUSTRATOR (2016, Miyazaki Bunka Honpo)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai III: THE LAST ODYSSEY 1985-2015 (2016, Miyazaki Bunka Honpo)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai: Miscellanea (2016, Miyazaki Bunka Honpo)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Naval Vessels Catalogue (2017, Genkosha)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai War Chronicles Artbook (2018, Genkosha)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Artbook: Phantom (2019, Fukkan.com)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Artbook: Werewolves (2020, Fukkan.com)
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Artbook: SAKYO (2020, Fukkan.com)
Adaptations
- Noriyoshi Ohrai Exhibitions (retrospectives)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Oil-paint-like realismStrong dominant colors and bold coloringPhotorealistic detail combined with dramatic deformation
- Recurring Motifs
- Kaiju and tokusatsuWar and naval vesselsHistorical scenesMyth and supernatural
Health
-
Cerebral infarction (stroke)2011年 - 2011年（発症後療養）After the stroke he ceased active work and entered a period of recuperation, effectively ending creative activity
-
Pneumonia (cause of death)2015年10月（死去）Died of pneumonia in October 2015
Legacy
A leading Japanese illustrator known internationally for movie posters such as Star Wars and Godzilla. His distinctive use of color and composition, dubbed the "Ohrai touch," had major influence in tokusatsu and SF illustration.
Museums
- The Ueno Royal Museum (Noriyoshi Ohrai exhibition held) Taitō, Tokyo, Japan
- Akashi City Cultural Museum (collection / exhibition) Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan
Archives
- Miyazaki Bunka Honpo (holds works and publications)
In Popular Culture
- Known worldwide for the international poster of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- Had strong influence on the visual language of Japanese tokusatsu through Heisei Godzilla series posters
Trivia
- His distinctive use of color and composition is called the "Ohrai touch."
- His son is also a painter (goes by the name Orai Tarō).
- He worked without assistants, producing illustrations himself with pen and brush.