We've seen modern day Ukiyo-e, traditional Japanese woodblock prints, artists look to famous rock musicians for inspiration in their work to help rejuvenate interest in the art form in the past. Thanks to the UKIYO-E PROJECT, a project headed by Mitsui Agency International CEO Yuka Mitsui, we've been gifted with incredibly badass Ukiyo-e prints inspired by KISS, and more recently Iron Maiden's Eddie as a courtesan from the depths of Hell. Now Iron Maiden's sinister mascot is back as a blood-soaked sword-wielding killer who decapitates at will with this brutal and epic Ukiyo-e piece!

The title of the piece, which features Eddie as a ruthless killer (the piece is an homage to the album "Killers"), is "Tsujikiri Eddie". "Tsujikiri" literally translates to the brutal act of testing out your blade on a random passerby, but the piece is also intended as an Edo-period motif of "Jack the Ripper". If you wanted to be a little liberal in the translation, "Eddie the Ripper" would be a particularly fitting title, although the official English title is "Slashing Eddie".

The piece was painted by Ishikawa Masumi, who has collaborated on a number of Ukiyo-e pieces in the past. Carving and setting were all carried out by hand by professional craftsmen as well, as each print requires 90 color layers per print, demands the attention of skilled artisans including an illustrator, wood carver, and hand printer.

With a stamp of approval from the legendary metal band, you can pre-order the print for 108,000 yen ($1,250 USD) at Ukiyo-e Project.


By - grape Japan editorial staff.