Katsuya Terada’s Original Zelda Art

Many remember the official Nintendo Power artwork for the early Zelda games, but the artist to which they are accredited has never been in the spotlight. Kotaku has shed some light on Katsuya Terada in a recent feature. He is the genius behind many illustrations published in Nintendo Power magazine for the first handful of Zelda installments. What’s most amazing is that Terada so vividly captures the essence of the early Zelda games in detailed drawings with the games’ primitive visuals. Interpreting the 8-bit and 16-bit characters and environments is an incredibly difficult thing to do, and Katsuya Terada’s art style clearly portrays The Legend of Zelda well, since his illustrations are scattered around the internet today. Make the jump to check out more of the Rakugakingu‘s work.

These pieces portray Link’s efforts. In the first picture, Link confronts Ganon, who wields the Trident of Power. Link’s character design in the piece matches that of Link in later games. He is wearing what appears to be a tunic and sports an arrow quiver, arrows and a bow on his back. He readies his sword for the fight that is about to ensue. In typical Terada fashion, the illustration is simple and doesn’t try to overwhelm the viewer with flashy colors and enormous amounts of detail.

In the second picture, Link is seen with Zelda in one arm while he clenches the Master Sword with his other hand. The Triforce is being united, and the silent couple shares a rare moment alone. Terada really puts his own perspective on the happenings in A Link to the Past by creating a somewhat romantic situation for the two, which players could only have dreamed of seeing in the game.

Katsuya Terada is rightfully dubbed as the Rakugakingu:the Doodle King. Having done work for the comic books Hellboy and Iron Man, it is safe to say that Terada is an artist that likes to create quick sketches and not spend too much time on one piece. This results in drawings that blends color, a sketchpad look and an unspoken elegance that combine into a unique style that is all his own. Be sure to check out the rest of the gallery on Kotaku and let us know if you like this simple-but-appealing art!

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