Japanese prints have a long history of hyper-violent, blood-soaked imagery. Just google "Kyosai face rip" or "Yoshitoshi murders" and you'll quickly get the point. 

Because of this established genre in Ukiyo-e, it wasn't a big jump to adapt this game series into the traditional Japanese style. It came pretty naturally!

The top caption reads 八熱地獄深入, which translates to 'Into the Eight Levels of Hell'. Many sects of Japanese Buddhism describe a Hell that is separated into eight different realms:

1. Toukatsu Jigoku – The Reviving Hell

2. Kokujou Jigoku – The Hell of Black Rope

3. Shugou Jigoku – The Crushing Hell

4. Kyoukan Jigoku – The Screaming Hell

5. Dai-kyoukan Jigoku – The Hell of Great Screaming 

6. Jounetsu Jigoku – The Burning Hell

7. Dai-jounetsu Jigoku – The Great Burning Hell

8. Mugen Jigoku – The Hell of Unending Suffering

You can learn more about Japanese Buddhist Hell here. 

The bottom caption has the characters 斬 (to kill by the sword) and 裂 (to tear). Together, the caption can be translated to say "Rip and Tear".

Archival pigments on acid-free handmade Japanese paper.

Every print is signed and sealed by the artist.
Measures 12x17 inches.

手漉き和紙（耳付き）と顔料絵の具を使用。
各作品に絵師ジェッドのサインと落款付き。
31.75 x 43 cm.
注文後2週間以内に発送予定