From anime to fine art: Japan's Yoshitaka Amano is celebrated with a major retrospective

MILAN (AP) — In a career spanning more than 50 years, Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano has gained a following as an animator, illustrator, video game creator and fine artist. All those facets are on display in the largest retrospective of his work in the West, which opened Wednesday in Milan.

The “Amano Corpus Animae” exhibition celebrates Amano as a transversal artist whose Japanese style has been infused with Western influences, from the Italian Renaissance to Marvel superheroes and Pop Art.

Curator Fabio Viola said the exhibition aims to give the 72-year-old Amano “an artistic dignity” with his first major European show.

Amano's prolific career across media — from his start as an animator at the Tatsunoko studio at age 15 to recent work including posters celebrating Puccini’s centenary — reflects his notion that an artist is someone with many talents.

"From what I see in Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, artists cover everything. They did sculptures, costume designs and, of course, paintings,” Amano said during a press preview on Tuesday.

Some fans may recognize his work as an animator for Tasunoko, where Amano trained making sketches of the anime version of Speed Racer before going on to create such characters as Gatchaman and Tekkaman.

Striking out on his own in the 1980s, Amano illustrated such science fantasy classics as the Vampire Hunter D novel series and made his mark in the video game arena with the Final Fantasy franchise.

The exhibition also includes more recent, and perhaps lesser-known, works: an illustration of a model for the January 2020 issue of Vogue Italia, its only cover ever not to feature a live model; an album cover for David Bowie featuring the artist and his wife, Iman; and the Candy Girl series of Pop Art and manga-inspired paintings on aluminum.

“There were people who grew up with my works in real time. Those from the 1970s, I think, will appreciate my animation. Video games for the next generation, while the art can be recognized by two or three generations,’’ Amano said.

Viola selected the 137 original works on display from Amano’s vast archive of more than 10,000 drawings, paintings and other works stored in three warehouses in Tokyo. Amano does not sell any work that has not been specifically commissioned, Viola said, and he had not seen many pieces since storing them decades ago.

“Every fan would immediately recognize his style,” Viola said. “True, it is full of influences. Whoever has a little background in art history would find art nouveau, Klimt, bites of Renaissance, or the Ukiyo-e and the traditional Japanese art prints techniques. But all of this is revisited in a way that Amano’s woman is clearly Amano’s woman."

Trademarks include the lightly drawn eyebrows, smears of color and the brush strokes of acrylic paint, Viola said.

The retrospective was organized by Lucca Comics with the city of Milan and runs through March 1 at the Fabbrica del Vapore.

Artist Yoshitaka Amano poses during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A creation of artist Yoshitaka Amano is displayed during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano poses during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Creations of artist Yoshitaka Amano are displayed during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Creations of artist Yoshitaka Amano are displayed during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano attends the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano sits on one of his creations during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano attends the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano attends the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano attends the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano attends the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano sits on one of his creations during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Artist Yoshitaka Amano is silhouetted next to one of his creation during the press preview of the exhibition "Amano Corpus Animae", celebrating his 50-year-long career, at the Fabbrica del Vapore, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich is recovering from what the San Antonio Spurs described as a mild stroke, though there is no timetable for the NBA's longest-tenured coach to return to the sideline.

Popovich had the stroke on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday, and has already started a rehabilitation program with belief that he will make a full recovery. The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with.

“It's a difficult time for everyone,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades. We all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, a difference presence about them. Clearly, he's one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence and so not having him there's clearly a void. And we miss him.”

The 75-year-old Popovich is the NBA's all-time win leader who has led the Spurs to five championships, plus guided USA Basketball to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs.

“He's doing well. He's doing well. ... He's tough, he's a fighter and he's going to work,” Wright said. “We're all here for him, but he's doing OK.”

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. The Spurs beat Washington 139-130 on Wednesday night, the the seventh straight game in which Johnson has filled in for Popovich.

“Mitch has been great,” Spurs rookie Stephon Castle said Wednesday, before the team announced the details about Popovich’s health. “Even when Pop was here, he’s always had a voice in our huddles and in our locker room. Our philosophies haven’t been changed.”

Victor Wembanyama, who scored a career-high 50 points in the win over the Wizards, said the team first learned about Popovich’s stroke before the team’s announcement.

“Of course I’m a bit worried about Pop,” Wembanyama said. “At the same time, I haven’t talked to him, but I know what mindset he’s on right on. I know he’s working like crazy, probably to come back with us as soon as possible. I trust him. I trust the people taking care of him right now. I hope he’s not going to be away from us for too long.”

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or if a blood vessel in the brain bursts. That deprives the brain of oxygen which can cause brain damage that can lead to difficulty thinking, talking and walking, or even death. Strokes may lead to difficulty speaking, paralysis or loss of movement in certain muscles, memory loss and more.

It is unknown if Popovich is dealing with any aftereffects of the stroke.

Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans have a stroke every year.

The Spurs were playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Nov. 2, and Popovich's medical episode occurred there in the hours before that game. Johnson took over for that night's contest, which the Spurs won, after the team said Popovich was not feeling well.

Johnson and Popovich spoke on Nov. 3, and on Nov. 4 Johnson said Popovich is “in good spirits ... he'll be OK. He is OK.” The Spurs had not released much in the way of details since, prior to Wednesday's announcement about the stroke.

Wright raved about the way Johnson and the Spurs have bonded and dealt with the absence of the team's leader.

“It's exactly what Coach Pop would want us to do,” Wright said. “And so, it's on all of us to play our part, to play our role, to continue to lean on each other, support one another and be there for one another.”

Popovich is one of only three coaches to win the NBA coach of the year award three times, Don Nelson and Pat Riley being the others. He’s one of five coaches with at least five NBA titles; Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5) are the others.

Popovich has been part of the Spurs for nearly 35 years. He was an assistant coach from 1988 through 1992, then returned to the club on May 31, 1994, as its executive vice president for basketball operations and general manager. He made the decision to fire coach Bob Hill and appoint himself coach on Dec. 10, 1996.

He's been the Spurs' sideline boss ever since.

“We look forward to the day that we can welcome him back,” Wright said.

Popovich's 29-year run with the Spurs is a span the likes of which has been nearly unmatched in U.S. major pro sports history.

Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 years, George Halas coached the Chicago Bears for 40 years and John McGraw managed the New York Giants for 31 years. Those three tenures — all wrapping up well over a half-century ago — are the only ones exceeding Popovich’s run with the Spurs; his 29-year era in San Antonio to this point matches the tenures that Dallas Cowboys’ Tom Landry and the Green Bay Packers’ Curly Lambeau had in those jobs.

Reynolds reported from Miami.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gives instructions to his players during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul has a word with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reacts after a call by the official, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gives instructions to his players during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul has a word with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reacts after a call by the official, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)