The Art of Final Fantasy Slipcased Edition - The Sky

This is one hefty coffee table book. I was able to get it for a very good price and astounded at how high quality the outer slipcase box is and how fun it is to look through the books and recognize artwork from games I enjoyed as a child. Very nice!

Ok ok I haven't even open this thing yet, I'm regretting not having ordered two, one to open and one to keep mint. It looks fantastic and is soooo big. I got it at a super great price and am so happy.

Pages and pages of beautiful sketches. Final Fantasy has always been one of my favourite games. Seeing the making of it and all the art of it just make it complete for me. The innovation and creativity of Yoshitaka Amano never fail to amaze me. What a great talent. Many people can draw, but not many of us can create, and Amano sure is a master of creating.

I will start out by saying I am an art student, so art books at least for me are much more important to me for inspiration/studying different painting techniques than a coffee table conversation piece. With that said I found the concept art in here very beautiful, the mono chromatic approach to concept art that Amano takes is really brilliant, monochromatic pieces in my opinion are the most interesting because you can add just a second color very subtly and it will make your work pop!

I ordered this when it was on sale a few weeks ago, but it was backordered, yet still go the sale price. Let me just say this thing is MASSIVE. It's far larger than you may expect. The construction is great and the books themselves are beautifully printed. It would have been nice if the books were equal in size, but that's more of a personal nitpick that doesn't affect the score.

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. Its soooo way different from what you usually expect from an artbook, but still, it makes your imagination wonder at some distant worlds... what else you can expect from an artbook? great source of inspiration.

I think this is possible the best artwork book i ever purchased. The quality of the illustrations is beautiful and the covers are also something else. It's a must have for any old-Final Fantasy fan. It certainly poor in the FF7 and FF8 side; but it covers (for me) a lot on the best FFs (FF4, FF6 and FF9).

This is how all artbooks should be.

This is a must-have for any lovers of Amano's work. I've seen lots of items in this collection that I've never seen before. The silk-wrapped slipcase feels really high quality, and each of the pages are lovely and thick, and make excellent use of page space.

You simply cannot beat Amano and this collection is perhaps his best. Even though many of the books do not include some of the more dynamic pictures that you can find in his other art collections, it is great to see nearly all of his art for the Final Fantasy series in one place.

It's an amazing book set. The slip case is very delicate with fine printings. It uses paper of the highest quality and the three books added together are indeed heavy. The graphs of Yoshitaka Amano are undoubtedly beautiful. Very valuable purchase for such a price.

These books are gorgeous. Don't expect text or new information about the games or anything -- these are "just" drawings of the characters. Everything from rough sketches to full-cover promotional art, of both main characters and enemies.

Highly recommended if you're a fan of the first 10 Final Fantasy games.

AN ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVE for any Final Fantasy fan that appreciates art and aspect of the games!! The price is a steal for the amazing packaging and 3 beautiful hard cover volumes of amazing artwork within!! This collection of masterful art by the very talented Mr Amano is a welcome addition to my collection!!

I'm going to make this short...

I did not expect THIS MUCH for such a price. I've bought nearly 50+ artbooks (a majority of which I bought from Japan) and this is THE MOST I HAVE EVER GOTTEN FOR MY MONEY. Bang for your buck? Here it is. Amazing, intricate and mystical! The artwork of Amano-sensei.

The paper is of very good quality. Nice and thick with a glossy texture. The binding is near-perfect. The perfs where the book is bound (white lines between the pages) is slightly visible, but stretch enough and not too much to the point where you can view 2-page artworks almost perfectly without it being a hindrance!

The slipcase... I did not expect it to be very hardbound WITH SILKY FABRIC WOVEN ON TOP WITH ART FEATURED ON IT!! The 3 books themselves are STURDY hardcovers unlike hardcovers that feel like they're made out of cheap cardboard that are sure to last along with the beautiful slipcase.

This slipcase set comes shipped with literally 2 boxes. The shipping package (in this case, the store's) and a well fitted cardboard box that keeps the set very, very well protected! No issues with damages at all if bought new!

This was an amazing buy. If you are the slightest bit interested. GET IT. So much content, astonishing presentation, extreme satisfaction. That's all I can say. Happy shopping!

I bought this for my sister for christmas. She loves art and the final fantasy games so I thought it would be great. I was a bit hesitant because I wasn't sure what a "slipcased" edition was, but this looked like a book to me. It really is 11.5 pounds and looks great.

As most art books (especially by Amano) are overpriced and incomplete, this set is an absolute steal at $65. The art is reproduced with outstanding quality and given plenty of room to breathe on the page. My only complaint is that Squeenix doesn't make a modern game with this art direction!

If you appreciate the various types of final fantasy covers you will enjoy this book. You got a lot more then you pay for and will thoroughly enjoy this collection.

Dark horse always makes wonderful books. Very high quality.

I was very surprised by just how great the quality is on these. A lot of game artbooks I've received have been pretty flimsy, but this has a beautiful velvety box that you open by pulling a ribbon containing very durable and good looking hardcovers. Tons of art, definitely the best collectors piece for final fantasy I've bought.

Amazing book. If you like Final Fantasy games in any way, then you'll love this book. Each book in the set chronicles the eras of artwork from Final Fantasy 1 on the NES up through the newer releases.

Brilliant paintwork, a clear progression of work flow

I wish there was more explained about the different mediums or character design changes. some character sketches by Mr. Amano look very different from their final design. I also wish there was more about the artist himself, what influenced him and what roles shifted as he continued working for square.

This is a beautiful book. Everything about it is a great piece of any Final Fantasy collection. The artwork is amazing and looks great together in one collection. Would be a great gift for any collector.

I have playing games from the Final Fantasy series since I was a lad and have enjoyed every single one of them. At first glance I knew I had to have this amazing collection of art from one of the lead artists for most of the series. For any art fan or fan of the series I highly recommend this. ^_^

The quality of each art book included is quite amazing! The level of detail towards preserving the original works are truly astounding as the viewer is able to clearly discern which pieces were originally created utilizing different techniques such as water colors. Even the fabric case that houses the art books is visually stunning, fantastically made, and quite durable. Anyone who enjoys the art associated with Final Fantasies 1 - 10 should certainly consider buying this amazing collection! P.S. Those who buy the art books exclusively for viewing Final Fantasy 7 and/or 8 pieces will likely be discouraged as there are not many created by Yoshitaka Amano or at least there are not many in the associated art book included.

it gets shipped in two boxes the slipcase itself is felt covered the books are hardbound and for the 60 bucks I paid for this thing was a steal. the art is like looking into the mind of a master of the craft. I would highly recommend it to any other art students or fans of Final Fantasy:)

It's hard to believe that something like this would exist for so little. I definitely got more than I expected, and it felt like every religious holiday thrown into one when I saw the size of the package the post office handed over to me. And then I opened it!
Pages upon pages of glory spitting your face. Silk bound box, with three massive books with more pictures than words. I'm sure I must have been tricked. I keep checking to see if there is maybe some kind of 'conspiratorial' script watermarked into the pages, for a cult trying to brainwash us through reasonably priced masterpieces. Haven't found anything yet. Might just have to accept that someone in the publishing world decided to be very nice to people like me.

book full of sketches...no nonsense stuff. what i love about this book is some sketches are so crude yet the evolution is amazing afterwards...this truly inspires that u just need a start and u can go about doing wonders.

This is a really great collection of concept art for the final fantasy series in multiple mediums. If you want something interesting to toss on your coffee table when your friends come to visit this would make a great choice.

Fantastic art collection. There's art in there from I-X. Ou downside is the book containing VII-X is the smallest :/

Other than that it's really fantastic work. Great case. Books are out together very well.

If you are a fan of Final Fantasy, you need to get this amazing collection of art works from a multitude of the games in the series. The outside of the box is very high quality stuff and each book contains very high quality pages of different characters and monsters from the game. For the price it is right now there should be no second thought. Great price and great piece to own for any fan of Final Fantasy.

I will try to make this short and sweet. Amazing! I have been waiting for this to come out forever and it finally arrived. I knew it would be good but this is deffinately the classiest set of books I have ever purchased. They went above and beyond with this thing. Not only are the books and contents inside them beautiful and wonderfully crafted, the case they come in is of the same quality. Not just some throw-away cardboard box but a piece of art itself. Buy it while you still can. What you'll get is worth many times more what you'll spend.

U know liking a game/series so much that it becomes ur favourite game of all time. And than u find out that its art book is actually the freaking best work and compilation ever as well and for a price that makes u doubt the deal credibility? Well my body my mind cannot bear so much happiness.

This is fantastic. It weighs about 25 lbs and is super high quality. Everything from the slip case to the bindings to the actual pages is the highest quality. I am very happy I purchased this and it is proudly displayed in my house!

The books are great, exquisite paintings and sketches yet, if you are a FF XI fan like me you'll find that the book III covers only until FF X; all ilustrations made by Yoshitaka for FF XI like the installation screensavers and maps are missing. Was very dissapointing because I was looking specifically for those, everything else is great specially the art for FF VII.

This is a great item: a heavy, lush, high quality set of three hardcover art books and one book about the artist, Yoshitaka Amano, himself.

These books contain some previously unreleased Final Fantasy illustrations. Most of them seem to be various illustrations from Final Fantasy VI, including but not limited to unreleased renderings of Terra in a predominantly blue outfit; a bluish Shadow and his red-and-white-striped dog, Interceptor; and Locke sporting the finest of pale pink jackets. However, most of the art you will probably have seen before in some form or another.

Oddly, this collection does not contain any of the promotional artwork Amano did for the series after Final Fantasy X. Surely some of it would have been available at the time this set was being assembled; maybe not. It's not enough of an omission for me to actually complain, though.

The extras are fun: the flip book has a little moogle going splat on one side and a ethereal woman twirling around on the other side. The acetate print is metallic silver on a clear background; I imagine it would look great framed against dark purple or blue matting. The post-cards are pretty self-explanatory and I'd probably rather frame them than use them. And there's a card with an autograph. I know people want the autograph, but it's on its own separate card and not on the books themselves. If ever a copy of this set is published without all the extras, you'll probably eventually have a chance to get the set signed in person at one comic con or another, and maybe Amano will do a quick illustration for you to go with the autograph! Still, I am glad to have mine.

I waited anxiously for this to arrive and I was not disappointed. Hopefully Dark Horse will release a stripped-down set for those who are mainly interested in the art books, which by themselves are quite beautiful and worth the price of the set.

If you love Final Fantasy you'll definitely love this artbook. The quality of the book, pages, and artwork is beautiful. All the main art and concept art that never got released is really impressive. Overall, a great buy for any collector or lover of the Final Fantasy games.

This is a wonderful product, I just received my box today with surprise since it was only scheduled a week later, and I can't believe I got all of this for less than 90$ at the time I pre-ordered it. This is a long overdue occidental version of the Japanese box that went out a few years ago and sells today for crazy prices more than 1,000$, so if you also have a chance to find it don't hesitate !
Everything is so perfectly package, and the books are of great quality. If you love Amano's work you won't be disappointed !
Truly a beautiful piece of collector, I highly recommend it to any final fantasy fan as well as art enthusiasts in general.

I was thinking this would contain the same extras as the previous special boxed edition, it doesn't. It only contains the 3 volumes but it's still great. Like other reviews mentioned the slip case presentation is beautifully realized in a fine cloth print covering, quite delicate so handle with care. Solidly bound books, thick paper and muted gloss finish suggest durability overall.

The prints represent Amano's fluid style many of which are what would seem light sketches while others more fully realized works of art. I find it inspiring because you get to see his basic approach to creating character designs, then how he refines compositions by balancing color with form.

For this price it's a must have for Amano fans. the store took great care in packaging to insure that this hefty set arrives unscathed.

I only took one star off, but it was mainly because I was under the wrong impression that it included the bonus mini biography of the artist which reveals a glimpse into his choice of art tools and processes.

Warning: This "blog" will most likely not help you with anything and does not refund your time back! :P

I pre-ordered this back in June and happily and joyfully and tearfully received my copy after release. At the time of pre-ordering I had no idea this was limited in quantity of release!

I can't say I'm reviewing this for the full content as I've yet to unsealed its plastic wrapping! At this stage I don't actually want to as I preferably like my limited/collectors edition of art books and such kept sealed without a breath of oxygen. As an avid collector, I would also prefer to have multiple copies of such treasures...one to keep a virgin, the other to break open! ;)

Therefore, this non-review score/rating/moogle-star is based on what I've held in my hand. It's beautifully presented with a massively weight distribution and cover with a plastic seal of death for anyone who dare lets it rip!! Mwuhahaha! I love the lavish art work on the cover of the hard bound box holding all the contents, I've never seen such elegant material used for an outer box before...but then again, I don't exactly have a huge collection of expensive art books either.

It's all glittery and shiny right now, and hopefully it remains that way :)

Like mentioned previously, it was only found out that there's only 1000 units produced and released! I was chatting about this stealthy move with a friend, and he came up with a theoretical reasoning of why the "magic" number wasn't announced months ago or at the beginning.

So perhaps they were deciding to limited production to 1000 units and with-holding that vital information from the public until later found out practically...though still not officially or properly announced about the "magic" 1000 number!? One sneaky reason for this was, maybe, to deter 'scalpers' from pre-ordering this in great numbers and therefore 90% of buyers would have only be those who want to profit from poor fans! Had they initially announced that production will be limited to 1000, I'm willing to bet that pre-orders would have been fulfilled within a weeks or just a few days even! There would have been even less chance of any real fans getting hold of just one copy?! eBay right now would have hundreds being auctioned off or with even absolutely ridiculous prices soaring to over $2k?? As it is, I've only found 3 on evilbay, which is a huge decline compared to last week when I found over 10.

I've also read on other forums that some have hope of stripped down presentations being released so that everyone else will have a chance to just own the books itself without all the glamour presentations. Selling the main attraction of the package, which are the 3 main art books, may alleviate some hard-done-by would be owners.

It is a shame there were only 1000 units released, and I sure hope the individual books will be available to the mass sooner rather than later. I sure would (re-)purchase the books so that I can indefinitely keep the Limited Edition sealed with a kiss! ^___^

One of the most beautiful collector art sets I have ever seen! The case is made out of very nice silky material that houses 3 separate books, Sky 1, Sky 2, and Sky 3

Sky 1 covers FF I-III, Sky 2 covers FF IV-VII, and Sky 3 covers FF VIII-X - That is beautiful original art spanning 14 years of Final Fantasy!

The only negative I can say about this collectors set is that the silky outer case material likes to come undone, meaning threads become loose and unravel when being placed or moved around and that I wanted more art from Sky 3, being the smallest book out of the 3.

Enjoy the 14 years of fantasy we have had and enjoy another 14 years more!

Wow. Just…wow.

I can draw. I’m actually pretty decent at recreating anything you place in front of me. But the thing is, I can’t create. I can’t sit down, imagine a horrifying monster or a beautiful fairy and make it come to life. My lines always end up wrong or the features not quite what I picture in my mind. That said, I’m always more than a little in awe of anyone that can flawlessly pull creatures from their imaginations and with the tip of a pen or the stroke of a paintbrush give them life on a piece of paper or a canvas.

This is not a pretty book of animation that you can flip through in a few minutes, nor is it one to set on your coffee table so that guests have something to do. At least I wouldn’t recommend putting it there if you plan on conversing with them because the second they pick it up they’re likely to fall under its spell and be lost to conversation and company.

What this book is, is completely transcendent. Within it is page after page after page of gorgeous artwork. I can’t tell you how many times I paused for minutes on end staring at a creature or a landscape and marveling at the talent that it must have taken to create such a being or place. My fingers ran over lines drawn in pen and ink, the swirling mists of watercolors and rough, yet brutally mesmerizing sketches.

The art was ethereal, exotic, alien, terrifying, feral, mythical, creepy and whimsical. Each painting or sketch pulled an emotion from me, each drew the eye.

Mind? Blown.

I enjoyed most of the artwork, as I always have enjoyed Final Fantasy design. I'm most disappointed by the lack of FFVII art. I expected there to be quite a bit considering how popular and beloved that game was. Finding out that there's only about 20 pages worth of FFVII artwork is most saddening.

Amano has few peers in the realm of Japanese illustration -- Katsuya Terada and Katsuhiro Otomo are the only artists who have a similar talent and popular appeal, and Otomo basically retired when his career as a film-maker detonated. This beautiful three-volume set from Dark Horse collects Amano's conceptual art for Final Fantasy (obviously), a very specific focus which includes art that is fully-painted, intricate, and suitably epic, as well as rougher, sketchier work.

Dark Horse has collected three hardcover volumes -- each one devoted to an instalment of the Final Fantasy video game series -- into one of the most exquisite, silk-covered box-top slipcases I've ever seen. While the complete lack of biographical or critical writing makes each book seem a little hollow, and a good amount of the art is pretty far from prime Amano, the materials, page-count, design and pricing make this a purchase you're not likely to regret.

There is nothing in this set that could be considered an example of Amano's best work; but there is some endlessly fascinating imagery, even for those who -- like me -- never got into the video games, and absolutely hated the movie. Like the just-released art-book on Katsuya Terada, this is another excellent book by Dark Horse. They have production standards far higher than DC or Marvel, charging considerably lower prices for considerably better books. When you consider the fact that DC/Marvel volumes have average print runs 10 times larger than DH and are therefore able to purchase their materials at less than half of what Dark Horse spends, that they also use cheaper paper-stock, binding and printing, reducing their costs relative to Dark Horse's costs even further, and that they then sell it to dealers with a 'Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price' that is usually much higher than the Dark Horse MSRP, it's infuriating. If DC had made this book, it would have had a card-board slipcase without the iridescent silk-cloth covering, the paper would have been thinner, and the price-tag would be 200$, with a sale price of 140$. Thank God for publishers like Dark Horse. This is one of the best-buys on the store, and although it's selling fairly well, this is one book that might be worth a lot more when it goes out of print.

This is one of the best presents I have ever received and it is thanks to my lovely girlfriend that I love so much that I have it. Yoshitaka Amano is one of my favorite artists of all time and for MANY years I have wanted some form of complete collection for his work on Final Fantasy. He's been drawing for Final Fantasy since its inception in 1987 and to have all that art in my possession was a dream up until now.

This particular set ranges from the original Final Fantasy up until Final Fantasy X which for me is the perfect cut off despite their being games released after. I would have been happy if it ended at VI seeing as that was the last Final Fantasy game where Amano truly had almost complete design and creative control with his artwork (though he did majorly contribute to FFXI).

Since FFVII, Amano often handles just the logos for the series as his main duties have been given to Tetsuya Nomura (whom I'm hoping has his own collection someday soon alongside Akihiko Yoshida, the artist for all the Ivalice world games and the Ogre series) since FFVII (with the exception of FFIX, FFXI and FFXII). So, everything else is just a bonus to me.

I was expecting cardboard slide outs like I'm sure almost everyone who was anticipating this collection was since, it was advertised as a slip case edition in its order title. But no, this to my surprise and absolute delight is a VERY high quality set and easily one of the best I have seen. The fact it was at a price far lower than what you'd expect a set like this in such quality is almost unbelievable.

There is the main box that contains the three hardcover artbooks and acts almost like a huge chest. The box has a hinged lid and has a tassel that easily opens it. The material going all around it is satin textured which shields damage and absorbs force as well as looks and feels nice. The art is even in the satin material going all the way around it inside and out which is REALLY nice.

The three hardcover books are HUGE and loaded with pages and beautiful art. The pages have a nice texture and thickness hat doesn't feel like it's too thick or hard to turn the pages. The front of each book has the artwork of Amano with their number ranging from 1-3 on the front with additional artwork of Amano's on the back. When all the books are inside the case you have a noticeably heavy thing to hold. You can legitimately use it as a weight. I am just blown away by how high quality this entire set is. I was NOT expecting this at all. Worth it even at twice the price the one I received was.

This was a fun book to reminisce with. I love playing the final fantasy games so I had a great time going through this collection of amazing artwork. The only regret I have now is that I never played a lot of the early games that the artwork here depicts.

This is one of those books you just want to stare at, noticing all the details. You really come to appreciate the world. It has left me wanting to go play the games. So, when I have some free cash, I get to head over to the used game store to see what I can find. So here are some points of interest I found for the various games art the artistic use shown. Please note, I am not an artist by any means, not do I know the terminology. I am just a gaming fan who happens to like artwork as well.

Final Fantasy 1-1987: Some art is very detailed-worthy of wall art. Others sketchy, quick drawings. Both color, paint, pencil, etc. A nice blend of work shown.

FF2- 1988: Lots of collages. Edgier work. Covers the names of beloved characters. which was a nice bonus.

FF3-1990: Maturity in color use. Some outfits were too busy however, in color and style, showing trends to close to late 80's look in real life. Fitting for the time but a bit too much to look at now.

FF4-1991: Richer color use. Bold blues, reds, greens,etc vs pastels. More dragons which was fun to see being a dragon fan.

FF5-1992: Solid colors, and schemes with red and black being predominant with other accented colors. Not all characters were this way. Such as Gogo the mimic who was extremely colorful! Drawings for this game also shows more battle scenes.

FF6-1994: The best blend of work so far in my opinion. A maturing blend of styles. Also, the characters seem more expressive in this one. Plus there are pictures of Mog, who is just adorable!

FF7-FF10 ??????????????????? I do not know where these are. Please note my copy of this was a review copy, not the finished work but for some reason it does not show the last third of the artwork. It seriously just stopped at page 383! I do not know if it is either a glitch in my copy or because it was only meant for review and being this isn't a novel I don't need to see everything. I do not know.

My only real complaint is I wanted information. More that just a character name. Final Fantasy is about plot. Give me some information about the characters. Monster info would be nice too. Don't get me wrong the art selection is incredible, worthy of 5 stars, but I like to know a bit about what I am looking at, especially since I haven't played all the games. Oh well. Still I has so much fun viewing this. The artwork is so detailed! A very enthralling book to view.

Special Thanks to Diamond Book distributors and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this. This book was given in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Beautiful collection of books. This is “a must” for any art fan of the Final Fantasy series. I got this as a gift and was amazed at the quality of the product. The collection now sits on my coffee table and is always picked up by friends and family and they are amazed at the quality and depth of not only the book, but of the quality of art made for the series. Great price for a great set of books.

The Sky features the artwork of Yoshitaka Amano who developed the characters in the video game series Final Fantasy. This is a reprint of three previously rare books and is a high quality work.

There are pages of sketches of heroes and creatures encountered in the games. Some are pen and ink with a simple watercolor accent of one color. Others are fully painted. All are pretty amazing, and show a vivid artistic imagination.

What you won't find are many words. There is no introduction, and while there are some character names sprinkled throughout, there is a lack of description. It's been a while since I played some of these games, so I vaguely remembered some of the characters, but the art is consistent. It's probably for more of a niche collector, and one who is more familiar with the Final Fantasy series, but I enjoyed poring through the pages and enjoying a top fantasy artist.

I was very pleasantly surprised when I received the package for this book. I bought it on sale and expected something smaller and less weighty, but in the box it is about 12"x12" and weighs several pounds. The silkscreened cardboard case houses the three hardbound volumes, filled with character art from the first ten Final Fantasy games. Character art is about all the volumes contain, in varying degrees from sketches to artful renditions.

I've never played Final Fantasy but I'm certainly familiar with the video game series, but my requesting an ARC of a book of Final Fantasy art has much more to do with my interest in art than it does with the subject matter in this case.

The art here is by Yoshitaka Amano. It is delicate and beautiful - even that of the more dangerous creatures. Much of the artwork looks like more of a sketch than a finely detailed finished painting but I suspect that this is Amano's style.

I liked what I saw and this would make a nice coffee-table art book, drawing the attention of not just fans of fine fantasy art, but also anyone familiar with the Final Fantasy video games.

As nice as this book is to look at, there is something missing however. Words.

My ARC of this book has no introduction, no description of what Amano is painting. Not even a paragraph letting me know the goals behind the characters. Who created the characters? Was it Amano or a writer behind the story-lines for Final Fantasy (this is me assuming there are story-lines behind the video games). If there was a writer, how did Amano take the descriptions to make his creations?

Surely the main audience for this book will be fans of the video game, but I would like to think that even the fans would want to know a little about the artwork, and for those of us who aren't fans of the game(s) a little background would be more than just a little helpful.

Looking for a good book? <em>The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy</em> by Yoshitaka Amano is pretty to look at but without any background to the art, only the most dedicated of <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans are likely to really enjoy this book.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved Amano's art for so long, when I saw this in a store I so so so baddly wanted it but 1, I didn't have the money, and 2, it's as if you are holding bricks and I was in a mall.
The art work inside the book is absolutely beautiful and is litterally the best gift I have ever received from anyone, I don't think anyone can top it either.

What a pleasant surprise is to be laying in bed when the mailman calls... You know there is the possibility of it being the package you ordered some weeks prior... and in fact it was.

Quite heavy was the box and once I was able to open it there was just a surprise after another.

The three main books are beautiful. Even if the last one doesn't is a little thin on content compared to the other two they all are exquisite.

There are some images that are trimmed down to fit but they could have been displayed completely (still they are rare).

The additional books are also quite nice and feel like a heartfelt gift.

The flipbook is fun to have around just so you can see it in action, and the "all about Amano" not only is a very intimate view into his working habits but also a quite useful guide of the images in the main books.

All in all, WONDERFUL!

Absolutely stunning artwork collection. A must for any FF fan that is fond of Amano's work. The quality of the book is really good, there is some weight to it and it holds all 3 volumes. There is a lot of variety to each volume that spans the entire series with Amano's brilliant designs.

Well built casing for the books. Unlike other video game art books I have seen, this set is packed full of and only concept art from many of the Final Fantasy games. There is a great variety in the art and this set showcases Amano's unique and beautiful style.

This is also a good set to draw inspiration from if you are a traditional or digital illustrator.

I was suprised that the book was so huge! But it is my fault for not reading the description well. But I have to add that I have no regrets with buying this. If you love Final Fantasy series like I do, and love the art work of the monsters and charecters, you will fall in love with this. Recommended.

For the series' 25th anniversary, Square-Enix released a flurry of Final Fantasy merchandise ranging from arrangement albums to perfumes. One of the centerpieces of the celebration was a reprint of Yoshitaka Amano's artbook set, "The Sky". This lavish boxset was quickly sold out in Japan back in 2001, and fans worldwide would have to resort to paying steep import prices to get their hands on it. Ironically, the first worldwide release of this set was limited to 1000 copies, leaving many without a copy. Amano signed each set, so even this second printing is quite expensive. Third time's a charm, however, and the 2013 edition has finally reached patiently waiting fans.

The wait was well worth it. "Slipcased edition" is a misnomer; the box is actually covered with a nice cloth fabric and has embossed lettering. There's no easily damaged cardboard junk here. A small ribbon is attached to a magnetic opening, revealing the goodies inside. They have that "chemical smell" common to new Chinese printed books, but it's easy enough to let them air out a bit.

As for the books themselves, I couldn't be happier to say they are nothing short of wonderful. The first book (FFI-FFIII) feels like a humble beginning, displaying Amano's skill at creating monsters and iconic heroes. He takes it up a notch with book two (FFIV-FFVI), with page after page featuring delightful watercolor paintings and character art. I assume Square was paying him well in the early 90s, because this is the thickest book of the lot. Book three (FFVII-X) features much less artwork, mostly because he was relegated to the status of promotional illustrator and no longer main designer, in addition to being busy with his solo exhibition in New York at the time. However, the third book is definitely intriguing. Amano experiments with printmaking on FFVII, and refines his work in the medium on FFVIII. Much like the game, Amano backtracks to traditional roots on FFIX. Surprisingly, he takes a 180-degree turn again on FFX, where most of the artwork is in a dark and sketchy style. In short, it seems every piece used for promoting the games is here, except for a few that I noticed were absent (i.e: Amano's pieces for EGM Magazine, and the FFX prototype logo).

On the technical side, the paper is good quality, however some of the pieces (maybe 10 or so) exhibit grittiness or blur. It could be the source files, or the art itself, but it doesn't happen enough to be a real concern. I do regret missing out on the small flipbook and "All About Amano" interview book that were not included in this reprint, although I would not pay the appalling prices people are charging for the limited printing. Despite this, The Sky is the easiest and most affordable way to add to your collection of Amano or Final Fantasy.

For a more pleasant viewing experience, I recommend pouring your beverage of choice, the soundtrack of your favorite game on the speakers, and letting "The Sky" do the rest of the work. Welcome to the fantasy.

I bought this as a gift for a Final Fantasy fan, and the quality is just incredible. The slipcase is gorgeous and sturdy, and the pages of the books are heavy and glossy. The concept art was a great walk down memory lane for the recipient.

I, as with many others, expected this to be more detailed and realistic art. Instead it is highly abstract and sketch-like. That style of artwork has its place in the creative process and it is cool on some levels, but I don't think it is the most visually interesting. Nor do I think it is the most instructive about the creative process, because there's not much explanation behind the drawings and they are not presented in terms of any logical flow (this lead to this lead to this). Perhaps with better annotations or explanations this style of artwork could succeed in an art book. As it stands, it doesn't provide a whole lot to Final Fantasy fans like me, who want to see how this artwork related to the games.

Please note the former 1 star rating was not for the product - I know that I would rate this item at least five stars, I LOVE YOSHITAKA AMANO and have been collecting his work for years- however, MY preorder of course is delayed, waiting - probably not going to be fulfilled - and then there are the ones who "received my order early", wow! and secondary sellers who seem to have more than one available copy - scalping those true Lover's, Collector's, people who have also tried to order this collection minus the greed factor - and wouldn't think of selling the long awaited treasure, somehow, it doesn't seem fair, where did they get the copies? before release date? and is the store fulfilling orders that have multiple copies? something like this should be one to a customer, then if there are left overs - go for it! I wish that the prices listed by these money changers, robbers of pleasure, would be protested and not paid - the store.com - immediately removed the "preorder" just as I clicked; then the store.ca - after months let me know "it was not available"; my standing one on the store.uk said should ship 10/31 - then the day before release they actually sent me a recommendations email with it listed for "preorder" and with noted raised price from original "preorder", this morning I received email that the product was "delayed" - Just doesn't seem RIGHT - Does any one else wonder??????

This compilation of work is not as good as expected. Although Mr Amano is talented, the majority of works portrayed in this 3 book collection are not as detailed as the cover picture. There are quite a few black and white ink drawings that remind me of flat graphic art. There are only a handful of pretty detailed line drawings with vivid color, but most of what you have here is like a water color wash over pen and ink drawings. The artwork also slightly reminds me of anime style work. I have an extensive collection of fantasy art books and was expecting this collection to be of similar representation in style. Specifically I have the entire series of Spectrum Fantasy Art , which contains 19 volumes. Number 20 comes out later this year. Although I was not familiar with this artists work, I was expecting it to follow the styles as the majority of the artists in the Spectrum series. To me, the only worthy part of this purchase is the vivid colors in the pictures and the outstanding packaging design. Also, each of the 3 books are very well designed and constructed. There was obviously more attention given to the materials used in the design and construction of the slip case that holds the 3 books as well as the design and construction of the book themselves. I wish this work fell in the category of "Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover". Overall, the cover and design of this slipcase edition puts the contents to shame.

Greg Hoffman