Deep Qi

The concept of qi — vital energy or life force — translates naturally across Japanese and East Asian martial arts traditions, and Henry uses it here to describe a character channeling internal power. This print likely depicts a figure surrounded by visible energy emanations, rendered as swirling line work or color gradients using bokashi, a technique that produces smooth tonal transitions through selective pigment application before impression. The composition draws on the visual conventions of both ukiyo-e depictions of supernatural force and the screen-flash iconography of fighting games, producing an image legible within both visual systems simultaneously.