Meteoric Power

The meteor is a vehicle for depicting concentrated, falling power — an image that maps readily onto both classical Japanese depictions of falling stars and the projectile iconography of action games. Henry likely renders the meteoric figure or projectile as a bold diagonal cutting across the picture plane, a compositional device that creates dynamic tension within the normally vertical orientation of [oban](/glossary/oban)-format prints. The trail of impact or light would be rendered through [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradients and layered color blocks, techniques requiring careful registration between impressions. The print demonstrates how the [Ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) Heroes series finds formal equivalents in traditional printmaking for the kinetic energy that digital games typically convey through animation.