Fudo Myo'o (Acala)

This standalone depiction of Fudo Myo-O outside the Kegon-fu series allows Munakata to address the deity without the compositional constraints of a larger suite. Fudo—immovable in his determination, wrathful in appearance, compassionate in purpose—carries a flaming sword and a lasso rope, attributes drawn from Shingon iconography that Munakata absorbed through deep reading of Buddhist texts rather than formal religious training. His treatment strips the figure of hierarchical refinement: the cutting is forceful and intuitive, with the wood grain integrated into the image rather than suppressed. Printed on washi with ink applied directly and pressed by hand using a baren or the artist's own feet—Munakata's documented practice—the resulting impression carries a physical immediacy that distinguishes sosaku-hanga from commercially printed ukiyo-e.