These were both really fun! I'm pretty shy but it was nice to continue push myself to be more public. Both cover the same subjects, which makes sense because retro Zelda art and archiving would be what to ask me about, but both still feel vastly different and wonderful. They both had some great questions.
First, this is amazing, I'm in a magazine! I was interviewed for Nintendo Force Magazine, a spiritual successor to Nintendo Power. As someone who is deeply in love with books and other publications this feels utterly surreal. You can purchase digital or physical copies here.
Sunday, May 7, 2023
Scans of The Hyrule Fantasy: The Legend of Zelda Dawn Publications Strategy Guide
I just high-res scanned and uploaded another retro guide for the original Legend of Zelda game, find the 1200-2400dpi RAW and lightly cleaned files at this link.
ISBN 4-7508-0521-1 and 9784750805214
Thank you to Mases of ZeldaDungeon.net. He has been making sure these guides are preserved by collecting them all, scanning them, and then also sending them to me for high-resolution archival scans.
Other Keywords: Zelda, LoZ, tLoZ, ppi, RAWS, scan, scans, high res, high rez, high resolution, Link, Ganon, Hyrule, Nintendo, NES, Famicom, Family Computer, book, videogame, Game Guide, Guide, NES, Map, ファミマガ, ファミリーコンピュータ, ファミリーコンピュータ マガジン, Gaming, Nintendo, Retro, Art, Illustrations
Scans of The Hyrule Fantasy: The Legend of Zelda Victory Strategy Guide
I just high-res scanned and uploaded another retro guide for the original Legend of Zelda game, find the 1200-2400dpi RAW and lightly cleaned files at this link.
This guide has some of my favorite enemy art done for the series.
ゼルダの伝説 必勝攻略ガイド
Shinsei Publishing . Nova Publishing
Thank you to Mases of ZeldaDungeon.net. He has been making sure these guides are preserved by collecting them all, scanning them, and then also sending them to me for high-resolution archival scans.
Other Keywords: Zelda, LoZ, tLoZ, ppi, RAWS, scan, scans, high res, high rez, high resolution, Link, Ganon, Hyrule, Nintendo, NES, Famicom, Family Computer, book, videogame, Game Guide, Guide, NES, Map, ファミマガ, ファミリーコンピュータ, ファミリーコンピュータ マガジン, Gaming, Nintendo, Retro, Art, Illustrations
Added the Scan of the Original Painting of the Fairy for Hyrule Fantasy
"Established in 2021, the Interactive Art Collection is a non-profit focused on the discovery, preservation, education, and sharing of original video game art."
This is the original animation Cel painting. It's beyond impossible that this piece of art was saved and made its way to someone who was willing to scan it for all of us. I can't thank Stephan Reese enough for being willing to do things like this. He makes fans dreams come true.
Here's his photo of it in Nintendo Power next to the original:
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
2400dpi Scans of the 1986 Hyrule Fantasy Bandai Board Game
You can find the high resolution files here and I will be adding more of this higher-res art to the gallery at some point in the future. I just need time away from scanning to clean it all. For now all I have updated is the boss cards.
I also cleaned up Ganon's boss room and faked a card for him, so we could have a nice little set. Also want to thank JairulNait for scanning Aquamentus, because my set is missing his card. It is at 1200dpi though so, if anyone could get it for me at 2400dpi one day, that would be awesome! (Send me the RAW, if you use the auto adjustments on the scanner sometimes it blows out the colors) melorasworld@gmail.com
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
2400dpi Scans of the Two-Tone Pages from the Zelda 2 Manga, Volume 1
This is the Monthly Wanpakku issue for March, 1987. I have only scanned the Zelda manga by Ran Maru but if you need info on anything else in the volume, please let me know.
I've been trying really hard to collect the color pages for these since they are incredibly beautiful works of comic art. I am so happy I was able to get this one, which is also the first chapter that starts the Adventure of Link manga after the first volume of Hyrule Fantasy (Zelda 1) manga.Before, because the novel is black and white, I thought the sun was just eclipsed. It's awesome to see a blood red sun or moon here.
There is a translation for this manga if you would like to read it. You can find everything you need at this link.
Monday, April 17, 2023
2400dpi Scans of the the Legend of Zelda: The Dreaming Isle Japanese Game Manual
I actually only just bought this because it felt weird to have all of the other ones to scan and not the Link's Awakening one. The first 4 games are kind of my true loves, after all. Anyway, I just finished scanning and uploading this and you can find it here!
Other Keywords: Zelda, tLoZ, LoZ, LA Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda, SNES, 600ppi, 1200ppi, RAW, RAWS, scan, scans, high res, high rez, high resolution, Link, Nintendo, book, videogame, Nintendo Power, Strategy Guide, Game Guide, Player's Guide, Zeruda no Densetsu: Yume o Miru Shima, Windfish, Koholint Island, Marin, Link, Tarin, Gamboy, The Legend of Zelda, Link's Awakening, ゼルダの伝説, 夢をみる島, Manual
Sunday, April 16, 2023
2400dpi Scans of the the Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods Japanese Game Manual
I just high-res scanned and uploaded the Japanese Super Famicom game manual for The Legend of Zelda: Triforce of the Gods (aka A Link to the Past.) The 2400dpi RAWs and lightly cleaned files are at this link.
2400dpi Scans of the the Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link Japanese Game Manual
I just scanned & uploaded the Japanese Famicom Zelda II Adventure of Link manual at 2400dpi. Find it here.
Other Keywords: Zelda, AoL, Zelda II, Link no Bouken, tLoZ, RAW, RAWS, scan, scans, high res, high rez, high resolution, Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon, Triforce, Hyrule, Nintendo, NES, Famicom, Family Computer, Famicom Disk System, videogame, The Legend of Zelda, ゼルダの伝説, The Adventure of Link, リンクの冒険, Manual
2400dpi Scans of the Hyrule Fantasy: The Legend of Zelda Japanese Game Manual
2400dpi Scans of Shogaku Magazine, Grade 3, May 1986, Zelda Manga Appendix
TRANSLATIONS WANTED! If you would like to translate this, please contact me: melorasworld@gmail.com
Other Keywords: Zelda, LoZ, tLoZ, RAW, RAWS, scan, scans, high res, high rez, high resolution, Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon, Triforce, Hyrule, Nintendo, NES, Famicom, Family Computer, book, videogame, magazine, kids, child, ゲームブック, コミック雑誌, Yukio Sawada 沢田ユキオ / Takahiro Eguchi 江口貴博, The Legend of Zelda, Zelda 1, The Hyrule Fantasy, ゼルダの伝説, Manga, Magazine
My surgery went well! Turns out I had cancer
I should have posted a few days ago. I traveled to have a double mastectomy earlier this month, it's a major surgery to prevent breast cancer in high risk individuals, which I am because it runs heavy in my family even though we don't have the currently known BRCA genes. When I was having my follow-up appointment with the surgeon to remove my drains and check in, the pathology report came back and showed I actually already had a 2 cm lump of cancer. Imaging I had done twice in the past 5 months prior had actually missed it. The most amazing news is that the surgery got it all and I don't need any further treatment.
I'm glad I did this because I may have gone another 2 years without imaging, thinking I was cancer free. Interestingly 2 mammograms also missed my mom's breast cancer, which is one of the reasons I didn't trust them and wanted to do this.
Anyway, I had a lot of valid concerns before surgery and several surgeons had implied I shouldn't do it and there would be no benefit. So I looked around until I found one that I felt saw me as a person. But there were reasons I was still pretty concerned about it. I have an autoimmune disorder that makes the possibility of dying during surgery far more likely for me and it also makes infection more likely. I also went years without most of the use of my arms and was concerned that this could cause issues in them again. There was also a good chance I would not have felt well, in various ways, for months after the surgery. Currently it looks like all the work and planning I, and my doctors, put in to make sure this went well means I've avoided absolutely every complication possible and have been in practically no pain. Only the arm stretches I need to do hurt. But I took a total of maybe 6 Tylenol after surgery, and I'm not even sure I needed them- I mostly just wanted to help prevent swelling.
This is wonderful not only because I feel amazing and now know, without any doubt, that I absolutely the right choice: but it means I can be back to working on the site! Which also brings me endless joy.
Zelda Story Illustration Scans: Shogaku Ichinensei 1992
These are rare enough that I, personally, only own August at the moment. But Linkabel/AbelMunizJr has been collecting them for a while and was incredibly kind when I asked if I could get some photos of them. And now that they got some time, and a working scanner, they archived them for all of us.
AbelMunizJr posted these on Twitter saying:
"Here are the scans for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past manga that was featured in Shogaku Ichinensei issues, from 05/1992[sic] to 09/1992. It seems I'm missing one issue, but I'm sure it will eventually surface.Direct scans here and thread below: https://t.co/SIuZRu6UZc "
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
The Final Volume of the Twilight Princess Manga is Now Available in English!
I'm so excited for this. What a wonderful milestone! The final volume of Zelda: Twilight Princess manga by Akira Himekawa is out in English! (April 11, 2023.) There are 11 volumes total. And this only happened because fans & the artists pushed so hard for it for so long. Please support the amazing artists behind it & show publishers its, once again, worth listening to fans!
Thanks to my good friend, om_nom_berries/Louisa of Indie Zelda, for reminding me this was out today. I thought I pre-ordered it, lol, I guess I didn't. You can find it via VIZMedia through Right Stuf Anime or other bookstores
Here is a link to all 11 volumes on sale at TRS for $6.99 each.
I also can't lie: I have a little bit of humbled pride right now. I know I'm only a very tiny drop in the bucket but seeing a Twilight Princess Akira Himekawa manga happen was a big goal of mine & I spent a huge amount of time hyping, writing publishers, & pushing for it to exist. It was one of my big early efforts/campaigns. I'm so happy!
I do feel weird bringing that up though, but then, if I don't: then maybe someone wont realize what they could see come to pass if they push through their doubt. If you want artists to be able to work that you know you would love: Push hard to support them in the eyes of fans & publishers!
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Never Before Seen Zelda Manga Scans Trying to Predict what Link to the Past Will Be Like

TRANSLATIONS WANTED! If you would like to translate this, please contact me: melorasworld@gmail.com
Find all 5 pages here.
It's from this guide and here is the credit's page.
Published December 25, 1990, size B6 size, 79 pages, by Keibunsha, Magazine code 63550-53
Never Before Seen 2400dpi Zelda Manga Scans from "The Legend of Zelda Handbook"
TRANSLATIONS WANTED! If you would like to translate this, please contact me: melorasworld@gmail.com
The manga artist is Matsunori Iwamoto | 岩本松徳 who did artwork for the official Nintendo Player's Guides. Specifically animal and item art that is quite detailed and stunning.
The guide was published by Keibunsha, March 28, 1992, 63552-25 / T1063552250889
Monday, April 10, 2023
Scan of Lost Official Art: Pyramid of Power from A Link to the Past
This one blows my mind. That background image, of the Pyramid of Power, absolutely has to be true official art they simply never reproduced anywhere else. Why do I think this?
In several issues of Famimaga, an official Nintendo Magazine in Japan, they started off the Link to the Past feature each month with one of the other official images. Like Link smiling at the maiden in the crystal. This is the only image from that set that is not in the booklet for the game. And the quality is just as good as the others and the style is so similar to the other animation-style backgrounds. I really have no doubt that this is official but simply stayed on the cutting room floor until someone grabbed it for a filler image for their magazine. It's not like something this high quality was made just for the magazine (and just to be covered up by that other random art.)
Anyway, I'm devastated that we will probably never get to see the full image of this. For all the guides, magazines, and merch I have seen over the years: this is the only place this appears. As far as I know at least. However, if you see it somewhere else, please write me right away and let me know.
Find the 2400dpi scan here. It is specifically from the 1992 no. 03 issue of Family Computer Magazine
Here are some photos twitter user, Number 20, took to show us (Thank you so much for your help!)
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
I might be scarce for a while
Alright, I'm getting ready to travel for a major surgery and really have no idea what recovery will be like for me. I might be able to type and do some stuff pretty soon afterwards. Or... not. It really varies from person to person. So I hope it all goes well and I see everyone in 2-3ish weeks! But I don't know. I've also only posted about this a little but my mom has stage IV cancer (terminal cancer) and she is also going to be traveling for a last ditch treatment. I'm pretty worried about both of us because I have an autoimmune disorder called Addison's disease, which means my immune system already doesn't work well, and also means I'm on immunosuppressants or my body starts to shut down, and my mom is obviously at high risk because of her cancer treatments and immune system as well. So... wish us luck? I'm pretty fucking nervous for both of us. I'd wait on getting surgery until after hers but the mask mandates in hospitals is going to end, and I already use to get sick for weeks every time I had to go to a hospital, and I can't wear an N95 the whole time I'm recovering: so hearing about the end to the mandates means that this is basically my last shot to even have a shot. I'm also expecting there's a decent probability I might not see my mom again after this weekend since she has to fly long distance to a specialist center, and can't even be vaccinated because she has a history of severe adverse reactions to vaccines. (She actually tried even though she knew this, it did not go well.) So, anyway, I'm kind of a mess.
Monday, March 20, 2023
Nintendo Power Illustration Credits
I'm trying to figure out who all of the artist's are. As in: matched with their actual art. This is just going to be a reference sheet for me while I work on this project.
Nintendo Power Volume 1: July-August 1988
- https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power_V1
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20001%20July-August%201988/
- Hiroyuki Kurano
- Yoshihiro Onmo
- Keizo Kikushima
- Nobuhiro Ohyo
- Adam Eisenberg
- Izumi Takada
- Osamu Kasai (Gekkosha Co.. Ltd.)
- Ryokuju Tsukamoto
- Atsuko Matsumoto
- Noriko Hasegawa
- Yasuhiro Ohori
- K. Iino (or K. lino)
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20002%20September-October%201988/page/n5/mode/2up
- Hiroyuki Kurano
- Fisherman Orimo
- Ani Orimo
- Izumi Takada
- Osamu Kasai
- Leo Tsukamoto
- Etsuko Kuwahara
- Atsuko Matsumoto
- Noriko Hasegawa
- Desu Iwamoto
- Shugi Shugi Jeff
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20003%20November-December%201988/page/n3/mode/2up
- Goblin Takagi
- Kaz Aizawa
- Hiro-Con Nagami
- Tomoyuki Fukutome
- Orange Nakamura
- Shuji Imai
- Shinichi Hayashi
- Katsuya Terada
- Makikazu Ohmori
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20004%20January-February%201989/page/n5/mode/2up
- Shuji Imai
- Orange Nakamura
- Goblin Takagi
- Takao Watanabe
- Hiro-Con Nagami
- Egu Egu Eguchi
- Tomoyuki Fukutome
- Kazunori lihara (Kazunori Aihara?) (Pokemon artist. Would be funny if he did the AoL map)
- Hiroshi Aizawa (Huh... what if he did the AoL Link and Item art and the LttP Item art. (the line weight and style is the same even if his shading and noses changed...) Look up Bump N Jump on page 80, looks like his style
- Yoshimiru Hoshi and Hideaki Itoh have uncredited work in this issue
- Who did the castle and sword art?
- The dungeon level art
- Who did the enemy art
- Who did the link art on page 14
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20005%20March-April%201989/
- Shuji Imai
- Orange Nakamura
- Hiro-Con Nagami
- Yukio Sawada
- Kazuhiro Kamachi
- Zen Kiyoshi
- Hiroshi Aizawa (Looks exactly like his art on page 23 for Ninja Gaiden, the barbarian, the bomberhead 26, and the little spot illustrations on page 29) Also has the Zelda art though
- Higehige Ohmori
- Who did the castle and sword art?
- The dungeon level art
- Who did the enemy art
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20006%20May-June%201989/page/n3/mode/2up
- Shuji Imai
- Orange Nakamura
- Hiroko Nagami (Hiro-Con Nagami?)
- Zen Kiyoshi
- Hiroshi Aizawa (Kinda looks like he did the art for Cobra Triangle and definitely Faxanadu: The castle from that matches the castle in his LttP manga. Also looks like he did the art for the TV Link on page 68 and 69)
- Higehige Ohmori
- Tomoyuki Fukutome
- Katsuya Terada
- who did the cute link and zelda on page 21
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20007%20July-August%201989/page/n3/mode/2up
- Shuji Imai
- Orange Nakamura
- Hiro-Con Nagami
- Kazuhiro Kamachi
- Zen Kiyoshi
- Tatsuya Terada (Katsuya Terada)
- Tomoyuki Fukutome
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20008%20September-October%201989/
- US Illustration Staff:
- Kaz Aizawa
- Nob-Rin Takagi
- Hiro-Con Nagami
- Japanese Illustration Staff:
- Hideaki Ito (Hideaki Itoh)
- Tatsuya Terada (Katsuya Terada) -Dragon Warrior
- Shuji Imai -Dragon Warrior
- Orange Nakamura
- Makikazu Ohmori
- Hiroshi Aizawa -Might have done some of the Fester's Quest enemies, pg 39. Maybe the Bases Loaded II art, pg 85.
- Kazunori Aihara
- Tomoyuki Fukutome
- Poster Art: Hige-Hige Ohmori
- Who did the dragon warrior map
- who did the dragon warrior border
- who did the Willow map art, pg 61, was it Aihara? It actually has some similar tones and I could see how it could bridge the gap between the AoL map and the LA map
- Link art, page 94. Western comic style.
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20009%20November-December%201989/page/n3/mode/2up
- Shuji Imai
- Orange Nakamura
- Makikazu Ohmori
- Magician Sasaki
- Kazunori Aihara
- Tomoyuki Fukutome 福留朋之 bio COVER ART COVER ART 2
- Poster Art: Tatsuji Kajita
- Whomever did the willow art, pg 9, I feel like they did the AoL castle and sword art, and something else I can't place my finger on. Maybe they actually did to the LttP map but just actually spent time on it. Wow the map on page 13... is this really old Kazunori Aihara art? That would be a big evolution if so. Maybe I have this wrong. I need to look into the other people for sure. Like it's kind of stiff, I could see it more as Makikazu Ohmori art and who is Tomoyuki Fukutome...
- Super Off Road art, the sketchy overhead art on pg 25 looks relevant. Could be whomever did the sketchy art in the Ultima guide
- Iron Sword Item Art looks relevant, pg 27
- Who did the Shadowgate art pg 58
- who did all the detailed art on pages 84-85
- Who did the map and ramp art on page 66-67, could also be whomever did LttP level maps
- https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20010%20January-February%201990/page/n3/mode/2up
- US Illustration Staff:
- Jim Frisino
- Nob-Rin Takagi
- Hiro-Con Nagami
- Japanese Illustration Staff:
- Shuji Imai
- Orange Nakamura
- Makikazu Ohmori (I still think he must have done the Willow art but idk.) Did he do the Astyanax art on page 63? Guessing he did the wild mech art on page 64
- Magician Sasaki
- Kazunori Aihara (I still think he must have done the Willow art but idk.) Could have done the Mario art on page 57
- Poster Art: Yuji Kaida
- Photography: Izumi Takada
- Claymation: Maji Sasaki
- who did the twin cobra art, they probably did the willow art and the AoL map
Visual Design Masako Honma (Manashi) Yuki Kyotani (Yuki) Nagineko
Monster Design Naoya Tomita (Tom-Pon) Hironori Matsumura (Fish Man) Tall Nob (as Tall Nob)
Sunday, March 19, 2023
High Res Barcode Battler Card Art and Hyrule Fantasy Envelope Art
The Zelda collector Linksliltri4ce has been so amazing to me over the years! She just sent me all of the Barcode Battler cards, and 2 little envelopes with un-scanned images, so that we can all have incredible high res scans of some really unique and rare art! Find the Barcode Battler cards in the Link to the Past Album and the envelopes here and here. I can not thank her enough for everything she does for me and this community. Check out her site and the plushies she makes!
We are still missing an envelope with Link playing the flute. If you have it, could you send me a scan? If you want to sell or trade it, please contact Linksliltri4ce