The legend of Susanuo is one of the known mythological stories in Japan. Susanuo is the son of Izanagi (God of thunder, agriculture, and fertility). He was considered a dragon slayer of the highest eminence after he had defeated the vicious eight-headed dragon.
He set out on a journey to rescue a girl named Kushinada. The girl was captured by the eight-headed dragon. He was aware that he does not have the same physical abilities of the dragon. It is for this reason that he devised a plan to trick the dragon to its death. He dressed himself with a heavy cloak to hide his weapons. This made it easier for him to get near the dragon’s dwelling. He left the dragon eight bowls of saki to drink. Saki is a strong Japanese wine made of fermented rice.
After he had confirmed that the dragon is in a drunken state. He immediately set out for an attack. The dragon was so surprised to see the heavily armed Susanuo. The hero eventually cut the heads of the dragon.
The poster depicted the start of the hero’s triumph. Susanuo was just starting to cut off one of the heads of the dragon. Kushinada just watched in restlessness.
The artist, Howard David Johnson, is known for illustrating historical and mythical scenes in his art works. Although he only used a few colors in the art work depicted in the poster, he was still able to make the scene realistic. The shade of red that Johnson used as the blood of the dragon stood out. It is also evident that Johnson has respect in culture and traditions. The details of the costume of Susanuo really resemble the traditional Japanese warrior costume.
This type of dragon poster could be used to decorate a literature-focused library wall. It could also be a must-have for historical or literature items collectors.
