MEDSAN - Death Note : The Shinigami's Bargain (デスノート) - UNIQUE WORK

ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD EXISTS - EDITION 1/1

With this portrait-format work, Medsan delivers a masterful reinterpretation of one of the most celebrated manga sagas of the early 21st century, transposing the psychological universe of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata into the language of traditional Edo Japanese prints. This unique print stages the infamous deadly pact between Light Yagami and the shinigami Ryuk — two emblematic figures of contemporary Japanese pop culture — reimagined in the manner of the great ukiyo-e masters of the 19th century.

The magic of the composition lies in this vertiginous temporal transposition. In the foreground, the young Kira in a dark kimono, his traditional straw hat (sandogasa) shielding his determined gaze from the pouring rain, meticulously inscribes the cursed names in his Death Note — that notebook of death whose supernatural power can kill anyone whose name is written within. The abundance of quill between his fingers dialogues with the Japanese characters (デスノート) inscribed on the notebook’s cover. A few black apples — these fruits so dear to Ryuk — lie scattered on the wet pavement at his feet, abandoned as offerings to the god of death. In the background, perched on the railing of an old Edo street, Ryuk himself leans over the episode — a skeletal silhouette with long, spiked black hair, a horrific jawline stretched into a sardonic smile, eyes burning a bloody red that pierce the rainy night. The shinigami, spirit of death in Japanese mythology, watches his human protege with that characteristic mix of cynical amusement and millennial detachment.

The impact of the composition is magnificently highlighted by a painterly treatment that faithfully reproduces the visual codes of 19th-century ukiyo-e — bold black lines, flat areas of color, meticulous hatching of hair and textiles, paper lanterns (chochin) hung along the nocturnal alley. The dominant palette — deep Prussian blues of the rain and sky, slate gray of the wet pavements, beige of the straw hat and golden ochers of the lanterns, splashes of bloody red for the shinigami’s eyes and the “hanko” on the apple — creates a striking twilight atmosphere with authentic historical resonance. The patinated washi paper with slightly yellowed edges perfectly simulates the look of prints aged by centuries. The traditional vertical cartouche at the top right, housing the title “Death Note” (デスノート) handwritten in katakana and the signature “Medsan” (メドサン), accompanied by a stylized hanko, completes the illusion of a genuine period print from a parallel universe where the 2003 manga could have been imagined by an Edo-era artist. The fusion between contemporary shonen iconography and the ancient art of the Japanese print creates a work of rare singularity — a simultaneous homage to Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata, and the great ukiyo-e masters.

A conceptual piece, at once aesthetically refined, dark, and deeply cinematic for an entire generation raised on Death Note, ideal for bringing a pop, pictorial, and decidedly luxe geek touch to a modern design interior.

Technical specifications:

Artist: Medsan
Reference: Death Note / Light Yagami / Kira / Ryuk / Shinigami / Tsugumi Ohba / Takeshi Obata / Cahier de la mort / Ukiyo-e / Japanese print / Mashup
Dimensions: 40 × 60 cm (portrait format)
Edition: Unique work — 1/1 (one-of-a-kind worldwide)
Year: 2026
Support: Giclée mounted on wooden frame (approx. 2 cm thick)
Signature: Yes, signed in the cartouche and by hand
Condition: Excellent condition
Certificate: Certificate of authenticity (upon request)

About the Studio:

Atelier Joconde is a studio of artists gathered around a living, plural contemporary creation. Set up like a true artistic production space, the studio operates both in collective creation and in individual approaches, depending on the projects and works. Atelier Joconde is also a family venture. Le Yack, a contemporary figurative painter, develops a narrative and introspective body of work with cinematic and realistic influences. By his side, Medsan, oriented toward pop art painting, explores color, modern iconography, and visual culture. Finally, Neo Pablo engages in a more instinctive pursuit, blending abstract art, outsider art, and figurative abstraction. Each work is conceived, produced, and followed within the studio, with a shared artistic standard and an identity unique to each artist.

Keywords:

Medsan, Atelier Joconde, Le Yack, Death Note, Light Yagami, Kira, Ryuk, Shinigami, Cahier de la mort, Apple, Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata, Shonen Jump, Manga, Anime, Death Note 2003, Yokai, Spirit of death, Japanese folklore, Sandogasa, Straw hat, Kimono, Edo alley, Lanterns, Chochin, Rain, Night, Pact, Ukiyo-e, Japanese print, Washi paper, Hanko, Katakana, Edo, Mashup, Anachronism, Portrait format, Prussian blue, Gray, Ochre, Bloody red, Cinemaphile, Geek, Pop culture, Collector, 2000s, Unique artwork, 1/1