Blue Giant Creator Shinichi Ishizuka Designs Poster for Montreux Jazz Festival Japan

In 2013, Shinichi Ishizuka set his pen to making Blue Giant, his manga focusing on the world of jazz. The series garnered wide acclaim and received a film treatment in 2023. It’s no surprise that when the Montreux Jazz Festival Japan was seeking someone to design its 2024 visuals, it turned to Ishizuka. The festival’s official X (formerly Twitter) account revealed the visual featuring his distinct artistic touch on August 2:

The festival’s website also includes a short introduction to Ishizuka and a second visual by him:

The festival’s YouTube channel released a three-part interview series where it discusses the visuals and all things jazz with Ishizuka on September 11:

The festival is set to take place at the Pia Arena MM in Yokohama on December 7-8. It will feature Herbie Hancock, Yoko Kanno SEATBELTS, Bialystocks, Wonk, Tomoak Baba Electiric Riders Special Guest: BIGYUKI, and Makoto Ozone Trio. Tickets range from 13,000 yen to 90,000 yen (about US$90 to US$623).

Ishizuka (Gaku – Minna no Yama) launched the Blue Giant manga in Big Comic in May 2013, and ended it in August 2016. Ishizuka then launched Blue Giant Supreme sequel manga in Big Comic in September 2016, and ended this sequel in April 2020. The manga had 10 volumes. Ishizuka launched a new sequel manga titled Blue Giant Explorer in Big Comic in May 2020.

The anime film adaptation opened in Japan in February 2023. GKIDS screened the film in theaters in North America in October 2023. The company also released the film on Blu-ray Disc and “all major digital platforms” on April 30.

Sources: Montreux Jazz Festival Japan’s website, X/Twitter account, and YouTube channel (link 2, link 3) via Catsuka’s X/Twitter account