【Amazon Magazine Bestseller Ranking: Art, Architecture, Design Category #1】'Illustration No. 250' Commemorative Feature 'This Illustrator is Amazing!' 107 Illustrators Select Truly Amazing Illustrators!

Genkosha Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) released 'Illustration No. 250' on April 17, 2026. 'Illustration' magazine is a specialized publication founded in 1979. The commemorative 250th issue features 'This Illustrator is Amazing!'. 107 illustrators active on the front lines of the illustration world were asked to select three illustrators they consider 'amazing'.

The issue has attracted significant attention, especially on social media, even before its release, and became a hot topic, including ranking #1 in Amazon's magazine bestseller ranking for the 'Art, Architecture, Design' category on April 21.

'Illustration June 2026 Issue (No. 250)' released on April 17, 2026.

The lead feature is 'This Illustrator is Amazing!', with 107 illustrators participating.

In the special feature 'This Illustrator is Amazing!', 107 active artists were asked to select three illustrators they consider 'amazing'. The reasons for their selections are published over 60 pages, along with works by the chosen artists.

Furthermore, interviews with four magazine art directors who regularly work with illustrators are included. They were asked about 'illustrators they found amazing'.

'This Illustrator is Amazing!' Selectors *Titles omitted, listed in order of appearance

IC4DESIGN / Aka / Hana Akiyama / Ake Tara Shirome / agoera / Kenji Asazuma / Marie Asaba / Kohei Ashino / A-MERICA / Ayako Ishiguro / Hikaru Ichijo / Hiroyuki Izutsu / Hamster Ito / Inunko / Ilya Kuvshinov / Tadahiro Uesugi / Masami Ushikubo / Kazuhisa Urakami (Tokyo Melon Boy) / Taro Uryu / Hisashi Eguchi / Honami Shioya / Masamichi Oikawa / Nori Okawa / Tsugumi Okubo / Ryu Okubo / Yosuke Omomo / Okataoka / Kensuke Okano / Hitoshi Odajima / Toru Kageyama / Kashiwai / Eri Kamei / Takuya Kawaguchi / Shunichi Kawasaki / Tatsuro Kiuchi / Heisuke Kitazawa / Inori Kito / Kirisaki / killdisco / Jun Kumaori / Kiyoshi Kuroda / Gemi / Gerende / Amiigo Koike / Hinako Goto / Koki Saito / Yusuke Saito / Chiharu Sakazaki / Shunsuke Satake / Hachitaro Shinano / Ai Shinomiya / JUN OSON / Suzie Amakan / TAO / Chiaki Takasugi / Kintaro Takahashi / Masaki Takahashi / Chika Takei / Hiroshi Tateno / Minoru Tanihata / Masatoshi Tabuchi / Kyoko Tange / Takeo Chikatsuta / Naotake Tsuchiya / Jun Tsuzuki / Yukinori Dehara / Junzo Terada / Tonbosensei / Kano Nakajima / nakaban / Takashi Nakamura / Yusuke Nakamura / Natsume Sanchi / Naffy / Tsuchika Nishimura / Hiroki Nishiyama / Yukiko Ninomiya / Kengo Hashi / Hikosaka Mokuhan Kobo / Hinano / 100%ORANGE / Toshikazu Hirai / Hiro Sugiyama / Hiromichi Ito / fancomi / POOL / Toshiyuki Fukuda / Hiromi Matsuo / Miho Matsuno / Mika Pikazo / Sora Mizusawa / Minahamu / Tatsu Minegishi / Ai Miyoshi / millitsuka / Hideyasu Moto / Tomoyuki Yanagi / Keiji Yano / Taro Yabe / Sugio Yamazaki / Ree Yamamura / Miki Yamamoto / Yua / Megumi Yoshizane / Seiji Yoshida / Mai Yoneyama / Tetsuya Kitada

Featured Art Directors

Asami Sato (Art Director, 'Bungei'), Jun Kawana (Art Director, 'Gunzo'), Shohei Yoshida (Art Director, 'Kurashi no Techo'), Michiyo Miyako (Art Director, 'MONKEY', 'Coyote')

Other features and projects are also substantial!

43rd The Choice Annual Award Results Announcement

The 'The Choice Annual Award Judging' was conducted for the selected works of the 2025 'The Choice' competition. Through voting by four judges (Akane Sakagawa, Keiko Sootome, Gemi, Hideyuki Saito), one Grand Prize winner, three Excellence Award winners, and five Merit Award winners were decided from 36 selected entrants. Furthermore, a post-judging discussion covered evaluation criteria and impressions of the works.

<Judging Results> *Titles omitted

[Grand Prize] Ai Shinomiya

[Excellence Award] Natsuki Tawatari, Sae Sato, Haruna Makisumi

[Merit Award] SAITO KANAE, Keisuke Hara, Miako, Akihiro Misaki, Asaki Yamakawa

'Illustrator Masked Talk: Work and Money Troubles Edition'

Four artists participated anonymously to frankly discuss their struggles in their early careers, gallery commissions, and confusion regarding AI. This segment delivers real voices about work and money concerns, revealed precisely because of anonymity.

'Shukan Bunshun' Cover Renewal: Interview with Akiko Okubo

An interview with Akiko Okubo of the Bungeishunju Design Department, who serves as the cover Art Director, about the 'Shukan Bunshun' (Bungeishunju) cover renewal in September 2025. We asked about the background of this new initiative, where illustrators rotate every three months, taking over from Makoto Wada.

[Book Specifications]

Title: Illustration June 2026 Issue (No. 250)

Release Date: April 17, 2026

Format: A4 modified size, 118 pages

Price: 1,700 yen + tax

Publisher: Genkosha Co., Ltd.

JAN: 4912016790669