The UK’s first exhibition of architectural backdrops from classic anime films featured over 100 technical drawings and watercolour illustrations from some of the most influential productions in the genre’s 1990s heyday.

The artists were tasked with creating a universe for the director. Their fictional worlds reflected real-life concerns over ruthless urban development and erosion of identity, mirroring the films' narratives and giving the backgrounds a crucial role to play. Their work has had a defining influence on the style of anime we think of as typical today.

The show included Hiromasa Ogura’s watercolour paintings for the anime epic Ghost in the Shell that inspired sci-fi works such as The Matrix and Avatar. Based on Asia’s emerging megacities and photographs of Hong Kong, Ogura’s work depicts the striking contrast between a derelict Chinese town and looming, faceless skyscrapers.

It also featured meticulously realistic pencil drawings for the Ghost in the Shell sequel by Takashi Watabe, whose style has become a hallmark of Japanese anime films as a whole, along with work by Mamoru Oshii and Atsushi Takeuchi.

"These hand-drawn pieces offer meticulous artificial wonderlands." Financial Times.

"Impressive and beautiful." Londonist.

"A show full of glittering, neon-lit cityscapes." Time Out.

"A treat." Evening Standard

In partnership with Les Jardins des Pilotes and Tchoban Foundation - Museum for Architectural Drawing, Berlin.