An oversized, lavishly produced book, The Alchemy of MirrorMask takes readers inside the making of the feature film and allows them to experience the creative process. Animated by Dave McKean and written by Neil Gaiman, MirrorMask combines animation and live action with a compelling storyline to take the cinematic experience to a stunning new level. MirrorMask is the story of Helena, a fifteen-year-old girl who works for her family's circus. She juggles, sells popcorn, and longs to run away and join the "real world." Helena also dreams, and one day she wakes up to find herself in a strange new world populated by mysterious creatures…a dream world where she embarks on an amazing journey. Each chapter in The Alchemy of MirrorMask begins with an introduction by McKean and Gaiman and then guides readers through the different types of visuals used to create the film, including sketches, paintings, storyboards, 3-d models, photographs, texture maps, frame blow-ups, and more. Also included are photos taken on the set and during McKean's travels to Venice, Prague, Trieste, Warsaw, and other places that provided inspiration for MirrorMask. Gaiman and McKean's insightful commentary sheds light on the film's journey from concept to screen. Gaiman and McKean fans, cinema buffs, and visual art enthusiasts will all delight in The Alchemy of MirrorMask, a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the making of an extraordinary film.

ニール・ゲイマンの抒情的な物語と、デイヴ・マッキーンの幻惑的な造形美が融合した本作は、単なるメイキング本の枠を超えた「創造の神話」そのものです。現実と夢の境界に立つ少女の葛藤を軸に、思春期の揺らぎと自己発見という普遍的テーマが、奇妙で重層的なテクスチャを通じて鮮烈に描き出されています。 実写とアニメが交錯する映画版が動的な没入体験を与えるのに対し、本書は一コマに込められた執念に近い熱量を精緻に解体して見せてくれます。映像だけでは捉えきれない緻密な筆致や、異国の風景から魔法を抽出する思考のプロセスに触れることで、二つのメディアは互いに響き合い、読者の脳内に唯一無二の幻想世界を完成させるのです。