Archive Dive: D.D.D.
The lost Japanese magazine of figurines, illustrations, horror, and erotica
“Archive Dive” is a periodic series by Welcome Magazine that sources scans from important physical cultural archives, alongside context and interviews with their stewards. This is the second installment. You can read the first here.
D.D.D. is a rare Japanese ‘mook’ (magazine + book) series, published 1999 - 2001, that compiled avant-garde and erotic illustration from some of the best mainstream and underground artists in Japan, alongside toy models and sculptural pieces of a similar genre. Intended as a niche interest publication for hobbyists and the horny, D.D.D. is a treasure trove of illustrated creativity, and a one-of-one window into the intricate world of niche model collectors.
Only 8 Volumes of D.D.D. were ever published. This scarcity, along with their being coveted by collectors, mean they are difficult to obtain, mostly available on Japanese secondary markets. Very little English-language info about the mook is available on the internet at all. Primarily, D.D.D. has been preserved in physical archives by fanatics.
While the erotic elements might be what first jump off the page, D.D.D. was much more than pin-ups. Established manga artists like Yasushi Nirasawa and Keita Amemiya had work featured in the publication, and there are many of pieces that are not lascivious in nature. Any reader would be impressed by the sheer level of detail on display in many of these illustrations, and the deft sense of kinetic motion that centuries of manga has instilled in Japan’s artists. Surrealism and body horror are also important thematic throughlines, and make the reader feel as though they’ve awoken in someone else’s depraved fantasy, or nightmare.
Illustrations are only half the story: some of the most impressive works included in the mook are toy figures, rare model sets, and original sculptures created by modeling professionals and enthusiasts. The array of these objects is astounding, from scene-specific models of pop-culture moments, to figures of invented characters.
Welcome Magazine recently gained access to a physical D.D.D. archive. For the next several months, we will be working our way through the the mooks, one Volume at a time, scanning as we go and curating standouts as Archive Dives. What follows are selects from Volume 0001. We hope you enjoy.
WARNING: Many of the following images are graphic. Reader discretion is advised.
