na-ga

For the most part, I don't normally purchase anime guide books, visual books, or anything with similar words in the title. Those kind of collections tend to have less in the way of art, and more in the way of screen shots, backgrounds, and voice actor interviews. And while it's true, Angel Beats! Official Guide Book has all of those things I mentioned, it also has a ton of promotional art works from series, along with tribute illustrations and works by the original character designer, Na-Ga.

HIME-CHARA ☆ DESIGNERS FILE is a directory of fairly well-known commercial illustrators that design the anime, game, and manga characters we've all come to know and love. The art book features a remarkable 111 artists, but much like last years 100 Masters of Bishojo Painting each artist gets two pages, one full page illustration and one with smaller tiled art works.