Japanese content provider, Ganapati, has been going from strength to strength this year.

After going live with its initial suite of unique slot games in April, the international group company has since begun releasing its next wave of equally exciting new additions. The company’s ninth addition to its ever-growing portfolio of slots features as distinctive a Japanese theme as its predecessors – possibly even taking it one step further. The game, known as Ukiyo-E, takes its name and inspiration from the famous seventeenth to nineteenth century Japanese art movement, ukiyo-e, which can be translated literally as “pictures of the floating world.” This particular genre of art is one which has since captivated the world with its iconic woodblock prints and paintings, generally depicting landscapes, female beauties, and scenes from history and folk tales.

Ganapati’s innovative approach to online casino – combining authentic Japanese elements with the traditional European iGaming experience – is plain to see in this latest game; the Japanese element this time round is unavoidable and quite striking, with ukiyo-e artworks featuring throughout the 3x5 reel slot game.

Two central themes ran through the ukiyo-e movement: depicting the extravagant lives of the wealthy and expressing the Buddhist concept of the transitory nature of life. The former came about from the more literal, and commonly known, translation of the art form’s name, describing pictures of a “floating world.” The name evoked a notion of floating along on life’s worldly pleasures. Popular subjects often illustrated to represent the idyllic lives of the higher classes included sumo wrestlers, geisha and kabuki actors - the prints typically painted onto screens or scrolls in a narrative style. This ideograph was in stark contrast to the intended meaning of the genre’s name, however. With uki sometimes meaning ‘sadness,’ and yo meaning ‘life,’ it is said that the style of art originally aimed to represent the fleeting cycle of birth, suffering, death and rebirth, which Buddhists believe we experience.

Somewhere along the way the two interpretations of the word have merged, as works of art from that period of time are often described as portraying the appreciation of indulging in momentary pleasures and the celebration of life’s beguiling uncertainties.

Ukiyo-e was the first Japanese art genre

to reach foreign shores, with woodblock prints such as those by Hokusai inspiring many European impressionists, including Monet. The influence of Japanese art on European works at this time became known as Japonism, which saw impressionists incorporating elements of Japanese prints into their own paintings – even down to the subject matter and composition.

Ganapati’s incorporation of this well-loved art into online casino games is tastefully done. Ukiyo-E is aptly described as “an astonishing fusion of modern casino games and traditional Japanese art,” claiming to be an accurate representation of how slots might have looked had they been around in Hokusai’s day. The most famous ukiyo-e works, such as the master himself, Hokusai’s Red Fuji and The Great Wave, appear throughout the game as backgrounds and wild symbols, making for impressive visuals.

The Great Wave, which shows itself in the game as a wild symbol, is arguably the most notorious piece of art from the ukiyo-e era. The globally famed piece was part of Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series, and despite initially being mass-produced and sold cheaply to tourists, went on to become the most well-known Japanese art work of all time.

Ukiyo-E is not only a game which is pleasing to the eye, but boasts impressive features, such as the Yabusame Tournament Gamble and Free Spins bonus. The

Yabusame Tournament Gamble takes players to a mounted archery contest based on the ancient Japanese martial art, where accumulated Free Spins can be gambled for more in a target shooting contest. Players enter as either a geisha, a cat or an archer, depending on the number of Scatters collected. The exciting skill-based challenge of hitting passing targets may win additional Free Spins or result in them being lost altogether. The unexpected items thrown by the geisha and the cat certainly make for an interesting surprise. Up to five rounds can be played in the tournament, with the stakes increasing each time.

The prevailing theme of both modern and traditional Japanese culture throughout each game is what Ganapati is becoming renowned for. This is certainly present in its previous game, Wild Sumo – a progressive slot with high quality graphics, which transports the player to the elusive world of the sumo wrestler. Player participation in both sumo training sessions and grand tournaments, as well as the opportunity to work one’s way up the Banzuke hierarchy, makes for an entirely unique gaming experience.

Whilst such fresh content keeps coming from the online casino side of the business, the Ganapati group is also embarking on new challenges, with the development of its ICO through Malta-based subsidiary, GanaEight Coin Limited. The ICO, known as the G8C token, marks an innovative move on the company’s part, as it will be designed for use on its own blockchain based online casino platform – a first in the industry. With its focus on cutting-edge technology in addition to its much-loved Japanese creativity, Ganapati is really proving to be the one to watch amongst the online casino scene.

‘UKIYO-E JAPANESE ART MEETS GAMING’

Nadia Adelstein Ganapati Gaming

Marketing Manager

5 STAR iGAMING MEDIA | Issue 4 October 2018 | www.5star.media | 11