ReVIBES Project Debut Shows New Potential for Contemporary Art as COBRA x Kosuke Kawamura Works Sell at Auction

Left: ART TEKNIKA Mr. Manabu Furuse Right: Mr. Kosuke Kawamura

Panel discussion at the event

Supported by SBI Art Auction Inc.

ⒸReVIBES Project，BUICHI TERASAWA/ART TEKNIKA，KOSUKE KAWAMURA

The first ReVIBES Project release reinterpreting a classic Japanese IP through contemporary art has achieved a market sale.

SHINAGAWA-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN, June 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On June 4, 2026 (JST), the ReVIBES Project, a joint initiative by Toei Video Co., Ltd. and TANGLE Inc., announced that two collaborative art pieces created by the late Buichi Terasawa’s acclaimed work COBRA and collage artist Kosuke Kawamura, released as the project's first collection, were successfully sold at a registration-based auction held with the cooperation of SBI Art Auction Co., Ltd.

The event featured displays of Buichi Terasawa's published works and figures, as well as artworks by Kosuke Kawamura. A talk session with project stakeholders was also held, attracting numerous visitors, including members of the media. In addition to attendees at the venue, bidders from Japan and overseas participated online, demonstrating strong interest in works created through the fusion of one of Japan’s most recognized Intellectual Properties and contemporary art.

Auctioned Works

The auction featured two works by Buichi Terasawa “COBRA” × Kosuke Kawamura, achieving a combined hammer price of JPY 3,500,000.

“Buichi Terasawa『COBRA』× Kosuke Kawamura No.001 COLLAGE (Edition 1/3)” sold for JPY 1,400,000. The collage incorporates a wide range of characters from COBRA. The hair sections are finished with mirror-treated metal canvas, creating a work whose appearance changes depending on the viewing angle.

“Buichi Terasawa『COBRA』× Kosuke Kawamura No.002 SHREDDER (Edition 1/3)” sold for JPY 2,100,000. The work expresses the intentional displacements characteristic of shredder art through layered printing on an aluminum canvas and acrylic panel. By mounting the acrylic layer in a floating configuration, the piece introduces a physical layered structure to an otherwise two-dimensional work.

Artwork Overview

The collaboration brings together Buichi Terasawa’s COBRA and Kosuke Kawamura. The collection consists of two works: “Buichi Terasawa『COBRA』× Kosuke Kawamura No.001 COLLAGE (Edition 1/3)” and “Buichi Terasawa『COBRA』× Kosuke Kawamura No.002 SHREDDER (Edition 1/3).” Each work is produced in a worldwide limited edition of three.

Including frames, No.001 COLLAGE measures approximately 1,206 × 938 mm, while No.002 SHREDDER measures approximately 1,116 × 829 mm. Both works are finished as metal canvas prints and presented in custom frames.

About the ReVIBES Project

The ReVIBES Project reinterprets Intellectual Properties regarded as enduring classics—including manga, anime, and games—through the perspectives of contemporary artists from Japan and abroad, presenting them to global audiences as new works of art.

As Japanese pop culture continues to gain renewed international recognition, the project seeks to position Intellectual Properties not merely as subjects of reproduction or nostalgia, but as cultural assets that can be redefined within the context of contemporary art. By bringing together creativity from the past and present, the project aims to connect iconic Japanese Intellectual Properties with art markets in Japan and overseas through new forms of artistic expression.

The successful auction represents an important milestone for the ReVIBES Project, demonstrating the first tangible market validation of the value creation envisioned through the concept of “IP × contemporary art.”

About the First Collaboration

The inaugural collaboration brings together the late Buichi Terasawa’s science-fiction action comic COBRA and internationally active collage artist Kosuke Kawamura.

Created by Terasawa, a pioneer of digital illustration techniques, COBRA has been translated and published in more than a dozen countries and remains one of Japan’s most widely recognized Intellectual Properties. Kawamura has built a multidisciplinary career spanning art, fashion, music, and advertising. For this project, he combined original COBRA artwork data with his distinctive artistic approach, reinterpreting the series as contemporary art through both collage art and shredder art.

Future Developments

The ReVIBES Project has already begun preparations for its second IP × artist collaboration.

Moving forward, the project will continue selecting participating artists and Intellectual Properties from Japan and overseas while gradually expanding opportunities for presentation and market engagement through art events, art fairs, gallery exhibitions, auction sales, official e-commerce channels, and international distribution networks.

In addition to collaborations with established artists, the project plans to actively support emerging talent representing the next generation. By combining Japan’s celebrated manga, anime, and game Intellectual Properties with new creative perspectives, the initiative aims to produce artworks that resonate across generations and borders and to present them internationally as a new artistic movement originating from Japan.

For more information about the ReVIBES Project, please visit the official website: https://revibes-art.com/en

Soichi Nishijima
TANGLE Inc.
+81 80-5048-4364
info@revibes-art.com

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