Isshi as Imagined by Manga Artists
On September 3, 1978, a mysterious white creature was spotted swimming across Lake Ikeda at tremendous speed. The creature was reported to be huge, with approximately 5 meters between its two humps, and its wake extended dozens of meters from its body.
The creature became a sensation and was promptly christened Isshi based on its similarity to Nessie, Scotland’s Loch Ness monster. On May 27, 1979, 18 manga artists visited Lake Ikeda, where they set up a huge canvas and drew their own concepts of what Isshi might look like.