What's your "Holy Grail" cel/sketch/whatever

[sensei]

In the interest of keeping things going here, I'm reviving a thread that went around some years back, thanks to duotrouble. He phrased the question so nicely that I'm going to use it again, except that when it first appeared, RS was still very much "cel-focused," and production sketches and shikashi had not begun to get their due. So I've broadened the scope a little to bring in the many of us who focus on CGI art, animators' original sketches/autographs, and other important forms of animation art. (And if you're old enough to have been one of the 76 Betarians who participated in the original thread, then please pick another "Holy Grail," perhaps one you've obtained since the original post.)

Everyone has that one cel/sketch/etc. in their gallery that they can't believe they own. It may not be your ultimate wishlist item. You could still be waiting for that one. But I'm sure everyone has a piece of animation art they can't believe they have, even if you are just starting collecting. When I first started collecting, I just couldn't believe I owned a Sailor Moon cel of Sailor Moon.

So show me your HOLY GRAIL!

Mine in 2006 was "The Syaoran." But I've been lucky since them, so now I'd have to pick:

CAUTION!!!! MEGA-ROZEN-MAIDEN-PLOT-SPOILER!!!!! (But dang, you know you gotta go look at it...)

That was a moment that I still remember from the first time I watched this series through: I was surprised, both by the action and by my emotional reaction. It wasn't what I expected, but I felt it was exactly right as the climax to the action in this series.

When I began collecting, I got some nice art from Rozen Maiden, and thought, golly, wouldn't it be nice to have the genga/douga from "that" split-second. Then I laughed and laughed and laughed at the absurdity of the idea. After all, that was the basis for one of the rilezu painted from the series, so whoever paid top dollar for that piece of paint-and-plastic has the original animating sketches in his or her top drawer. Right?

And yet ... one day ...

[KinoLRB]

I love this topic!

It was tough choice, but I had to go with this fabulous Kino genga.

http://celluloidcentral.rubberslug.com/ ... mID=374322

When I first started collecting, I never thought that I would focus my collection on Kino, mainly due to the rarity of artwork from the series. I realize now now that a wealth of fabulous sketches are available through the Rilezu purchases. I never thought that I would own a sketch of Kino that's not only this beautiful, but also one that so perfectly encapsulates the character and feel of the series.

[star-phoenix]

My ultimate Holy Grail would be my original art from the 1932 film, "Santa's Workshop". This is a very early color short from Disney's Silly Symphonies and also is an original key master set-up with the famous background of the moon with the smiling face.

http://starphoenix.rubberslug.com/galle ... mID=370812

I saw this cel in an auction back in 2008 and had lost out on it. I spent over 5.5 years searching for it again, asking all my connections to find the piece. This was the one piece I REALLY badly wanted and could not stop thinking about 5 years later. Then, one day, I received that phone call . . . . "Hey Jeanie! Guess what? I think I found what you are looking for!" They described the piece and then sent the image over to my cell phone. I remember being at work at that time and almost let out this loud squeal in my office (fortunately, no one was around). I finally got the cel in right before Christmas of last year and it was just as amazing in person as it was in the images. And best of all, I was able to custom build a magnificent frame for it that really enhances its beauty and it sits up in my gallery next to my Cinderella Betty Boop and Disney Cinderella cel. I still look at it to this day and admire every moment of it.

http://rubberslug.s3.amazonaws.com/user ... fcsr_o.jpg

[lunacels]

What a fun thread! Ultimately, many (if not most) of my cels fit in this category...I sold off a lot of cels over the years, and am left with the ones I really love. This one is probably the one I am most surprised I was able to find:

**Spoiler alert for Sailor Moon Stars...but seriously, after 20 years, if you haven't watched it yet...**
http://lunacels.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... emID=58839
Not the most A-level cel in my collection, to be sure. But I still cry every time I watch this episode.

This one has to be a close second, because it was a wishlist cel for a very long time before I was able to get it!
http://lunacels.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... emID=61772

I love seeing others' as well. Star-Phoenix, that's an incredible find!

[DrScorpio]

Its quite hard to choose a "Holy Grail" piece. I have several that I would nominate, but I guess I'll choose this this particular piece due to the fact that I love the series and surprise circumstances in which I got it.

http://drscorpio.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=336157

Im not sure why, but I really enjoyed watching Maria Sama. I like the characters and love watching them interact.

[majinuub]

Thinking back over the years, I am still shocked for being the owner of Serge showering from the Virus Buster Serge series. When it 1st showed up I was still a relatively new collector so I always had the feeling that all the quality artwork was out of my reach(when anime craze was still hot, bid wars and basic demand for anime cels were high). Whenever I sift through my collection this is one of the major ones that always manages to put me in awe. Granted I managed to get a sequence mate years later, but I still prefer the former.

[kizu]

This is the one cel I never thought would end up with me. It is truly my holy grail and I did feel like I won the lottery... I think even if I were to find a Saitou vs Kenshin TV cel (aside from the OVA one I have), after thinking about it for some time, this is sincerely my favorite cel forever and ever and ever...

http://hajimenokizu.rubberslug.com/gall ... mID=331852

I don't think I can ever top this one both in luck and how much I ended up paying for it. Not a single regret. Actually I've never regretted buying any Saitou cel especially from Rurouni Kenshin. I can only thank the people who've helped me over the years. I'm still in awe when someone would remember to contact me when they see one, now that I've been more of a lurker lately.

[JWR]

I still have the 2 cels I listed last time and are both very meaningful to me.

Since then I have been lucky enough to get quite a few special pieces that I never thought I would have a chance to own.

a couple of examples

First off is one from the show Love Hina which is a show that any artwork being able to be owned is a very rare item indeed.
This Hanken rough has a special place in my collection http://ryan.rubberslug.com/gallery/inv_ ... mID=223716

Second is cel from the El Hazard OVA and is one of the prettiest character designs I have ever encountered. I was very lucky to have been given the chance to purchase this Infurita cel http://ryan.rubberslug.com/gallery/inv_ ... mID=280161

[ReiTheJelly]

Hm, my previous choice don't entirely match my current selections, but I still feel intense attraction to my initial picks.

I'd say my top is this cel of the Jaberwoki from Miyuki-chan in Wonderland:
http://stemcels.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... emID=98465
It was the summer of 2004. The seller had this up as a silent auction on their website. The day the auction ended, I was driving across the country. I had my super old cell phone (think: brick) and had e-mailed the seller, asking her to call me if I was outbid. I have literally never been so nervous for an auction to end in my entire life.
Considering this is A1/B1/C1 key end with matching background, I consider myself insanely lucky to have this set-up.

This background of The Maze from CCS is also one of my all-time favorites. It's in absolutely terrible condition and I think it might actually be from a deleted scene, but I truly love it. I was thrilled to death when the original owner agreed to sell! http://stemcels.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... mID=301652

Purple-eyed Hinoto test cel from the X2 music video. Enough said. http://stemcels.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... mID=273679

[teggacat]

cool thread revival,
I guess my holy grail would be this cel
http://teggacatcels.rubberslug.com/gall ... mID=251638
simply because I have had Teto for quite a long time, way before the insane obsessive
price on Ghibli cels kicked in, I think I paid around $75 for it..........
as far as holy grail more favorite cant believe I own cel, I'd have
to say this one
http://teggacatcels.rubberslug.com/gall ... mID=251596
simply because it is probably my favorite cel I own

[graymouser]

It has been a long time since that thread, and a lot of stuff has changed over the years. I still have the cels I previously listed. The links no longer work mainly because I enjoy shifting stuff around in my gallery.

It is hard to give an updated version. Luck and longevity has expanded the list. When I first started collecting in the late '90s, I thought I would only collect a single cel of each main character from about 3-4 of my favorite shows. Although I still collect from those shows, they have a lot of company now.

I guess a relatively short list would be

Iason from Ai no Kusabi (work friendly image) http://itamejihada.net/cels/ank/ank1g.html
Amiboshi from Fushigi Yuugi http://itamejihada.net/cels/fy-tv/fy2d.html
Schmendrik and the Unicorn from the Last Unicorn http://itamejihada.net/cels/lu/lu1a.html
D from Vampire Hunter D http://itamejihada.net/cels/vhd/vhd1a.html

[kamidake]

Thanks for the thread revival!

I'm pretty sure this was the cel I posted then and is still the holy grail cel that I own:

http://ix.rubberslug.com/gallery/inv_in ... mID=353974
Hanken cel of Kamidake and Azaka from Tenchi Universe.

[cutiebunny]

I wonder if the reason as to why I never posted in the original topic was because I couldn't decide in the first place. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I have so many items I really love that selecting just one is difficult. The hardest part, at least now that I've focused on original artwork, is just the experience I've had with that person or what went on to get that sketch. Those stories are what usually elevates a sketch for me.

Favorite item overall (Miho Shimogasa Sailor Moon sketch) -
http://cutiebunny.rubberslug.com/galler ... mID=339015

Favorite cel (SuperS transformation) -
http://cutiebunny.rubberslug.com/galler ... mID=164776

Favorite Douga .... Is not yet online!

Favorite background (Christmas tree from Kobato) -
http://cutiebunny.rubberslug.com/galler ... mID=360577

Favorite item due to it's background story...is not yet online. But this Izumi Matsumoto sketch is a close second -
http://cutiebunny.rubberslug.com/galler ... mID=377471

[Digital]

Resurrecting this thread yet again since I seem to have missed it *twice* now. I didn't think I had been around long enough the first time, but yes, I was registered at the time (I checked). Obviously, I'm not on here very often (and my gallery hasn't been updated in ages).

I have many amazing things in my collection, including several of the Haibane Renmei rilezu that are so elusive (sorry, none of those are online just now). I think I spent two years drooling over them before I finally figured out a way to get some in my possession. I have one cel from Video Girl Ai (http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... emID=66322)that I used to get an annual offer to buy. Same thing with an Ai Yori Aoshi rilezu I picked up (http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... emID=70032). I even got a few amazing Maison Ikkoku setups that were offered to me before they were officially offered for sale (http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=108365, http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=108363). I have one of the few color tests from Azumanga Daioh (http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=130683). And my Yukino from Kare Kano is still one of my most beautiful and most loved cels (http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... emID=70037).

But the absolute holy grail cost me $50 on ebay back in 2002: a production sketch of Naru singing from Love Hina: http://whimsical.rubberslug.com/gallery ... emID=61375. It wasn't until much later that I discovered that these things are the rarest of the rare. That I probably shouldn't even have one if they had all been destroyed as planned.

[kathpatty]

Gosh ! What a line up of Beta users that was . So many we don't hear from anymore

Looked through the holy grails (of users past) and so many links are lost forever but I want to give a thumbs up to wELCOME cONSUMER' Holy Grail ..........
http://welcomeconsumer.rubberslug.com/g ... mID=150360
Absolutely stunning!!

I love all my cels and treasure all I have bought...My HOLY GRAILS are usually in other peoples galleries
But these are a few of my Precious s s s s s s s s s
http://kathpatty.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=251643
http://kathpatty.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=309744
http://kathpatty.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=373063
http://kathpatty.rubberslug.com/gallery ... mID=382826
has to stop......

Spends time looking at my lovelies