The impetus for the development of as an artform was the development of the art of woodblock printing, and the release of the popular Chinese novel in 1757 in Japan; though the novel dates back several centuries before this, 1757 marked the released of the first Japanese edition. , a tale of rebel courage and manly bravery, was illustrated with lavish woodblock prints showing men in heroic scenes, their bodies decorated with dragons and other mythical beasts, flowers, ferocious tigers and religious images. The novel was an immediate success, creating a demand for the type of tattoos seen in the woodblock illustrations.