http://img.neoseeker.com/v_concept_art.php?caid=14511
Click if you don't want to go through images. I cut/paste Link from several pictures.
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(http://i45.tinypic.com/k2h1tu.png)
All the art that is dark in tone is the concept art. All the cartoonish stuff is what went into the manual. Tell me that is not some sexy artwork as far as the concept stuff is concerned. It could be part of the reason I love AoL almost as much as Ocarina of Time. The game feels like I am playing an adventure that is dark an adult but still Zelda-esc. I also loved that about OoT when I played as an adult Link.
Hell, even the artwork in the original manual for Link to the Past has Link pretty close to being an adult. I hated that stupid !@#$% when Nintendo gave Link a kid's voice in the GBA remake. Totally ruined it for me. Majora's Mask is supposed to be dark but the presentation of Link doesn't make it dark to me at all. I beat Majora's Mask and maybe it's just me, but when I was 13 playing it as a child Link, it felt childish again. Maybe there is a difference in child Link dark and adult Link dark.
However, TP just tried too hard or something. Can't quite place my finger on it. It was a good game, but I never immersed into it like I have all the Zelda games upto and including OoT. Even Link's Awakening in-game art at the intro and end portray him as a teen or young adult.
Anyway, I went off-track of the point of the thread.
I been looking over the old concept art of Zelda II and I think it is amazing stuff in contrast to what was released in the US manual.