On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

• Myabit

• South Korean illustrator.

  She has created the character design for Akane Lize of the VTuber group StelLive, as well as numerous commemorative illustrations for popular games such as Brown Dust 2 and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE. She is also active in a wide range of fields, including the release of a figure based on her original character, "Mia."

  Her work is characterized by vibrant yet soft pastel colors and rich expression. She infuses diverse costume concepts with her signature warm and lively atmosphere, creating an approachable charm that captivates viewers.

• pixiv
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Introducing Myabit and her illustration work

── Could you briefly introduce yourself and your work?

Hello, I’m Myabit, an illustrator.

My work primarily focuses on illustrations featuring original characters, and I also have the privilege of participating in various commercial projects.

One project I’m particularly fond of is the design of Io for the game Destiny Child. I also had the opportunity to design Akane Lize, a member of the VTuber group StelLive, so I imagine many people may have discovered my work through her. Recently, I was also commissioned to create illustrations for a commemorative event for the game Brown Dust 2.

Myabit’s favorite illustration and its creation process

── What’s your favorite thing you’ve drawn recently?

Of my recent works, my favorite is "arrest," which is included in the LOG post on my illustration blog. 

── What made you draw it and what was the inspiration behind it?

This piece is based on a composition where part of the face is hidden by a raised arm. Actually, I had attempted a similar composition quite some time ago, but I wasn’t able to fully capture the appeal I wanted to back then. It wasn’t just a matter of the composition. I was left feeling that I hadn’t managed to depict the partially visible face in a way that left a lasting impression. This time, I believe I redeemed myself and was able to bring out the character’s charm more effectively by rebuilding the overall atmosphere while drawing on that past experience.

── What do you like about this particular image?

I had fun creating a somewhat dreamlike atmosphere by deliberately emphasizing the dramatic lighting. With this piece, I was able to capture not only the facial details and composition but also the lighting exactly as I had intended from the start. While working on a piece, it’s common for the final result to drift slightly from my initial vision, but when the vision I had in mind from the very beginning comes to life exactly as I imagined, I feel a particularly strong sense of accomplishment.

▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!

── Which part of the process was the most fun?

As I mentioned earlier, my favorite part of the illustration process is adding light. The moment light is applied to the skin and hair tones I’ve already established, the original colors take on a completely different hue, creating an atmosphere I never could have imagined. It’s not just about the colors changing; the process of shaping the overall mood of the illustration is incredibly fascinating, and I always get excited when working on the lighting.

── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?

Fortunately, I didn’t encounter any major difficulties with this project. It went relatively smoothly from start to finish, which is actually quite rare. (laughs)

Actually, if I had to say something was difficult, it would be committing to hiding the face. I usually don’t draw compositions where the face is hidden, so I did feel a bit conflicted about having to cover the face with an arm after I'd gone through all the trouble of drawing it just the way I wanted it! But if I hadn’t hidden the face, it wouldn’t have matched my original intention to challenge myself. So, in the end, I have no regrets.

── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?

I paid particular attention to how I could make the eyes, the most prominent part of her face that is still visible, look as captivating as possible. Since only a limited amount of her face is exposed, it was essential for that small section to convey the character’s charm in a split second. I focused intently on this aspect because if I didn’t stay mindful of it, I wouldn't be able to achieve what I wanted with the character. However, I also recognize that the moment the expression becomes excessive, the charm can be lost, so I always strive to maintain a delicate balance, never going overboard.

The interconnectedness between various elements lends additional credibility to the character details

── Your original characters are so beloved by fans that they’ve even been turned into figures. What do you focus the most on when designing your characters? Also, could you share any tips on how you refine your illustrations to ensure they translate effectively into three-dimensional figures?

I love designs that are simple yet distinctively unique. The more something leaves a lasting impression at first glance and etches itself into memory, the more joy I feel while drawing it.

When it comes to creating convincing details and forms, I place great importance on the interplay between the character’s body, clothing, and hair—how they fit together and influence one another. I strive to create something where each element interacts with the others and blends naturally, rather than simply having the clothes rest on the body. While I constantly worry about whether I’ve fully captured this in my work, I believe that the process of consciously building up these minute details one by one is what ultimately shapes the final result.

I'm choosing to form connections in a way that allows me to enjoy the creative process

── As you continue your creative work, do you have any unique methods of branding that help you generate income and connect with your fans?

Rather than forcing myself into a specific style, I have always followed my instincts—drawing what I want to draw and expressing myself in whatever direction feels right at the moment. As a commercial artist, I understand that this approach doesn’t always work to my advantage. While some may expect a consistent body of work, I believe that this flexibility is what makes me unique and defines my personal brand.

Ultimately, enjoying what I do is the most important thing for sustaining a long-term creative career. I believe that, through this process, connections with people who resonate with my work will form naturally.

── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.

I rarely get the chance to talk about my illustrations in such depth, so I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts and feelings through this interview. I am truly grateful to everyone who has followed my work and given me such warm support. Moving forward, I hope to continue creating art that resonates with you all, while steadily producing the kind of illustrations that I love the most.

── Myabit, thank you so much!

Check out past Artist's Spotlight interviews!

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On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

This time we interviewed Korean illustrator and character designer kiri about the behind-the-scenes of her recent works and what she considers especially important when creating an original illustration!

• kiri

• South Korean illustrator and character designer.

  She pursues clear designs that effectively communicate a theme. She focuses on the harmony between her delicate line art and use of medium-saturation colors when creating distinctive original characters.

  She serves as an instructor on online learning services such as propic and Coloso, teaching creative techniques. She also handles character designs, music videos, and illustrations for various VTubers.

• pixiv
  X
  

Introducing kiri and her illustration work

── Could you briefly introduce yourself and your work?

Hello! I'm kiri, an illustrator and character designer. Lately, I've been working on character designs, costume designs, and music video illustrations for Korean and Japanese VTubers. I absolutely love drawing cute not-quite-human characters!

kiri’s favorite illustration and its creation process

── What’s your favorite thing you’ve drawn recently?

Among the pieces I've drawn recently, the one that stands out most is my original illustration “merry christmas.” I drew a character sitting on an old Ferris wheel on a snowy winter day, with another character whose expression is hidden standing across from them.

── What made you draw it and what was the inspiration behind it?

I actually draw these characters every Christmas, including last year's holiday season. I’ve made numerous pieces filled with festive Christmas cheer, so, this time, I deliberately toned down the Christmas elements, opting instead for a quiet, almost melancholic setup. My aim was to create an atmosphere that would encourage viewers to speculate on the relationships and story between the characters.

── What do you like about this particular image?

I've cherished these original characters for a long time, and I've always loved that white, quiet, lonely atmosphere of winter. I really like how I successfully captured that mood in this art.

── Which part of the process was the most fun?

As is usually the case, I especially enjoyed the underpainting stage of this piece. I believe illustrations can be placed into two categories: those emphasizing the subject and those emphasizing the atmosphere. A technique I frequently use regardless of which category I’m aiming for is emphasizing elements of the piece through hue and value. During the underpainting stage, the finished image I have in my head becomes more concrete, giving me a tangible sense of progress and reassurance.

▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!

── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?

The line art stage was the most challenging. I often draw lines while simultaneously filling in color (rendering), so I don’t draw very detailed line art compared to other illustrators. Even so, the stage of translating the image in my head into a concrete form always feels difficult. If I don't get the shapes right in the line art stage, the later stages become even more difficult, so I have to be especially careful.

Lately, to improve the overall quality of my illustrations even slightly, I've been making a conscious effort to draw detailed lines from the very beginning.

── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?

First, I prioritized creating a quiet, lyrical atmosphere. I consciously crafted a composition that drew attention to the story unfolding between the two characters. One is a very ordinary human whose expression is visible, while the other, though human-like in form, has wings and is depicted without a visible expression. The Ferris wheel in the background isn't just a simple amusement ride; I rendered it with a worn, aged feel meant to suggest some underlying story. I'd be delighted if viewers feel even slightly curious about what the story behind these characters is.

Giving pieces a persuasive realism

── Your character designs are distinctive and uniquely expressive, blending darkness with a touch of cuteness. It’s truly impressive. Could you tell us about the inspiration behind your character designs and what you find challenging in the creation process?

I feel like I always start by focusing on the specific elements and ideas I personally enjoy. For references, I often look to visual content like photographs, films, or other artists' illustrations. If I start without deciding what I want to create, I sometimes get stuck because I don't know what to research. So, when developing ideas, I first lay out the things I like, then use those as keywords to search for references and expand my thinking. Having a solid foundation prevents me from straying too far from the direction I want to go in.

The most challenging part of production, I find, is how to make my original characters and illustrations convincingly real to the viewer. Viewers are often going into original works with no prior knowledge, making them feel unfamiliar and potentially less engaging. To overcome this, I constantly prioritize clarity. In other words, I prefer to create illustrations that viewers can parse easily and without stress.

Additionally, I consciously aim for character designs with both appeal and simplicity. When creating an illustration, I focus on clearly highlighting the parts I want to emphasize.

Consistently posting original works is especially important

── As you continue your creative work, do you have any unique methods of branding that help you generate income and connect with your fans?

I make a conscious effort to consistently post original illustrations on social media platforms like pixiv. While I occasionally draw fan art for works that moved me or for my favorite VTubers, there’s nothing I love more than drawing original works. I'd be delighted if people remember me as an illustrator who loves creating original content.

Therefore, I’m always designing new original characters. I also cherish the existing characters I've been drawing for a while, making sure to sketch and post them whenever inspiration strikes. While I'm currently taking a break due to scheduling conflicts, I previously shared my creative work and behind-the-scenes character development on platforms like POSTYPE and pixivFANBOX.

── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.

Knowing that people are cheering me on gives me tremendous strength. I'm always truly grateful. And for those reading this article who, like me, enjoy drawing original characters, I'd be delighted if this interview proves even a little helpful. I plan to keep doing my very best!

── kiri, thank you so much!

>>>>View kiri’s works on pixiv<<<<

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Interview by Ichibo Harada

2025 marked the 8th Copic Award, a global contest showcasing artworks from Copic fans all over the world. Of over 4800 submissions, sushidog's illustration Kokoro no CMYK received the prestigious pixiv Award.

sushidog, who was also a finalist for the Copic Award 2022, says she has further refined her Copic ABS (Airbrushing System) technique this year. We interviewed her about her thoughts on the Copic Award and the appeal of Copic ABS!

I colored almost all of the winning artwork with airbrushing

── Congratulations on winning the pixiv Award! How did you feel when you found out?

To me, the Copic Awards feel more like an annual celebration than a contest, so I don't enter with winning alone in mind. I had no idea how my work was going to be received, so I was truly shocked when I heard I'd won...! I really love Copic ABS, and I poured all my skills into creating this piece, so winning was incredibly rewarding.

── Your use of Copic ABS was highly praised when you were selected as a finalist for the Copic Award 2022. Is it true that your award-winning work, Kokoro no CMYK, was also created almost entirely with airbrushing?

For the Copic Award 2022, I made freckles using the uneven dots created by blocking the airbrush airflow with my finger. However, that meant the final result was mostly down to chance. For Kokoro no CMYK, I wanted to be sure I achieved the exact finish I intended. I created my own stencil sheets and also devised ways to use everyday items in my work process.

── Which everyday items do you mean?

It's a bit hard to explain. There's this component on a computer motherboard with lots of tiny holes in it. I saw one of these parts for sale while browsing an online store, and had an epiphany about spraying black airbrush paint over it to create dots that looked like screentones. So I ordered it, tried it out, and it turned out just right. That's how I made those dots in the girl's hair.

── That's so creative! You also said you made your own stencils?

Yes. I loaded the design into a cutter machine with a built-in scanner and cut it into plastic document sleeves to make my own stencil sheets.

I used my love for the Copic ABS to stay focused

── You definitely did a lot of crafting for this piece. How long did this illustration take in total?

The actual work—drawing line art, coloring, and airbrushing—took about a week. However, deciding on the theme and design for the piece took much, much longer. In total, it probably took about two months.

I usually draw whatever I feel like randomly, but since I was submitting this piece to the Copic Award, I thought it would be better to create an illustration with a solid theme. That's how Kokoro no CMYK was born. I used a printer's CMYK inks to represent how all colors blend together in perfect balance to create vibrant happiness.

── The theme you chose and the techniques you used to bring that theme to life are in perfect sync. Had you already decided from the start that you wanted to use airbrushing for most of the piece?

No. Initially, I planned to draw a girl in traditional dress and use airbrushing only for the background. But I love airbrushing so much that, partway through the piece, I realized I should use it all over because then the piece would better represent myself as an artist. That's when I shifted gears.

── So it took a long time to finalize the concept, but were there any difficulties during the actual illustration stage of the piece?

Masking was quite a hassle. I'd apply a masking sheet, spray it with the airbrush, peel it off, then apply the next sheet, repeating that process over and over. I was cutting everything with a paper cutter, so I was constantly worried I might accidentally cut the piece too. Luckily, I didn't make any serious mistakes and was able to finish the illustration once I got into the flow.

── Do you enjoy this kind of detailed work?

No. I'm incredibly impatient, so I usually give up halfway through this kind of work (laugh). But I can really throw myself into things that interest me, so my love for Copic ABS kept me focused.

I've been using Copic for four years

── What inspired you to start drawing analog art?

I originally lived in the United States, but I had the chance to move to Japan at the end of 2019. Japan is famous for anime and manga and, even though I already had an office job, I remembered how I had dreamed of becoming an illustrator or manga artist as a child. I wanted to take advantage of the fact that I lived in Japan, so I started working as an assistant to a manga artist and sharing my own illustrations.

Back then, I was drawing illustrations digitally, but after seeing my favorite manga artist's Copic illustrations, I became interested in analog illustration myself. I casually mentioned wanting to try using Copic markers during a stream, and my followers really encouraged me, saying they'd support me and so I should just go ahead and try it.

── Your followers are very kind.

I often stream in English, so I have a lot of international followers, including those viewers. For people overseas, even if they're interested in Copic markers, the barrier for entry is pretty high. In the US, a single Copic marker costs around 7 dollars (about 1,100 yen)... Since they're more expensive than in Japan, there's a strong anxiety that it'd be a waste to buy them if you're not able to master them. So people really appreciate artists who show themselves actually using them and share techniques.

That happened around February 2022, so I've been using Copic markers for about four years now.

── You've really improved in just four years!

I watched tutorial videos by people drawing with Copic markers and bought lots of books to teach myself. When I used to draw digitally, I'd sometimes get headaches, maybe because of the light from the liquid crystal tablet. Analog drawing suited me much better because that doesn't happen, so I got hooked.

That said, I still draw illustrations digitally at times. I switch between mediums depending on where the work will be shown—for example, using analog for solo exhibitions and digital for social media or videos.

Why Copic ABS is a great choice for beginners

── You're very well known for your use of Copic ABS. Where did you find out about it?

I happened to see it at an art supply store early in 2022. I'd never seen anything like it before, so I bought it immediately.

── Airbrushing has a reputation for being difficult to master because of how hard it is to fix mistakes.

I can see why. At first, I didn't know about masking sheets, so I made stencils by cutting copy paper and attaching it to the surface with masking tape. This often led to mistakes where paint seeped into gaps and I accidentally airbrushed things I didn't want to. But with an airbrush, the paint doesn't soak into the paper itself, so it's easy to fix any mistakes using a blender.

It might seem difficult, but I personally think Copic ABS is the perfect art supply for beginners.

── Why's that?

It's pretty easy to come back from any mistakes by using a blender. Also, for example, after drawing a girl, if you lightly airbrush around her, it instantly changes the whole atmosphere. And if some of the paint gets on the character, that adds its own charm.

You can even use lace from the dollar store as a masking sheet and spray it with an airbrush to create cute effects like in 90s shoujo manga. Airbrushing is also good for people who struggle with drawing backgrounds, or if you ever feel like your backgrounds are a bit empty.

── Most illustration software includes airbrushing tools. Is there anything especially enjoyable about using an analog airbrush?

Yeah. With an analog airbrush, you get a slightly grainy texture, and I really like that.

Analog art stimulates the five senses

── Many people seem to think that creating illustrations with Copic markers is difficult because it's hard to recover from mistakes. What are your thoughts on this?

I know a lot of people worry that one mistake can ruin the entire illustration when using Copics. But I once accidentally drew a character's hands on the wrong side. I just redrew the hands on a separate sheet and pasted them over the top to fix it (laughs). Once you scan it, you can't tell at all. Using whiteout or adding patterns over the mistake works surprisingly well too.

Do you know the artist Bob Ross?

── He's an American painter from the TV show The Joy of Painting, which aired from 1983 to 1994.

Yes. He's famous for the phrase, "It's not a mistake, it's a happy accident." Messing up is not a bad thing, and you don't need to worry about it.

Even if I make a mistake, I just think of a different approach. It's likely I'll discover new techniques or find opportunities to improve my skills through this cycle of trial and error. In my case, I believe that hitting a wall is precisely when we grow the most. So even if I make a mistake, I almost never start over from scratch.

── What kinds of techniques have you actually created by making mistakes?

My freckle technique actually came from a mistake. My finger accidentally touched the airbrush nozzle, and for a moment I panicked, thinking I messed up. But when I looked closely, the uneven dots actually looked like freckles. That's when I decided to use that technique when drawing girls with freckles. That led to my entry being selected as a finalist for the Copic Award 2022.

── It sounds like you actually enjoy finding ways to come back from any mistakes you make.

Yeah, personally, I find it more enjoyable when you leave room for fate. Plus, I really like how analog creation stimulates all five senses. Like the click sound when opening and closing Copic caps, or the smell of the ink... All those little elements really get me pumped up to draw.

My dream is to publish a book about Copic ABS techniques

── How many Copic markers do you have right now?

Around 240.

── It's clear your favorite is the Copic ABS, but are there any other Copic products you like?

I quite like the Copic acrea water-based markers. Though it's not manufacturer-approved, I've been using them with the ABS. I've been experimenting by doing things like dissolving the ink in water to use it like watercolor paint. It seems like I might make some interesting discoveries.

── What's your favorite paper to use with Copic markers?

When airbrushing, Copic's Premium Bond Paper is ideal because masking sheets adhere easily and the paint sets well. For a watercolor-like effect, Muse's Lamplight paper is great for creating a soft atmosphere.

── Will you continue to submit entries to the Copic Award?

I really have fun participating every year, so I plan to do so. I think the concept of the Copic Award is wonderful—anyone can participate regardless of where they live, their age, gender, or creative background. If I can develop new techniques for Copic ABS, I want to submit an even more advanced piece to the Copic Award 2026!

── We can't wait to see what you submit! Finally, please tell us about your future goals.

Lately, I've been trying my hand at making manga, so I hope someday I can publish and sell something I made at events like COMITIA. Another big dream is publishing a technique guide for Copic ABS. Either way, I plan to keep trying all sorts of new things.

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On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator!

This time we interviewed Korean illustrator Fajyobore about the behind-the-scenes of her recent work and her creative progress!

• Fajyobore

• South Korean illustrator.

  She handles character and costume designs for games such as Seven Knights and Project Sekai, as well as key visuals and album jackets for the VTuber group ReGLoss, affiliated with COVER.

  She masterfully utilizes a diverse spectrum of light, creating a cinematic atmosphere with a lyrical and fantastical immersive experience.

• pixiv
  X
  

Introducing Fajyobore and her illustration work

── First of all, please briefly introduce yourself.

Hello! I'm Fajyobore, an illustrator. Most people know me for my work on key visuals and album cover designs for “ReGLoss” from Hololive. I’m also working on the doujin anthology “Interstellar Travel” as a personal project.

I mostly work in both character design and illustration, though illustration commissions have become my main focus recently. Since I specialize in illustrations using depictions of light, I receive many requests in that area. I especially enjoy creating tailored backgrounds and scenes that feel as though each individual character truly exists within them.

Fajyobore’s favorite illustration and its creation process

── Of the works you've created recently, which one is your favorite?

This piece is titled Reflection. I wanted to depict the loneliness and poignant atmosphere that many people feel during the winter season.

── Please tell us what inspired you to draw this work.

According to the file creation date, I started this piece around November. It was just when the weather started turning chilly, so I think I naturally began incorporating that into my art. At the time, I was intensely studying how to depict light reflections and textures, so I drew inspiration from that as well. I was thrilled that I’d learned the principle behind depicting images reflecting on glass, so I incorporated glass textures into my work everywhere at that time.

── What do you like about this particular image?

I especially like this picture because I successfully captured the image of winter I envisioned. I particularly like how I expressed the contrast between the coldness of the glass and metal used for the background and the warm texture of the character's sweater and hat. I also managed to depict the gaze fixed on their reflection in the window glass exactly as I intended.

── What was the most enjoyable part of creating it?

I enjoy incorporating expressions of light, so finishing the retouching of this work was definitely the most fun part. It was especially interesting using layer effects to depict the light bleeding through the wool texture on the hat. I feel that this kind of bleeding light effect has become an essential part of my art since then.

Another adjustment I like is using Photoshop's lens blur effect after finishing the entire drawing to create a sense of distance. Unlike a simple blur effect, lens blur really feels like you’re viewing the scene through an out-of-focus camera.

▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!

── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?

There is no efficient shortcut to depicting things reflected in glass, so I had to draw it from scratch, which ended up requiring me to draw the same character twice. Additionally, I wanted to effectively convey the angle of looking up from below, so I also had to calculate and draw the perspective of the reflective surface. To be honest, I drew it freehand rather than calculating exactly how it should reflect, but since it still required consideration of the space as a whole, it was difficult nonetheless.

── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?

I focused on expressing the warmth and texture of knitwear and the soft wool material of the hat. I simplified the dark areas into a single block, thereby emphasizing the surfaces that catch the light. While I enjoyed attempting to reflect realistic textures at the time, it wasn’t easy to translate that into my art.

It's important to focus on improving skills aligned with your goals

── You express the key elements of your work with such delicate and beautiful precision. Could you tell us about the specific process you go through to achieve this level of detail? Also, please share how you conceptualize the stories woven within your pieces.

I don’t really have a set procedure for deciding on a piece's story or motif. I usually look for reference material or just actually try out whatever pops into my head. Rather than some special moment of inspiration striking, or deliberately creating it, I think it's more of an accumulation of things I like—movies, novels, experiences—taking shape over time. When working professionally, there's a process of communicating with clients. But with personal work, I often just draw whatever comes to mind at the moment, so explaining the process is quite difficult (laughs).

Even so, if there's one thing I can share, it's that, if I have the time, I place great importance on the process of creating small thumbnails (rough sketches). The most painful part of art is when there's a huge gap between the image in my head and what I actually draw. However, by creating a small thumbnail beforehand, I can get a sense of where my limits lie in terms of what I can actually bring to life. Since it's small, it doesn't take much time. It also serves as practice for drawing, increasing the likelihood that the final piece will turn out satisfying. I used to wonder why painters would deliberately paint the same picture twice because it seemed inefficient, but it does indeed have a purpose.

Getting all the details in naturally follows afterward. For example, even the same metallic texture differs depending on intent. When aiming for a cold, futuristic feel, I need to increase contrast and sharpen it; when seeking a soft, relaxed atmosphere, I lower the contrast and render surfaces with a softer quality.

Personally, I believe that what matters most in mastering technique is tailoring it to the specific goals you have in terms of artistic expression. Rather than striving to draw good pictures without direction, it's crucial to understand precisely what kind of image you want to convey. That, I believe, is the path to creating good art.

In a time of increasingly niche preferences, I want to create content that's uniquely mine

── Do you have any personal branding strategies that help you keep creating, connect with fans, and make your art sustainable as a career?

When I first started freelancing and was desperate to grow, my goals were quite different from what they are now. At first, I was anxious to get my name out there and reach as many people as I could. Because of that, I had this almost obsessive compulsion to draw pictures that as many people as possible would like. Back then, drawing fan art in popular genres was my way of branding myself.

Nowadays, while recognition is important, I believe it's crucial to give everyone a reason to check my pixiv and X specifically. To do that, I need to hone a unique sensibility that people can’t find anywhere else. Even if not as many people see and react to it, my recent guiding principle is to venture out in search of new forms of expression. Precisely because we live in a time where personal tastes are fragmented and niche rather than everyone chasing one big trend, my desire to create content that's uniquely mine is stronger than ever. The project I'll discuss later, Interstellar Travel was born from this very spirit.

── You produced the anthology art book, Interstellar Travel, which depicts a future world where people can freely traverse the stars. Could you share what prompted this project and any memorable episodes?

The reason I started was very simple. I wanted to publish a personal zine with original work, but my schedule didn't allow it. So I thought, why not do it as an anthology instead? By working with others, even if I drew fewer pages myself, the book would still be satisfyingly long. Of course, I had no idea how much work a producer had to do when I made that choice... (laughs).

Even so, working together with my team members to build this world, and sharing the load to overcome challenges when things got tough, was an invaluable experience I could never have gained alone. Through countless discussions and shared effort, I could feel the book's quality improving with every step we took.

Every element—from promotions on our dedicated X account to world-building and book structure—was created from scratch by all members. We never imagined our original work, created purely out of passion, would receive such an overwhelming response. This has become a tremendous source of hope for continuing our creative endeavors!

── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.

To everyone who looks at my artwork, thank you so much! In this world overflowing with wonderful art, the fact that you found and like my work feels like a miracle to me, and I am truly grateful. Lately, work and other commitments have kept me busy, and I haven't been able to focus much on personal projects. However, in 2026, I hope to deliver many more original pieces.

Currently, as an instructor, I often hear students express concerns about being intimidated by the number of talented people out there, which discourages them from making their own art. While it's true that social media and the internet have led to a significant increase in the number of highly skilled artists, I also want you to remember the positive side: the market has grown larger, and there are now more avenues and platforms available for creative expression.

I hope all of you who wish to draw will continue to enjoy creating the art you love.

── Thank you very much!

>>View Fajyobore’s works on pixiv<<

Check out past Artist's Spotlight interviews!

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On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator!

This time we interviewed Korean concept artist Okku about the behind-the-scenes of her recent work and the mindset behind her creative progress!

• Okku

• Korean concept artist.
  She is an illustrator for the games LOST ARK and Seven Knights, and also conducts character design workshops incorporating real world examples.
  Her style is characterized by delicate and sophisticated lines, and the combination of translucent colors and meticulous use of light creates an elegant atmosphere.

• pixiv
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Introducing Okku and her illustration work

── First of all, please briefly introduce yourself.

Hello, my name is Okku.

So far, I’ve worked as an original artist for games such as Seven Knights, LOST ARK, and Mabinogi. I currently work as a freelance illustrator, mainly producing original drawings and illustrations of game characters.

Okku’s favorite illustration and its creation process

── Of the works you've created recently, which one is your favorite?

One of my favorite works I've drawn recently is called "Queen's dessert."

── Please tell us what inspired you to draw this work, and how did you get the inspiration?

This is an illustration of one of my original characters, the White Queen. I wanted to draw something visually interesting while still maintaining the character’s unique concept. I expanded upon the composition ideas I used in a previous work with a similar theme.

── What do you like about this particular image?

I have a lot of affection for the character of the White Queen herself. I am particularly attached to this work because it was fun to draw a bunch of things I already love drawing, such as the desserts and sparkling textures.

── What was the most enjoyable part of creating it?

I especially enjoyed the process of designing the small decorative elements in a way befitting of the White Queen, such as her nails, accessories, and hand gestures.

▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!

── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?

Since the entire character is white, including her eyebrows, hair, clothes, and accessories, I struggled to depict the key elements in a way that would make them stand out. For example, the crown is also white, but I made it stand out by drawing it as if it was made out of a different material, giving it a strong presence.

── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?

The focus of the work, the heart-shaped dessert, was initially shaped like an anatomical heart. I wanted to make it more visually beautiful, so I deformed the shape of the heart to create the current design.

Okku’s creative mindset

── Okku, you’ve been creating high-quality works for many years. Please tell us about your mindset and attitude towards your work as you continue your activities.

I try to approach each work as if I’m creating a small project. First, I envision a world for the piece to be set in, come up with ideas based on that worldbuilding, and add them to the work. This process is really helpful when immersing yourself in the work and coming up with ideas that will make the work shine more.

── When creating your work, are there any ideas or values you hold dear?

I especially value the story behind each character. I’m really conscious of expressing the world I imagine for each character through the characters themselves and the design elements that accompany them.

Building a personal style is important

── Do you have any personal branding strategies that help you keep creating, connect with fans, and make your art sustainable as a career?

It's important to steadily build your own style. There are many ways to express your artistic skill, such as painting style and color, but I especially enjoy expressing the worlds I envision through character design. Recently, I have been drawing more and more illustrations that highlight key elements of the work rather than just drawing character concept art.

In addition, through requests for character designs and illustrations for a wide range of genres such as games, novels, and VTubers, there have been more opportunities for collaboration with organizations. I have been doing a lot of freelance illustration work recently, so I receive commissions regularly. I sometimes receive inquiries about purchasing copyrights for my personal works, and if there is an opportunity to collaborate in a bigger way, I would like to actively take on that challenge to share my work with more people.

── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supports my work.

Recently, I’ve only been silently uploading works I have created from time to time, but I am really happy to have the opportunity to express my feelings through interviews like this. I’ll continue to strive to share even better works in the future!

── Thank you very much!

Check out past Artist's Spotlight interviews!

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On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

• Kerno

• South Korean illustrator.

  He is the cover song illustrator for StelLive VTuber Tenko Shibuki and also conducts illustration workshops incorporating practical know-how, such as how to run booths at offline events.

  His style is characterized by his use of point colors, as well as light and composition, to depict everyday emotions. 

• pixiv
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Introducing Kerno and his illustration work

── Could you briefly introduce yourself and your work?

Hello, I’m Kerno, a casual illustrator.

Most of my work is giving illustration lectures, as well as drawing commissions for games, VTuber cover songs, and merchandise. I also participate in booths at various subculture-related events.

Kerno's favorite illustration and its creation process

── What’s your favorite thing you’ve drawn recently?

I really like my drawing of an original character playing the bass.

── What made you draw it and what was the inspiration behind it?

I was inspired by my own love of playing the bass as a hobby and the anime “Bocchi the Rock!”

I couldn’t help but think, “If a character was going to play my bass, what would they look like? What would be charming about them?” And then I designed and drew this original character based on that.

── What do you like about this particular image?

I love the bass as an instrument. I’m really drawn to the chic, mysterious image it has. I really wanted to convey that same feeling in this piece, so I centered this work around the bass, then came up with a character and kept the workroom itself minimalist. Spending all that time thinking about it made me grow really attached to it.

── What was the most fun part of the process?

The most enjoyable part was definitely painting the bass, which is actually modeled after the one I actually use! While painting the bass, it was almost like I could feel the bass’s smooth curves, sharp visuals, and clean, refined design with my own hands. It was such a fun process.

▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!

── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?

The most challenging part was designing the chair. I wanted a chair that would complement the overall white aesthetic but still maintain the minimalist feel. I needed to consider carefully―choosing the wrong chair could ruin the entire balance of the piece. I do think it was a point I struggled with.

── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?

Of course I spent a lot of time on getting the bass right, but I also gave a lot of attention to the creases in the character's clothes. For the jacket, I put extra effort into rendering the pronounced creases that happen when you bend your arms, but the pants were really where I had to invest the most time and energy. I was meticulous about the flow of the fabric and the formation of wrinkles based on the pose. I wanted these details to add to the overall atmosphere of the character as understated and casual as possible, so I paid particular attention to them.

What to pay attention to when creating

── You’re especially good at keeping up with trends and incorporating them into your work. There are so many aspects to consider before starting a piece, such as what kind of character to draw and what concept to follow. Do you have any insider tips about how you come up with the composition for your works and how you keep up with trends?

I always keep up with the latest illustrations by other artists and try to be aware of what kind of games and anime are popular right now.

I try to steadily keep up with the latest anime, carefully checking the artistic direction, character traits, and designs of each one. I occasionally watch movies, and when I do, I consciously study the visual composition of the screen, the changing color tones, saturation, and brightness that match the emotional fluctuations, and the direction and effects of light according to the time of day and environment! Observing and researching these aspects of visual arts really helped with the composition and concepts in my work.

Most of my references come from anime, games, movies, and similar media, though I also use Pinterest and Google often. If there’s an aspect of my art I want to improve or explore new creative approaches to, I make sure to spend time researching relevant materials. For example, if I wanted to create a composition using a bold angle or experiment with color schemes I've never used before, I would conduct thorough research tailored to my specific goals.

Exploring opportunities to interact with fans

── As you continue your creative work, do you have any unique ways of branding that help you generate income and connect with your fans?

To be honest, not really. I'm a bit introverted, so I'm not very good at promoting myself. However, I do make an effort to post illustrations as consistently as possible to not disappoint my fans. That’s the best way of creating a brand for myself.

That said, I know I can't stay introverted forever. I want to be able to communicate more with my fans in the future. Going forward, I plan to explore new ways of branding, maybe through livestreams!

── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.

I’m always really grateful towards everyone who views my illustrations, commissions my work, and collaborates with me!

Currently, the only place where I can interact with my fans is at events, because my social media mainly only focuses on sharing illustrations. However, I’m trying to find a fun way to communicate with everyone in the future, maybe through live streams.

Please keep an eye out for my work in the future!

── Kerno, thank you so much!

Check out past Artist's Spotlight interviews!

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On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

For this feature, we spoke to Fuwari, a freelance illustrator based in South Korea. We talked about the behind-the-scenes of one of his recent artworks, his approach to drawing cute characters, and how he builds his brand as a creator.

• Fuwari
• South Korean illustrator.

  He teaches illustration courses on the online learning platform Fast Campus, and his work spans various fields, including merch design for VTubers (like hololive) and illustration collaborations for games.

  His signature style brings out the charm of his characters through soft, refreshing colors and compelling compositions.

• pixiv
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Introducing Fuwari and his illustration work

── Could you briefly introduce yourself and share a few of your representative works?

Hi, I'm Fuwari, an illustrator. I used to work as a full-time company employee for about five or six years while also teaching illustration. Around two years ago, I quit my job to go full freelance, taking on commissions and participating in events. Even back when I was working at a company, I would draw both original content and fan art pretty freely.

I don't think I have any representative works just yet, but if I had to name one of my most famous works, it would probably be my fan art of Elaina from Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina. That one got the biggest response on pixiv.

Fuwari's favorite illustration and its creation process

── Of the works you've created recently, which one is your favorite?

My favorite illustration is this high school girl, which I made a little while back.

When I drew it, I really focused on trying to bring out a lively, expressive feeling in the artwork. Figuring out the props and character expression to match the setting was new for me, but a lot of fun. Also, at the time, I was in the middle of a diet, so I was really craving ramen. (laughs) Maybe that's why I ended up getting so attached to this piece. It felt like it really captured a moment for me.

── What inspired this illustration?

Honestly, I didn't go in with a super clear idea like, "I have to draw this!" I was browsing reference images on Pinterest, pixiv, and X, and I'd come across things like unique hairstyles or interesting hand poses. From there, I'd start pulling more references and expanding the idea in my head. That's kind of how the concept took shape.

── What makes this illustration so special to you?

How all the props, the outfit, and the background all come together in harmony. Also, I really wanted to convey a relatable, everyday feel, and I think my choices of the convenience store and the high school girl really helped create a piece that embodies that.

── What was the most enjoyable part of creating it?

Definitely the props—especially the cup ramen. It's fun to watch those familiar visuals pop up in your own artwork. It helped me stay really focused while I was working on it.

I made a point to pay extra attention to how I drew those little items. By including things that people see in real life, I think I was able to enhance that feeling of a realistic everyday scene.

▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!

── Was there any part that was difficult or challenging?

The shelves in the background were pretty tricky. I used a masking technique where you overlay photos and then draw on top of them, which sounds easy enough, but at the time, I wasn't used to blending photo elements into my illustrations. It took a lot of tweaking, and I leaned pretty hard on good old Gaussian blur to make it all work. (laughs)

Bringing out the cuteness in characters

── Your characters have that perfect trifecta: cute faces, appealing poses, and fresh, vibrant colors. How do you bring out a character's cuteness?

I think most artists out there are trying to draw their characters as cute as possible, but one thing I personally keep in mind is not overdoing it.

For example, when you want to make the eyes sparkle, it's easy to go too heavy on the contrast, so I try to hold back a bit there. Same with blush: if the color's too strong or covers too much of the face, it can end up feeling overworked. By being mindful of those little details, I think you can create a more natural vibe overall.

── How long does it take you to finish one illustration with this level of polish?

When it comes to personal projects, I typically spend 7 to 10 days on each piece. That's around 20 hours or so.

Building a personal brand as a creator

── Do you have any personal branding strategies that help you keep creating, connect with fans, and make your art sustainable as a career?

I think there are two main ways I've helped people get to know me and my work. One is through my role as a teacher, and the other is by consistently drawing specific characters. For example, back when I was just starting out, I used to draw a lot of fan art of Hibiki from Kantai Collection. I think those early pieces helped boost my visibility way beyond my actual skill level at the time.

By drawing one character over and over, you start becoming known as "that artist who draws that one character," which leaves an impression.

Maybe I wasn't super original in those days, but I think it helped people feel more connected to my work. Lately, Plana from Blue Archive has kind of taken over that role for me.

── Lastly, could you share a message for your fans and those reading this interview? 

Thank you so much for reading this long interview all the way through. Taking the time to reflect on my journey as an illustrator has been refreshing in its own way.

I'll keep pushing forward so I can grow and share even more with you all. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy my illustrations from here on out!

── Thank you very much!

Check out past Artist's Spotlight interviews!

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Interview / Asada Kadura

The 3D model category for VRChat continues to boom on BOOTH. And it's not just player avatars that are flying off the shelves! 3D clothes have become so popular that dedicated brands have started to emerge and prosper within the 3D clothing scene.

EXTENSION CLOTHING and MAISON DARC., led by 3D modeler Ultimate Yui, are two of the 3D apparel top brands for VRChat. They work on a wide range of 3D outfits, from cool and realistic clothes to cute and sexy costumes.

Ultimate Yui is set to release her first 3D avatar for VRChat, "LUMINA". Why did a top fashion designer in the VR space decide to take on the challenge of creating an avatar?

We asked Ultimate Yui for her thoughts on the topic.

オリジナル3Dアバター『ルミナ - LUMINA』💎

by EXTENSION CLOTHING

• Ultimate Yui

• A 3D modeler and designer.
  

  Owner of virtual apparel brands EXTENSION CLOTHING and MAISONDARC.

  Her hobbies include watching movies, listening to music, driving, and taking long baths. Fan of incense, perfumes, and aromas.

• EXTENSION CLOTHING - BOOTH
  MAISON DARC - BOOTH
  

In search of the perfect model: the production history of LUMINA

── Until now, you've mainly worked on 3D outfits for VRChat avatars. Why did you decide to create an avatar this time?

I first started thinking about making avatars about two years ago. While looking at various avatars wearing my clothes, I started to see a vision of the ideal "model silhouette" for my outfits. The desire to make that ideal model myself is what inspired the creation of LUMINA.

Of course, that’s not to say I didn't like any existing avatars. I mostly just wanted an avatar that perfectly matched the outfits I designed. I thought that making my own avatar would help me get closer to the image of the clothes I had in my head.

That's why I decided to create an avatar. However, as I was releasing outfits monthly at the time, it took about a year and a half to complete.

── I know you had experience in the design and modeling for 3D clothing, but did you have any experience in human body modeling?

Not at all. At first, I was groping around in the dark, trying a bit of everything and researching constantly. I made the base model about a year ago, but have been slowly reviewing it and changing it up, until I gradually reworked it to its current shape.

If I had learned anatomical drawing first, it would have made the job much easier. I plan to study the human body thoroughly before I make another body model. However, I am satisfied with LUMINA―she really is my ideal model.

Attention to detail in the body and facial designs

── What did you put the most effort into while designing LUMINA?

When designing an outfit, there are parts of the body that are inevitably visible, especially the shoulders, thighs, and ankles. I paid special attention to those areas.

For LUMINA, I put a lot of effort into the thighs. I wanted them to have a particular kind of plumpness. That's not something you see as much in other avatars.

Also, I often design high heels. When people in real life wear heels, their toes are compressed and there’s a slimming effect on the whole foot, so I implemented a shape key that recreates that phenomenon in the virtual world.

On the other hand, I had to make a lot of compromises. One of those was the silhouette of the shoulders. I tried making full use of constraints to create shoulders that wouldn't round out when the arms were lowered, but I had to give up because it made it more difficult to make outfits for the model. Maybe I'll revisit that in the future.

── Do you plan to update the model to a more ideal body base as you learn more techniques, while still making sure she can easily adapt to different outfits?

It won't be easy, but I would like to if possible.

── When I first saw LUMINA, I was impressed by how realistic the modeling was. It reminded me of the popular 3D model, "Mora". However, I felt like LUMINA's face had a slightly more anime-like feel to it. How did you come up with the overall design?

Originally, EXTENSION CLOTHING and MAISON DARC. made a lot of clothes that were closer to pieces you could find in real life. Clothes like that look especially good on tall avatars, like Mora for example.

But as a point of personal taste, I really like cartoon-like faces. I set the head-to-body ratio on the taller side, like Mora, but gave the mouth and nose extra definition and the eyes a more cartoon-like look. I really just made my own ideal model.

── When I heard about LUMINA, I imagined she would be used as a 3D model to showcase the clothes you develop. How do you actually plan to use LUMINA?

I'm thinking of using her as my main avatar for a while, and use the knowledge and experiences I accumulate as a learning opportunity.

Of course, we are actively trying to use her to model our 3D outfits, but there are outfits that suit other avatars better. Recently, I have been using "Shinano" a lot. I would like to be able to use LUMINA in a lot of different ways in thumbnails, whether that's solo shots or in pictures with Shinano.

── So she's a representative model of the brand, but you also plan to work with the avatar that looks the best in each outfit.

Yes. I'd be thrilled if she was accepted as a VRChat avatar and would love to see her stand side-by-side with many others.

How much did experience in 3D clothing creation help in creating a 3Davatar?

── Although you have a lot of experience in clothing design and modeling, you talked about how creating the actual avatar didn't come naturally to you. Where was your experience in 3D clothing creation useful and where did you struggle the most?

For the body production, I was conscious of how the topology was different from my usual work, but I was able to utilize my previous experience to retopologize without too many problems. However, there were many tools I had never used before, and it took a lot of researching to learn how to use them. I think LUMINA already has room for improvement. I keep learning new things and wishing I’d known them earlier.

It wasn’t just me, though. I asked illustrator Momoko to do the textures for the body, hair, and makeup, but there were also a bunch of tools she had never used before either, so we were struggling together.

── You really had a steep learning curve! Are the tools you used for modeling the same as the ones you use for making 3D clothing?

Yes. We used Blender for both. However, this time, I worked by layering a low-poly mesh over high-poly. The functions I used were really different to what I'm used to for clothing production, so I had a hard time mastering it.

── I see. So you used a program you were used to, but techniques you were unfamiliar with.

Yes. Especially the shape key I used to narrow the toes. It works by selecting a mesh at the boundary of the topology and narrowing the shape, but if the mesh is not cut in the right place, the corners don't look very uniform. I had to keep experimenting until I was satisfied. I would like to improve that next time too. I made a lot of mistakes along the way and was researching and learning the whole time.

── By the way, how many shape keys did you use?

I have about 600 on the face alone and around 70 on the body. The more shape keys, the bigger the FBX file is, so I couldn't use many more than that even if I wanted to.

I focused especially on the shape of her mouth. I prepared multiple presets in advance, so you can shape and adjust her mouth in one go, or you can move the detailed shape keys around more precisely. The corners of her eyes and tear bags can be adjusted too, as well as the shape of her ears.

── What about the shape keys on the body? Can you make her characteristic thick thighs thinner?

You can. I made it possible to slim the whole body, narrow only the pelvis, or slim down just her legs. For tights, we also have multiple shape keys such as "somewhat tight" and "super tight". On the other hand, you can also adjust to make her bottom and thighs even thicker.

── So you can make her thinner or thicker.

Uh-huh. I wanted her to be able to cover a wide range of styles.

Avoiding being put in a box

── LUMINA's default clothing is a bit like a school uniform, isn't it? Will this be a LUMINA exclusive outfit?

Yes. The default clothing is exclusive to LUMINA. We don’t plan on releasing it as a separate item any time soon.

── Other than the school concept, which other parts of the clothing did you focus on?

I wanted LUMINA to mostly wear clothes that could exist in real life, but I was concerned that putting her in realistic clothes from the beginning would give people too fixed an image of her. So I adjusted the design to look a little more fantasy-like, like a character rather than a real person, like the other existing avatars for VRChat.

As for the direction of the clothing we plan to make, we plan to avoid sticking to one single style by making both cute and stylish designs. For example, I want to try putting her in a culotte that looks like a skirt. At the same time, most people don't want their avatar's underwear to be visible when wearing a skirt in the public VRChat spaces, so we plan to have the default be the pants style instead of the skirt.

── So the clothes are designed so that avatars can walk in public places with peace of mind without alteration, and at the same time, her model leaves a margin for style evolution from here.

I have been testing clothes from MAISON DARC. on her and they were all really well balanced. I hope clothing creators make a variety of clothes for her in the future.

The future of LUMINA’s clothing

── Did you learn anything while making an avatar from scratch that you think will affect your clothing production in the future?

Emotionally, I want to make a lot of outfits that look good on LUMINA. We don't plan to start developing outfits for her from EXTENSION CLOTHING and MAISON DARC. right away, but I think we will release more realistic outfits that suit her in the future.

Actually, I want to challenge myself to see how sexy outfits I can make with LUMINA. I spoke to Pondero, who made Shinano, about the terms of use, and I plan to use Shinano as a reference in my work. I hope to push LUMINA as a sexy older sister avatar.

── I see that you've been making more sexy 3D costumes in the past few years at EXTENSION CLOTHING. What motivates you to make sexy outfits?

I have a very positive view of VRChat's unique culture. There are parts I could criticize, but I personally want to cherish the culture that was born there.

I've been creating outfits to suit that culture, but also outfits that are stylish and realistic, which are my personal preference.

That’s why I have two brands. I don't want to mix EXTENSION CLOTHING outfits with the more realistic MAISON DARC. style, so each brand has its own, unique concept and direction.

── I see. In the past, EXTENSION CLOTHING had a mix of costumes and realistic clothes, but now you’ve divided the concepts with MAISON DARC.

The first costume we released with EXTENSION CLOTHING immediately after the launch of MAISON DARC. was "Danzai Sailor". I think a lot of people noticed at that point that MAISON DARC. was born to separate the realistic clothes from the more costume-y outfits.

I like both realistic clothes and sexy costumes, so I want to make both. However, if you only have one brand, you can only really release one outfit per month. I thought it would be a good idea to divide the direction and theme by brand, so I didn't have to worry about which style to release each month.

I think this has also led to an increase in the number of creators who want to do something similar. Recently, the number of shops selling sexy costumes has increased, and some of them are making quite extreme designs.

I don't think this is limited to costumes for VRChat avatars, but also for avatar design in general. I’ve seen more and more radical designs in the recent smartphone games sphere. That's why I had the confidence to create such a sexy line of costumes.

── In that case, you want LUMINA to be an avatar with a wide range of possibilities, able to wear both EXTENSION CLOTHING's sexy costumes and MAISON DARC.'s more realistic style.

Exactly. I hope she will be accepted as a representation of the wide range of cultures nurtured by VRChat’s community.

Motivation for creating new avatars

── Do you want to continue creating avatars other than LUMINA in the future?

Yes. Avatar creation is different from clothing creation, and I think it excites me to see how far I can push myself. I'm looking to work on something new soon.

── If you were to make a second avatar, how long would you estimate the production time to be?

If I stopped making apparel completely, I think I would be able to finish it in about three months. However, I don’t think I could give up making clothes, so it will be a while before I even get started.

── What kind of avatar do you want to try and make next?

Maybe a smaller avatar, in contrast to LUMINA's big sister style. Or a male avatar!

── What direction are you thinking for a male avatar?

Hmm... I think I want to make cute boys rather than muscular, cool men.

── Do you plan on holding any events after LUMINA’s release?

We plan on holding a try-on event. I've already spoken to some people I hope will join in. The date hasn’t been decided yet, but it will definitely be after her release.

── I'm also curious about your efforts to increase the assets compatible with LUMINA. I saw you were looking for people to co-operate.

I found creators in a wide range of fields, including not only clothing, but also makeup, textures, and hair. 140 people joined the dedicated Discord server in about two days.

── 140! That's a lot of people!

I've never seen anything like it before. I set some conditions and restrictions, but basically I just asked everyone to create a new outfit or texture for her. I hope the final designs will be available on BOOTH at the same time as LUMINA!

── That would be great for users who want to personalize and experiment with LUMINA when she's released.

I think it's good to have a wide range of options. It gives you a chance to use your imagination a bit!

I'm also really honored that people are making outfits for her already.

── I have a feeling that a new avatar community and culture will be born with the release of LUMINA. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of world she opens the door to!

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On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.

These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

For this feature, we spoke to SAYA, a Korea-based freelance illustrator whose original character Chiyori has charmed so many fans! 

We asked SAYA about everything from the process behind her recent works to her secrets for creating captivating characters.

• SAYA

• A Korean illustrator, SAYA has worked on titles such as Tiny Farm and Dragon Tactics, as well as puzzle illustrations, novel covers, and other artwork.

  Her characters are known for conveying warmth and a sense of wonder to those who view them.

• pixiv
  X
  

Introducing SAYA and her illustration work

── Could you briefly introduce yourself, tell us about your main creative focus, and share a few of your representative works?

Hi, I'm SAYA! I used to work on the mobile game Tiny Farm at the Korean mobile game company Com2uS. Over the years, I've also won prizes in various contests and received illustration commissions from different companies, which have allowed me to work on a wide range of projects.

These days, I mostly work as a freelance illustrator. I draw both fan art and original works, but as more people came to like my art through fan art, I naturally began to feel the urge to bring my own characters to life. That's how I ended up creating Chiyori, my original character, and now she's at the heart of what I do.

SAYA's favorite illustration and its creation process

── Of the works you've created recently, which one is your favorite?

Among all the illustrations I've done of Chiyori, my favorite is the one where she's wearing a bunny girl outfit on the subway. I paid special attention to bringing out the subtle nuances in her embarrassed expression, and I think that perfectly captures Chiyori's personality.

── What inspired this illustration?

Chiyori's signature look is her bunny girl outfit! I've drawn many illustrations of her wearing it in different situations.

Of course, this situation in particular is something that would never happen in real life, but nevertheless, I thought, "What if a super cute bunny girl were riding the subway? What kind of expression would she have in that moment?" I wanted people to enjoy that little touch of the extraordinary in an everyday setting, and that's how this piece came to be.

── Why is this illustration so special to you?

It got over 90,000 likes! That makes it incredibly meaningful to me. One of the best feelings as an artist is when your work gets noticed and appreciated. I've been drawing for a long time, but I've always struggled with visibility.

This piece felt like a big turning point, almost like I was finally being rewarded for all those years of effort. I've had fan art pieces getting a bunch of likes before, but getting that kind of love for an original character hit differently. It made me feel truly grateful and happy.

── No wonder this is such a meaningful work for you. What was the most enjoyable part of creating it?

Definitely drawing her hair and face! I believe a character's face is the most important part of any illustration, and with this piece, I nailed the cute expression I was going for right from the sketch stage. Because I liked how it looked early on, I really had fun with the coloring process too. When a drawing feels right from the beginning, every step becomes more enjoyable.

▼ From the initial sketch to the finished piece

── Was there any part that was difficult or challenging?

Honestly, no! I enjoyed the entire process from start to finish.

── Were there any details you paid extra attention to?

I really focused on showing how flustered she was: not just in her face, but down to the redness in her ears! I spent time thinking about things like: how many blush lines should I add? How long should her mouth be? I even spent a bunch of time thinking about her hair. I added a slightly sweaty look to make the moment feel more real. I was especially careful with those subtle details around her face and hair. 

How to create captivating original characters

── Your characters always have such expressive faces that draw viewers in: sweet, but with a hint of melancholy. What do you focus on most when drawing facial expressions? And how do you make sure the expression fits the mood or message of the entire piece?

I don't set out to draw them that way, but hearing you say that does make me a little happy! Maybe the reason I avoid giving them big, cheerful smiles has to do with their personalities. I tend to like tsundere-type characters that look pouty, blush even with a blank expression, or get all flustered and shy. 

That's why my original characters often have a cool, aloof vibe, but show they care a lot in subtle ways. I want the mood of the piece to reflect the kind of character they are, like a slight frown or a faint blush that says more than words ever could. When I draw expressions, the most important thing to me is personality.

── Do you have any personal branding strategies that help you keep creating, connect with fans, and make your art sustainable as a career?

One big thing I focus on is producing a lot of work; just putting out illustration after illustration. That's how people started noticing me, and over time, my fanbase naturally grew. I also believe in the value of delivering my work in a tangible form through physical copies. That's why I participate in doujin events and sell through doujin shops, so that fans can collect and treasure my illustrations.

At the same time, I keep sharing my art on platforms like pixiv and X to expand my reach, which has led to illustration jobs. As for branding, I try to create a wide range of illustrations to match different tastes—some love soft, emotional illustrations, while others enjoy cute and sexy characters. By creating art that speaks to both, I think I've found my own niche for personal branding as an artist.

── Lastly, could you share a message for your fans and those reading this interview?

To all the fans who always support me, I'm really sorry for being less active lately. I imagine many of you have been waiting patiently, and that makes me feel so grateful. Out of the many talented illustrators out there, the fact that you chose to connect with my art means the world to me. You're the reason I've been able to keep going all this time. Honestly, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. 

Doing this Artist Spotlight gave me a chance to look back on my journey and remember the joy I felt when I first started drawing. That made me really happy.

And finally, thank you to everyone who has taken the time out of their day to read this interview!

── Thank you very much!

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Almost 30 years after being released, Touhou Project, the bullet hell shoot 'em up series created by independent developer Team Shanghai Alice, continues to captivate an ever-growing audience with its unique worldview and charming characters.

Fans have created countless derivative works for Touhou Project, with more than 130,000 submitted to pixiv every year, making a total of over 2.8 million posts.

To commemorate the ongoing “FANBOX PRINT Creator Fest: Touhou Project” and “Touhou Project Illustration Contest,” we interviewed beatMARIO, a creator famous for his many Touhou-related works, about his relationship with illustration.  

• beatMARIO

• Founder of the doujin music group COOL&CREATE and producer of Touhou Project fan songs, such as “Night of Nights,” “Last Brutal Sister Flandre S,” and “Help me, ERINNNNNN!”. Known for his energetic performances, beatMARIO has recently expanded his activities into streaming as a VTuber. 

Behind the Touhou MVs and CD Cover Illustrations

── Is it true you often commission people to illustrate CD covers and MVs for Touhou song arrangements on YouTube?

Yes, it is. I also request illustrations for the goods I hand out at Comiket and other conventions. Recently, I’ve even been getting into commissioning doujin manga.

── You’re really crossing boundaries most musicians don’t cross.

I’m a singer and vocalist, but I’m also the founder of the doujin music group COOL&CREATE, so I’m kind of a producer too. I guess you could call it self-producing. 

── What are the deciding factors for you when you’re looking for an illustrator?

Obviously, my doujin group is very important to me, so I make sure I can really see whether their art style fits with the group before I choose someone.

── Do you mostly hire people you already know?

Actually, most of the time, I don’t. I want people to be just as surprised and excited about the illustrators as I am.

── Do you usually look for people who make Touhou fanworks?

Not recently, surprisingly. If it’s something Touhou related, then I might ask someone from the community, but if it’s aimed at a more general audience, they don’t need to be that involved at all.

These days, Touhou is seen as a gateway into illustrating for a lot of people. Sometimes, when I’m looking into a new artist, I’ll scroll back and see that their first works are all Touhou characters.

So I don’t go out of my way to search for current Touhou artists, but more often than not, they end up having some kind of connection to the series.

── Where do you usually start searching for illustrators

X and pixiv are the main ones. I follow a lot of people whose art I like, even if I’m not looking to commission someone at that point in time.

Sometimes I’ll describe an idea I have to one of my friends and see if they know any artists that might fit the bill. A lot of my friends really love looking at art.

── Which project of yours do you think was especially elevated by illustrations?

The recent “Help me, ERINNNNNN!!” revival comes to mind immediately. I don’t think it would have been anywhere near as explosive if Hitobito hadn’t illustrated and made the video for it.

2022’s “Internet Survivor” is another one.

インターネットサバイバー

by ビートまりお/COOL&CREATEのBOOTH

Until “Internet Survivor,” I usually had illustrators draw the characters in their original outfits.

Touhou has a really long history as a genre, but the costumes have mostly remained the same. However, I started thinking that since I’m going so far as to arrange songs, why not change up the fashion a little too? Nicorashika is especially good at that, so I asked them for help with “Internet Survivor.”

Everyone really liked it, which gave me the confidence to experiment more, like with the “Gakuen Erin” school parody series and Hamafugu’s gyaru Sakuya in “Super Night of Nights.”

Seeing all the redesigned costumes just reminded me how amazing ZUN’s original character designs were. The characters are still completely recognizable, even when you change them up. You know who each illustration is supposed to be right away. It’s amazing.

── Yukkuri-style art is really exemplary of that.

Exactly. If that works, I suppose anything will. (laughs)

Staying active on both YouTube and BOOTH

── You used to use your YouTube channel just to post the MVs for your Touhou arrangements, but recently you’ve started streaming as a VTuber too. How did that come about?

I used to do a lot of selling things in person and live performances, but after 2020, coronavirus made that really hard to do. During the pandemic, I happened upon hololive’s Houshou Marine because she was streaming a game called Touhou Special Bubble. After that, I got really into the idea of VTubing.

My YouTube channel itself was pretty old by then, but I’d hardly uploaded anything to it. I wasn’t all that active online, to be honest. So I thought, why not give it a go! I’m really grateful to all the people who watch my streams.

In this day and age, if something isn’t on the internet, then it doesn’t really exist. I released a CD recently, but it didn’t actually feel real until I put it on subscription services and uploaded the MV to YouTube. Being active on YouTube kind of helped me realize that.

── You also used to mostly upload only to Nico Nico Douga, but you recently started crossposting your content to YouTube. Did that happen around the same time?

Yes, that was from 2020 onwards too. Actually, to be honest, a lot of “my” most popular videos were more like recursive derivative works in which other people took my fan songs and created their own music videos for them. 

── Now that you mention it, I remember a lot of videos like that.

Every Japanese otaku on the internet has probably used Nico Nico Douga at some point in their life, but recently YouTube is becoming much more popular. It’s better to have all your content on there too.

A lot of people who made those videos were friends of mine, so I asked them for permission and put them on my personal YouTube too.

── You recently opened a shop on BOOTH. Why did you choose BOOTH?

I always make too many CDs and too much merch, so it just piles up in my house. Being able to sell it on BOOTH makes everything so much easier.

I don’t just use BOOTH though. I still go to in-person events and conventions and sell my merchandise there. People can come buy stuff at my table, but if they can’t, they can also buy what they want on BOOTH. Overall, it means more people can buy my merchandise easily.

【夏のチルパ学園セット】チルノのパーフェクトさんすう学園の本

by ビートまりお/COOL&CREATEのBOOTH

There are fewer opportunities to buy things in real life now because of the coronavirus pandemic. And some people can’t attend events for other personal reasons. It’s nice to have an online space available to allow for interactions with more people and I think it’s great how sites like BOOTH allow people to continue their doujin activities. 

── Yes, and BOOTH has well thought-out guidelines for all fanworks, not just Touhou, which has made it much easier to sell things there.

I’ve been an otaku for a long time, so there’s a part of me that feels a bit wistful for the way things used to be, but at the same time, I really do think it’s amazing how people can make doujin works with pride nowadays. It’s a great time to be an otaku.

FANBOX PRINT Creator Fest: Touhou Project

── You’re taking part in the current “FANBOX PRINT Creator Fest: Touhou Project” event. How did that happen and what about the event appealed to you?

The game Touhou Danmaku Kagura had collectables called “Mitama Cards” that you could print out at the convenience store.

I didn’t really expect much in terms of quality, but when I actually printed one, it was so beautiful I had to frame it. That alone made it look like a real piece of official merchandise.

I think it’s kind of similar to that. That’s why I wanted to take part.

── Most people are shocked by how good the prints look.

I don’t buy posters and tapestries often, but it was nice to have a little something to display for my favorite character. It’s really convenient too, you can go print them out whenever you have the time and it only takes seconds. I understand why people love it.

A lot of my fans and Touhou fans these days are quite young too, so they don’t always have the freedom to buy merchandise in person or online. They really benefit from being able to get a print of their favorite character for a couple of hundred yen at the convenience store and I think that’s super cool.

── The “Touhou Project Illustration Contest” is also being held right now. What kind of works do you want to see in particular?

There are quite a few Touhou related illustration competitions. Most of the entries are from young people, especially elementary and middle school students. I love seeing anything that makes it obvious that the illustrator truly loves Touhou. It gives me the same happy, satisfied feeling you get after eating a nice, warm meal.

Touhou was super popular about 20 years ago, in around 2004, but at the time most of the fans were college students in their 20s. Then, the more mainstream it became, the more fans it got, but even then those fans were mostly adults. I thought the fanbase would just keep getting older as the game did. 

── I remember that period well, so I know what you mean. (laughs)

Thanks to things like the Yukkuris, elementary and middle school students started finding out about Touhou. Until then, I hadn't seen many illustrations drawn by children who just really liked drawing the characters. (laughs) I love seeing illustrations like that.

I feel like we’re in the second generation of Touhou right now. Seeing younger people’s works is fun and gives me hope for the future of the genre.

A Message to Creators

── Finally, do you have any words for people who want to create or are creating fanworks for Touhou Project?

Part of the fun of making things is that it doesn’t always go perfectly.

It’s nice when you pull an SSR in your favorite gacha game, but the joy of clearing a super difficult level by working hard is hundreds of times more intense than that. Creating a work is the same thing, so enjoy the time and effort the process takes.

It’s hard when you don’t get any likes or you see someone the same age as you who seems to be much more accomplished. But remember that your love for Touhou and making things is what’s really important.

── Thank you very much!

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Welcome to Artist’s Spotlight, an ongoing series on pixiv’s official YouTube account! On Artist’s Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations. These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

For this feature, we spoke to Airi Pan, a Los Angeles-based concept designer and illustrator who has worked with top clients such as Netflix, Blizzard, and Pixar. This article contains excerpts from our interview, some snippets that didn’t make it into the video, and showcases some examples of her work!

For the full interview, check out the video linked at the end of the article!

Original illustrations by Airi Pan

“Understand what your art style is, and if you want to change your output, start with the stuff that you consume.”

• Airi Pan

• A concept designer and illustrator for games, animation, film, and more. Currently working as the Principal Concept Artist at Riot Games.

• pixiv
  bio site
  

── What inspired you to choose to make illustration your career? Was there a certain moment or experience in your life that put you on the path to where you are now?

Growing up, you often hear that you can’t be an artist for a job. As for me, I’ve always liked drawing and art, and I was always the artsy kid in school—I really couldn’t see myself doing a desk job. I did well in my studies, but I just couldn’t see myself sitting in an office in front of spreadsheets. I didn’t even understand what other jobs I could do besides art.

But when I was a junior in high school, I was able to get a tour of the Pixar campus and even dragged my parents along. That was the first time I had been on a campus where people’s jobs were to create entertainment. Seeing real people whose job it was to draw and design fictional worlds and characters made me realize: “If these people—regular people, who breathe, eat, and have families—can do it, then I can do it too.”

When I was a student, my goal was almost single-mindedly to get hired. Concept art is a niche, very scarce job that is only getting scarcer because companies think they can replace concept artists with AI. They’re wrong—they will make worse products in my opinion—but that doesn’t change the fact that the job market, especially for concept art, is very hard to break into.

And so, as a student, it was a means of survival to try to appeal to companies as much as possible. The students I know who went in with that mindset from the get-go are the ones who actually got jobs, whereas other students who didn’t have as much of a survival mindset are still looking for their first job, and they’re finding it very difficult.

If I had to give advice to people who are just starting out professionally, I would say that putting your work out there for other people to judge is a very daunting experience. You feel like you’re putting a piece of yourself out there for people to judge because it has a little bit of your soul attached to it. But as a professional, you have to remember that you’re trying to solve a problem, and if your client doesn’t like your artwork or rejects it, it doesn’t mean you’re not good enough as a person.

It’s a product issue, and when you go into the corporate world with something as spiritual and personal as art, you have to have that kind of mental barrier to protect yourself. At the same time, you should be able to let that shield down when you’re drawing for fun. But make sure you have that shield up, because you want to make sure you can protect your artistic core at the end of the day.

One of the most memorable things for me was finding out just how many incredible artists there are out there who never post their work. The only way to find them is to meet them through work, whether they’re at an outsource studio or whether they’re on your team. Some of these veteran artists are in their 30s and 40s, they have their own families, and they’re so incredibly good at what they do that they don’t post their work anywhere else because they just don’t care.

So those were actually some of the most memorable moments for me: finding out how high the ceiling actually goes. We see amazing work online, but a lot of times, some of the most incredible work is actually done when there’s a very, very tight deadline or a very difficult problem to solve—and yet an experienced artist is able to do it almost effortlessly. Well, I know it’s never easy, but they make it look that way. That’s a skill that I’ve come to appreciate so much. A lot of times now, just seeing a pretty illustration doesn’t necessarily impress me, because I don’t know how long it took the artist to make that illustration.

Now I understand how art can serve different purposes and how impressive art can be in very different ways.

Now that I’ve gotten better as an artist and my tastes have broadened, I realize that a great blessing in my art is that I’m able to combine Western and Eastern training, as well as my two influences of being from an Eastern culture but completely raised in the West. I think these two elements blend together into my art in a way that makes it more unique than the average artwork.

Whether you like your personal style or not, being aware of it is the first step. But I also think it feels really good to be able to just accept your art as your art. A lily can’t change the fact that it’s a lily, and lavender flowers can’t change the fact that they’re lavender flowers. You can’t be a white lavender, but you can try to be the most purple and nice-smelling lavender you can be.

As an artist, you cannot appeal to everyone, and that is something I had to learn in order to accept my own style. Now that I’ve accepted it, I actually consider it a huge boon to be aware of it and to be able to lean into it. So instead of trying to be an ice cream flavor that makes everyone happy, I decided I’m going to be the best chocolate ice cream flavor you can get!

You need to be quite a distinct individual in order to become a truly distinct artist. But that takes years, and you probably had to have had a very unique childhood. So, if you’re trying to completely change your art style overnight—which you can’t—or at least in less than a lifetime, then I recommend going outside of your comfort zone in terms of what you do and what you consume. After all, art is a direct output of the average stuff that you consume.

If you love anime art and you love drawing anime art, but the only thing you consume is other anime art, then your output is inevitably going to look pretty much the same as everything else out there. I think the way I started to differentiate my artwork from everyone else’s was when I started to learn different techniques and facets of design, like graphic design.

For example, some of my friends in school stopped doing concept art for a year and just learned about transportation, car design, architecture, and so on, and that influenced their art so much more than anything else I’ve seen. So you have to be the one to step out of your comfort zone to consume and learn something that you are interested in but that other people in the industry aren’t touching.

Check out the full Artist’s Spotlight interview here!

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What is the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest?

The pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest was launched in 2018 with the aim of offering opportunities for the next generation of young creators to broaden their possibilities for the future. Open to high schoolers or those enrolled in an equivalent educational institution between the ages of 15 and 18, eligible applicants need only post their work on pixiv with a contest tag to enter. Each year’s contest focuses on a unique theme, and the winners are selected through careful deliberations by our panel of professional creators.

Winners will receive cash prizes and special awards from each company supporting this contest. Some participants will even be selected for official jobs commissioned by companies, have their works published, or receive the opportunity to hold an exhibition.

Without further ado, let’s hear what these three past award winners have to say!

I got a job as a result of entering the contest! (Kikinoki)

── Please introduce yourself and tell us what made you decide to enter the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest.

My name is Kikinoki, and I’m a full-time university student and illustrator. The first time I came across the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest was in 2019, and seeing the winners’ works made me want to submit my art too. I entered the contest in 2020 and 2021, and my submission for the 2020 contest was the first thing I ever posted on pixiv.

── Is there anything you paid extra attention to in your submissions in order to increase your chances of winning an award?

I studied the past winners’ works as well as other illustrators’ drawings and noted down what exactly made them so good. Out of all the tips and tricks I’ve learned, I like to pay special attention to ways of guiding the viewer’s gaze and differentiating textures. Since I was completely self-taught and lacked any knowledge at the time, I stuck to tried-and-true theories in the beginning, such as the golden ratio, and went outside to study the way things reflected off the surface of water or what rust looked like. It was a great opportunity for me to learn the importance of consulting reference materials during the drawing process.

── What was the best thing about entering this contest?

While I didn’t win any major awards, I remember NaBaBa-sensei telling me during the judges’ critique that I was good enough to become a professional illustrator, and that I ought to have more confidence in my art. At the time, I’d wrongly assumed that not getting a noteworthy award meant my art wasn’t good, so I was completely taken aback. At the same time, those words gave me the push I needed to pursue my current path as a freelance illustrator.

── I heard that you received a job offer as a result of entering this contest.

Yes, I was asked to illustrate Sakusan Canon’s thumbnail for one of her utattemita (lit. “I tried singing X”) videos. It was my first-ever illustration job, and at the time, I remember being more incredulous than happy. I even suspected it was a scam at first, or that her account had been hijacked by a stranger. It was also extremely challenging because I wasn’t prepared to do any freelance work in the slightest, so I had to do a lot of research on things like industry rates and how to deliver work to a client.

── You’ve also entered other illustration contests aside from the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest. What would you say are the advantages of submitting your work to a competition?

Not only is it a great way to strengthen your mind and discipline, but you also get a chance to create a better work environment for yourself if you win a prize! Unlike drawing as a hobby, contests have a competitive aspect to them. You’re often compared to other people, and even if you give it your best shot, it might not always lead to the results you’re hoping for. Regardless, it’s still a good opportunity to use your frustration as a springboard and pour your thoughts and feelings into your art. In addition, illustration contests often offer tools or equipment as prizes, which is why I really recommend entering them if you’re looking to upgrade your work environment. I myself won my LCD tablet and computer as a result of entering these contests!

── Is there anything you’d like to try or work on in the future?

I’d love to participate in more IRL events! Since most of my activity is still limited to the online sphere, I’d like to pursue other avenues so my art can reach more people.

── Lastly, what would you tell people who are thinking about applying to the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest?

Even if you don’t get the results you want straight away, there’s a lot to be gained by trying and giving something your best shot. Don’t be afraid to take the plunge and go for it!

Having my hard work recognized gave me confidence (Pikusu)

── Please introduce yourself and tell us what made you decide to enter the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest.

Hi, I’m Pikusu. I post illustrations in my spare time when I’m not busy with my studies, and I also accept requests through commission services. My goal is to move people’s hearts someday with my art, even if it’s just one person. I’d known about the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest before I started drawing, so I was hoping to submit my work someday, partly so I could gauge my skills as well. I still remember how stunned and moved I was when I first saw the winner of the 2018 contest. I was like, “Really? You’re telling me a high school student drew that? They’re basically a pro!”

── What is something you paid extra attention to in your winning submission?

I wanted to create something that would draw you in at a glance, which is why I went with a fisheye lens perspective. I also wanted to use contrast in various areas, so I paid extra attention to the brightness and the ways in which warm and cool tones were utilized. Another detail I focused on is the paint extending from the brush. I think I managed to convey the fact that the artist is working on a painting at first glance and direct the viewer’s gaze to the figure.

── As the winner of the Next Creator Award, you had the opportunity to work on the main visual for the National High Schoolers Video Contest (formerly YouTube Koshien). Was this your first time being commissioned by a company, and how did you find the experience overall?

It was my first time receiving a commission like that, and overall, it was a fantastic experience. While it made me realize all the areas I was lacking in, more importantly, it allowed me to express myself in ways I never had before, and I feel I was able to broaden my range of drawing skills as a result. Besides learning how to become a better artist, I also gained practical knowledge about how commissions work, which I wouldn’t have known had I not experienced it for myself.

── What was the best thing about entering this contest?

I was able to find out how my drawings are evaluated and perceived by other people. Receiving positive feedback on the work that I put a significant amount of effort into not only boosted my confidence, it also strengthened my desire to become a better artist.

I got to know the judges and other creators the same age as me (Mukatou Ocha)

── Please introduce yourself and tell us what made you decide to enter the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest.

I’m Mukatou Ocha, and I currently work as an illustrator while attending college full-time. I found out about the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest when I was a freshman in high school from a friend who entered the contest, and I decided to submit my work the following year. During my first year of high school, I had very little confidence in my art and doubted I would even catch any of the judges’ eyes. However, receiving an award in another pixiv illustration contest under a different pen name gave me the push I needed to eventually participate in the High Schoolers Illustration Contest.

── Is there anything you paid extra attention to in your submissions in order to increase your chances of winning an award?

I wanted my work to be dynamic first and foremost—something that would draw the viewer in and leave a lasting impression on them. While the contrast and colors go without saying, the number one thing I paid attention to was the composition. I’d actually studied perspective through watching Seiji Yoshida’s videos, so I was really happy when I received his Illustrator Panel Award! It made me think that a good strategy for competitions could be to conduct research on the judges and learn about their backgrounds or things they naturally gravitate towards.

── What were some of the highlights of entering this contest?

I made my artist account so I could enter the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest, so I literally started from ground zero. Many people got to know me through this contest, however, and I was even approached by complete strangers who recognized my work! Having the opportunity to interact with the judges and other artists my age has had a significant influence on my art, and I was also thrilled that winning led to my work being published in an anthology.

── You’ve also entered other illustration contests aside from the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest. What would you say are the advantages of submitting your work to a competition?

The biggest advantage of entering a competition is that you can add it to your list of achievements. It’s an easy and effective way of demonstrating your ability as an illustrator and a great addition to your portfolio, which can aid you in the job-hunting process if you decide to become an in-house illustrator. It can also lead to job opportunities from companies. Since my drawings are still amateurish and lacking in areas, I often view illustration contests as a sort of “art poster session” where I can test my skills, and applying to them helps keep the ambition I had as a high school student alive.

── Is there anything you’d like to try or work on in the future? 

I’d love to have the chance to work on concept art and illustrations for music videos. Additionally, I’d like to make illustration-related videos with one of my good friends from high school, who’s also an illustrator. I think it’d be cool to upload making-ofs and animated videos that could potentially be helpful to people who are learning how to draw. At the moment, I’m also trying my hand at making three-dimensional art, and I hope I get to accomplish everything I want to while I’m a college student!

── Lastly, what would you tell people who are thinking about applying to the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest?

As an illustrator, you’ll most likely run into a lot of problems, and the same goes for student life. Regardless, there are things that only a high school student who’s caught in the throes of youth can draw, and illustrations are often a reflection of the artist’s feelings and thoughts at the time. Please do your best to channel those emotions into your art, no matter how awkward or frustrating it might feel. Your drawings will surely move someone, wherever they may be in this world. To all the future creators out there, I wholeheartedly support you and wish you the best of luck.

Learn more about each award and its corresponding prizes!

First Prize and Illustrator Panel Awards

The winner of the First Prize will receive a 200,000 JPY cash prize.

Winners of the Illustrator Panel Awards will each receive a 30,000 JPY Amazon gift card. One winner will be selected for each jury member, bringing that to a total of five winners. This year’s Illustrator Panel Awards are as follows:

- Uraura Ura Award

- Terada Tera Award

- Haruo Award

- lack Award

- Rolua Award

Company Awards

The Next Creator Award

Other awards and panel critique

Introduction and exhibition of award-winning works

pixiv will continue to work diligently to make the works of participants known to as many people as possible.

The pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest 2025 is now accepting entries!

As the past contestants mentioned in this article, taking a leap of faith can result in meeting fellow creators or receiving positive feedback from the panel of judges. Even if you don’t end up winning an award, you may still make memories that will last you a lifetime or receive an opportunity to become a professional, so why not give it a shot this summer vacation?

At pixiv, we will continue to support the endeavors of all applicants in the hopes that their courageous efforts will lead to future success.

The application deadline is Sunday, August 17th, 2025, at 11:59 pm JST.

This year’s theme is “Time.” Whether it’s a yearning for the past, a snapshot of a fleeting, glorious moment, or an unforgettable memory, we want to see the interpretation of “time” that only you can depict.

＞＞pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest 2025 page＜＜

Check out the past award winners!

Videos of past awards ceremonies

Past results and panel critiques

Past interviews with First Prize winners

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Interview by Haruo | Written by Ayaka Shimazu

What color or shape do you associate with “time”? That’s the theme for this year’s pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest 2025, which is accepting submissions until 11:59 pm JST on Sunday, August 17th! This year’s submission period is shorter than usual, so make sure to mark your calendars if you’re thinking of applying!

The pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest was first launched in 2018 and has heralded the discovery of numerous young creative talents. MoKa, a first-time contestant who won the grand prize out of 1,254 entries in last year’s contest, started their art school journey this spring, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the manga and illustration world.

In this interview brought to you by Haruo, the head judge of last year’s contest, we spoke to MoKa about the artistic process behind their winning work, their future aspirations, and more.

• MoKa

• Grand Prize winner of the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest 2024. Currently pursuing an art degree at college while working as a manga artist.

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• Haruo
• Starting out as a freelance illustrator in 2004, Haruo has mainly worked on character designs for social network games and book illustrations. From 2014 onwards, Haruo joined a game company, where they worked as a director and manager. Notable works include the frontispiece and illustrations for Kirishima, Bukatsu Yamerutteyo (published in Shosetsu Subaru’s December 2009 issue) and the cover illustration for The Proposition of Venus by Takeshi Maki (published by Kadokawa Bunko). Haruo is also the current head judge of the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest.
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The first thing I saw on the Winning Applications page was my submission

I stumbled upon the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest when I was a freshman in high school. At the time, I’d been trying to find a contest that not only accepted hand-drawn illustrations but was open to high school students as well. That was in 2022, and when I saw the grand prize winner Fui’s work, I knew I had to apply the following year. During my second year of high school, however, I was busy studying abroad in the UK because I A) wanted to improve my English and B) learn more about the relationship between art and the local community. It was only in my third and final year of high school that I was able to dedicate enough time to this contest and make my dream a reality.

I hadn’t expected to win at all, so I could hardly believe it! I was working at my part-time job the day the results were announced, and when I got home, I went straight to bed without checking anything. The next day, I got a little curious, so I went to pixivision—imagine my surprise when the first thing I saw was my drawing! That woke me right up. (laughs)

I didn’t tell anyone that I’d entered the contest, nor was I active on social media at the time, so nope. When I told my parents that I’d won, they were like, “Wait, you drew that? Really?” (laughs)

Yes. I love animals, so I used to draw them a lot prior to the contest, and I’ve even made hand-drawn animal illustrations for my friends’ birthdays. I believe that’s largely due to my father, who’s also an illustrator. My father draws animals for a living, and his books are scattered all around the house. As a kid, I often used to read those books or sit across from my father and draw with him.

I spend a lot of time thinking about my art before unleashing it all on the canvas

About a week, I would say. I wasn’t at home much that summer break since I was away at my grandmother’s house, so I only started working on it a week before the deadline, and I ended up submitting it pretty last minute. While I had an idea of what I wanted to draw, it usually takes a long time for me to translate that onto paper and come up with a rough draft. After a good three to four days of brainstorming different compositions and deciding what motifs to incorporate, I then spent whatever time I had left to work on my piece. By then, I was cutting it really close to the deadline, so I basically buckled down and drew all day.

── That’s amazing! Based on the amount of effort that’s gone into it, I would never have guessed it was drawn in a week. Last year’s theme was “熱/Heat,” which could have been interpreted in any number of ways (熱, transliterated as netsu, also means “passion”). What made you decide to draw a tropical rainforest?

At the time, I was really into drawing spirals. The first thing that came to mind when thinking of the word “spiral” was a tropical cyclone, and from there, I initially thought of going with a typhoon theme. Unfortunately, I struggled to come up with a draft that I was happy with. While brainstorming different ideas, it suddenly dawned on me: instead of fixating on the spiral aspect, why not shift my focus to the tropical aspect instead? That’s when the word “tropical rainforest” popped into my head.

I decided on the colors after analyzing the overall vibe of the piece. As a result, I felt like the best colors to use were the ones that represented the hot, sweltering heat of the jungle and lush, overgrown vegetation, which is how I settled on the final color scheme.

I try to use every single resource I have—things I’ve encountered in everyday life, knowledge I’ve learned, ways of thinking I’ve acquired, images of animals and landscapes—mix them up all together, and see what comes out. There’s no telling how much time it’ll take until I hit the nail on the head, so to speak, but I know that repeating the process over and over again will eventually lead to good results, and it’s something I enjoy very much.

Saito Naoki-sensei mentioned that the sense of contemplation in each layered brushstroke fit the theme of the piece well, and I thought he was absolutely right. I had just taken a break from digital illustration, and I was trying to explore what kind of art I wanted to make. Rather than try to create something that was polished and put together, I wanted to express the things that were swirling inside me. I thought I would enjoy that, too, as it would make me feel more alive. So that’s exactly what I did.

It was a challenging time, for sure. Whenever I draw something, I end up thinking really, really hard about it, but that’s part of what makes it so enjoyable to me. Plus, it’s pretty much a habit at this point. Mulling things over before incorporating them into my drawings is a key part of my process, so I was really happy that the judges commented on that.

One thing that has changed is that I no longer feel the need to make things look too refined. Instead of trying to create something orderly or adding a filter so it looks more polished, I try to express the jumbled mess inside me in a way that’s raw, unfiltered, and true to how I’m currently feeling. At the time, I had a lot of worries regarding school and relationships, but ultimately, there’s only so much you can do, and you just have to take things one step at a time. Thanks to the judges, I now feel like it’s okay to take my time with each brushstroke and cherish things as they are.

I focused on memories stored in objects

Honestly, I found it pretty challenging. (laughs) The clock never stops ticking, and neither does our society, which is based on that concept of time. Still, neglecting the present moment is not something I ever want to do, which is why I initially focused on the here and now and went with the theme that we can only live in the present.

Yes. I felt like the theme wasn’t clear enough, so I came up with the idea of making memories stored in objects and their history the main focus instead. I've always found fragments of the past, such as fossils, or well-loved antiques, really interesting since you can sense the passage of time from them. All of these things that have come from various places and can be traced far back into the past, which you’re now seeing in this fleeting moment before parting ways, seemed to fit perfectly with the contest’s theme, so I decided to go with that approach.

I basically just drew a bunch of things I like. The T-rex skeleton you see near the person’s mouth is based on what I saw at the Pitt Rivers Museum during my study abroad in the UK.

Yes. It’s meant to represent the dragon dance performed during Chinese New Year, which I saw a photo of in the newspaper once. I was intrigued by the idea of everyone working together to accomplish a significant goal with respect to the divine and nature, and I thought it was interesting to see this cycle of preparation and continuation from one festival to the next—sometimes once a year, sometimes even longer, such as once every decade or every 12 years in accordance with the Chinese zodiac—so I decided to include it in my piece.

Out of all the entries for the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest, many of which are character-centric, the judges kindly chose my submission Fukagyaku Shinko (不可逆進行, lit. “irreversible progress”) last year, despite its heavy emphasis on animals and plants. I think that’s why when I was tasked with creating the main visual, I was told not to just focus on people but to incorporate other elements as well. When I thought about what I pay attention to and the things I’m interested in in an illustration, it’s always more than just the characters, which is why I used various motifs to create this work. I’m glad it seems to have been well received.

With Fukagyaku Shinko, I already had a specific setting to work with, so I simply researched the types of animals that live in tropical rainforests and included them in the piece. Given how broad the theme of this year’s main visual, Koshikata Yukusue (来し方行く末, lit. “past and future”), was, however, I went with a different approach, choosing to include things I like while being careful not to make the piece feel too cluttered. I guess for the latter, I can’t really explain why I chose a certain motif even if you asked me. Ultimately, the ratio of feeling to logic will change depending on the illustration.

That’s right. I always consider complementary colors and how to guide the viewer’s gaze in every illustration, but other than that, I often draw by feel. Part of that may have to do with the fact that I don’t know a whole lot about illustration theory and techniques, so I end up letting my senses guide me. I learned about complementary colors by studying the art books of my favorite illustrators and how to guide the viewer’s gaze from manga.

I want to experience many things and enjoy making new discoveries

I don’t follow a lot of artists who are known for highly saturated illustrations, but I am deeply inspired by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag’s acrylic-like painting style. After seeing the rich, hyper-realistic landscapes in his art books, I just had to customize my brushes.

I know, right? Perhaps the slightly hazy and muted color palette is a result of his Swedish background. In the same vein, you could say that my polychrome style is influenced by the subtropical climate of Okinawa, where I lived for most of my life.

Now that I live on my own in a different environment, I’m excited to see how my art might evolve.

Oh, that would have to be the artist Tomoko Konoike, for sure. Her feature in Bijutsu Techo last year made such a huge impression on me that I went to her exhibition that summer, and I even attended the talk she gave. Her talk wasn’t just limited to art itself, and she covered a wide range of topics ranging from how the world can change its course without destroying the ecosystem, daring to choose not to do something even if it’s technically posssible, and playing with your five senses. It was truly an eye-opening experience. I wish I could say more than just “she’s amazing,” but she really is an incredible person and artist.

My friends and teachers have mentioned something similar, but personally, I’d say I look forward to new encounters. As much as I love books, I also enjoy visiting places and talking to the people who live there or touching and seeing things in person.

I usually go out on the weekends since that's when I have the most free time. The other day, one of my professors invited me to experience rice planting, so I guess you could say I’m a pretty outdoorsy person. Now that I’m a university student and have more freedom, I’ll probably be able to spend more time studying various things, such as seashells I found on the beach, and incorporating them into my drawings.

I’ve slowly been jotting down themes and ideas I’d like to draw, so I’d like to work on those. And who knows, I may or may not also find inspiration during my excursions. Not knowing is interesting in itself, so for now, I want to enjoy various encounters and making new discoveries. I might end up creating something new each time, or I may keep drawing the same thing forever—only time will tell.

I’ve always loved drawing manga since I was a kid, and after winning the Grand Prize in the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest last year, I was fortunate enough to win Harta magazine’s Yatagarasuhai Competition as well. As of now, I’d like to draw manga commercially in the future. Currently, I’m working hard on the storyboard of a one-shot that I’m hoping I can get published in Harta. Of course, I’d also like to work on things other than manga, such as 3D modeling. In terms of non work-related stuff, I’d like to travel too.

── It’s great that you don’t only want to focus on drawing but also want to experience various things and apply them to your work. You might get into something new and totally unexpected, or you might reaffirm your love for something and realize, “Actually, this is what I want to do.” Either way, I think good things await you, and I’m excited for your future endeavors.

Thank you. During my four years at university, I’d like to continuously experience various things and apply them to my art in order to create something interesting, and I believe that will eventually end up in my manga. No matter how far I go, I’ll most likely continue to draw manga as well as illustrations.

The pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest 2025 is accepting entries now!

The pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest aims to give rise to the next generation of flourishing creators and is open to all high school students. Acclaimed illustrators such as Ura Uraura and Terada Tera, as well as corporate sponsors, will be participating as judges, and all entries will be reviewed from their professional points of view.

Award recipients will receive prize money, including a 200,000 JPY cash prize for the Grand Prize winner, and special prizes from each sponsor. There will also be the opportunity to create visual works and participate in projects sponsored by pixiv!

The application deadline is Sunday, August 17th, 2025, at 11:59 pm JST.

*Please note that this year’s submission period is shorter than usual.

Why don’t you give it a shot during this summer vacation?

＞＞pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest 2025 page＜＜

Past interview articles for the pixiv High Schoolers Illustration Contest

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Welcome to DrawTube, an ongoing series on pixiv’s official YouTube account!

On DrawTube, we feature artists from around the world and shed light on their work as well as their illustration and thought process. These interviews are also accompanied by time-lapses of the featured artist’s drawing process, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

In this feature, we spoke to Ahoi, a Taiwanese artist known for her signature glass-like art style. The following is an excerpt from our interview. For the full interview, check out the videos linked at the end of the article!

The completed illustration featured in this DrawTube video:

• Ahoi

• Freelance illustrator and manga artist.

  Loves vibrant colors and creating character illustrations with a sense of light and atmosphere.

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I build my compositions around the elements I find most attractive

── What does your typical drawing process look like?

I start with a rough sketch, then move on to applying base colors and setting up the overall lighting. Then, I might use the Curves tool and gradients to fine-tune the overall color scheme. Once the color tones and character’s poses are roughly set, I refine the characters with a lineless coloring style.

── How do you come up with themes and compositions?

I usually start by looking at reference materials and taking inspiration from photos. I think about what I want to draw in the illustration and identify which elements will be the most attractiveーfor example, delicious-looking food, complex interplays of light and shadow on a face, the character’s pretty clothes, or other decorations. Then, I build my compositions around these elements.

── What do you pay special attention to when drawing?

During the drawing process, I make it a point to periodically pause and step away for a bit. This helps me prevent aesthetic fatigue, which can make it hard to spot mistakes or inconsistencies after looking at the piece for too long. When I return, I check to see if the drawing is still in line with my original vision, or if it has veered off course, and make any necessary adjustments.

── Has your art style evolved over time? If so, how has it changed and why?

When I was exploring different styles, I experimented with creating a “glass-like texture.” I enjoy rendering fine details and textures in small objects, so I found this style very fun to work with. It was also well-received by others, which encouraged me to gradually adopt it as my own signature style.

── Have you ever faced any major challenges or setbacks in your career? How did you overcome them?

Sometimes, I feel like I’m just drawing the same thing over and over or not making any progress, and I’ve recently been feeling a bit stuck again. When this happens, I step outside of my comfort zone and try themes that are new to me.

It might be challenging at first, and I may struggle with things I’m not good at, but those challenges help me identify what I need to improve. Then, I might take specific courses or draw inspiration from other artists’ work to find a way forward.

── What are the key features or selling points of your work?

When drawing characters, I often use a glass-like texture and like to incorporate highly saturated dark colors to bring a diverse color palette to my illustrations. I spend a lot of time on the character design and on detailing accessories. I also carefully delineate light and shadows, which gives my work an overall lavish and intricate look.

I think it’s important for my work to include elements that I personally like, as it helps keep me motivated over the long term.

Check out the following for the full interview and drawing process!

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ARTISTS IN TAIWAN 2025, an art book featuring works by 76 illustrators and manga artists from Taiwan, officially hit stores in Taiwan on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025! The collection, which is published by Gaea Books and edited by pixiv, will be available for preorder in Japan via pixiv’s official BOOTH shop starting March 27th, 2025.

【画集/Artbook】ARTISTS IN TAIWAN 2025（2025年4月下旬より順次発送予定）

by pixiv公式BOOTH

Following the success of the first two editions of ARTISTS IN TAIWAN (published in 2021 and 2022), the latest installment in the series aims to “discover the next generation of talent” and features numerous works from emerging Taiwanese creators, including participants from the pixiv Taiwan U22 Student Award held in 2024.

The book also includes a special illustration by Kenharu, a rising illustrator active in both Taiwan and Japan. The artwork depicts a lively Taiwanese night market, where a girl is trying to win the shopkeeper’s cat at a ring toss game, and is enhanced by masterful light and shadow techniques.

At the end of the book, readers will find special interviews featuring experts in illustration and manga from Taiwan and Japan. These interviews delve into the ins and outs of the aforementioned industries and offer practical insights for aspiring artists that are sure to come in handy.

In this article, we have selected excerpts from three interviews featured in ARTISTS IN TAIWAN 2025. Enjoy!

What art schools can offer students

The theme of the first discussion is “What art schools can offer students: art-related departments and projected trends in the art industry.” This interview is brought to you by Guang-Dah Chen (陳光大), Head of Visual Communication Design at National Taiwan University of Arts and Director of the Innovation Incubator Center, and LOIZA, Concept Art & Illustration Leader at Riot Games, where he is responsible for concept design and product development for games such as League of Legends and Legends of Runeterra. Students and creators unsure about their career paths will likely benefit from the valuable insights provided by Chen and LOIZA in this interview.

• LOIZA

• Current Concept Art & Illustration Leader for League of Legends and Legends of Runeterra at the Riot Games Singapore office. LOIZA has also worked on promotional illustrations and card designs for Netease Games’ Onmyoji as well as the 20th-anniversary edition book covers for Harry Potter published in Taiwan by Crown Culture Corp.

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── Is going to art school truly necessary in order to become a professional creator? What type of student is best cut out for an art college education?

LOIZA: Art school isn’t just a place to learn how to make art; it’s also a place to learn the importance of communicating with others. This is because art colleges aim to produce not only the next generation of creators but educators as well. At school, you will learn how to explain your creations in logical terms, allowing you to answer questions such as “Why is this drawn a certain way?” or “What is the inspiration behind this piece?” Students will be trained to use the knowledge they acquired in class to explain information such as the above in a logical manner.

This skill has now become essential in my work as well. For example, there are times when a creator might have to explain to the client why something is designed a certain way or how it appeals to the current market. If you can’t fully explain why or how your work fulfills your client’s needs, it can be hard for them to trust your product completely. If you can give a succinct explanation, however, it will make it easier for the client to deliver a proposal to management, allowing them to save time and personnel costs involved in decision-making.

── What are your thoughts on the recent developments in the illustration and visual design industries? How do they differ from past developments, and what do you think the future holds?

Chen: Many people mistakenly think the scope of visual communication design is limited to graphic design alone when, in fact, it is much more than that. In the past, design education philosophies used to be segregated by discipline. For example, product design and industrial design were entirely separate fields, each prioritizing specialization over collaboration.

Nowadays, however, there is a greater emphasis on integrating different disciplines to give rise to new design values and principles.

Through experimental approaches that attempt to integrate different disciplines and educational reform, I aim to create an environment where students can obtain a diverse set of skills and broader perspectives. My hope is that by doing so, we can expand the possibilities for the future of design.

LOIZA: Based on the current trajectory, I believe specialists or people with a singular ability will have a harder time in the future. Many people think it’s possible to make money as long as you can draw well, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Nowadays, simply being good at drawing won’t get you very far; in order to survive in this industry, it’s crucial to have an integrated perspective. Additionally, you need to know how to organize and synthesize various kinds of information to increase the market value of your work. Rather than someone who’s merely a skilled artist, it’s important to take things a step further and become an integrator who’s able to connect people with different skill sets and produce consistent quality work within a limited time frame. Whether you’re capable of doing so will significantly affect your future career path. This idea of viewing art as a collaborative team effort is something that all artists should consider in the future.

Lately, many studios have been laying off their staff, and specialists tend to be the first to get eliminated during such restructuring processes. My observation is that those in singular specialist roles, particularly illustrators, have been the most severely impacted by the evolution of AI technology. Unless you’re at the top of your field, those in the middle tier will likely face the difficult decision of having to relearn their skills to adapt to newer technologies.

Given the above, I’ve decided to place a higher value on people possessing multiple skill sets or creative perspectives. These are the types of people who will pave the path forward in the coming years. I also believe that people who are deeply passionate and have a unique perspective on projects and products will play a central role in the industry in the future, which is why our team prioritizes hiring and nurturing such individuals. I highly encourage readers to be adventurous, get to know all kinds of people, and keep trying new things!

── Do you have any advice or words of encouragement for students considering pursuing art and design as a career?

LOIZA: I believe it’s important to face your dreams head-on and have the courage to make them a reality. A dream is more than just an ideal; it takes root in your mind and becomes a vision that provides purpose, a powerful belief that propels you to grow. This core value influences the direction you go in and the criteria for your choices, indicating the path you should take.

For example, if there is an artist whose work you admire, it’s essential that you expose yourself to their work, train your eye, and hone your aesthetic sensitivity. At first, things may not turn out the way you want them to, and you may feel a disconnect between the image in your head and reality. However, as long as you have clear goals, you can keep thinking about ways you can improve. By building on this over time, you are sure to feel like you’re making progress.

Moreover, this core value will serve as your compass and show you the way when you’re lost. When faced with a tough decision, your innermost desires can help remind you to continue working towards your goals without going off course. This is why I always ask myself, “What is your dream?” to avoid losing sight of it.

Chen: I have four points of advice. The first point is always to remain curious. Have the courage to express your ideas and art in different ways without fearing failure. Repeated trial and error is the key to growth.

My second point is to broaden your perspective and make keen observations in daily life. Everyday life offers a wealth of inspiration for creating art. By paying attention to the finer details around us, we can often come up with new design ideas. I also frequently encourage students to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad or interact with people from other backgrounds to deepen their understanding of the world by observing different cultures and societies. These experiences will bring depth and breadth to your work.

My third point is to think deeply about the essence and significance of design. The essence of design comes down to the story behind it and its connection to society and culture. In recent years, people have been paying more and more attention not only to visual design but to service design and social design as well, which are born from a keen observation and thorough understanding of social issues.

My fourth and final point is to value interaction with your peers. As an aspiring artist, it’s essential to actively participate in workshops, exhibitions, and design competitions to meet like-minded people and inspire each other. Not only will these opportunities broaden your network, but they will also provide you with new inspiration.

The key is to be confident and stick to your goals. Although pursuing a career in design is far from easy, if you have a clear vision and work toward it step by step, you will be able to see how far you’ve come upon looking back on your progress. By continuing to challenge yourself, you are bound to have a fulfilling journey with many wonderful experiences and opportunities on the way.

The difference between online illustration courses and traditional art education

• Krenz
• Known as one of the leading illustrators in Taiwan, Krenz holds a B.S. in Information Communication from Yuan Ze University and is the founder and main instructor of Krenz’s Artwork, aka KK Magic Academy.

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• Howard Hsu
• Joined Krenz’s Artwork in 2018 and currently serves as one of the main TAs for the academy’s Perspective courses and a member of the curriculum development team. Has over five years of teaching experience.

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── What are some of the differences between self-learning and a formal art education?

Hsu: In my opinion, the biggest difference between the two is the number of hurdles you must overcome to begin learning. Say you want to pursue an art degree in higher education. In this case, those who have been studying art formally from a young age have a significant advantage over those who started later in life, and the gap only widens the older you get. While getting into an art school allows you to receive a systematic and authentic art education, you will also be bound to an intensive three to four-year curriculum, making it difficult to change paths if you feel that you no longer want to pursue art as a career.

Online courses and self-learning, on the other hand, are more accessible and are open to anyone who is motivated enough. By taking proper notes, listening to the lectures, and completing assignments, it’s possible to achieve reasonable results. Another advantage to self-learning is that it allows you to dip your toe in the water if you’re unsure whether you truly enjoy drawing or are waffling about pursuing learning on a deeper level. If, after several lessons, you’re certain you want to commit, then you can sign up for more classes or take advantage of specialized courses. The main advantage of online courses is that they provide a flexible learning option for those who haven’t had the opportunity to receive a formal art education.

── What are your thoughts on the recent developments in the illustration industry, and how should creators respond accordingly?

Krenz: As seen on social media platforms around the world, one of the biggest concerns many artists share at the moment is whether AI will replace humans. For artists working at large corporations such as game companies and animation studios, art for work and personal art are often separate, and they continuously make sure to adapt the former to meet ever-evolving industry standards.

Personally, I think artists should consider their illustrations not as mere works of art but as digital content representing their personal brand and work on monetizing them. I believe it is important for creators themselves to have other elements that generate value that consumers can recognize in addition to their art.

Hsu: While the impact AI has on the industry is undeniable, I still place a high value on the artists’ works themselves. New technology replacing certain functions of an art piece is nothing new. To give a couple of examples, the invention of photography changed the role of paintings, and the development of 3D modeling technology reduced the need for hand-drawn perspective drawings.

── Do you have any advice for people hoping to pursue drawing as a career?

Krenz: First, it’s important that you understand there are two paths in the illustration industry: one where you rely on capital and one where you work as an independent artist.

In the case of the former, i.e., corporate employment, there are clear standards and frameworks, as is usually the case for game companies and animation studios. For example, making an animation requires a certain amount of knowledge and technical criteria to be met. In this industry, new tools, including AI, are sometimes integrated into the workflow, requiring you to adapt to them.

If that doesn’t appeal to you, there is also the option of working as a solo illustrator. In the illustration industry, the terms “illustrator” and “concept artist or original artist” are treated as different categories. To become an illustrator, it is essential to utilize self-media and establish your works as a means of expression.

If you’re wondering to what degree you need to hone your skills before you take the plunge, being able to draw exceptionally well isn’t strictly necessary; as long as you can express what you want to convey, you have what it takes.

Hsu: When you get a job and enter the workforce, you’ll soon find that you have significantly less time to dedicate to creative projects. Therefore, improving your skills with the limited time you have becomes the main issue. That is why it is crucial to determine what you need to learn and use your time wisely for that purpose. If you don’t make effective use of your time now, it will be harder to learn later when you have even less time.

How well you use your time now will significantly affect your future growth, so I suggest being mindful of this!

Bringing Taiwanese manga to Japan

── What made you decide to introduce Taiwanese manga to the Japanese market?

Segawa: When I visited Gaea Books in Taiwan, I had the opportunity to read some of the original manga titles they were working on. Among them are several titles we have signed and published in Japan as translated publications. One of these titles, Tan-Tsiu-Niu, which is based on a famous Taiwanese court horror story, has been very popular in Japan and was recently reprinted. Considering how print book sales have been on the decline in Japan, it was incredibly unusual for a Taiwanese book to receive a second print run. Gaea Books is one of the few companies in Taiwan that edits original works, so we rely on them to help us discover new books.

Lee: Gaea Books recently opened an office in Tokyo and is working on a joint project with KADOKAWA as well as plans to license more works to Japan. I believe Taiwanese manga will have a greater chance of global expansion once they are translated into Japanese and have entered the Japanese market. Since publishers worldwide are keeping a close eye on the Japanese manga market, achieving success in Japan will make it easier for us to sell licenses and expand our influence overseas, which is precisely what we are aiming for.

── What are the best ways to market non-Japanese manga in Japan?

Segawa: For starters, simply displaying them on shelves doesn’t work. Even if a foreign artist were to draw a manga that looks Japanese, they would often lose to domestic works in terms of quality. Put another way, they’re competing as the away team on the home team’s field. That said, works such as Tan-Tsiu-Niu whose subject matter, setting, and characters are unique to the country in which it is created, or, in other words, showcase the individuality of its origins, have a greater chance of success. Given the above, we advertised the series in a way that highlighted the differences in cultures, which proved intriguing to Japanese readers. After all, who wouldn’t want to read a 17th-century Taiwanese horror manga based on a true story?

In terms of whether Japanese readers found the subject matter difficult to understand, the answer is no. Horror as a genre is very straightforward and easy to understand. Whether you’re from America or Japan, your train of thought will likely be something along the lines of: “Oh, so it’s a horror story. What kind of horror? An imperial court ghost story based on an actual incident in Taiwan? Interesting!” Therefore, we extracted that part of the story and used it to market the series. Other works tend to feature more slice-of-life storylines, but because they lack impact, it’s harder to describe them.

For example, The Funeral Concerto, which we worked on together with Gaea Books, is a story about funerals, or what we call a funeral director in Japan. Although the storytelling and appeal of the characters feel a bit lacking in certain parts, the subject matter is extremely clear, and we believe that bringing a realistic picture of the Taiwanese funeral industry to the forefront was the right way to market it.

── How do you see the Taiwanese and Japanese manga industries developing in the future?

Lee: Our primary goal is to create a healthy cycle in the Taiwanese manga industry. As it stands, the current Taiwanese market alone makes it challenging to pay manga artists sufficient rates. As a result, many rely on government support and subsidies, which hinders the industry’s growth. Overreliance on government support can lead to a widespread belief among artists that it doesn’t matter if their books don’t sell since they still have subsidies, giving them less incentive to try harder. If the subsidy program were to be discontinued, however, the industry would suffer a serious blow.

Therefore, by cooperating with Japanese publishers such as KADOKAWA, we hope to directly enter the Japanese market and foster an environment in which the Taiwanese manga industry can generate profits purely from manga sales. I believe that Taiwanese manga artists are incredibly talented, and I hope they can believe in their own capabilities and keep striving to create exceptional works.

Segawa: We’re currently attempting to produce a hit Taiwanese manga series in Taiwan, and on November 9th, we will begin serialization of five works created for Taiwan on BOOK☆WALKER. Although we have Japanese manga artists working on this batch, we would like to have Taiwanese manga artists work on the next batch of works and, eventually, have all series feature a Taiwanese artist plus Taiwanese and Japanese editors. This may sound presumptuous, but one of KADOKAWA’s missions is to raise the level of Taiwanese manga and produce a worldwide hit, so that’s what we’re aiming for.

I’m sure there are many people who enjoy drawing and making manga. The more you draw, the better you get, so keep doing what you love best, and you’re bound to find an editor willing to work with you.

That is the end of the preview for this collection. For more details and other fascinating interviews, check out ARTISTS IN TAIWAN 2025!

All interviews in this book, with the exception of the interview at the end, are in Traditional Chinese and Japanese, making this volume accessible to Japanese readers as well.

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ARTISTS IN TAIWAN 2025 Art Book Overview

List of participating illustrators and manga artists

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Interview by Kyu Nakanishi

One of the most notable examples of vertical-scrolling manga, commonly known as webtoons, is Solo Leveling, written by Chugong and illustrated by Dubu (Redice Studio). This smash-hit South Korean series, which has also received an anime adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures, is loved not only in Japan but around the world.

In this feature, we spoke with Lee Hyun-Seok, President of Red Seven Co., Ltd., the Japanese branch of the Korean art studio that produced Solo Leveling, and a renowned manga editor who has worked on multiple hit series such as Tomb Raider King and The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years. According to Lee, Japan has a skewed idea of what webtoons are supposed to be. What are some common misconceptions, and what underexplored genres should publishers consider investing in? As an expert well-versed in both Japanese manga and Korean manhwa, Lee provides valuable insight into the ever-developing world of webtoons.

The public’s perception of webtoons is often based on a limited number of series

── You’ve been a household name in the Japanese manga industry for a long time. What aspect of webtoons did you feel drawn to, and what prompted you to shift your focus to them?

Lee: It wasn’t so much that I was drawn to them, but rather that I felt the need to due to the impending crisis the Japanese manga industry is facing. Since moving to Japan in 1999, I’ve had the opportunity to work on many series as either a writer or editor. In my years of experience, I’ve noticed that in terms of how mihiraki (two-page spreads) are drawn, there have barely been any stylistic changes for six decades. There’s a highly precise and established formula that authors rarely deviate from, and as a format, it has already peaked. Because of this, I feared the industry would eventually begin to decline.

── In other words, perfection is stagnation, which leads to eventual decline.

Lee: Japan’s population is already shrinking due to falling birth rates, which means there will inevitably be fewer aspiring manga artists in the future, leading to a decline in the publishing market. To combat this, I realized we had to make some changes. South Korea’s new digital comic format, i.e., webtoons, seemed like an interesting new avenue to pursue, and so in 2014, we turned to Comico.

── So it didn’t necessarily have to be vertical-scrolling or colorized—it just needed to be in a different format from traditional manga?

Lee: Absolutely. Webtoons just happened to be gaining traction at the time, and once I read a few, I realized just how interesting they were. Besides being easy to read, I find them highly convenient. Physical copies of magazines take up a lot of space, and throwing away a year’s worth of them can be a real chore. (laughs) Obviously, printed books have their merits, but I really enjoyed the convenience of being able to read an entire webtoon series on my smartphone.

── I feel like webtoons have really taken off in Japan since 2020, thanks to Solo Leveling, which began serialization in 2019. At the same time, I sometimes hear criticism that webtoons within a specific genre tend to be more or less similar to one another. What’s your opinion on this?

Lee: I would say the reverse is also true. In South Korea, the laws were revised in 1998 to gradually lift the strict ban on Japanese culture, and the first stage of partial liberalization took place on October 20th that year. During this stage, manga and other Japanese publications were allowed to be imported for the first time, which gave rise to the popularity of Weekly Shōnen Jump manga such as Slam Dunk, Dragon Ball, and Fist of the North Star, as well as works known for their intricate art style such as Akira. In terms of anime, Galaxy Express 999, Future Boy Conan, and Wedding Peach became a hit. Based on this limited selection of works, people formed their own ideas about what Japanese manga and anime were meant to be. Akira, in particular, had a significant influence on many Korean manga artists’ works at the time.

── I see. That’s a fascinating tidbit of information.

Lee: However, when I came to Japan, I learned that the works that were popular here were completely different from those I’d imagined. When you think of long-running, nationally recognized, and beloved anime in Japan, they tend to be stuff like Chibi Maruko-chan, Sazae-san, and Doraemon. That was when I realized that my perception of Japanese culture had been shaped by an extremely small pool of works available to me at the time, and what was popular in South Korea did not accurately reflect what the average Japanese person enjoyed on a regular basis.

── So you're saying that, for example, you discovered that Japanese Akira fans actually tend to be those who are into more niche or alternative manga.

Lee: It’s basically the same thing with Korean webtoons as well. At the moment, series with bold visuals such as Solo Leveling and The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years are popular in Japan, and these select few works have shaped the public’s perception of what webtoons are. In South Korea, however, individual creators have been building the foundation of webtoon culture long before large comic production companies and studios became prevalent.

── But most people in Japan don’t know about these indie creators?

Lee: Webtoons in South Korea often make acute observations about social issues, with many works depicting customs and unspoken rules unique to Korean society. As a result, it can be difficult for the average Japanese reader to fully grasp the context, which is why such works tend to have a hard time entering the market.

── I heard that during the formative years of webtoons, works called “essaytoons” describing people’s everyday lives used to be the norm. In my experience, the more personal the comic, the more likely it is to contain details that require a deep understanding of the country’s social structure and historical background.

Lee: Oh, absolutely. In addition, we also need to take the language barrier into account. The process of translation and localization is incredibly costly, so naturally, companies will only invest in series they’re confident will sell. This has resulted in most translated works being skewed towards action adventure, isekai, or romantasy, as these genres tend not to require a deep understanding of Korean culture to enjoy. Of course, I don’t blame the public for having an inaccurate image of Korean webtoons when that’s all they’re exposed to, but in reality, it’s simply that certain genres are overrepresented on the market.

Companies should invest in finding and nurturing new talent for long-term growth

── Some would say this misconception is precisely what is hindering the growth of webtoon culture in Japan. If I remember correctly, you once said something along the lines of, “I’m positive there is a way Japanese webtoons can leverage the culture’s unique strengths without resorting to a mere imitation of Korean webtoons.”

Lee: Pushing for products that will sell well and making a profit is essential for market formation. At the same time, companies need to put in the work to discover and nurture new individual artists, but the reality is that most businesses do not consider this one of their priorities. Say you want to produce ten works. It’s fine if up to seven of them are either action or romantasy, as those genres are sure to be profitable. However, the remaining three or so ought to be something completely different, something that has yet to be explored in earnest. At present, I feel that the ratio of works published in Japan is roughly 95 to 96 percent skewed towards the former.

── Why do you think there aren’t more innovative works in Japan?

Lee: I believe it’s because most companies simply focus on their projected revenue based on the amount they invest; they aren’t thinking enough about the long-term effects. The remarkable thing about the Japanese manga publishing industry is that they have been investing in fresh new talent for a long time from a long-term perspective. Take Shueisha, for example. They continue to put out over 300 new works a year written by up-and-coming manga artists, regardless of how long it takes them to recoup the initial costs they invested. Companies that have joined or are attempting to join the webtoon market ought to take a leaf out of their book and adopt a more forward-thinking attitude.

── So while it may seem like a waste of time and money if you only care about short-term profit, it’s an absolutely vital investment in the long run?

Lee: For example, while our company is known for large-scale studio productions such as The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years and Tomb Raider King, we’ve also published works by individual creators such as My Younger Husband, which is done entirely by one artist. Additionally, although sports-based webtoons are rarely a commercial success, we took the leap and published a baseball manga series titled Home Plate Villain. Now, we’re even working on producing a soccer manga, and in my opinion, this is how it should be. Just like how a species whose DNA never undergoes evolutionary changes will eventually die out, businesses that can only produce the same kind of products over and over again have no chance of survival.

── Regarding My Younger Husband, even though it’s a webtoon, it uses a style different from the traditional seamless vertical-scrolling format; instead, it allows the reader to swipe horizontally, panel by panel. To me, this seemed like an ambitious attempt to present an alternative to the usual format in which manga made for smartphones are read.

Lee: This style is actually very common in South Korea, and I highly recommend it to Japanese webtoon artists too. The vertical-scrolling format has a roughly 25-year history in Korea and has been developed through much trial and error. As such, it would take quite a bit of time if you were to learn all of the techniques and fully master them. On the other hand, the cuttoon style is much easier since the size of the panel is fixed. Moreover, things drawn in a horizontal-swiping format can easily be converted to a vertical-scrolling format, not to mention it’s also easy to turn them into printed collections.

── Indeed, it seems even easier to draw in this format than the traditional vertical format.

Lee: This is why I think creators in Japan should give it a shot, too, but unfortunately, it seems like no one is interested in doing so. Perhaps they value traditional ideas too much and are afraid of deviating from the norm.

For some reason, there are no high school romance-themed webtoons

── Agreed. I do feel like we often get hung up on the idea that all webtoons need to be vertical and fully colorized to the point that we forget other options exist.

Lee: The same can be said for the subject matter too. Because so many people wrongly assume that webtoons need to fall into one of the handful of genres that dominate the market, you rarely come across stories about high school romances, which I believe is something a lot of Japanese manga artists are good at. One series that became really popular is The Ramparts of Ice, so I find it quite strange that there have been no other notable examples within that genre. When I think back on the time Comico was at its best, the most popular category was school romance stories, which made up the majority of the works published on the site. Unfortunately, that conversation seems to have since been abandoned.

── It seems like the current trend for manga targeting women is romantasy.

Lee: If there’s one genre Korean artists aren’t good at, it’s Japanese high school romance. After all, they lack the context and experience necessary to write about it. This is a genre where Japanese artists have a clear advantage, and I’m positive many people would read those webtoons if they were available. Moreover, they can easily be made by one person. And yet, you rarely see such stories published.

── That’s a good point...

Lee: What Japan currently needs is a platform where individual artists can publish their work. At present, there are many barriers preventing artists from doing so, given that the print manga industry is still going strong. As of yet, webtoons are unable to compete with a 700 billion yen market, so it is only natural that the latter will attract more human resources.

── The larger the market, the greater the number of people exposed to it. It’s no wonder that if someone who grew up in that environment chooses to draw manga, their first inclination would be to draw in a horizontal print format.

Lee: In terms of the “language” used, webtoons are closer to films or videos than books. I like to use clocks as an analogy to explain this. Japanese manga are like an analog clock, which lets you know where you are in the story using context cues from the scenes that occur right before and after the current one. In contrast, webtoons are like digital clocks—they only show you the “current time” or present moment to let the viewer know what’s happening, much like in films. It’s important that we first understand this difference.

── So print manga that show you the connecting panels are analog clocks, while webtoons that only show you the current panel are digital clocks. Interesting analogy.

Lee: Here’s another example. There’s this manga artist who’s highly popular at the moment named Tatsuki Fujimoto; what sets him apart from other artists is that his works use a lot of “filmic grammar.” For example, his one-shot Look Back is incredibly reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino’s film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and the DVD cover even appears in the manga. And actually, getting inspiration from movies and drawing in a filmic style is a very traditional Japanese way of creating manga.

── Osamu Tezuka used to do that a lot, didn’t he?

Lee: That’s right. Tezuka-sensei was greatly influenced by Walt Disney, and Katsuhiro Otomo, who wrote Akira, was also very much influenced by Hollywood films such as Blade Runner. Korean webtoons are drawn by people who grew up watching films just like them, and they’re mainly being made by a generation that grew up watching movies and dramas on tiny smartphone screens. I believe people in Japan have also naturally acquired this visual language, i.e., a feel for what makes sense cinematically.

The system for publishing print manga hasn’t changed in 50 years

── The Jump TOON Award, which started in 2023, is one of the few places where individual artists can submit their works, which you stated as being very important earlier. How did you feel participating in the inaugural Jump TOON Award as a judge?

Lee: It was a fantastic experience. What was interesting was that some of the works were in black and white, and it felt wonderful to see works breaking the mold of what webtoons are “supposed” to be. I really enjoyed seeing so many fun, experimental submissions.

── To me, it seemed like you were able to discover some potential solutions for how Japan can develop its own unique webtoon culture.

Lee: We did, in fact. One way we can further nurture these possibilities is to instill the idea that it is up to readers to judge whether a work is good or not. I believe this is why Comico succeeded with webtoons, despite them still being an uncommon type of media in Japan at the time. Back then, Comico considered a work to be good if many readers liked it. In order to gauge the public’s honest opinions, they also interviewed junior high and high school students to learn what they thought of the works being serialized and what they were currently into.

── So you’re saying while it’s important to manage the quality of the works being published, it’s not necessary for editors to weigh in on whether they’re interesting or not?

Lee: Say there’s a shonen magazine whose target readers are mainly teens and young adults up to 20 years old. In this case, how old should the editors be? If the age gap between their target audience is too big, it may be difficult for them to share the same sensibilities. Given that we live in an age where we can receive readers’ opinions in real time via the internet, it’s only fair to take advantage of this. In this way, webtoons have developed by placing the utmost importance on reader evaluation.

── So the traditional Japanese approach of manga artists and editors working in tandem to produce a work has both advantages and disadvantages. Would you say there are more downsides to this approach at the moment?

Lee: I do. Even though the world has changed drastically, the system of publishing print manga has remained unchanged for the past 50 or 60 years. I’m not saying there aren’t positive aspects to it, but I do think now is the time to pursue every possible avenue to pave the way for a new era.

── Do you think it’s possible for the situation surrounding webtoons in Japan to change drastically in the future?

Lee: I believe it is possible if a well-known publishing house can produce a smash-hit series. If that happens, I’m certain the situation will turn around, and people will begin placing more importance on webtoons, allowing the industry to bring in first-class talent and resources. In my opinion, anime is the key for this change to take place. I don’t mean just any anime adaptation, but a blockbuster adaptation. It’s the same with print manga as well. As excellent as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is, it didn’t have nearly the same influence as it does now until the anime became a hit. Another example is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, which created an economic boom for Japanese anime and manga, followed by the hit series Jujutsu Kaisen. The situation surrounding webtoons will probably change as well as more hits are released in the multimedia development process.

── So, you mean that if we can create a situation where many hit animations are based on webtoons, their status will naturally improve, and more people will aspire to become webtoon artists.

Lee: The anime adaptation of Solo Leveling was a success, and I think that served as one of the major turning points. When an anime becomes popular, the sales of the source material also increases, so even though the series has already been completed, it still ranks in the top spot sometimes. The books also sell very well, and the response in the U.S. has been tremendous. Until now, the short IP lifespan of webtoons was said to be a fatal flaw, but Solo Leveling has proved to be an anomaly, becoming a major hit and receiving an anime and video game adaptation. The product lifespan of webtoons has been steadily increasing, and we were able to create an excellent example with Solo Leveling. I believe this is just the beginning.

Free yourself of the notion that things need to be a certain way

── Who knows, there might be future best-selling webtoon artists among pixiv users who we just haven’t discovered yet.

Lee: pixiv is the biggest online platform where artists gather and post their work. Because of the sheer number of users, there is a strong possibility of us finding talented authors and artists. I have high hopes for the future.

── What are some things you expect from pixiv, if you don’t mind sharing in detail?

Lee: I believe pixiv should follow Shueisha’s example as I mentioned earlier. This means constantly investing in discovering new artists and giving them a platform where the public can assess their works. This is something all online platforms should be doing, not just pixiv. It could be in the form of a contest, or it could be a monthly award. If you ask me what aspiring manga artists want most, it’s to make their debut. Everyone longs for the moment when their work is finally recognized, so I sincerely hope a system will be put in place that will allow them that kind of experience.

── Do you have any advice for aspiring manga artists?

Lee: Always be aware of your audience. A work isn’t complete until someone reads it, so it’s crucial to consider the best way to get your point across. Furthermore, a good story isn’t something only you can understand. Out of a hundred, 90 percent of it should be made with the reader in mind; the remaining ten percent can be for the author’s satisfaction. Becoming aware of that is the first step.

── A lot of young aspiring artists often cite not being able to publish weekly as one of the main reasons they avoid making webtoons. Even if they want to create something unique, they feel forced to eventually divide up the tasks to make the workload more manageable.

Lee: I’ve been asked how to best deal with that problem countless times. My answer is always the same: maintain a standard of quality that’s sustainable on a weekly basis. Don’t overdo it.

── As in, just do what you can within your limits?

Lee: First, you shouldn’t assume that you have to constantly churn out X number of pages every week. Trying to draw something like Solo Leveling weekly all by yourself would be overkill. (laughs) That sort of misconception is the last thing creators should have. The whole point of being an artist is to create art freely, not to impose restrictions on yourself. Instead, all you have to do is experiment and figure out what styles and techniques will allow you to keep drawing one episode a week.

── I see.

Lee: In the first place, who says that manga chapters need to be published once a week? Surely not every series has to be published weekly. As long as you get to read something new every day, what does it matter?

── You’ve got a point there. (laughs)

Lee: If that’s indeed what you’re worried about, all you need to do is think about how many episodes and panels you need to draw in order to get people to read your work every day. I truly hope that pixiv users can let their imagination run free in their works, free from the shackles of stereotypes.

── Like you mentioned at the beginining, since Japan has a skewed view about webtoons, it would be much more refreshing to read new works unhindered by such misconceptions.

Lee: Exactly. There are no rules in art; only the sky is the limit.

Works mentioned in this article

Tomb Raider King (3B2S / Yuns / Sanji Jiksong)

Synopsis: 

Strange tombs have been appearing all over the world. Among these tombs are relics that give people supernatural powers, leading some to use their newfound powers to obtain great riches and others to plot to take over the world. As the world begins to change, a mysterious individual appears out of nowhere to collect all the relics before anyone else can get to them. Thus begins a gripping, action-packed quest of vengeance as the “Tomb Raider King” seeks to get revenge on those who betrayed him in his previous life.

The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years (kd-dragon (Redice Studio) / Parachute, Ttaegaebi, barnacle)

Synopsis: 

An underachieving student at West Road Academy, Frey Blake is the black sheep of the prestigious Blake family. Treated as an outcast both at home and at school, Frey takes his own life, unable to withstand the pain any longer. Just then, a new soul enters his lifeless body. The soul belongs to none other than Lukas Trowman, a great mage who was imprisoned in the Abyss 4,000 years ago after a battle with the Lord of the Demigods. With his newfound vessel, Lukas is ready to embark on a journey to seek revenge on the Lord that wronged him.

Home Plate Villain (Jun Fudo, Evilline)

Legendary baseball player Hong Bin has an impressive list of achievements, 3,000 career hits being one of them. During his final game at age 40, he hits his last ball, holding up the end of his deal with the Baseball Fairy. Now age 18, his goal is to join the major league and achieve 5,000 career hits. The only problem? He’s lost all his old skills as a pro! Will his past experiences be enough to help him fulfill this new challenge?

My Younger Husband (Yuri)

Nao Motoki and Mitsuru are newlyweds. After dating for six months, the pair tied the knot, and they have been the perfect pair of lovebirds ever since. Despite their married life being full of happiness, Nao can’t help but be slightly suspicious of her husband at times. “Am I really the first person you’ve ever loved or been with? With that killer face and bod?!” Follow Nao and Mitsuru as they navigate their exciting newlywed life as a couple with a five-year age gap!

Check out Red Seven’s latest thrilling tale of revenge, Kanshi Otto o Kujo Suru made!

Kanshi Otto o Kujo Suru made (Koharu Yukimura, siosoy)

Brought to you by the author of Kanpeki Wife ni Yoru Kanpeki na Fukushu Keikaku (The Flawless Revenge by the Flawless Wife), which received a TV drama series adaptation last year, this is Red Seven’s first completely original work produced by domestic artists. Enjoy this new work that explores the popular cheating thriller genre with a Red Seven flair!

Synopsis: 

Iroha is involved in a tragic accident that kills her parents and renders her paralyzed from the waist down. Following that, she is dumped by her fiancé, and her life hits rock bottom, until a handsome doctor named Aoto comes to her rescue. Now married, all seems well at first. That is, until Iroha realizes that her whole marriage is a sham, and Aoto is secretly in love with someone else. A thrilling tale of deception and one woman’s quest to exact vengeance.

>> Click here to read <<

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Interview by Ichibo Harada

The winners of the Copic Award 2024, a global contest showcasing artworks created with Copic markers, have been announced. Of over 3600 submissions from 70 countries, Yopo’s illustration Narikake no Watashitachi received the prestigious pixiv Award.

Having discovered Copic markers in elementary school, Yopo has been creating Copic illustrations for nearly 20 years. In an era dominated by digital art, why do they remain committed to Copic markers? We spoke with Yopo about the appeal of Copics and their techniques.

I drew part of the winning artwork with my left hand

── Congratulations on winning the pixiv Award! How did you feel when you found out?

I was on my lunch break at work when I checked the results page. I was so happy, I almost cried. The judges even commented on details like my use of glitter and how the appearance of the piece changes depending on the viewing distance. It meant so much to me to know they had looked at my work so closely.

── You’ve entered the Copic Award before, right? How confident were you about this piece?

I’ve entered the contest a few times before, but it’s never been with the mindset of, “I have to win!” Instead, I submit works where I’ve challenged myself to try something new, rather than just pieces I feel turned out well

── What was the “new challenge” in this particular piece?

I usually use a lot of gradients, but this time, I focused on the basics, like achieving smooth, even coloring. I also experimented with color choices and linework. Interestingly, I’m right-handed, but I drew part of the lower center section using my left hand. I’d been imagining what I’d do if I ever lost the use of my dominant hand (laughs), and I also thought those unsteady lines might add a unique charm to the piece.

── Compared to your previous works, this piece feels more focused on the flow of the lines and the visual rhythm. It’s surprising to learn that the secret to achieving that was drawing with your left hand! You also seem to have used fewer colors than usual.

That’s right. This piece was originally created for an exhibition with the theme “My Favorite Colors.” I used three key colors that I’ve loved since I started seriously working with Copics, sticking almost entirely to those three.

── How many Copics did you use in total?

Including the three key colors, two shades of gray, and the indigo I used for the background, I used around 10 colors in total. For me, that’s a very limited palette.

What if my favorite colors were characters?

── Does your winning piece have any backstory? Or do you generally prioritize visual appeal over storytelling in your work?

I usually prioritize visual elements and work based on instinct, but for this piece, the idea came from the exhibition theme: What if my favorite colors were characters? I started by sketching the characters and imagining their personalities. For example, Lilac is gentle and elegant, inspired by flowers. Shock Pink is bold and powerful. Orange is often seen as a cheerful color, but to create contrast with the other two, I made this character more subdued.

── Do these original characters appear in any of your other works?

I haven’t shared them online yet, but I’ve drawn these characters in other pieces. I really like them, so I’d like to draw them again in the future.

── What paper did you use for the winning piece?

I used Copic’s official Thick Marker Paper. It’s a thick paper with a slightly rough surface that makes colors pop beautifully and gradients easier to achieve. The three key colors I used create a sunset-like effect when blended, so I chose this paper to bring out that combination.

── Do you use other types of paper as well?

I sometimes use Copic’s Custom Paper. While their Thick Marker Paper is better for creating gradients, their Custom Paper has a smoother surface, which is great when I want to use a lot of pen strokes. I’m still experimenting with different papers, but I tend to stick with Copic’s official options. 

── Do you use materials other than Copic markers? Your winning piece includes glitter, right?

Yes, I used glitter watercolor paints, as well as ballpoint pens and white ink. Although I didn’t use it for this piece, I sometimes add three-dimensional sparkle using nail art accessories. It’s not exactly a traditional art technique, but it works! (laughs)

Four months of work alongside a full-time job

── How long did this piece take you?

Since I have a full-time job during the week, I worked on it mostly on weekends, and it took about four months in total.

── Which part of the process took the longest?

Coloring. The line art is often driven by intuition and comes together quickly, but I spend a lot of time deciding on color placement and filling in the details. After finishing the coloring, I also enjoy adding decorative touches with white ink or colored pens, but those steps can take a long time too.

── Is your day job related to illustration or design?

Not at all—it’s a completely unrelated industry! (laughs)

── That’s surprising! Many people might find it hard to stay motivated while balancing a full-time job and a big project. How did you maintain your motivation over four months?

Unlike when I was a student, I now have very limited time to work on art, mostly just on weekends. So, I prioritized taking care of myself, avoided pushing too hard, and only worked when I genuinely felt like drawing. If I didn’t feel like it, I’d take a break by playing games, reading manga, or doing something else to recharge.

── Do you use a calendar to manage your progress?

Only when I absolutely can’t miss a deadline, like for a doujinshi or exhibition. In those cases, I’ll create a rough schedule to stay on track.

── Would you say you’re a fast artist?

For this piece, the line art could’ve been halfway done in just one day, so compared to others, I think I’m relatively fast. Still, the coloring requires precision since mistakes are harder to fix, so I take my time and work carefully during that stage.

── Do you plan to submit more pieces to the Copic Award in the future?

I love the event, so I’d like to participate every year if possible. Seeing the wide variety of styles and pieces submitted by others is so inspiring, and the Copic Award has become a valuable opportunity for me to grow.

Aiming for muscle memory

── How long have you been working with Copic markers?

About 20 years. I fell in love with them as a child when I saw them arranged in color order at an art supply store.

── Was it during Copic's peak popularity, or was digital art already the norm?

Most people I knew said they started with Copic but eventually transitioned to digital. Back then, the internet wasn’t as accessible as it is now, so my main references were books. I would buy technique guides or magazines featuring illustration tutorials. For the most part, I learned through trial and error, teaching myself how to handle Copic markers.

── While many transitioned to digital, what kept you drawn to Copic markers?

Copic markers aren’t the easiest tools to master, but the sense of accomplishment you get when you lay down a beautiful color with your own hands is unmatched. I also enjoy tilting a finished piece to view it from different angles or stepping back to see how it looks from afar—that's what makes analog work special to me.

── You also create digital illustrations. How do you decide between digital and analog?

For original works, I usually go with Copics; for fan art of my favorite characters, I often choose digital. If I want to use Overlay or Multiply layers, or other effects unique to digital, I’ll work digitally. Digital art has its own charm, but because I grew up with analog, it feels more natural to me.

── Many people give up on Copics before they fully master them. Did you ever feel frustrated? Or were you motivated to push through and master them no matter what?

I might be the kind of person who sees mistakes as opportunities to think, "Next time, I'll try this!" That said, there were times when I didn’t feel like drawing at all and took breaks from using Copics. During those periods, I’d switch to digital for a change of pace. Ultimately, it all comes down to practice. I’d experiment on scrap paper, blending gradients from dark to light and light to dark, over and over, aiming for a state where my hands instinctively remembered the techniques.

Think of what you want to draw before building your color set

── Building a collection of Copics can be challenging, especially for students. How did you decide which colors to buy first?

Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing at first—I just started picking up bold colors like reds and blues because I liked them. But that left me with a lineup of impractical colors, and I ended up spending even more money to balance it out later. (laughs) Looking back, starting with lighter or mid-tone colors would have been far more versatile. My advice is to first ask yourself: "What do I want to draw?" If you want to draw people, start with skin and hair tones. If you’re interested in nature, focus on greens and sky shadesーthat's the efficient way.

── How many Copics do you own now?

I have almost every color, but I only use about 10 to 20 of them regularly.

── Experienced Copic artists often remember color combinations instantly. Does that come naturally to you?

For colors I use a lot, yes, but I still forget sometimes. I’ll look back at a piece and think, "What colors did I use to make that gradient?" (laughs)

To keep track, I use flashcards to jot down my color gradient combinations. It’s really convenient, and flipping through the cards can even be fun.

Avoid streaks by switching paper

── One of the biggest challenges for Copic beginners is streaky coloring. Is practice the only solution?

Copics are also highly influenced by the type of paper you use. Sometimes, simply switching to a thicker or smoother paper can make it much easier to achieve even coverage. There are so many tutorials and making-of videos shared by illustrators online these days, so you’re likely to find something that addresses your specific concerns.

── With Copic illustrations, there’s always a risk of messing up right at the very end. Do you have any tips to avoid that as much as possible?

A common piece of advice is to start with light colors and build up layers, but in my case, I like to start with the key, bold colors I know I can’t leave out, then fill in the secondary colors afterward. Even if I mess up with a secondary color, I can blur it out with the Copic 0. (laughs) While it’s true that Copics aren’t as forgiving as digital tools, you’d be surprised how much you can salvage with techniques like blending lighter shades, layering lines with ballpoint pens, or adding highlights with white ink.

── What do you do to avoid a chaotic color scheme?

Honestly, I always want to use too many colors, so I can’t say I’m the best example! (laughs) That said, I try to balance things out by incorporating grays or neutral tones in between the main colors or sticking to white or black for the background. 

Aiming to hold a solo exhibition someday

── Do you plan out your color placement entirely before you start?

I do create rough drafts for the colors. I usually have a general idea of where I want each color to go before I begin painting.

── I imagine some people might over-plan and end up feeling like drawing becomes just a task instead of something enjoyable. How do you strike a balance between planning and leaving room for spontaneity?

Honestly, as long as I’ve decided on the character’s eye and hair colors, I’m fine with going with the flow for the rest. (laughs) I used to feel like every piece had to be perfect, and if I messed up, that was it. But these days, I just think, “I’ll do better next time!” I’ve learned to embrace mistakes and enjoy the process more. Having fun is the most important part for me now.

Mistakes are definitely harder to fix with Copics compared to digital tools, but that's something that gets easier with experience. I think the key is not to fear failure. Draw freely and create what you want. Even if you mess up, it’s a learning experience for the next time.

── Do you make mistakes often?

Of course! Every finished piece has a mountain of failed attempts behind it. (laughs)

── That’s reassuring to hear. (laughs) Some people might feel like Copics aren’t for them because they’re too “sloppy.” What would you say to that?

I don’t think that’s true at all. If you’re sloppy, embrace it and create bold art. If you’re detail-oriented, lean into that and refine intricate pieces. It’s such a waste to give up just because of how you perceive yourself.

── That’s a great mindset. What do you think is the biggest appeal of using Copics?

Honestly, finding a tool that suits me so well feels like pure luck. There’s a special kind of joy in creating vivid colors with your own hands—it’s addictive once you experience it. I want to keep discovering new gradients I’ve never seen before.

── Finally, what are your goals for the future?

My current job doesn’t allow side gigs, so I haven’t done any professional illustration work yet, but I’d love to if the opportunity comes up. I also want to participate in more doujin events, group exhibitions, and themed showcases. Ultimately, my dream is to hold a solo exhibition someday.

Check out Yopo's other artworks!

Follow Yopo on social media

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Copic Award 2025 was officially announced!

The Copic Award is back this year!

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In this interview, we spoke to them about their journey to becoming an avatar creator, their creative process, strategies for achieving international success, and advice for aspiring creators.

• Jingo
• A South Korean creator known for creating popular 3D models such as Manuka and Selestia.

• BOOTH
  FANBOX
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I never planned to become an avatar creator

── What inspired you to become an avatar creator?

Honestly, I didn’t start out with a grand vision of becoming an avatar creator. Back in school, I used to draw fan art and occasionally sold fan-made merchandise at events similar to Comic Market in South Korea.

But around 2020, when the pandemic hit, offline events were no longer an option.

I was playing VRChat at the time, so I started tweaking existing avatars here and there for fun.

Eventually, I wanted to take things further, so I began teaching myself Blender. I had zero prior knowledge of 3D modeling, so I relied on YouTube tutorials and online resources to learn.

My first project was a 3D model of Negev, a character from Girls’ Frontline, because I was such a big fan. I launched my BOOTH shop by selling a fan-made 3D model of her (with all the proper permissions, of course).

── What do you find most fulfilling about working as an avatar creator?

I’m the kind of person who’s easily influenced by my surroundings and rarely takes on challenges alone, so honestly, it was pretty scary at first.

But I was incredibly lucky—people were so supportive right from the start, which encouraged me to keep going.

Working solo suits me perfectly, and I’m really happy I get to do what I love. 

Cuteness always wins!

── How did your avatar design style develop? Were there any works or creators that influenced you?

My avatar designs are shaped by the things I personally love.

Most people probably haven’t noticed, but for example, Rindo was inspired by Dejiko from Di Gi Charat, and Imeris drew influence from Ganyu from Genshin Impact and Hanyuu from Higurashi When They Cry.

For Manuka, I was inspired by the traditional teahouse concept of Café LycoReco from Lycoris Recoil, so I designed her as a café manager.

オリジナル3Dモデル「竜胆」ver1.08

by STUDIO JINGO

オリジナル3Dモデル「マヌカ」ver1.02

by STUDIO JINGO

── What would you say is the current design trend in the avatar market?

Right now, there’s a trend toward flashy and detailed outfits, accessories, makeup, and even nails.

Personally, I’m not naturally drawn to that style, so I’ve been studying real-world fashion and makeup for inspiration.

I believe that cuteness will always win in the end, no matter what's trending! (laughs)

── Do you think there’s a difference in design trends between Japan and South Korea?

With social media making it so easy to access content from all over the world, I feel like we’re seeing the rise of a global “popular style” that transcends national borders.

Designs shouldn't be too unique

── How do you come up with ideas for new avatar characters?

I always jot down ideas as rough sketches or notes whenever inspiration strikes.

Usually, I decide on a character’s main concept—like their main color palette, profession, and world setting—about a year before their release. From there, I refine and adjust the concept gradually over time.

── Which part of the production process do you focus on the most?

Definitely the character design.

Since the goal is for as many people as possible to use the avatars, I try to avoid making their designs too unique.

Lately, I’ve been paying a lot of attention to facial proportions, but the body design still takes the most time.

── Do you incorporate feedback from fans?

Rather than focusing on individual feedback, I look for overall trends and apply them little by little. 

A good example of this is Imeris. I received a lot of comments about her face, and as trends evolved, even I started feeling her design was slightly dated. So I tweaked her facial proportions to give her a more modern look.

オリジナル3Dモデル「イメリス」ver1.05

by STUDIO JINGO

── You’ve faced challenges like blackmail and improper use of your avatars. What helps you stay positive and keep creating despite these issues?

These are challenges that anyone in this field might face.

When unexpected issues arise outside of the creative process, it’s tough to handle them all alone.

I’m not particularly resilient, so I’ve relied on the encouragement of those around me to get through it.

I’m also a pretty emotional person, but I try to stay calm and focus on finding solutions instead of dwelling on what’s already happened. For more severe cases, I’ve taken legal action, and thankfully, everything has been resolved this year.

── Outside of VRChat, where else are avatars commonly used in South Korea?

The most common use outside VRChat is for VTuber activities. Many creators do both VRChat and VTuber work.

── South Korea is known for being particularly active in avatar usage. Why do you think that is?

It’s likely because VRChat avatars are humanoid and highly customizable, making them easy to adapt for VTuber use. This flexibility has attracted a lot of users.

── What advice would you give to Japanese creators aiming to connect with South Korean users? Any tips on presentation or delivery?

The two most important factors, regardless of region, are “versatile design” and “ease of customization.”

Since a base avatar will be owned and personalized by many people, it’s crucial to keep the design simple and flexible.

For Japanese creators looking to reach South Korean users, it’s worth noting that VTuber activities are just as popular as VRChat, so you should make sure to include clear Terms of Use that account for both purposes.

Understanding why people like certain aspects

── What advice would you give to those aspiring to create avatars? Where should beginners start?

Honestly, the hardest part is simply starting.

This is true for any creative pursuit, but the most important thing is to start somewhere—anywhere—and see a project through to completion.

When it comes to 3D-related fields like avatar creation, the interface and tools can seem intimidating, making the barrier to entry feel high.

Yes, there are challenges, and I still have plenty to learn myself, but it’s essential to remember that software is just a tool—a means to express your ideas. If you approach it with this mindset, it becomes less daunting.

I didn’t receive formal training in 3D design, and I’m still learning as I go. Luckily, we have amazing free tools like Blender and countless tutorials and resources available on YouTube and the internet. 

Take your time and start slow. Don’t be afraid and don’t lose your curiosity!

── What skills or traits do you think are necessary to succeed as an avatar creator?

I spend a lot of time observing and analyzing what makes a design “good.”

If your goal is to create commercial models, it’s important to remember that you’re not designing for a single individual but for a broad audience. You need to pay attention to trends and usability to make something that resonates with many people.

Personally, I make an effort to hold back my own individuality in my designs while constantly researching the latest trends.

I also don’t stop at just following trends; I ask myself, “Why do people like this?” and think deeply about what makes certain designs appealing.

I can’t say for sure if my approach is the right one, but this is how I work!

Future plans

── What are your long-term goals for your brand and work?

I haven’t thought much about specific goals for the future.

To be honest, I never imagined that something I started as a hobby would gain this much attention.

Since I handle everything myself—from design to production and sales—I already feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. For now, I don’t have plans to scale things up further.

That said, I have a collection of original characters, and I’d love to create products that I genuinely want for myself.

If I ever have more free time, I’d like to explore this little by little!

── Do you have any announcements about new avatars or upcoming projects?

While I can’t share too many details just yet, I’ve been quietly working on a new avatar since last year!

It’s still under wraps, and I’ve gone through many revisions before finally settling on the final design and name recently.

This one feels like a big challenge for me, as I wanted to create something very different from my usual models. Honestly, I’m a bit nervous about whether I can fully bring my vision to life in 3D.

Since I work at a slower pace, I plan to share more information about the new project once production is further along. Thank you for your patience!

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Interview by Ichibo Harada

Illustrator Momoco's solo exhibition, arpeggio is happening now until Wednesday, November 27th, 2024, at pixiv WAEN GALLERY in Omotesando. It mainly features works from the artist's latest art book arpeggio (Genkosha), published on November 18th, alongside artworks from the light novel series Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian (KADOKAWA).

In this interview, Momoco, who majored in oil painting at an art university, shares her dedication to capturing the delicacy inherent to plays of light and the influence she gained from the anime adaptation of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.

• Momoco
• An illustrator known for her delicate and alluring bishoujo illustrations. Notable works include the cover art and illustrations for Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian and VTuber model designs for Hololive’s Hakui Koyori, NIJISANJI EN’s Petra Gurin, and NIJISANJI’s Igarashi Rika. Momoco is also the author of the art book arietta, among many others.
• pixiv
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Discovering the world of bishoujo illustrations in art school

── I heard you attended an art university.

Yes, I’ve loved drawing ever since I was a child, especially illustrations of girls. At one point, I considered pursuing a different path, but I realized how much I loved art and decided to study painting at university. My major was oil painting.

── Have you always been drawing bishoujo illustrations as a hobby?

Not really. By the time I started preparing for art school, I had stopped drawing character illustrations altogether. At university, I focused on painting flowers and objects instead.

I’ve always loved anime and manga, but my family was pretty strict, so I wasn’t allowed to watch or read much of it growing up. After starting university, I had the freedom to explore those kinds of content, plus access to the internet. That’s when I began seeing more beautiful girl illustrations and thought, "Oh yeah, I used to love drawing girls as a kid." It reignited my interest in drawing character illustrations.

── Did you only start drawing digitally at university?

That’s right. I started drawing on a computer during my university years, so I’d say I got into digital illustration relatively late.

── After graduating, you worked at a game company doing design work, right?

Yes, and honestly, I didn’t know how to use Photoshop at all back then! I was taught everything on the job, which really helped. (laughs)

── How did you make the transition to becoming a freelance illustrator?

Occasionally, I got to draw illustrations as part of my work, and it reminded me of how much fun drawing is. Outside of work, I was also creating and sharing illustrations as a hobby, and I was lucky enough to start getting some job requests. When I got my first job illustrating a light novel, I thought, "If this series continues, maybe this could be an ongoing project for me too." That gave me the confidence to take the leap and focus on illustration full-time.

Inspired by impressionist paintings

── In a previous interview, you mentioned that when shading, you don’t use Multiply layers but instead pick each color individually. Is that still your approach?

Yes. Using Multiply layers makes the color range feel a bit limited to me, so I try to avoid it in my work.

── I’ve noticed that in your illustrations, the outlines don’t always connect in a single continuous line.

That’s right. I think of lines as more of a supporting element. (laughs)

── In Western paintings, outlines often aren’t used at all. When I look at your work, the way you carefully choose shadow colors and how your outlines are more relaxed give your illustrations a beautiful yet handcrafted quality. Do you think this comes from your background in painting?

I think so. Even when drawing digitally, I like to keep a sense of my own brushstrokes in the final piece.

── Are there any paintings that have influenced your work?

I’m inspired by Impressionist works, especially Monet. I admire how they use such a rich variety of colors to not only create visuals but also convey an atmosphere.

── How about your character illustrations? Any creators or works that have influenced you?

Kantoku’s work has been a big influence. The way he captures expressions, especially in female characters, highlights areas I aim to improve in my own work.

Deciding what to draw in detail and what not to

── In illustration, over-detailing every part of the piece can sometimes make it feel flat. Your work is known for its intricate detailsーhow do you decide what to draw in detail and what not to?

I focus on emphasizing the parts I want to stand out most, and I deliberately avoid overworking other areas. While drawing, I’ll often step back to look at the whole piece from a distance, flip it horizontally, or shrink it down to check the balance. Although honestly, a lot of it is just instinct.

I like to save my work frequently to compare versions, and I save every version with a new name instead of overwriting, so my files pile up quickly! (laughs)

── Your backgrounds often feel intentionally rough, to help the characters take center stage. How do you blend the intricately detailed characters with the simpler backgrounds?

I think the key is creating strong contrasts between light and dark. Another trick is reusing colors from the background to paint the character. For example, if the background has a lot of blue, I’ll mix some of that blue into the character’s hair. It helps everything feel more cohesive and makes the character feel grounded in the scene.

── Your attention to detail extends to plants, scenery, and other non-character elements. Is there anything you struggle with drawing?

Symmetrical objects, like architecture and inorganic things, are tough for me…

── That’s surprising! Your characters’ accessories and outfits are so diverse and well-thought-out. How do you find inspiration for them?

When I’m browsing images online, I save anything that catches my eye—whether it’s clothes, food, or anything else. If I think, “Oh, that’s nice,” it goes straight into my reference folder.

I love drawing girls with mysterious expressions

── Your delicate lighting effects are really impressive! At what stage do you decide on the lighting?

Once I think about the setting, the lighting comes naturally—like imagining, “The light source is here, it’s evening,” or “It’s night.” I decide on the lighting and colors during the rough sketch phase, and I rarely change them afterward.

── So you make all your decisions during the sketch phase. Does that mean you spend a lot of time on your rough sketches?

Sketching is the most fun part, but what takes the longest is the final cleanup. I put extra care into the face and hair, especially. I’ll adjust something small, like the angle of the mouth, about 10 times, wondering, “Which one is the cutest?”

── Would you say you’re a fast artist?

For bust-up illustrations without a background, I’m pretty quick. But when it comes to full-body characters or background-heavy pieces, they take a lot longer. I spent quite a bit of time on the main visual of this solo exhibition—about 20 hours, I think.

── Even with a background, that’s still pretty fast! Looking at your work, I noticed you seem to enjoy drawing women’s bellies. Is that true?

Absolutely! (laughs) I also love drawing waists, hands, and facial expressions.

── Your characters’ expressions often mix emotions, making them hard to categorize as simply happy, sad, angry, or scared.

I enjoy drawing girls whose thoughts and feelings aren’t easy to read. I imagine their emotions based on the situation—like, “How would she feel right now?”—and their expression comes naturally from that. I also use real-life portrait photography for reference.

New discoveries through Alya's anime adaptation

── Let’s talk about Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian. You illustrate for the series, which has gained significant popularity. Which characters are the most fun or challenging to draw?

Alya is definitely the most fun to draw. I love working with bright-haired characters because it makes light effects so much easier. On the other hand, drawing male characters is always a struggle for me—especially older men. They’re tough to get right!

── Is this your first time having a work you illustrated adapted into an anime?

Yes, it is. Watching my art come to life in motion was full of new discoveries. For instance, I noticed how the animation team simplified and stylized certain elements or how specific angles of a face are portrayed in motion. Seeing these things inspired me to improve—I now practice drawing characters from more varied angles.

── In the realm of bishoujo illustrations, clear and straightforward compositions are usually the norm, right?

Exactly. That’s why I’ve been experimenting with unusual perspectives—like drawing from above or below or placing the lighting in unexpected positions. It’s been a fun challenge to try things I don’t usually do.

── Your motivation is inspiring! Do you ever face slumps in your work?

Not really. Of course, there are days when I’m not at my best, but nobody’s perfect all the time. I try not to overthink it and just do my best in the moment. If I aim for perfection every time, it can become exhausting. Instead, I remind myself, “This is my best 100% right now.” That mindset keeps me going.

── Interesting... With your packed schedule, do you have any strategies for working more efficiently?

I don’t like to rush—I want to work on each piece until I’m satisfied. That said, once I feel a section is “good enough,” I quickly move on to the next step without second-guessing myself.

── There’s always that trap of obsessing over tiny details that others might not even notice.

Exactly. I’ve had moments where I agonized over a detail, only to show it to a friend who’d say, “I can’t really tell the difference.” It taught me not to get stuck on small things. Instead, I focus on progressing to the next part of the process.

The exhibition's main visual is an homage to Venice

── The main visual for your solo exhibition arpeggio and the cover of your new art book, releasing Monday, November 18th, both feature Venetian scenery.

I’ve always loved Venice—the canals, the architecture, and the city’s warm tones. But I’ve never actually been there! This piece was my way of declaring, “I’m going to go!” (laughs) Hopefully, next year will be the year I finally visit.

── What’s the standout feature of the main visual for your exhibition?

I watched a video of a gondola gliding through the canals, and one scene where laundry was hanging outside caught my eye. I thought it would be so fun to capture that. I wanted to create an illustration where you could almost feel the breeze. Usually, I blur the background to highlight the characters, but this time, I challenged myself to fully render the background. I put a lot of effort into capturing the weathered textures of the building walls.

The main visual features my original character, Yukari, tying it to the art book cover. Yukari is actually wearing the same outfit and hairstyle as in the main visual for my previous solo exhibition. It would make me really happy if people noticed that connection.

── I’ve heard you’ve put extra thought into the interior design of this exhibition.

Yes! My last exhibition had a simpler setup, but this time, I requested an atmosphere that evokes a foreign country. It’s shaping up perfectly, and I’m really excited to see it come together.

── You’re releasing a variety of merchandise for the exhibition. Which items are you most excited about?

I’d say the glitter art prints. The sparkling material feels fresh, and I’m eager to see how they turn out. Also, my illustrations are being featured on apparel for the first time. I hope people check out the long T-shirts!

── Can you share the highlights of your latest artbook?

It’s been about five years since my first art book, arietta (Genkosha), and I think my approach to detail and sense of color have evolved significantly. I’d like to think the delicacy of my illustrations has really improved. Plus, I’ve broadened the range of characters I can draw since then. I hope everyone will take a look and see the difference!

── Your artbook includes both commissioned works and original pieces. How do you see yourself balancing these two types of projects in the future?

Ideally, I’d like to keep it fifty-fifty. Commissions push me to draw things I wouldn’t normally attempt on my own, which is a great learning experience. Even when it’s challenging, I feel it’s a necessary part of growth.

── Lastly, what are some challenges you’d like to take on in the future?

Since I’ve made more friends in the 3D creative space and experienced the process of adapting Alya into an anime, I’ve become increasingly interested in animating characters. I’ve designed a few VTubers, but I’d love to try creating and animating a 3D model entirely by myself someday. I also occasionally draw for fun using traditional tools like colored pencils or Copic markers, so I’d love to hold an exhibition featuring analog works. And, of course, finally traveling to Venice is high on my list! (laughs)

Illustrator Momoco's solo exhibition, arpeggio, is open through November 27th!

pixiv WAEN GALLERY by TWINPLANET × pixiv, a gallery jointly operated by pixiv and Twin Planet, is currently holding illustrator Momoco's solo exhibition, arpeggio, through Wednesday, November 27th, 2024.

The exhibition mainly features illustrations from Momoco's latest art book arpeggio (Genkosha), as well as artworks from the popular light novel series Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian (KADOKAWA). Don't miss this chance to take a look at Momoco's enchanting works firsthand!

Dates: Friday, November 8th, 2024 to Wednesday, November 27th, 2024

Free admission

Address: Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 5 Chome-46-1 TWIN PLANET South BLDG. 1F

Hours: 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

＞＞pixiv WAEN GALLERY＜＜

＞＞Official X＜＜

Merchandise is also available online!

Some of the merchandise sold at the exhibition, featuring MON's vibrant illustrations, will be available for purchase on BOOTH. Please take a look!

＞＞View on BOOTH＜＜

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Interview by Kyu Nakanishi

Launched in late May this year, Jump TOON marks Shueisha's full-fledged entry into vertical comics, or tate-manga, as they're called on their platform. We spoke with Takanori Asada, the editor-in-chief of Jump TOON, to learn more about Shueisha's challenges in this new space and the kind of talent they're seeking.

Jump TOON aims to go beyond simply catering to market trends and popular genres, striving to create a diverse ecosystem that fosters a wide range of voices instead.

• Takanori Asada
• Editor-in-chief of the Jump TOON Editorial Department at Shueisha. Born in 1973, he has served as a manga editor for the Weekly Shonen Jump and Jump SQ., where he worked on titles such as ONE PIECE, BLEACH, and Blood Blockade Battlefront. He is also the Deputy Director of Shueisha's 3rd Editorial Department.

Jump TOON is a magazine, not a store

── Jump TOON launched on May 29th, 2024, as a platform specifically for full-color vertical comics. What led Shueisha to enter this space now?

Asada: It began about three years ago when some younger staff proposed the idea of entering the tate-manga business. From there, we explored the best way for a publisher like us to enter this market. Rather than simply responding to existing market trends, we wanted to build on our legacy of one-on-one collaboration between creators and editors, where we work directly with creators to experiment and create something we think is compelling. With the right structure finally in place, we were able to launch the platform.

── Why did you decide to create a standalone platform instead of using existing ones?

Asada: Publishing our works on existing storefronts was certainly an option, but it would have limited the data we could gather. When we rely on external platforms, it's hard to see the full picture of how content is displayed in the app or what promotional strategies are driving engagement. To gain that insight, we realized we needed our own app.

── That makes sense. For example, whether a work appears in a prime ad slot or grows through organic traffic requires completely different analysis approaches. Looking only at view counts doesn't give you the whole story, so you wanted the raw data.

Asada: Exactly. Plus, the app is designed differently than other platforms. Jump TOON is more like a magazine than a storeーit's designed to get readers engaged with new releases right away. Storefronts typically prioritize maximizing sales by spotlighting top sellers on their home pages. It's not that one approach is better than the other—they just serve different purposes.

── What is Jump TOON's mission in the tate-manga industry?

Asada: Simply put, we want to inject more variety into the world of webtoons. Right now, tate-manga is heavily focused on certain genres that are guaranteed to sell, making it hard to imagine a vibrant future for the medium. In traditional manga, we've worked with creators across many genres—comedy, action, horror, sometimes even genres our readers would rather we didn't (laughs)—and we've offered that variety to our audience. We want the same diversity for webtoons, and we hope Jump TOON can be the starting point for that.

── You're right, there's a noticeable genre bias in the current tate-manga industry.

Asada: It's natural for the market to focus on high-performing genres, but I don't think anyone sees the current situation as ideal. We don't have a definitive answer for the "right approach" yet, so we're moving forward with a lot of trial and error.

── How committed is Shueisha to webtoons as a whole?

Asada: We're fully committed. Naming the platform "Jump TOON" reflects that commitment, showing that Shueisha is serious about making a mark. We've brought in people from various departments, so you could say there's a real "all-hands-on-deck" approach across the company. (laughs)

Expanding reader choices

── After reading some of the Jump TOON original series, I noticed there's a surprising number of "webtoon-like" themes, such as isekai reincarnation, villainess stories, and dramatic revenge arcs that start with intense bullying...

Asada: That actually reflects our team's enthusiasm for experimenting. We have staff who genuinely believe that certain types of tate-manga are exciting, and they worked with creators to bring that vision to life. Although these might look like market-driven choices, they're actually the result of a product-out approach—we're making what we genuinely want to make. In fact, we pretty much only know how to make things through a product-out approach... maybe it's all we're capable of. (laughs)

── That's a very "Jump-like" approach.

Asada: Exactly. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much point in us joining this space.

── Are there any genres you're particularly keen to explore with Jump TOON?

Asada: Among the new series we're planning to release, there are some genres you don't usually see in tate-manga. I'll leave the specifics as a surprise, but we're exploring all kinds of possibilities.

── You're also adapting existing series into a vertical format, like the Haikyu!! Vertical Color Edition series. Do you plan to expand this lineup?

Asada: Yes, we plan to add more titles. Our goal is to give readers more options. Just as we've always had fans who prefer single-volume editions or magazine serials, or print or digital, there are those who prefer reading horizontally and those who want to read vertically.

── More access points naturally bring in more readers, which is a positive thing for the works themselves.

Asada: Absolutely. Since we've been entrusted with creators' valuable stories and characters, our mission is to create as many points of connection with readers as possible.

The number of aspiring tate-manga creators is growing

── Last year's first Jump TOON Award, dedicated to webtoons, featured a wide array of genres and styles among the winning entries, showcasing the diversity that your platform aims to promote.

Asada: I was really happy with the results. Since it was our first attempt, I wasn't sure what kinds of submissions we'd get, so there was some anxiety. But in the end, we received so many bold and creative works, which was exciting and a huge relief. We had entries from Japan and overseas—from South Korea, China, Australia, and beyond—each with unique styles. It made me realize there's definitely a growing pool of creators interested in tate-manga.

── So the diversity in the award-winning works wasn't just curated—the entries themselves were naturally varied.

Asada: That's right. Of course, part of our selection process did involve screening for a wide variety of works. Another reason we're seeing such variety is that tate-manga doesn't demand the same specialized paneling skills as traditional manga. As long as you can structure a story, tate-manga paneling can be relatively accessible. I've heard novelists say, "I can't manage horizontal manga paneling, but maybe I could handle it in a vertical format."

── So, more creators who didn't originally set out to be manga artists are getting involved, and as a result, we're seeing fresh, unconventional stories.

Asada: Exactly. Some projects have separate writers and artists; others have a writer handling the story while a studio takes over the art. In some cases, a creator might do the storyboarding, and then a studio handles the rest.

── Until recently, people associated webtoons with studio productions, but now there's a shift toward more solo creators, especially in Japan.

Asada: There's also a strong perception that solo creators need to complete everything themselves—from line art to full-color pages—on a weekly basis, which can be intimidating. Part of our mission is to change that perception. For example, Furubo - Tattara Owari no Isekai Musou by Tomonobu Tanizono has the creator handling line art, while a studio handles everything from coloring onward. What’s more, this work is managed by TOON FACTORY, a subsidiary of our company.

── That's Shueisha's first manga production company, established last year, right?

Asada: Yes, and it's allowed us to create a high-quality production line that is more cost-effective than outsourcing. We can adjust how much of the work is handled by the creator versus the studio. Ultimately, we want Jump TOON to be a place where creators feel comfortable and supported.

── By the way, I noticed some of the Jump TOON Award-winning works were in black and white.

Asada: That's right. Personally, I think black and white works great in tate-manga, so creators who post their entries don't need to stick to color.

── Could black and white works appear in your regular lineup as well?

Asada: That's the plan.

The challenge of subscription models favoring big hits over everything else

── If a young person here wanted to start making manga, would you recommend they work in horizontal or vertical formats?

Asada: That's entirely up to them. Horizontal and vertical formats each have unique ways to tell a story, so the choice really depends on what they want to express.

── So one format is not better than the other.

Asada: I don't think so. People tend to frame it as a "horizontal vs. vertical" debate in market terms, but I see it differently. Sometimes I question market-driven analyses that claim, "This is the future of manga based on these numbers," or "The vertical market is heading this way while the horizontal market is going that way." There's a lot of bias in these types of quantitative, commercial assessments.

── Like, "You're only seeing what you want to see"?

Asada: Exactly. Those analyses often only compare current hits in each format, but it doesn't mean one format is inherently better. Both are expanding their markets and when a hit title emerges, it boosts numbers across the board. The fact is, the digital manga market continues to grow overall, regardless of format.

── So creators should choose the format that best suits their vision, rather than worrying about market trends.

Asada: Precisely. The manga industry thrives when creators, publishers, bookstores, and readers all play their roles effectively. We often talk about creating a healthy "ecosystem" where everything is in balance. Traditional horizontal manga has developed its own ecosystem over time, and our ideal would be to create something similar for vertical manga.

── In other words, in your eyes, you see the ecosystem for the current tate-manga ecosystem as still being underdeveloped?

Asada: It's part of a bigger industry issue. Since the pandemic, global video streaming has skyrocketed, and Japanese anime is now popular worldwide, enjoyed even by people who aren't necessarily familiar with the otaku culture behind it. This broader appeal for Japanese characters and stories has significantly boosted print manga sales overseas, but digital manga hasn't seen the same surgeーone reason being that there isn't yet a global mindset for paying fair value for digital manga by the volume or chapter.

── Has piracy played a role in this?

Asada: That's definitely part of it, but a larger factor is the dominance of subscription models in places like the U.S.

── I see.

Asada: The problem with subscription models is that they tend to polarize the market: you have the "massively successful works" and "barely-seen works" with a very thin middle ground. For creators, this environment is tough, as it implies that only major hits can succeed, which may discourage aspiring manga artists. A healthy industry needs a strong middle ground.

── This ties back to what we talked about at the beginning—a cycle where only high-performing genres get produced, creating an environment where it becomes hard to branch out.

Asada: That's unfortunate for both creators and readers. One of Shueisha's main goals is to foster a healthier ecosystem. On the bright side, it shows there's still a lot of room for growth. The manga audience will continue to expand, and I believe there are many ways to create a fair system that supports diverse work across various forms.

Chasing the "right answer" is like chasing your tail

── There seems to be a lack of clarity on how someone can become a tate-manga creator. With traditional manga, people generally know the path—submit your work to an editorial department or enter a newcomer's award, and if things go well, you get an editor. 

Asada: That's true, and we recognize the need to put more information out there. We're planning to create more opportunities to explain this path. But at its core, it's not so different from a traditional editorial department. You can aim to get your work serialized by submitting work or entering awards, or we might also reach out to creators who post on platforms like Jump TOON NEXT!, so there are multiple entry points.

── The main difference with traditional manga, though, is that tate-manga can be a team effort. For those who don't want to handle everything themselves, putting together a full submission can be difficult.

Asada: We have people submitting just scripts or storyboards. Any format is fine—if they bring us their work, we'll work with them based on what they want to focus on.

──I see. And if someone, for example, just wants to do coloring, they could reach out to a production company like Shueisha's TOON FACTORY.

Asada: Exactly.

── So, what advice would you give to someone wondering what steps they should take to become a Jump TOON creator?

Asada: I’d like creators to have some kind of plan in mind when creating. It’s important to have a clear intention in what you want to achieve or convey to the readers when making a work, whether it’s “Let’s make every moment exciting!” “Let's scare them using this concept!” or “Let’s make all the characters as cute as possible!” This applies not just to Jump TOON but to anyone aiming to go pro.

── So, staying aware that you're communicating with the reader.

Asada: Another thing I'd say is, don't chase the "right answer." In today's world, with so many stats and so many opinions available, it's easy to just end up chasing your tail.

── It's easy to start thinking that whatever gets the most likes is the "right" thing.

Asada: Right, and while that's understandable, if you want to make a career as a creator, it's ultimately more fulfilling to focus on what you love, regardless of outside opinionsーthat's often what brings the best results in the end. Creators should feel free to try things boldly and without fear.

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