Thank you for letting me take part in this exhibition. Alone and unaided, standing on a battlefield that has been reduced to ashes, she turns her sword upon her enemies. If Japan displays this kind of readiness, she will still be able to survive in the world; that is the image I wished to present. 雨音颯 AMANESOH
Of all the seasons, spring is the most beautiful. I have depicted a young girl in this season amidst the transient beauty of the cherry blossom that falls all too soon from the trees.
I believe that the pale tones of the cherry blossom that color the girl evoke an impression of first love.
I will be delighted if all of you who see this are reminded of the 'special memories’ that you keep locked in your hearts. 文倉十 jyuu ayakura
How do you do, my name is AYAKURA Ju. My picture features a shrine and komainu (lion dogs) which are some of my favorite motifs. Whenever I visit a shrine I feel contains a strangely different atmosphere and if you are able to get a hint of this from my picture, I will be very happy. 有子瑶ー Youichi Ariko
When composing this work, I was careful not to just use a Japanese style, but to create a ‘Japaneseness’. It is always most satisfying when I am successful in creating a work comprising of the elements I like best—a bishojo (young woman) wearing an eye bandage, red eyes, white uniform, samurai sword, etc.—that is to say all the symptoms of an otaku. 池上茜 Akane Ikegami
How do you do, my name is IKEGAMI Akane. I am most honored to be invited to participate in an event of this kind. Thank you very much. Having been given the theme of ‘Japan’ and bishojo (young girls), I spent some time wondering what to draw and this illustration is what I finally arrived at. I decided to express a world that used a lot of red... or showy pink In order to add more depth to the image, I decided to add camellia flowers. To stress the ‘Japaneseness’ of the main characters I depicted them with black hair and wearing kimono. I hope that I have succeeded in expressing the contrast between the black and red well. Camellias, kimono and young girls, by fusing these elements into a single theme, I have created a personal image of Japan and bishojo that I have called ‘Shojo x tsubaki’. イチリ ichiri
How do you do, my name is Ichiri. I am very happy to have received the opportunity to draw an illustration for this wonderful event. When I heard that the theme was to be Japan, I wondered what I should draw and the first problem was: what season should I set it in? I could not make up my mind, I love all the seasons and did not want to leave any out...so I decided to put them all in one picture! This is the result. I will be delighted if you like it even a little bit! いとうのいぢ Noizi Ito
The image I wanted to create in this picture is one of the moon and a beautiful person. I wonder if I am the only person who thinks that the moon feels more Japanese than the sun? The figure is not recognizable as being either woman or man, it is just beautiful. The scene is not intended to be autumn, but a spring night. The air is cold but if you can sense that it is filled with the indescribable scent of spring, I will be most happy. 江草天仁 Takahito Exa
I drew this to express a world-view that has not existed in any of the manga I have drawn to date. I will be very happy if you can feel the vast size of the mountain and the expanse of the sky. 大槍葦人 Oyari Ashito
The theme is to be ‘Japan’? In that case I have produced an original character based on the mythical queen of Japan, Himiko. I created it by combining the images of a jade magatama (curved bead) with a miko (shrine maiden). Although the clothing is a completely different design to that of real miko, it creates an image of a miko's costume, and I think that this is due to the powerful image of the red and white coloring. A kimono-like design goes well with straight black hair so despite the radical elements, here and there, I think the picture comes together well. The background of flowing lines, resembling clouds or rivers, is a parody of the paintings on traditional sliding doors. I believe that the Japanese have enjoyed distortion and simplification in their art since ancient times. 片桐雛太 Katagiri Hinata
How do you do, my name is KATAGIRI Hinata. I am most honored to be invited to participate in the ‘Eshi 100’ exhibition and for my work to be seen by so many people. The theme for the illustrations is ‘Japan’. Combinations of Japanese elements such as kimono, cherry blossom, samurai swords, and a bishojo (young girt) with black hair and wearing a school uniform, are my favorite subjects. I also think that the unlikely image of a slightly built bishojo fighting with weapons is also very Japanese so I decided to create this kind of illustration. I wrote the title using the kana script that was developed in Japan rather than Chinese characters. The girls' eyes and kimono are the color of a beautiful sunset and the sword she holds in her hands gives rise to another tone of red which is what led me to use this title. I hope very much that all of you who see this will like it, even if only a little. 神剣桜花 Kamitsurugi Ouka 和曰本撫子〜日本は_日にしてならず〜 Wa Nihon nadeshiko - Nihon wa ichinichi ni shite narazu (A Japanese Beauty - Japan Was Not Built in a Day) 日本が持つ独特の"和"というイメージを主体にし、現代の違う顔として技術大国日本という二つのギャップとしての面白い面を融合させ、歴史と和とのイメージで''日本"をテ一マとして描かせていただきました。 日本の美少女というと個人的には"和"のイメージでは大和撫子の黒髪を連想させますので、今回黒髪の和服を着た少女を描かせていただきました。全体の数々の和から日本という色を感じていただければ幸いです。
Using a uniquely Japanese image for my main theme, I wanted to show the gap that exists between it and that of technological Japan, fusing the two in an interesting way to create an comprehensive image of Japan. When I think of a bishojo (young girl) it conjures an image of a traditional black haired woman and so I decided to draw a picture of a bishojo with long, black hair, wearing a kimono. This picture contains numerous uniquely Japanese symbols and I will be delighted if it creates an image of Japan for you. かんなぎれい KannagiRei
The theme is ‘Japan’ but I have decided to avoid a traditional atmosphere, adopting the subject of ‘miko’ (shrine maidens) but depicting them in the image of ordinary, modern girls. After all, pigtails are another beautiful part of Japanese culture... aren't they?! きみづか葵 AOI KIMIZUKA
日出ル処之巫女 Hiizuru tokoro no miko (The Shrine Maiden of the Land of the Rising Sun)
My name is KIMIZUKA Aoi and I am very proud to have been selected for this ‘Eshi 100’ Exhibition. I started my career as a manga artist, then I discovered computer graphics and as a result I was given the opportunity to draw for computer games etc. in the digital world, while also producing magazine illustrations and pictures for novels. The theme is ‘Japan’ so I have decided to use the image of a miko (shrine maiden) who symbolizes the Shinto religion. I have depicted a young miko glowing in the light of the rising sun and wearing a costume lavishly decorated with frills that is characteristic of my work. The two rabbits on the bow represent an image of the rabbits that are said to live on the moon. The idea of rabbits living on the moon comes from a Japanese legend. Although it is a rather clumsy illustration, I enjoyed doing it. I will be delighted if this exhibition serves as a stepping stone to allow me to create new worlds and provide comfort for everybody through my work. Thank you very much. 空中幼彩 KuuchuuYousai
忍者たん一まぢよ一のぼうけん一 Ninja-tan —Majo no boken— (Little Ninja —Witches' Adventure—)
こんにちは、空中幼彩です。 大好きな忍者をテーマにいつしようけんめい描きました。
Hello, I’m KuuchuuYousai. I painted this as well as I could using my favorite ‘Ninja’ theme. KeG KeG
龍の住む聖域 Ryu no sumu seiiki (Sacred Home of the Dragon)
When I heard that the theme was to be ‘Japan’ the first things that came to my mind were ‘cherry blossom’, ‘miko’ (shrine maiden) and ‘dragon’ (although dragons may originally belong to Chinese mythology) I combined these elements to create this Japanesque fantasy. It feels as though I may have tried to pack too much in, but if I succeed in transmitting an enchanting image of Japan, I will be quite happy. 小梅けいと Koumekeito
アキハバラ文化のルポルタ一ジュとしてイラストに取り組みました。 自身も重度のアニメ才タクであリ、自己分析を還元した結果の構成になっています。 過度に楽しそうでなぐ寂しげでもなく、ただ輝いている青春です。 街を描くためにしっかりした背景が必要と考えたため、秋葉原に写真の撮影に出かけました。 取材日時は2011年3月11日午後2時15分。 I produced this illustration as a form of reportage of the Akihabara district. I am myself a great anime otaku and the final composition for this work is the result of reducing it into a form of self-analysis. It is not overly happy, not overly lonely, it is just an image of radiant youth. In order to depict the town, I needed an accurate background and so I set off to Akihabara to take some pictures. The photograph was taken at 2:15 pm. on March 11, 2011. こ〜ちや ko-cha
Thank you for inviting me to participate in ‘Eshi 100’ exhibition'. The theme is ‘Japan’ so I have included numerous images of Japan, including things from both the good old days and the present. I thought that a girl wearing traditional Japanese clothing, playing with one of the latest smartphones created a strange contradiction that I liked. When I was a student I used to enjoy the cherry blossom in the school yard regularly in spring, but these days, by the time I think of looking at it, it has already fallen so I never get the chance to go blossom viewing. This year I will try to find the time to to go and enjoy the blossom. 珈排貴族 Coffeekizoku
A senior high school girl listening to music as she waits at a rural bus stop. This work is intended to be a fusion of analogue and digital. I personally like retro things so I enjoyed expressing the feel of the old wood and the rust in this painting. The background takes up a lot of space and I have made an effort to depict the snow on the distant mountains and other details in realistic fashion. Overall, I tried to create an atmosphere that was filled with ‘minus ion' and I hope you enjoy it. 彩季なお Nao Saeki
花も恥じらう! Hana mo hajirau! (Even the Cherry Blossom Blushes With Shame)
There is an expression in Japanese that translates as: ‘a girl who makes even the cherry blossom blush with shame’. That is the theme of this picture―beautiful, young, Japanese girls that outshine the beauty of the cherry blossom! This sounds convincing but actually I added the comment after I finished the picture. Gユウスケ G Yusuke
The image conjured in my mind by the word ‘Japan’ is that of a traditional Japanese painting and in producing this work I tried to adopt the same bold, yet delicate, brushstrokes. I am not capable of emulating traditional techniques, but if you catch even a hint of them here, I will be very happy. てんまそ Tenmaso
As I write this comment today, it is the early March and it is snowing outside. ‘Rain today...' I thought as I took a taxi to see the otorhinologist, but when I went outside afterwards I found that the world had been turned white. Last summer saw record-breaking temperatures but this winter it has snowed several times, even here in the city. Is this the coming of the end of the world? Or is it all an illusion and I am approaching my end? Whichever it may be, there are lots of things that I would like to do before it ends. The thing I would most like to do is see what the world looks like after it is over. They say that we go to Heaven or Hell after death, but who wants that? I was born in Japan so I think it is only fair that I should be allowed to choose to watch the sun rise over Japan for about another 10,000 years. This is what I was thinking while I was painting—that is what I was going to give as my comment and I only thought of this after I had finished. How strange is providence in this world. By the way, I love their first album. 奈月ここ Coco Natsuki
こわがらないでこっちにおいで Kowagaranai de kotchi ni oide (Do not be Scared, Come Over Here)
How do you do, my name is NATSUKI Coco. I am delighted to have been invited to participate in this lovely exhibition. Thank you very much!! The theme is ‘Japan’ and after a lot of thought, I decided to feature a black-haired girl in a sailor uniform. Schoolgirls’ sailor uniforms present a powerful image that Japan should be proud of. In the background I have depicted a shrine with numerous torii gateways. I once visited Kyoto and was amazed by the numerous torii standing in front of Fushimi Inari Shrine and thought that I would like to include the motif in one of my works someday. A young girl, of the kind you are sure to see in your daily life, combined with torii gateways which seem to lead to somewhere that is unreal. What is awaits beyond the torii? Will a demon appear? Or a snake? Or perhaps it is simply somewhere that is filled with more fun than here. Whether you go on, turn back or push your way forward without taking her hand is entirely up to you, but I will be very happy if this picture allows you to enjoy imagining various scenarios. ななかまい mai nanaca
I wanted to draw about how transient the beauty is. So if you feel that inspiration, it makes me happy.
...this being said, I ended up painting all the things I really love: ‘chains, bandages, a black sailor uniform, pigtails, etc.’ ^^; 西中康弘 Yasuhiro Nishinaka
First, I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathy to everybody who is suffering as a result of the Great Eastern Earthquake and I hope that everything will be restored and rebuilt as soon as possible. The family of one of my friends was among the victims and although there is very little I can do for them, I decided to make this illustration as good as I possibly can. I will be very happy if they see it and it serves to raise their spirits. 緋色雪 Yuki Hiiro
As this exhibition is to be held around spring, I decided from the outset that I would create a design on the theme of ‘cherry blossom’. Later I added a ‘maid uniform’ to express the otaku culture that has come to represent cool Japan. Just as I started to work seriously on the picture, the Great Eastern Earthquake occurred. As a result, it contains the question of what I can do to help through my art apart from donating money and economizing on electricity. Bright, lively and flamboyant Japan... I felt that this ‘vitality’ is what I most wanted to express and I tried to imbue it into each individual brushstroke. ‘Let's all do our best’, or ‘Let's all move forward together’, if this picture encourages you to share this emotion, even a little, I will be extremely happy. 曰陰影次 HikageEiji
Hello, my name is HikageEiji. This exhibition is to be held in early summer so I decided to use the preparations for the opening of a swimming pool as my subject matter. The sunlight already holds the heat of summer as two girls use deck brushes to clean the pool. This is a scene from early summer. I seem to remember that we wore swimming costumes when we did this, but here I have chosen to put them in uniforms. I used the way that the wet uniforms cling to their bodies to express the girls' vitality.
Once the cleaning is finished, the girls will truly be in a summer mood. フミオ Fumio
平成布晒舞 Heisei Nunozarashi Mai (Heisei Period Ribbon Dance)
I drew a bright, fun, bishojo (young girl) in the springtime of her life. After the earthquake disaster it is difficult to adopt the feelings expressed here, but I pray that the time when Japan is filled with laughing faces once more will not be too far away. みけおう MIKEOU
I often draw miko (shrine maidens) but rarely depict them at sunset so I decided to make that my challenge for this picture. Although it is a bit late in the season, I used a shrine full of blooming cherry trees for the background. The image I tried to create was one of her stopping work for a moment to watch the cherry blossom petals falling in the breeze like snow. Thank you very much for giving me the valuable opportunity to participate in the ‘Eshi 100’ exhibition. I will do my best to ensure that I am able to continue working as a manga artist. 八葉香南 KananYatsuha
The theme for this exhibition is ‘Japan’ and the keyword, ‘bishojo' (young girl), so for my subject I decided to use a heroine who could undergo a transformation, a motif that has been made famous throughout the world by Japanese anime and comics. I have included elements of Japanese design in the composition, producing an image demonstrating that anybody is capable of transforming into a creator, carrying out fun creative activities and showing them to the public. 憂 Yuu
I think that the way in which deities from around the world were combined to create the ‘Seven Happy Gods’ symbolizes the Japanese cultural climate and its stance towards religion. My object was to create a picture that would make everybody who saw it happy, and so I included numerous lucky motifs. るろお LLO
I wanted to create an atmosphere similar to that produced by a film camera and this is what I managed to achieve through trial and error. I hope that you will be able to capture a feeling of quietude within the gap in the contrast. 蒼樹うめ aokiume
I love Japanese culture—Japanese rooms, furniture’ an alcove with a hanging scroll—and I also love Japanese high school girls so I decided to combine the two, setting them against the background of a school outing.I love Japanese inns and hot spring resorts. The yukata kimono they give you at an inn is different to a summer yukata! If the four seasons are included, it is even better. Cherry blossom, new leaves or snow, viewed from a Japanese room or hot spring. As a individual living in Japan, I want to preserve the beauty of the country.丨 also hope that Japan will posses an abundance of hope and joy in the future. 赤リんご Akaringo
A young, contemporary woman who is fascinated by Japanese things ... this is the main image, but are a watch, camera, etc., typically Japanese? From the various items to the design of kimono with its western-style pattern and frills, various elements have been mixed together. I think that the true beauty of Japan lies in its open respect for beautiful, fun or useful things and ‘anything goes’ creativity that springs from this is the beauty of Japan. The day after they clear away the Christmas trees, people prepare for the New Year celebrations... I love this strange country. あらいぐま araiguma
I was working on the rough sketch for this picture when the unthinkable happened. I am not able to do much, but I hope that I will be able to raise people’s spirits a little. This is going to continue for a long time, so let’s cheer up Japan with moe-power!!
The furious period of the warring states machine ninja. While evil gods struggle for hegemony, a royal, black-haired, shrine maiden descends to earth, holding ‘RaierV (blazing thunder), one of the seven secret swords of the warring nations. The theme is Japan so I have drawn what I wanted as much as I wanted. A girl wielding a sword; pigtails, carrying a giant sword; mechanics; ninja; muscles; skull general; god of wind; god of thunder... Oh, I love all these motifs! It is hard to draw the things I like best. But equally, drawing this picture made me realize afresh how important it is to do so. 上田夢人 Yumehito Ueda
The theme for this exhibition is ‘Japan’, and I considered various motifs but of them all, the one that made the strongest impression was that of Japanese festivals. It is not just Japan, festivals everywhere have a long history and they generally preserve an ancient style. Japan has numerous festivals unique to the places where they are held, but in this picture I have produced something of a fantasy. It may belong to a different time and place, but when I drew it, I imagined scenery and characters that would create an impression of Japan. 植田売 Ryo Ueda
Hello, how do you do? I am Ryo Ueda. The theme was ‘Japan’ but I have mixed in some slightly western elements to produce an atmosphere similar to that of my usual work. お一じ o-ji
I wondered what I could communicate through my illustration to people living overseas. Thinking in this way, the image of a ‘Japanese room, tatami mats, and sliding paper doors’ sprang to mind. I drew this picture in the hope that I could transmit an image of these things that are so familiar to the Japanese people. オダワラハコネ HAKONE ODAWARA
In addition to the natural disaster of the earthquake, several personal things occurred while I was working on this picture and as a result it is something that I will never forget as long as I live. I hope you like it. 介錯 KAISHAKU
There has always been a row of cherry trees near me, wherever I live. I never consciously thought about it, but whenever I moved, there they were. Over time, I grew to love them and they enabled me to feel the passing of the seasons. This is the Japan that I love. カスカべアキラ Akira Caskabe
Thank you very much for inviting me to participate in this splendid exhibition. An important element of Japanese aesthetics is the changing of the four seasons, and this is reflected even in the confectionary. I decided to use ‘tea cakes' for my theme and enjoyed drawing this picture very much. I think that a young princess who lives surrounded by flowers and sweets must be very happy indeed. きすぎ kisugi
This work uses a motif derived from the traditional Japanese pastime of origami. A young girl wearing the clothes of a shrine maiden, that goes well with origami, rides upon a red and white crane, surrounded by eight other types of origami: a crane, a pigeon, a bird, a seagull, a red dragonfly, a sea turtle, a bracelet and a diamond chain. 木場智士 Satoshi Kiba
I am Satoshi Kiba. The theme is ‘Japan’ and in my personal opinion, the essence of Japanese anime culture is to be found in ‘young witches’ and 'giant robots' so I combined both of these in this picture. But what a mismatch! 椋本夏夜 Kaya Kuramoto
I drew this with the image of twilight. It is not daytime but neither is it night. It is a mysterious space in which light and dark mingle. It passes in a moment so people want to trap it. The same may be said of a young girl. KEI KEI
日本で生まれて、日本で Nippon de umarete nippon de (Born in Japan) 桜はんぺん Sakura Hanpen
紅紐と少女 Beni himo to shojo (Red Cord and Young Girl)
How do you do? My name is Sakura Hanpen. I was asked to produce an image of Japan so I started with a girl with black hair. In my personal view, red cord, goes well with a black-haired girl, so I added one. I will be very satisfied if I have succeeded in bringing out the image of a slightly-built girl. 桜沢いづみ ltu"mi Sakurazawa
The object was to produce an illustration on the subject of Japan and I could not make up my mind what to draw. In the end I decided to use my favorite motif of young girls with animal ears set among the dazzling splendor of a courtesan's apartment. It is evocative of a monsters' pleasure quarter...
I wanted to draw a picture of a courtesan with her young servants, so I based the image of the courtesan on that of the nine-tailed fox and that of her servants on fox cubsT their hairstyles and clothes are based on the moe style and I really enjoyed drawing it! 桜はんぺん Sakura Hanpen
紅紐と少女 Beni himo to shojo (Red Cord and Young Girl)
How do you do? My name is Sakura Hanpen. I was asked to produce an image of Japan so I started with a girl with black hair. In my personal view, red cord, goes well with a black-haired girl, so I added one. I will be very satisfied if I have succeeded in bringing out the image of a slightly-built girl. 笹弘 SASAHIRO
夜桜幻想姉妹 Yozakura aenso shimai (Phantom Sisters of the Nighttime Cherry Blossom)
As the theme was ‘Japan’ I decided to use ‘cherry blossom at night’ for my subject. I thought of depicting the girls with expressionless faces in order to create an impression of fantasy and mystery, but then I thought no, girls look better when they are smiling so I gave them smiles instead. 白羽奈尾 Nao Shirahane
During the graduation season in spring, we see many girls dressed in a classic style like this, with kimono, hakama skirts and boots. To me, this style creates an image of (hopeful) ‘departure’ rather than 'graduation'. In this illustration I have drawn the a girl in colorful kimono and hakama, but even without the flamboyant pattern, I think that girls look very attractive in hakama. 鈴平ひろ HIRO.SUZUHIRA
霊峰桜盛 Reiho osei (Sacred Mountain and Cherry Blossom)
Having been given the theme of ‘Japan’ as the concept for this exhibition, I asked myself how I could portray Japan without resorting to traditional images and after much thought, I decided to combine the colors of spring and moe to produce a work that would come together in a natural fashion. The Japanese motifs of ‘cherry blossom’ and ‘Japanese-style lolita fashion’ can be recognized at a glance, but the outline of the girl simultaneously creates an image of Mt. Fuji. I did not use the word ‘Fuji’ in the title in order not to give away the trick, but I hope that you will be able to catch a glimpse of the image of Mt. Fuji when you see it. 平つくね Tsukune Taira
Japan has a culture of which it can be proud. Of all the aspects of this culture, I chose a theme that represented the four seasons and good manners. I hope that this illustration appears typically Japanese to you. After the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, the victims have been forced to live in very hard conditions, but it presents us with an opportunity to realize afresh how highly the Japanese prize good manners. We should never forget the Japanese spirit of compassion and compromise, and always act like Japanese. This may well be the most important thing we can do now. 高野音彦 OtohikoTAKANO
In Japan people often refer to the 'eight million gods', and it is a fact that we are surrounded by numerous gods. There are shrines built everywhere and during the Festival of the Dead, weddings or Christmas, we are indebted to Buddha and various gods. We seldom offer them gratitude, but soon ask their help when we are in trouble. It is said that to worship all the gods together is like combining the flames of two candles, but if this were true, it would mean that Amaterasu Omikami, Dainichi Nyorai, Christ, Kompira, Oinari and all the tutelary gods had been stuffed into this country on the edge of the continent and become a single fire. At the New Year, the Festival of the Dead or Christmas it is as if we borrow a little piece of the 'flame of the giant candle nobody understands’, giving it our own name to express our awe and worship. That is why we are able to possess our own personal gods and why that particular god will not deny the other gods. It may sound a bit self-serving, but I think that Japan is truly the land of the gods. 中央東口 Chuuou Higashiguchi
I wanted to stress one facet of Japanese underground subculture. It is a violent, sensational chaos, based on the diversified tastes that are creeping up. Low-teen syndrome a girl in a sailor uniform and a tentacle-like object are entangled in these. That's a lie. It also incorporates the culture that has become popular overseas. Woodblock prints (including pornography), manga, and anime; a section of various genres has been laid out in an iconic fashion and this was made in homage to them; no, that's a lie. We must not forget the HENTAI either. That is an influential factor overseas; no it's a lie. Elements of it are quite true, but put in writing, well, it is a lie. Basically, I have collected various motifs of momentary ecstasy and chaos and mixed them all in together. People who become obsessed with ecstasy, people who admire this; it is the diversity of this community, over a variety of genres, that is one of the national strengths of Japan. That is a lie. The girl's eyes were drawn in homage to woodblock prints. That is the truth. トモセシュンサク SHUNSAKU TOMOSE
The theme of the exhibition is ‘Japanesque’ so I exaggerated this element a bit more than usual. My favorite shrine is Fushimi Inari so I gave the girl a fox mask. If you have never been there, I hope you visit it. It has lots of torii gateways. なかじまゆか Yuka Nakajima
My name is Yuka Nakajima. Thank you very much for inviting me to participate in the ‘Eshi 100’ exhibition. The theme is ‘Japan’ and after a lot of thought I decided to draw something from Japan’s pop culture, as is represented by anime and computer games. The subject is ‘a girl wearing amarori fashion’, the lolita fashion trend, which includes amarori, being a Japanese invention. We are used to seeing this fashion appear regularly in anime or computer games, each reinforcing the culture in the other and developing Japanese pop culture still further. It is a bit of a curveball, but I hope you will enjoy it.
When I heard that the theme was to be ‘Japan’ I immediately wanted to draw ‘cherry blossom’. I have produced an image of a girl sitting in a teashop, enjoying tea and dumplings. As I finish it off, I hope that I have succeeded in recreating the atmosphere of a Japanese spring. 西又葵 Aoi Nishimata
I think many Japanese people look upon Mt. Fuji as being a holy sanctuary. I created this illustration in the hope capturing the flavor of this symbol of mysterious Japan. It is not a image of anything in particular, but if it causes you to imagine or feel various things then I will be quite satisfied. It combines several elements and seasons that could not coexist in real life, but I think this strangeness is acceptable as being part of Mt. Fuji. バーニア600 VANIA600
Dusk, the train arrives on time. It is a one-car, diesel train. Quite a few passengers disembark then barrier opens for people who wish to board. The clattering of the ticket punch. The chattering schoolgirls rise to their feet. Useful things like PASM〇 do not exist, everything is passed from person to person in an arduous yet certain fashion. 針玉ヒロキ Hiroki Haritama
春、空ヲ駆ケノボル。 Haru,sora o kake noboru (Spring, Climbing up Into the Sky)
I was invited to take part in this project and accepted gratefully, but I have had a lot of difficulty with this motif. The theme was ‘Japan’ and I was surprised to discover how weak my general awareness of this is. In the end I settled for the things that bring me ‘peace’ for a day or a year: ‘the sky’, ‘cherry blossom' and ‘girls’ (LOL). To be honest, after the earthquake I thought I would make some major changes to the work, but in the end I decided to avoid putting strong messages in the picture or making it too heavy. If it brings you ‘peace’ for a day or a year, if it provides the key to momentary comfort, then I will be very happy. 樋上いたる Itaru Hinoue
How do you do, mv name is Itaru Hinoue. I have been given the marvelous opportunity to produce an illustration for this exhibition. The theme is ‘Japan’ so I used an image of Japan, including moe culture, to produce the finished work. As soon as I heard what the theme was to be I decided to include kimono in the motif and I really enjoyed arranging this and drawing it to resemble a maid's costume! I do not have the chance to draw like this very often so it is a good opportunity for me. Thank very much. フカヒレ Hukahire
晴れの海 Hare no umi (Sunlit Sea)
日本の海も、空も、とても綺麗です。
The Japanese sea and sky are extremely beautiful. 藤枝雅 Miyabi Fujieda
My name is Miyabi Fujieda. I am most honored to have been selected to participate in the ‘Eshi 100’ exhibition. The moment I heard the word ‘Japan’ as the theme for the pictures, my mind turned to the image of a Shinto god. ...Well, actually, thoughts of shrine maidens and kimono also flashed through my mind. I thought that what Japan needs now is a gentle god to shine down upon her. I will be happy if this picture provides somebody with a moment’s relief. ぼよよんろつく Poyoyon Rock
It is the year 20XX! This is a fighting samurai girl, 14 years old. When expressing the theme, Japan, pictures tend to be filled with old things but I wanted to express the ‘now’. I gave this a lot of thought and decided to draw something typical of me—the kind of girl who appears in Japan’s manga and anime, the kind of girl I love. o(^-^)o 丸ちやん。 Maruchang
My name is Maruchang. I am most honored to take part in this project. Being given ‘Japan’ as the theme, I decided to produce a picture based on traditional Japanese monsters. These used to be part of the ancient Japanese folk religion and today they still appear in novels and computer games. I arranged them in my own way in order to produce this picture, the main subjects being fused with moe (cuteness). Mitha Misa
繚乱の桜 Ryoran no sakura (A Profusion of Cherry Blossom)
How do you do, my name is Mitha and I am an illustrator. ‘Japan’ is the theme for this event so I have chosen cherry blossom for my main motif as this is the closest thing to hand that makes me think of Japan. The characters are ‘high school girl detectives who work for the fox shrine maiden’. I have used warm colors throughout to create a colorful, spring like atmosphere. I hope you like it. 深崎暮人 Kurehito Misaki
The traditional Japanese card game, hanafuda presents bright colors within a Japanese design, the cards contain many traditional Japanese motifs and I like them very much. No matter what their situation, an artist should never forget to be entertaining, and I drew this with that in mind. みさくらなんこつ Misakura Nankotsu
渓流のニンジャガール Keiryu no Ninja Girl {Ninja Girl of the Mountain Streams)
My name is Misakura Nankotsu, I am a new artist. Please forgive me for being charismatic. I have drawn a ninja girl, rushing over the surface of the water. If you ask me why she does not use sex appeal as a weapon, it is because I have to practice self-control, or the picture will be erased altogether. You see? The red tattoo on her chest reads, ‘human love’. You can understand that without any explanation, ‘human love!!’ みぶなつき Mibunatuki
I focused on Japanese imagination. A young witch. Young witches do not wear Japanese clothes, but they carry a magic wand that can make dreams come true or preserve peace in the world. This is a very Japanese character and one that does not appear much overseas. Despite this, even foreigners love them. As a Japanese, I find this both interesting and strange and it makes me happy. 憂姫はぐれ hagure yuuki
Since I was first approached to take part in this project, the world has undergone a total change,but I am glad that I am able to take part safely. To me, the image of Japan is one of children's stories and so I decided to produce an illustration on the theme of Momotaro (Peach Boy). Congratulations on holding this event. CARNELIAN CARNEUAN
微睡 Bisui (Dozing)
桜•日本画•古風なセーラ一服•黒髪の女学生…萌えにおける日本らしさの私なりのイメージです。
Cherry blossom, a traditional sailor-style school uniform, a black- haired high school girl…this is my image of Japanese moe. こうたろ Koutaro
春少女 Haru shojo (Spring Girl) 梱枝リこ Korie Riko
天使とお花と私と Tenshi to ohana to watashi to (An Anael, Flowers and Me)
A young girl angel is resting in a beautiful natural setting. That is the scene. My object was to produce a soft, pretty illustration. I wanted to depict nature so I spent a lot of time on the flowers, leaves, water, etc. I went to particular trouble to portray the skirt that the girl is wearing. すかぢ SCA-DI
同時間的拡散消費としての少女図 Dojikan-teki-kakusan-shohi toshiteno shojo-zu (Image of a Girl as Simultaneous Diffusion Consumption)
Concerning Simultaneous Diffusion Consumption The original otaku culture consisted of consumers who valued historical contexts centered on the sub-culture, but with the increase in the speed of internet connections, many of the consumers could not keep up with the proliferation, reproduction and diffusion, giving rise to a new style of simultaneous reproduction/diffusion consumer with no historical elements. The content of a single site is paraphrased (musically rather than rhetorically) then simultaneously and repeatedly segmented, transformed, and fused, its consumption rate increasing. It is a wonderful yet detestable situation, but one that can only continue to accelerate.
Concerning the image of the girl. There has been so much discussion on the subject of young girls that I will refrain from adding to it here. ていんくる TINKLE
Hello, my name is TINKLE. The theme is Japan so I decided to create the image I have of a young Japanese girl. If you think about Japanese girls realistically, you have either contemporary high school girls or alternatively traditional girls in kimono, like Japanese dolls, however I decided not to be realistic and instead depict my ideal girl. Her clothes are reminiscent of a kimono but consist of lace and frills, the setting appears to be a nocturnal bamboo grove in the snow but the bamboo is translucent and grows up from the surface of the water. A single figure dances through this cold, silent, yet beautiful world, and while this is a strictly personal opinion, she is the image of a perfect Japanese girl. However, her true quality lies not in her external appearance, but in her inner being and I hope that I have been able to transmit this to you all. 小原トメ太 Tometa Ohara
When I think of ‘Japan’, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘school uniforms'; I am probably influenced by my work in this, but I think they make an ideal symbol of contemporary Japan. Outer space and students are quite unconnected but the sense of unbalance the combination creates appealed to me so I came up with this composition. I remember looking up at a carp streamer on a clear night and it appeared to be swimming in space; several childhood memories like this are included in my work. Looked at from abroad, the Japanese are thought to be ‘serious’ or ‘polite’ but at the same time, we are laughed at for being ‘perverted’. I will be happy if people can understand a little more about the ‘Japan’ I love from my work. すかぢ SCA-DI
同時間的拡散消費としての少女図 Dojikan-teki-kakusan-shohi toshiteno shojo-zu (Image of a Girl as Simultaneous Diffusion Consumption)
Concerning Simultaneous Diffusion Consumption The original otaku culture consisted of consumers who valued historical contexts centered on the sub-culture, but with the increase in the speed of internet connections, many of the consumers could not keep up with the proliferation, reproduction and diffusion, giving rise to a new style of simultaneous reproduction/diffusion consumer with no historical elements. The content of a single site is paraphrased (musically rather than rhetorically) then simultaneously and repeatedly segmented, transformed, and fused, its consumption rate increasing. It is a wonderful yet detestable situation, but one that can only continue to accelerate.
Concerning the image of the girl. There has been so much discussion on the subject of young girls that I will refrain from adding to it here.