Monsters

I’m passionate about Japanese character design and folklore because I find them interesting. Japanese characters are typically kawaii (cute) and use similar features that give them a friendly appearance.

I wanted to illustrate a scene featuring Yokai.

Yokai, encompassing monsters, demons, and ghosts in Japanese culture, is rooted in animism, ancient religion, and nature. They explain ancient mysteries with behaviours ranging from harmful to helpful towards humans. Yokai often exhibit animal-like or humanoid features and are prominently featured in traditional stories and woodblock prints, such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s “Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre.”

I illustrated a mountain landscape with Yokai such as the skeleton spectre, kappa, and tengu, adding a kawaii touch with Japanese folklore to create this cute scene.