Pixiv, the famous Japanese online community for artists, will host two panels at this year’s Anime Expo, covering the rising of new upcoming illustrators and how to support them, among other various topics. The panel schedule is as follows,
“Rising Stars: Up-and-coming Creators in Asia”
- Sunday, July 2nd: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
- Location: 408 AB
The panel will feature the special guest Modare and focus on the activities of up-and-coming creators from Asia, including Taiwan and South Korea, who are expanding their global presence. In addition, the panel will discuss the growing interest in Japanese anime art in Asia and its increasing popularity in English-speaking countries, as well as introduce the Kickstarter collaboration between pixiv Inc. and the American publishing company Clover Press.
Modare is an Anime Art Artist from Korea, who enjoys creating artwork that radiates a cute and endearing charm. He is a leading figure in the 100 Day Challenge trend on Twitter and an avid illustrator of various popular games such as “Genshin Impact,” “Azure Lane,” and “Girl’s Frontline.” Modare is widely recognized for his distinctive drawing technique that yields exceptional illustrations. In addition to his artistic endeavors, he is also actively involved in teaching art.
“pixiv’s Initiatives: Supporting Creators”
- Monday, July 3rd: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
- Location: 408 AB
The panel will feature the special guest Oshioshio and will focus on the latest trends in Japanese anime art and its growing popularity in English-speaking countries, as well as introduce the art book “Artists in the Americas”, a collaboration between pixiv Inc. and the publishing company PIE International. In response to the increasing number of freelance illustrators, the panel will discuss issues like how to find work and how to appeal to the Asian market.
Oshioshio is a talented illustrator and manga artist based in Kanagawa, Japan. He primarily focuses on creating artworks that depict characters rich with emotions. A lover of cats, dogs, and animals in general, his passions clearly influence his creations. Some of his notable works include the character design of Amane Kanata from Hololive and Sorahoshi Kirame from Nijisanji. He also created the series, “My Deer Friend Nokotan,” which is serialized in Kodansha’s Shonen Magazine Edge, among other works.
ARTIST ALLEY BOOTH #AA01
Additionally, Pixiv will have an interactive booth, located in the Anime Expo Artist Alley at #AA01. Their booth will feature an Omikuji (Japanese fortune-telling paper slips) activation with Artist Alley creators, featuring five different prizes, as well as an iFace Deco-case workshop. At the workshop, each participant will receive two stickers of their choice featuring artworks from “Artists in the Americas” that can be customized with the iFace Reflection transparent glass smartphone case. Amy Wang, Pixiv’s Manager, International marketing and Brand Team, stated the following,
pixiv will host an Omikuji project across all participating booths at the Artist Alley. Attendees who make purchases at any booth within the Artists Alley stand a chance to obtain a limited edition ticket , which can be redeemed for prizes at the Pixiv booth, while supplies last” Wang continues “The intention behind this project is to encourage attendees to visit numerous booths, discover new creators, and immerse themselves in the wealth of creativity on display.
Amy Wang, Pixiv’s Manager, International marketing and Brand Team
EXHIBIT BOOTH – Exhibition Hall, No. 4506
Pixiv will also be present in exhibit hall and will be located at Exhibition Hall, No. 4506. This exhibit booth will showcase Genshin Impact key visual and in-game scenery, In addition to, showcasing approximately 80 illustrations, carefully hand-picked from about 250,000 Genshin Impact artworks posted on pixiv. The exhibit booth is also set to host live drawing sessions of Genshin Impact fan art by popular illustrators, as well as autograph signing sessions for each artist.
The live drawing sessions will take place over four days, with Modare participating on July 1st (Sat) and July 2nd (Sun), and Oshioshio taking part on July 3rd (Mon) and July 4th (Tue). Pixiv will also host two additional signings at the autograph area at Kentia Hall. Fans who attend the autograph session will receive a poster. Schedule is as follows,
- Modare, an illustrator from South Korea, will sign Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm
- Oshioshio, an illustrator and manga artist from Kanagawa, Japan, will sign Monday, July 3rd, 2023 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
INTERVIEWS WITH MODARE & OSHIOSHIO
I had the wonderful opportunity to interview featured artists, Modare and Oshioshio for their upcoming appearance at Anime Expo 2023!
MODARE INTERVIEW
Krystal: You’re known for your distinctive and unique work, expressive and emotional. Can you discuss the creative process for creating your work?
Modare: I think that being creative is, after all, making a new thing by combining things that I know well. Most of the things I know, other people know, so the most important thing is to combine them well. And, no matter how hard you try to put things together, it’s still hard to create something completely new. Because there are already so many creative works in the world. Even when we don’t want to be duplicated, it can be duplicated. It’s important to focus on expressing what I want to convey, without being conscious of other people’s work, and making choices based on personal judgment. If I can depict that combination through my unique expression, I believe it becomes a creative work.
K: Having participated in the 100th-day challenge on Twitter, what was hard about participating in that challenge?
M: At first, I started drawing with the aim of drawing steadily, without thinking about continuing for a long time. I didn’t even have a goal of 100 days. But as I progressed every day, I felt that it was meaningless if I didn’t do it properly so my goal became for me to draw as many things as I could. This made my 100-day challenge more fulfilling, but it also meant I had very little time for my daily routine. I would stay up all night drawing if I had plans during the day, and this was the most challenging aspect for me. The most difficult part about drawing is probablyto keep drawing new things. I think it took me hours to come up with something new because I’m always trying to draw without recycling what I’ve already drawn.
K: You’ve created many wonderful art pieces and released various art books. Have you ever considered releasing a manga?
M: Being a manga artist is a very interesting job, but I think what I’ve been going through is quite far from being a manga artist. I rarely read manga in the first place. However, I think I will try it when I successfully finish the current tasks and when I can afford to challenge something new.
K: As an art instructor, what advice would you give to upcoming artists?
M: I haven’t been alive very long, but I at least know the rest of my life is long. Some eager artists forget this out of desperation. I stake my life and death on today’s drawing, and I feel extremely depressed if the drawing doesn’t come out well. This might help improve the drawing for that moment, but in the long run, it might make the painting less pleasant and eventually could make you quit. Take a long look and relax. If you learn one thing at a time and study one thing at a time, I think you will achieve a lot.
K: You’re traveling to the U.S. for the annual Anime Expo; what are you most excited to see here in Los Angeles?
M: It’s the first time in my life that I’ll be traveling so far. It’s almost on the other side of the world. I expect that everything will be different. Landscape, culture, language, people, everything is expected. The whole trip is exciting because everything I’ve experienced here will be a good nourishment for me. But if I have to pick one, I’m looking forward to In-n-Out Burger.
OSHIOSHIO INTERVIEW
Krystal: Can you discuss your creative process and the influences you use for creating your artwork?
Oshioshio: I am influenced by everything I have experienced. The manga I read as a child, the anime I have watched, video games I have played, and the scenery I have traveled to, are all sources of my creativity. I will be drawing fan art of “Genshin Impact” at AX, and I have been very influenced by “Genshin Impact” recently. The beautiful landscapes and unique characters of Hara-Kami always make me think “I want to draw! I am always inspired by the beautiful landscapes and unique characters of “Genshin Impact”.
K: For fans, who might be reading this interview, what advice would you give them to become better artists?
O: Don’t hesitate to put in the effort. Keep drawing and keep trying. I believe that all the great artists I know are those who continue to practice these things. It takes courage to try anything, but people grow through repetition of trial and error. The results come when you keep trying, so let’s do our best together!
K: Your manga “My Deer Friend Nokatan” is currently being published in English; What inspired you to write the story, and why did you make Nokotan a Deer?
O: One day, by chance, I came up with the idea of a girl character whose antlers were stuck on a door. I thought this could be interesting, so I thought of a story and other characters, and the work “My Deer Friend Nokotan” was born. Nokotan was not just any creature with horns, but I wanted it to be familiar and new, so I decided on a deer. In Japan, there are tourist attractions where deer are famous, which everyone knows, so I thought it would be familiar.
K: You’re traveling to the U.S. for the annual Anime Expo; what are you most excited to see here in Los Angeles?
O: This is my first time in the U.S., so I am looking forward to everything I see! I want to enjoy feeling the American air, food, people, and everything. I also love the Japanese Comic Market so much that I attend almost every year, and I am really looking forward to seeing Artist Alley, which has a similar atmosphere to Comiket. I am very interested to see how overseas otaku do their doujin activities.
Thank you for reading our wonderful interview with Modare and Oshioshio! Going to AX? Be sure to stop by Pixiv’s booths and check their panels on Sunday and Monday! Don’t miss the opportunity to patriciate in the autographs sessions, see you there!
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