Will There Be a Bunny In Your Apocalypse?

My works aren’t really created with the purpose of “fine art” in mind.  To me, there is no sharp dividing line that separates fine art, illustration, and graffiti.  I enjoy them all equally.  Because of that, when I draw, I don’t really think about the artistic value.  I just make my works with the same feeling one might have while creating illustrations or graffiti.

Likewise, I don’t concentrate on some deep message.  I focus on the enjoyment of the visual aspects while I create.

Although I have a rough idea of the setting and scene before I begin to draw, they change while I am drawing -- it is almost like the artwork takes on a life of its own and has its own will. The settings sometimes change so much that by the time I’m done they are completely different from my initial thoughts.

I want the people who see my creations to each have their own independent views and feelings about them.

This is also completely up to viewer.  I don’t actually have a detailed setting or story underlying my work.

Is this a damaged Earth, or is it another planet in the future?  Or perhaps a mutated Earth in parallel universe?  Although this element might not be settled, there is no denying that many of my works address our coping with our humanity.     

There are many robots and strange living creatures fused with inorganic substances in my work, but I never imbue these creatures with  negative feelings like “unhappiness, sadness, fear, or anger.”

Although they have a strange look about them, they evoke subtle feelings of “quietness, peace, tenderness, and joy.”

Giger is probably the biggest influence on my work.  I have nothing but the highest respect for his beautiful dark world and his amazing techniques that are executed so perfectly.

Although I have absolutely no conscious intention to  produce works that have similarities to his, he is so great that the visual images from his works (such as the details in his machines) might unconsciously come out on my works.

Many viewers of my work say it looks like Giger’s.  I am at once very honored and humbled by these remarks.

I have tremendous respect for many techniques and worldviews of many other artists as well, but I avoid being conscious of them during my own creative process.

But it is certainly possible that I am unconsciously influenced by my respect for these artists and that it comes out in my works naturally.

There are so many artists who have influenced me that I cannot recite all their names.  One of my favorite artists is certainly the writer of “AKIRA”, Katsuhiro Otomo.

I feel that the pipes, machines, and robots he draws are all amazingly cool and have a uniqueness that somehow contains a bit of humanity.

The first big influence on my childhood was the robot “Vega” that had tenderness and affection, contrary to his strange appearance, in the animated movie “HARMAGEDON”.  Mr. Otomo served as a character designer for that one.

Other comic writers and illustrators such as Moebius (Hean Giraud), Katsuya Terada, and Tatsuyuki Tanaka have also influenced me.

deviantART artists who have influenced me include Almacan (Kazuhiko Nakamura), torvenius, jeffsimpsonkh and Gloom82.

“9” is my favorite recent Tim Burton-produced movie.  The movie’s director and writer is actually Shane Acker though.

In “EDWARD SCISSORHANDS”, with director/producer/story by Tim Burton, the strange appearance of kind-hearted Ed really shocked me.  I love his dark but humane worldview which he manages to fuse with comicality and uniqueness.

I also have other favorites by Terry Gilliam such as ”Brazil,” ”The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” and ”Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”  The worldview of his recent “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” is really great.

However, I am not sure if Burton and Gilliam have influenced my works because I really just watch their works for fun.

"Delicatessen," "The City of Lost Children" and ”Micmacs” by Jean-Pierre Jeunet,  “Alice,” “Faust” and other short films by Jan Švankmajer, “GHOST IN THE SHELL” and ”INNOCENCE” by Mamoru Oshii, ”Tetsuo: The Iron Man” and ”Tetsuo: The Bullet Man” by Shinya Tsukamoto.  And the movies and comics by Otomo Katsuhiro.  These are all favorites of mine.

Films by other moviemakers, including Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon, have also influenced my works.

I think the main reason that I am so attracted to dark visual worlds is that “just darkness” is not attractive to me.

“Tenderness” and “daily peace” from gentle creatures that live in “dark” or “strange” worlds are very attractive and beautiful to me.

Little glimmers of light in the dark world are very important to me.  It might look like I am only drawing dark worlds, but the substance of my work is actually the light in the world.

My art skills and mentality are immature, but I intend to mature them by continuing to create many more works.

I believe that “positive” expression differs from person to person.

I have never intended to draw just dark pictures. It’s the “positive” in the dark that attracts me the most.

On the other hand, I’m certainly not just drawing “positive” pictures either.

In my works, you’ll find that darkness and light are always coexisting (although it might look to some like I am more aligned with the dark side of things).

In my opinion, even if there is too much “noir” and “genre” art, there is no need to force the creation of “positive” art.

If we are truly living in an era where it is as the critics say and there is too much “noir” and “genre” art, then I believe that more “positive” art will be born naturally.

All the creatures in my work are “positive” and “life-affirming” inside.  However, I sometimes don’t place an overt emphasis on that in my works because it’s supposed to be part of their inner aspect. Sometimes I add a “heart” or “plants” to express it more overtly, but even the works without them are also positive.

I draw them like they don’t have any “negative” feelings, even if they have the most “negative” appearance.

And certainly some of my works are purely drawn for my own enjoyment.

If my works are indeed having such an influence I am very happy to hear it, and at the same time I feel very grateful and thankful about it.

It definitely encourages me to keep creating and developing my art works.

I want to keep drawing forever. I want to do a series of pictures with a story and flash or 3DCG animation types of projects at some point, too.

One of my works, “wa” is inspired by a woman in a Kimono in Ukiyoe (Japanese woodblock print) and the traditional Japanese art of Sharaku is also a favorite.  I might also say that my “red-line+” composed of 3 pieces was influenced by traditional folded screen landscapes.

Please excuse me if this is slightly off subject, but... I would like to mention that I also worked on collaborations with Japanese traditional craftspeople doing “lacquer ware” for a magazine publisher.

I love Giger, Dali and also Escher’s work. And ”Curl-Up (Pedalternorotandomovens centroculatus articulosus)” is my favorite.  

Among modern artists I like Pierre Matter, Brian Despain, Xia Xiaowan, Ashley Wood, and others.

I like this!!  

“It looks like a penis.”

I don’t draw sexual scenes, so I felt a deep sense of regret hearing that someone could view my works this way.  But … I suppose that even these comments are not without value and I can learn from them and hone my skills to make better works in the future.­

When you create art, there will always be both praise and criticism.  I strive to improve by creating more and more works that receive as many “I like this!!” comments as possible.