Original Character World

I draw original characters by hand in a retro, analog style. This account is for my own original work. I'm not accepting commissions. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maoco

[maoco]

Sun and the Strange Old Man

Sun and the Strange Old Man

A surreal short story collection with a strange old man, a lazy sloth, a squid, and other whimsical characters. Original illustrations and dark, quirky tales.

[maoco]

Illustrations for Limericks

The Old Woman Walking Through the Marsh

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Illustrations for Limericks

The Grim Reaper Working in the Rainy Forest

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Illustrations for Limericks

The Squid and Chili of the Cemetery

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Illustrations for Limericks

The Sloth in Love with a Tree Stump

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A Delightful Picnic

You and I are different,

yet we can enjoy a picnic together.

Playing cards, sharing sweets—

this is such a wonderful time.

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The Lady Thief

Quietly… yet boldly,

I’ll be taking this gold necklace.

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A Night of Waiting

A silver craft glides across the sky.

I spend the long night waiting,

wondering if it will ever come.

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Crossing Paths

A toast with the lighthouse keeper.

A place we pass through once a year.

A friendship that continues

even without meeting face to face.

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Title

On the Left Shoulder

Genre

Surreal Poetry

While traveling, I noticed a weight on my left shoulder.

It was a shadow that had run away.

As I, the protagonist, conversed with this presence, I came to realize that I wasn’t special—everyone carries something like it on their journey.

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The Old Woman Who Plays a Traditional Instrument

An old woman playing an unusual instrument.

A wooden instrument with a deep, heavy tone.

It won’t make a sound unless you play it while dancing.

On festival days, it’s a matter of life and death.

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Fairy Series: The Old Lady Tree Fairy

A fairy that resides in trees under three hundred years old.

As the tree ages, her form grows closer to human and becomes younger.

She waits endlessly for the day she will be reborn as a beautiful woman.

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Fairy Series: The Old Lady Bee Fairy

A fairy born after eighty-eight generations of queen bees.

She works as a counselor specializing in bees, above a pond.

Visitors come without end, but humans are not permitted.

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Fairy Series: The Shampoo Fairy

A fairy that appears in the bubbles of your shampoo.

If it likes someone, it sprinkles a little magic to improve the quality of their hair.

It doesn’t cling to anyone—once the shampoo bottle is empty, it moves on to someone else.

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My Grandma

She plays ping pong every day, takes a bath at the public bath, and then heads home.

My grandma is full of energy.

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Fairy Series: The Old Woman Fairy on the Chimney

A fairy who has made her home atop the chimney of a long-closed public bathhouse.

She spends her time sipping cider, lost in thought, or dangling her legs as she watches the sunset.

If you pass directly below, you might sometimes hear a belch.

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The Doll Grandmother

If she doesn’t like the price that’s been put on her, she simply rewrites it herself.