#fujijun

[hotwaterandmilk]

Cover and Rachel insert illustration from Red Garden: The Secret Diary III, originally bundled with the third series DVD box set (2007). Illustration provided by series character designer, fujijun, and autographed by seiyuu, Shintani Ryouko. Book and artwork scanned from my personal collection.

[hotwaterandmilk]

Cover and Claire insert illustration from Red Garden: The Secret Diary IV, originally bundled with the fourth and final series DVD box set (2007). Illustration provided by series character designer, fujijun, and autographed by seiyuu, Sawashiro Miyuki. Book and artwork scanned from my personal collection.

[hotwaterandmilk]

Cover and Rose insert illustration from Red Garden: The Secret Diary II, originally bundled with the second series DVD box set (2007). Illustration provided by series character designer, fujijun, and autographed by seiyuu, Tsuji Ayumi. Book and artwork scanned from my personal collection.

[hotwaterandmilk]

Cover and Kate insert illustration from Red Garden: The Secret Diary I, originally bundled with the first series DVD box set (2007). Illustration provided by series character designer, fujijun, and autographed by seiyuu, Tomisaka Akira. Book and artwork scanned from my personal collection.

[hotwaterandmilk]

7, 10, 20!

7. top anime you plan to watch

I’ve watched pretty much everything I intend to watch from the past, so I’ve only got upcoming shows on my “plan to watch” list and let me tell you, it’s slim pickings.

Banana Fish

If only because I want to see the art style animated, I was never big on the manga beyond the gorgeous art. Also, I want to see how on Earth they’re going to pull off setting it now.

Gundam Narrative

I’ll watch any Gundam series, I’m a weak piece of shit who sat through all of Iron-Blooded Orphans despite wanting to punt the entire thing out a window from the first episode. Really hope they do a nice close-up of my workplace getting ruined when Sydney explodes. I got nothin’.

Oh yeah and R3 when it happens because I miss the joy of Geass Sundays.

10. top 5 characters you would die for

I’m interpreting this as characters who need to be protected at all costs. In no particular order;

Gian Luigi Orsini (Ristorante Paradiso)

Tiny little moeblob trapped silently staring at his sister-in-law in the quaintest themed restaurant in the world. I just want to feed him hor d'oeuvres in a tree house.

Moriya Ririka (Nurse Angel Ririka SOS)

Ririka is absolutely the sweetest magical girl, whose narrative was designed to screw her around and every step of the way I wanted to protect her adorable smile. Seiya also nets bonus points, he too is a total darling.

Lula (Red Garden)

She just wanted to be undead in a trailer forever with her suspiciously close brother, how hard is it to let her have that, world? I would smash the universe to give her that happy ending. (It should come as no surprise that I would die for an undead woman multiple online reviews call ugly.)

Izumi Noa (Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor)

Look at that face. Who wouldn’t die for this endlessly endearing woman? She’s the heart and soul of her division and lights up every scene she’s in. Ugh Noa you are the cutest.

Tenkuji Touga (Choujuushin Gravion)

This is why you don’t raise kids in a castle for the purpose of piloting a weird-ass giant robot, they end up being socially ridiculous and borderline psychopathic. But I’ll be damned if Touga isn’t the most delightful little monster a rich alien could ever hope to raise. I want to protect his droopy little Gonzo-animated smile.

20. favourite costume/character design

This is a tough one, as I have lots of amazing designers and artists in mind, but if I were to pick a fave…

fujijun (Red Garden)

It is an absolute crime that fujijun hasn’t provided full series character designs for a title since her turn on Red Garden in 2006. Although better known as a fashion illustrator (and more recently, anime prop designer) fujijun’s work on Red Garden is still one of the most memorable things about the series. At once both beautiful and horrific to behold, the characters in Red Garden also have a keen and deeply personal sense of style which we see clearly in the artist’s extended wardrobes for each member of the cast. More series need designs that manage to capture the essence of a character by their accessories and outfit choices alone.

[fartacademy]

Red Garden

[fujijun]

[fujijun]