Ironlily Interview
@ironlily-art can be found on Facebook and Twitter currently.
What inspired you to get into depicting action women / historical waifu?
Honestly, it's simply because I love them. I love European history, I love anime-style girls, and I love strong female characters. But it’s hard to find existing genres that combine all of these, especially where they’re the main theme rather than just backgrounds. So I just wanted to be greedy and merge everything I love into one, to explore the possibilities.
Do you think you're attracted to the women in your own work?
To be honest, the girls I draw are often inspired by ideals I hold dear, or by a certain kind of person I deeply want to portray. If my characters were real, I’m sure I’d fall in love with them. In that sense, yes—part of what drives me to draw comes from affection or desire. I believe creating something requires some level of passion, even romantic or sexual feelings.
But once these characters are created, I see them as independent individuals living in their own world. I don’t project excessive desire onto them after. Maybe that’s why some fans feel my characters seem real—because I don’t depict them as having any motive through the fourth wall toward the audiences on the other side of the screen.
Are the women in your works inspired by anyone you know personally? Optionally: Gender, including trans status if applicable or already out, and sexual orientation.
My characters are shaped by many life experiences and by what I observe around me—blended with imagination. Sometimes, I wish the world could be more beautiful and fun, where girls aren’t bound by societal expectations and can joke about their bodies as freely as men do, without facing judgment. That’s how characters like Ebenholz and the Hoplitissa came to be.
As for my gender identity, I don’t have anything particularly unique to say—I’m just a regular heterosexual person. In my country, topics like gender identity aren’t very prominent, but we respect cultures where diverse identities are more celebrated. Likewise, I hope people can also respect those with traditional values. I’m grateful that I have a kind and respectful community.
Has the animation/comics/game fandom particularly influenced your artistic decisions?
If you try searching for Takami Akai, and Seiji Kamiya of Vanillaware, I think you’ll quickly find the answer. (laughs)
Are you familiar with the Weibermacht genre? If not, why?
I wasn't aware of it before, but after looking up the term, I realized I’ve seen some renaissance artworks that fall under this category. However, I don’t have much to say.
What are your thoughts on polite society's imposed gender roles? (Polite society: Whatever the social norms are where you live)
Speaking strictly about such societies, I believe they have always served as a necessary structure for society value. However, as time changes, they need to evolve, adapt, and be reinterpreted. Setting aside any malicious human intent related to gender oppression, every culture and era has required a set of norms to maintain social unity and divide responsibilities among genders. This ensures both societal stability and the continuity of the human population.
That said, society also needs spaces for those who do not fit into mainstream roles to find refuge. Monasteries, for example, historically served such a purpose—providing an alternative social structure. Both Ordo Mediare and Hoplitissa are fictional worlds I created with this kind of concept.
What is your cultural background? Do you think it has an impact on your artistic depictions?
I come from a non-European region, also one without a deeply rooted historical tradition of its own. We've been heavily influenced by Japanese anime, and that influence has certainly shaped my artistic preferences.
Do you think your works will inspire change in society?
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that my work can change society—nor do I necessarily believe that society must be changed. Rather than calling it 'change,' I prefer to see it as ‘creating a space’ gathering and inspiring people, and moving forward together. In doing so, I hope my ideas gain more recognition and appreciation."
Do you have an interest in history as a whole? What are your other hobbies beside artwork?
My interest in history is actually quite narrow—I’m really only passionate about the Western European cold weapon era. But I think that's more than enough to keep an amateur like me busy for a whole life. Of course, I don’t reject other cultures; it’s just harder for me to actively dive into them.
As for other hobbies, definitely gaming. Also food, drinks, and cute things. I have a lot of interests, but each one is pretty specific—I only like certain games, certain types of food, certain kinds of alcohol. I like to call it… loyalty!
What do you predict in the future of the New Weibermacht genre?
I’m not sure where this term originally came from or whether it represents an established aesthetic trend. But what I can say is this: if it’s framed as a strong ideological stance that tries to change, replace or correct existing artistic directions, then it will inevitably face criticism and backlash. Like many ‘new’ ideologies today, it could spark quarrels over positions among communities, and in the end, creators might get lost in these ideological battles.
Personally, I’m better at looking to the past than predicting the future. I believe creators should focus on what they love. It doesn’t need to become a slogan. If there’s going to be a slogan or aesthetic philosophy, let the thinkers and theorists take care of that.
Return to New Weibermacht Masterpost.
