While the anime has concluded, Nisemonogatari’s adorable imoutos are energetic as usual – making an incredibly cute appearance together within a magazine in matching uniforms, bedsheets atop both their heads.
Seifukus are a standard of any second dimensional female – thus, there’s nothing too odd in seeing Shuraragi’s imoutos sporting them, even though the outfit was never seen in the anime. The vibrant white blouses are lovely – as are the sky blue skirts, and of course, leg exposure. Tsukihi’s zettai ryouiki is fairly impressive – and Karen’s legs are quite nice as well, appealing without being too overly emphasized in any manner.
In fact, a strength of this piece is how the little sisters of our memorable protagonist are presented in quite a delicate fashion – there’s no artificial super model poses or similar, and essentially, the illustration captures a natural beauty emanating from the two imoutos as persons, versus the usual centric focus instead specific anatomical areas of the body.
Their visages are the sole focal points – with the rest, save the arms, being more subtly incorporated as necessary. The arms are subject to foreshortening – and what’s very spectacular about the art piece is how the imoutos are portrayed near, but not perfectly, symmetrical. There’s an unmissable essence of identical themes in each half of the imouto dominated image – yet notice the slight discrepancies differentiating the two. Eyes varying in shape ever so diminutively – whilst hair, and other general traits like ensemble also have their minor variances.
A key detail to notice however is how they’re both left handed – rather than mirror each other in arm extended, they both have their left hand out. Surely there’s some symbolism in this, as with the bedsheets – though one can speculate that as they see fit.
This image itself is more so a promotional work overall than an artistic one – the character designs are magnificent of course, yet the composition as a whole wasn’t made according to an artistic respect. If one were to remove the text, there’d be a vast negative space surrounding and between the imoutos – yet that’s just a feature of the image, and not much else is there to say over that. However, it does go to show simply how phenomenal Vofan’s character illustrations are that they can stand alone – and still prove so unparalleled.
Mentioning one final integral aspect, the two are heart gushingly cute – this is obvious. Yet one of the reasons they’re so moe lies in their squiggled mouths. Vofan utilizes many details like this – characteristics which he invented himself to achieve a desired effect. This is truly amazing as one can indeed notice, he takes advantage of art to deliver an entirely fresh style, rather than mux several other established techniques, although he does that on occasion as well, notably impressionism.
Vofan innovates with every artistic venture he explores – and here we have just another example of his artistic mastery in the form of two cute little sisters, yet it must be said that while Vofan is responsible for the inception of these lovable two, this specific piece is by another skilled set of hands, Watanabe Akio.
May 12, 2012 @ 23:07 CDT
For me both of them looks like their in a wedding gown and waiting for someone to put a ring in their left hand, just a guess. The artwork is beatiful though.
May 12, 2012 @ 23:14 CDT
Splendid guess – you’re actually correct. The text is actually some cute details on them as if preparing to make a romantic choice – and then you can see a bride silhouette in the bottom right corner.
May 12, 2012 @ 23:18 CDT
Moe! I love them X3
May 12, 2012 @ 23:51 CDT
I also love them – it appears there is a correlation between imoutos and love.
May 13, 2012 @ 0:55 CDT
Although Vofan did indeed design the characters, I’m pretty sure he didn’t actually draw the aforementioned illustration. The credit for that illustration will have to go to Akio Watanabe, the character designer for Bake/Nise/Kizu – monogatari.
May 13, 2012 @ 1:02 CDT
I considered that – though thanks for clarifying, should have actually mentioned such.
I feel though that much of the credit, even if not for the specific illustration, should still go to Vofan as he is responsible for the characters, and Akio merely replicated them accordingly. He should actually be recognized as well, and I made a mistake in not doing so – though Vofan still gets the major props.
May 13, 2012 @ 2:50 CDT
Something a little random – always wondered why females in anime seem to clasp their middle and ring fingers together. Is that some kind of japanese etiquette? Like the way people extend their pinkies out when sipping a cup of tea.
May 13, 2012 @ 2:56 CDT
Now that you mention it…
I don’t know.