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Fushigi Yugi creator redesigns anime characters in modern art style for hypothetical remake【Pics】

Casey Baseel Aug 18, 2016
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If the early ‘90s anime and manga gets remade, Yu Watase thinks it should look like this.

While big eyes and pointy chins remain a consistent aesthetic point in manga and anime artwork, fans know that Japanese character design has its own set of evolving trends. And while some loyalists still have a soft spot for the art of decades past, there are also those who’d like to see anime and manga icons updated for more modern tastes.

Usually, that particular itch gets scratched by the fan art community. And granted, these updated character designs for the cast of smash-hit 1990s manga and TV anime Fushigi Yugi were drawn by someone who’s definitely fond of the series. Still, it doesn’t quite qualify as fan art, because the drawings were done by Yu Watase, Fushigi Yugi’s creator and original manga artist herself!

｢ふしぎ遊戯を新作もしくは20年ごリメイク｣としてキャラ描いたら、こういうふうになる！企画٩( ᐛ )وby作者
※あくまで遊びなので、真剣に捉えないようお願い致します pic.twitter.com/GNAA35gVb8

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

Over the last couple of days, Watase has been sending out a series of tweets with gorgeous reference sheet-style sketches of the cast of the romantic fantasy epic, starting with main character Miaka. To really highlight the differences, Watase also did a new drawing of a “1991 version” of the heroine.

▼ 1991 version

今、適当に描きましたが、たぶん… pic.twitter.com/iMYlkKRhJS

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 15, 2016

▼ Modern version

そして今…25年駆け抜けた！｡･*･:≡(　ε:)
玄武は、終わってからまだ近いんであんまり面白くないかな… pic.twitter.com/nUtSC64twn

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 15, 2016

One of the secrets to Fushigi Yugi’s success, though, is that just about any fan can find someone to identify with or root for in the series’ sizeable ensemble cast. Watase looks to be only too happy to please her fanbase, as she’s shared similarly refreshed looks for Miaka’s protectors, the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku.

▼ Dreamy romantic interest/martial artist Tamahome

こうなるんだねーザッと描きなのでかんべんをー pic.twitter.com/JsfVQlLdpa

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Dreamy romantic interest/emperor Hotohori

ちょっと髪の毛が変わるね、衣装も派手にするな pic.twitter.com/MB3XkAyIRH

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Super-strong dude-who-looks-and-sounds-like-a-lady Nuriko

はい！柳宿は三パターンですよー pic.twitter.com/JbKmqRZffy

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Wandering monk Chichiri, who’s single-handedly responsible for countless second-semester Japanese language students ending their sentences with no da.

サアその残る朱雀はお2人ですね pic.twitter.com/aIkLwBeifz

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Handsome comic relief Tasuki

鉄扇は今なら凝ります pic.twitter.com/6qUq5DIKX2

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Handsome medical practitioner Mitsukake

こう来たら、うーん変化球でコヤツにしましょうか pic.twitter.com/nvDABYbsJD

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Cherubic young scholar Chiriko, who probably would have grown up to be handsome eventually

やっぱり可愛いチリコ pic.twitter.com/sfwZgf16We

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

As a tale that’s dripping with emotion, Fushigi Yugi also features a collection of charismatic antagonists, most of whom had their moral compass damaged following some sort of early-life tragedy.

▼ Miaka’s friend-turned-romantic-rival-turned-fated-enemy Yui

次々いきまーす唯！！ pic.twitter.com/BesJDfkByu

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Nakago, cunning leader of the villainous Celestial Warriors of Seiryu

戯れからでしたが、ちと楽しいラクガキでした😁 pic.twitter.com/NZmgpncEZz

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 15, 2016

▼ Soi, Nakago’s subordinate and sexual healing partner

はい！再開です。そういや、先ほど番号フリを間違えてましたね？8で終わってないなー、と腹痛の中考えてました。青龍七星士紅一点。 pic.twitter.com/FZw1qFybN2

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ The beastly Ashitare

ｱｼﾀﾚちゃん、再度入れとこ pic.twitter.com/27rJQTkcXC

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Illusionist Tomo, who Watase remarks she amped up the perviness of for this drawing

派手に輪を掛けました…HENTAI度合いが上がりました笑 pic.twitter.com/MuRfJDWi3m

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

▼ Talented musician yet sub-par swimmer Amiboshi

彼の笛の音で1番好みはCDブックだったか…舞台とかで毎度違って楽しみになります pic.twitter.com/7sOJS4epvl

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 15, 2016

▼ Amboshi’s twin brother Suboshi, who’s looking for vengeance and a girlfriend (in no particular order)

今思えば、たいがいなことをしましたなぁ、少年よ pic.twitter.com/8kddgwMRAx

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 15, 2016

▼ And with one last –boshi, it’s Miboshi, the disturbingly sinister counterpart to pure-hearted Chiriko.

だいたい、お前法王のっとってなかったか？質素過ぎでしょ！て、わけでﾐﾎﾞﾐﾎﾞには素敵な青の衣装を着せたいね pic.twitter.com/RPUybH6nI6

— 渡瀬悠宇/「アラタカンガタリ~革神語」最新18巻発売中 (@wataseyuu_) August 14, 2016

Sadly, for now, the sketches are just that. “If I was drawing characters for a 20th-anniversary remake of Fushigi Yugi, this is how they’d look,” tweeted Watase, quickly adding “This is just something I did for fun, so don’t take it too seriously.” Still, it sounds like the artist would be game for an anime remake if one were to be greenlit, so maybe there’s still a slight chance of us one day seeing these designs in motion.

Source: Nijimen via Anime News Network/Amanda Ellard

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s trying to remember where he put that pack of circular Fushigi Yugi playing cards he bought in the Anime America dealer’s room.