"Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story" is an anime based on the smartphone app game of the same name. The first and second seasons have aired in the past, and the final chapter, "Final Season: Dawn of a Shallow Dream," is scheduled to air this spring, creating a buzz. The series is characterized by its cutely drawn characters and a serious storyline that contrasts sharply. The person responsible for creating these adorable characters is Ume Aoki. In this article, we'll introduce you to some of Aoki's other works!
Introduction: What's the story about?
Iroha Tamaki, a middle school student and magical girl, had forgotten why she became a magical girl and the wish she made when she made her magical girl contract. One day, she heard a rumor that "Magical girls can be saved if they go to Kamihama City." Later, by chance, Iroha visits Kamihama City, where she meets a little Kyubey and remembers that her wish was to cure her younger sister Ui's illness. However, all traces of Ui have disappeared from her surroundings, and she is no longer present. Iroha begins exploring Kamihama City in search of clues.
Character Design: Ume Aoki
The character designer is Ume Aoki, a female manga artist and illustrator. Born in Hyogo Prefecture and raised in Fukuoka Prefecture, she later moved to Tokyo. She developed an interest in manga in her early elementary school years and decided to aspire to become a manga artist. She created her first doujinshi in her third year of junior high school and sold them at a local book fair. Her career as a doujinshi artist really took off in high school, successfully selling 700 copies at Comic Market. After graduating from high school, he entered the Department of Design and Information at Musashino Art University. After graduation, he was scouted by the editorial staff of Manga Time Kirara and began serializing his signature work, "Hidamari Sketch." In 2011, he was responsible for the character designs for "Puella Magi Madoka Magica."
His signature work as a manga artist: "Hidamari Sketch"
"Hidamari Sketch" is Aoki's signature work. It's a four-panel comic about the high school girls who live in Hidamari Apartments and are in the art department at their high school. The series began serialization in 2004 and is still ongoing, with 10 volumes published. It's a flagship work for Manga Time Kirara Carat, in which it's published, and has the longest publication period of any Kirara work. The anime has aired for four seasons. The anime industry is highly competitive, with many works never getting a second season, so I think it's amazing and wonderful that it has continued to the fourth series.
Unique Drawing Technique: "Hecho Face"
Aoki's drawings feature characters with round faces and droopy eyes. Furthermore, he is known for his "hecho face," as seen in the image above, where the face is flattened vertically, with the lower cheeks and chin in a nearly straight line and the eyes elongated. Hecho faces are often used in comedy scenes, and in the "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" series, where the content is more serious, it's difficult to see hecho faces. However, in the "Hidamari Sketch" series, expressions like the one in the image can be seen frequently.
Voice Actor Activity
Did you know that Aoki has a history as a voice actor? When "Hidamari Sketch" was adapted into an anime in 2007, he played a character named "Ume-sensei," which is also Aoki's nickname, and even sang the character song. He also appeared as a guest on the show's radio show and later became a semi-regular. Furthermore, when an event for the show was held at Nippon Budokan, he performed a solo song. This is a very unusual career history for a manga artist, and it's clear that he has had valuable experience! Incidentally, another manga artist who has performed at Nippon Budokan is Takeshi Konomi, the well-known creator of "The Prince of Tennis."
Summary of Introduction to Ume Aoki
This article introduces Ume Aoki, the original character designer. She's a highly versatile artist, working as a manga artist, character designer, voice actor, and singer. In fact, she's sometimes referred to as a "multi-talented" character on radio programs. Aoki's character designs are unique and adorable, making them an indispensable part of the work. It's reaffirmed that while the script is important, the artwork is equally important. I'm looking forward to the final chapter, which begins this spring! That's all for now. Thank you for reading.
