ORIHARA –<\/strong> I\u2019ve always loved manga and anime. I was especially drawn to stories in general and I often found myself imagining what would happen if a certain character existed within those stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking Harry Potter for example, there are four houses right? I\u2019d imagine what kind of students might have been there a hundred years ago.. That kind of imagination led me to create characters in my head, and I started illustrating them in a way that I could visualize them myself. In a way, I\u2019d say it all started with a love for fan creations and transforming it into my way of creative expressions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n B – So it wasn\u2019t just enjoying the stories as they were, but expanding them into your imaginations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA – <\/strong>Yes exactly. I\u2019ve always been drawn to reading and imagining the spaces between the lines. My friends and I used to create our own stories, and it evolved into creating my original narratives over time. It gradually shifted towards writing, and I\u2019d draw illustrations to share those stories with others to supplement the visuals. B – Do you think you tend to imagine or think about stuff a lot outside of manga and anime?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Yes. I think so. I\u2019ve always been someone who keeps all kinds of words and thoughts in my mind. One of my mentors once told me \u201cAlways keep your antenna up\u201d and that advice really stuck with me. I don\u2019t believe people who achieve extraordinary things were necessarily born special from the start. It\u2019s more about noticing what others overlook, while they\u2019re playing, resting or distracted, thinking beyond and more for random subjects and pushing themselves a bit further – those are the ones who really grow. And this sounds entirely logical to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So I often find myself thinking things like \u201cThe clouds today are really gray – why is that? Aren\u2019t clouds supposed to be white?\u201d or \u201cWhy does the sunset shift from orange to pink and then suddenly give way to this sharp line of blue?\u201d or even \u201cWhy do dogs walk on four legs?\u201d. I think the more time you spend questioning the obvious that are accepted as social norms and taken for granted, the more likely you can go steps ahead of the crowd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n B – I see. That makes me think how thoughtless I am\u2026 haha<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA – <\/strong>I\u2019m an overthinker – I sometimes check if I locked the door properly five times before leaving. People around me often tell me I\u2019m just overthinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B – That\u2019s better than having the habit of forgetting to lock the door hahaha<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Better than having someone break in for sure haha<\/p>\n\n\n\n B – The way you immerse yourself so deeply into a single moment of life is very interesting.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u200b\u200bORIHARA – <\/strong>Thank you for saying that. Now even the door I locked five times can be relieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B – Yeah.. haha Do you think that kind of everyday awareness and your eye for observation and insight finds its way into your illustrations?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Absolutely – it influences both my illustration work and my role as an image director. Thinking about human behavior in depth everyday: why a person chooses certain words in a given moment, why someone cried under certain circumstances. Such constant reflection has definitely shaped my creative process and career as an artist. In many ways, I think it\u2019s become a core part of what grounds my work. B – I don\u2019t think \u201cImage Director\u201d existed before you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s right. I sometimes receive DMs from people who aspire to be an image director one day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n B – You basically created a new profession. May I please ask you to share what an image director does?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> From a technical standpoint, my role as an image director involves visually representing someone. Through illustration and various mediums like merchandise and costumes, I convey who they are, what kind of character they embody. I could be seen as a designer, forming and translating identity into visual expression. B – That means, you really need to immerse yourself deeply into the person you\u2019re portraying. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B – I imagine there\u2019s a real challenge in making sure you don\u2019t misinterpret or misunderstand what and how you\u2019re portraying.. Do you ever struggle with that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Yes, I always think about that. I can ever just say \u201cleave it all to me, I know exactly how it is\u201d, nor should it be. I believe people\u2019s sensibilities can shift with something as simple as a single film. There\u2019re so many moments and encounters in life that would make someone say \u201cThat changed my life\u201d. If someone\u2019s entire worldview can be changed in just two hours, how could I ever claim to fully understand a person baked on information I just gathered a month ago? I\u2019m always mindful never to think I understand something or someone completely. Whenever I finish and submit my work, it\u2019s always with a bit of hesitation and nervousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B – That also resonates with the mindset you value – \u201ccontinually wishing someone\u2019s happiness\u201d you mentioned earlier. That word continually, the act of staying with it, of continuing to face someone with care – that seems incredibly important.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> Yeah, I can\u2019t agree more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n B – In a way, it\u2019s almost like you\u2019re shouldering half of that person\u2019s life – there\u2019s a sense of responsibility that comes with it. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ORIHARA –<\/strong> I constantly worry that a certain depiction might lead to misconception – that even if a particular expression looks good visually and aesthetically, it could lead people to form the wrong impression of who that person is or give an idea that this person is somehow frozen in time and never evolving if I\u2019m stuck with certain expressions. To avoid that kind of disconnect, I constantly ask myself if I\u2019m misunderstanding something or if I\u2019m just assuming that I understand. I feel like this kind of self-questioning isn\u2019t just important but it\u2019s essential for this job and the responsibility that comes with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Forging ahead on the still-uncharted path of \u201cImage Director\u201d – ORIHARA continues to break new ground. In Part I, she described her role as one with \u201ccontinually wishing for someone\u2019s happiness\u201d, sharing a creative philosophy rooted in empathy, even at the cost of wearing herself down in the process. In Part II, we will explore how she manages herself within such an everyday-environment, tracing the evolution of her work shaped by constant self-questioning and breakin the walls. <\/strong> OIA TICKET GIVEAWAY CAMPAIGN NOW LIVE!<\/p><\/div> Ready to experience the world of ORIHARA \u201cin real life\u201d? Now\u2019s your chance! We\u2019re giving away tickets to OSAKA INTERNATIONAL ART 2025 (May 31 – June 1)<\/a>! Follow us on SNS and fill out the application form – it’s that easy!<\/strong> \u3010Application Form<\/strong>\u3011
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\u201ccontinually wishing for someone\u2019s happiness\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To say it in an emotional way, it\u2019s a job rooted in continually wishing for someone\u2019s happiness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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*Limited to 2 tickets per person<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/forms.gle\/pkqXsabFTGctg1Rr7<\/mark><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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