, is an anime and video game illustrator and character designer from
Okayama Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,826,059 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 7,114 Square kilometre, km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefecture ...
.
Biography
Fumikane is well known for sparking the mecha shoujo boom of the 2000s with his line of
mecha musume illustrations. During this time Fumikane provided illustrations for various
dōjin
In Japan, a is a group of people who share an interest, activity, or hobby. The word is sometimes translated into English as " clique", "fandom", "coterie", "society", or "circle" (as in " sewing circle"). Self-published creative works pro ...
and commercial hobbyist magazines some of which were turned into popular figurines and model kits by
Toranoana and
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
. Since then he has worked as a character and mechanical designer for various military-themed anime television series and video games.
In July 2013, Fumikane was responsible for designing military recruitment posters and other promotional material for the
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The are the military forces of Japan. Established in 1954, the JSDF comprises the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. They are controlled by the Ministry of Defense ...
.
[2014-01-13]
日自衛隊"萌女兵"受捧 自衛官及防衛大學報名人數大增
, People's Daily
The ''People's Daily'' ( zh, s=人民日报, p=Rénmín Rìbào) is the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It provides direct information on the policies and viewpoints of the CCP in multiple lan ...
Art style
Fumikane's designs commonly combine
bishōjo
In Japanese popular culture, a , also romanized as ''bishojo'' or ''bishoujo'', is a cute girl character. characters appear ubiquitously in media including manga, anime, and computerized games (especially in the ''bishojo'' game genre), and al ...
characters, moe elements, and mechanical systems such as military-style weapons, armor, or vehicles. Some of his most iconic character designs in this style come from the
Strike Witches
is a Japanese media mix franchise originally created by Fumikane Shimada via a series of magazine illustration columns. The illustrations have since inspired several official light novel, manga, and anime series and v ...
franchise. In it young girls with
Kemonomimi
is a form of anthropomorphism in anime, manga, and games where '' moe'' qualities are given to non-human beings (such as animals, plants, supernatural entities and fantastical creatures), objects, concepts, or phenomena. In addition to ''moe' ...
use machines that attach to their legs to fly and fight aliens with weapons as part of a military force.
Main works
References
External links
*
Fumikane Shimada on Twitter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimada, Fumikane
1974 births
Japanese video game artists
Japanese video game designers
Anime character designers
People from Okayama Prefecture
Living people