Fantasy Characters & Creatures is a go-to source for monster inspiration

What’s the difference between beast warriors, anthropomorphic insects, zombies, dinosaurs and anthropomorphic food? If you’ve played video games or appreciate the art that goes into them then you know that characters like that have a chasm of difference between them based on their size, weapons, personality, and more. Satoshi Matsuura is a video game character designer whose work is jagged, unique and really stands out when you see it. In Fantasy Characters & Creatures, An Artist’s Sourcebook, Whimsical Beasts, Anthropomorphic Monsters and More! audiences will get to see a collection of over 600 of his creations.

It’s important to point out that this is not an artist’s book on how-to draw a certain character. There will certainly be some readers who look at the book and are tempted to make (probably trace…..) their own version of a Sun Bear Warrior or a Petit Sahuagin, and that is awesome. It’s also probably the point for emerging or curious artists, in that most of them start by emulating (copying, for those high school students too lazy to use a thesaurus) a character or a style and then morphing that into their own, unique style.

Matsuura’s style is certainly unique. It’s simultaneously kawaii and kowai. A kitten is kawaii and certain yokai (monsters) are kowai. Cute and scary sound similar in Japanese, but are worlds apart in the spoken lexicon. In looking at the Baby Salamander you can see how it can be cute, but also how it could live in your nightmares if you catch it at the wrong moment. Every creature, animal or humanoid in Fantasy Characters & Creatures has that division, with some of its characteristics landing on the huggable side, with others hopefully in your rearview mirror.

As each category starts Matsuura offers some insight from the artist as to what made them take shape. In Anthropomorphic Birds, the Heron Knight was created using the grace of a heron, with the pomp and circumstance of a knight. He regretted not making the Pigeon Knight white, and it looks less regal, and more pedestrian, much like the two species of birds. The Beast Warriors are a different animal altogether, with them having more animal characteristics and fewer human traits. The is evident by looking at the Raccoon Dog Sorcerer and the Rabbit Knight, who look more fierce than cuddly.

The liner notes that accompany each type of character are just enough to encourage artists, without boring them with platitudes with words. People who want to draw, want to draw. Yeah, that sounds silly to write it, but even Matsuura himself has a version of that in the author’s notes that are in the back of the book. “I only physically draw for 1-2 hours, but I’m always thinking about the design.”, he says in the more detailed notes at the back of the book.

In my ‘artist’ brain, I consider the author notes to be part of Fantasy Characters & Creatures where Matsuura answers the questions that emerging or curious artists are too shy to ask or don’t have the opportunity. Should I look at reference material? What’s the most important part of hybrid creature design? What if I don’t feel like drawing or designing today? That last question can be key for artists who get anxious when they don’t particularly feel creative or like letting the monsters loose. What does Matsuura do when that thought rears its head?

It dovetails nicely with a reminder that this is not an activity book. It is a book loaded with over 600 examples of monsters and creatures from Satoshi Matsuura, a video game designer who specializes in creature design. His work evokes that that you’ve seen in anime, but is entirely different. One might compare the ubiquitous, yet individualistic nature of Matsuura’s work to the forgotten compositions of  Richard Halley from Atlas Shrugged. Halley, a fictitious character goes missing and echoes of music that sound like something he would’ve written resonate with one of the lead characters.

Matsuura’s work reminds me of that, but it’s most likely because I had never had his name directly associated with it. To those video game folks screaming at the screen, yes, I’m late to the party, but thanks for having me. Satoshi Matsuura starts Fantasy Characters & Creatures by addressing the elephant in the room as to why he wrote the book. It was created, not as a means on ‘how to draw’, but as cranium crumbs for artists who need motivation on ‘how to think’. And because I engage with high and middle school students across various levels, I’ve seen their critical thinking skill and the need for them to be bigger. This is a book for the artists, but also one that casual gamers, in-depth gamers and people who simple like creative monsters will enjoy looking at.

Fantasy Characters & Creatures: An Artist’s Sourcebook, Whimsical Beasts, Anthropomorphic Monsters and More! is from Satoshi Matsuura and available on Tuttle Publishing.

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