The Western comic icon gets a warm reception from the character designers responsible for some of anime’s biggest hits.
The huge volume of manga that Japan produces serves as testament to the fact that Japanese comic fans generally prefer domestically created series and characters. Sure, the absolute biggest stars of the American superhero pantheon, such as Superman and Spider-man, have earned mainstream recognition in Japan, but many others have remained virtually unknown prior to having a big-budget Hollywood adaptation open in Japan.
So while Wonder Woman may need no introduction in the West, the producers of her live-action film are looking to give her a little extra promotional push prior to its August 25 Japanese premier. Last month, Hello Kitty herself dabbled in a little Wonder Woman cosplay, and now Warner Brothers has expanded its crossover efforts into the Wonder Woman Creators Collaboration, in which famous anime artists draw their own versions of the DC icon.
Starting things off is Akemi Takada, character designer for beloved anime such as Kimagure Orange Road, Patlabor, and Creamy Mami, who tweeted a preview of her illustration…
私も参加しました╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ https://t.co/nWFAtsraGr #ワンダーウーマン描いてみた #ワンダーウーマン pic.twitter.com/jERX9NvBwZ
— 高田明美(マミと野明の母(?)♡) (@AngelTouchPlus) July 7, 2017
…ahead of its full reveal on the project’s official website.
Next, Shingo Adachi, character designer for the Sword Art Online and Working!/Wagnaria! franchises gives us a confident Diana striding forward with her Lasso of Truth.
And finally, Sushio, character designer for anime TV series Kill la Kill, gives us a softer-tough look at the heroine and super friend Superman.
▼ Even the Invisible Plane looks cute.
This isn’t the end of the project, though, as its official website promises there will be another round of artwork reveals coming soon. In the meantime, fan artists and professionals alike can get in on the fun by tweeting their contributions with the hashtag #ワンダーウーマン描いてみた (“I drew Wonder Woman”),
https://twitter.com/naototsushima/status/883603756067168256#ワンダーウーマン描いてみた
— 牧場ノリ「リバースタワーダンジョン」ピッコマで独占配信中! (@pair_pair_) July 10, 2017
ガル・ガドットの曲線美は映画で堪能するとして…🎞️ミニキャラで描いてみました❗️クリス・パイン演じるスティーブとの絡みも気になりますねぇ😊💘楽しみ❣️ pic.twitter.com/BK6XXTZLl6
And if you find yourself now needing even more manga-style Wonder Woman, there’s always the new Justice League manga.
Source: Warner Brothers Japan via Anime News Network/Jennifer Sherman
Top image: Warner Brothers Japan
Insert images: Warner Brothers Japan
Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s always happy to talk about Kimagure Orange Road.
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