So, here we are again, with a smol review while we wait for the next shipment of goods to arrive. One thing I noticed, is that my Mandarake wishlist is steadily reducing, and I might actually… run out of stuff I want?! unlikely. Still missing two Robamoto, and there is more stuff that is simply sort of difficult to track down. As I collect only original and non-h dōjinshi the pool is a bit smaller than the average collector’s, but I’m far from done. For some of the rare things I might have to go back to Otaku Republic, the pricier option.
For today, let’s take a look at a semi-vintage (2015) offering by designer, developer, and fellow dog lover Ryo Nakae (whose portfolio you can find here). Similar to people like Robamoto, CHOCO and others I have reviewed in the past, the artist’s mindset as a professional graphic / web designer filters through, and Nakae’s illustrations have a sleek, striking sense of depth, field and color that manages to evade typical PIXIV manga / anime tropes. This is added value to me, as I really appreciate dōjin creators who bring elements of professional / commercial design to their craft.
This is particularly the case with Dancing Girl vol.1 (yes, there is a vol.2, and I will get it eventually). A high quality full color publication, though a bit on the side of slim at only 14 pages, it features a selection of illustrations designed to look like brand advertisements from a fashion magazine, with a number of nods to real-world houses. I do learn from the captions that the model sporting the clothes happens to be character Ran Shibuki from Aikatsu, a gacha game I’m unfamiliar with – as it often happens in the case of this sort of dōjinshi, the reference makes litte difference, and you can simply enjoy the illustrations as ‘pretty character wears nice clothes in well-designed panels’.
We also have a couple of guest artists. One is Daisuke Nagai, the other is Futa. Both entirely new names to me – though, much like Nakae, they both seem to be designers-by-day who dabble in illustration and dōjin work as a side gig. One illustration each is a bit too little to pass judgment, so I’ll keep my eyes open for their stuff.
Not much to add about this one, a nice short offering displaying a professional’s keen eye for design and composition. Well done! The dōjinshi also has a dedicated website, which is pretty cool in its own right – you can find more links both for Nakae and the guest contributors.
