Hello everybody!
Back at Anime Los Angeles, there was this booth that had a bunch of clothing with artwork from different artists (my apologies for forgetting which brand), but there was 1 shirt that stood out for me. It was a design created by Ichigomochi. I thought this would be a great opportunity to share more insight about the artist, as well as feature some of their artwork, if you are not familiar with her. Here is how our interview went:
What is the origin of your artist name “ichigomochi”?
“ichigo” because my real name comes from the fruit strawberry, and “mochi” because I like to eat and touch chewy things!
What inspired you to become an artist? Was there a particular moment or memory that triggered it?
I was a child who loved to draw from a young age, and naturally enrolled in and graduated from an art college.
At that time, to become an illustrator, many people worked as a graphic designer and then became freelance.
However, in a world where it was common for graphic designers to work all night, I was not confident in my physical strength, and I also had a gut feeling that if I worked that way, I would hate drawing pictures! I felt that if I worked that way, I would hate painting.
Therefore, I thought about what I would like to do next, and since I love talking to people, I worked in customer service jobs such as call centers and system support desks.
Then, after getting married, I left the company, had a baby, and began to keep a childcare diary to remember the child’s casual gestures and small events!
This is when I started to remember the joy of drawing pictures and began to actively enter them in competitions.
Where do you get inspiration for your works?
I often get inspiration from my daily life. I always keep my antenna up and write down even the slightest movement of my mind in a notebook so that I can sublimate it into my work.
Is there a piece of artwork (either by you or by others) that resonates most with you? Who are the artists who have influenced you the most?
I am most attached to “One Day in High Heels-chan” among my own works.
The character “High Heels-chan” is the image of an adult woman that I envisioned when I was a little girl.
When I was a little girl, I believed that when I grew up I would be an invincible woman who wore bright red high heels and walked around the city streets.
As an adult, I was far from invincible. I realized that just by getting better at pretending that nothing is wrong, adults are usually hurt too and are not invincible.
However, high-heeled girls are the ones who are much stronger and invincible in the picture.
Such a high-heeled girl always encourages me.
Another artist who has influenced me is the Hong Kong illustrator Little thunder and the manga artist Shigeru Mizuki.
I love Little thunder’s drawings and she herself is very attractive, but above all, I truly enjoy drawing and respect her sincere attitude.
Also, my mother was a big fan of Shigeru Mizuki and used to show me the first Gegege no Kitaro cartoon (it was in black and white at the time) since I was a child.
I cannot see any yokai. But they may really exist. I think she nurtured my ability to see and feel things that I could not see.
Even now, I still love yokai!
Is there any artist or person you would like to work with on a future project?
I would really love to be able to be involved somewhere someday with Little Thunder Sensei, whom I admire so much.
Do you have any favorite anime series or movies? If so, what are they?
I love “Tokyo Godfathers” directed by Satoshi Kon, “GANTZ:O” written by Hiroya Oku, “AKIRA” by Katsuhiro Otomo, “Children of the Sea” directed by Ayumu Watanabe, and “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko” directed by Ayumi Watanabe!
As for the anime series, “Chainsaw Man,” written by Tatsuki Fujimoto, has a different ending song for each episode and is animated by various artists, making it very enjoyable and worthwhile to watch!
If you could give any advice to current or future artists, what would it be?
Anyway, just have fun! I believe that what you enjoy drawing will definitely reach the viewer.
I believe that the feeling of fun will definitely take you to a place of enjoyment.
Let’s have fun together while feeling the joy of drawing!
Here is her artwork featured for RöE.
I just want to thank Ichigomochi for giving me the opportunity for an interview. If you are interested in checking out her artwork, check out her social media down below:
SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @ichi_gomochi
Suzuri: https://suzuri.jp/fumi_mi_ichi
Tricera: https://www.tricera.net/ja/artist/pop-art-artists/8103950
POTOFU Link: https://potofu.me/jiy5vmhw
