Masaki Kajishima as a Character Designer

[جبريل 無道]

First, I'm not talking characters, but character designs, two different things, and not necessairly synonymous with a favorite character.

I'll be honest, I don't think MK ever surpassed Tenchi Muyo in character design.  Maybe it's the emotional affinity to the characters that makes me feel this way.  But I generally like pretty character designs with some novelty.  In Photon, I like Aqua Keyne's design.  I think the further along the way, the more conventional the girls in the series look to me.  For instance, I really like Yukine and Aura in ISM but Aura is pretty conventional dark elf type.  Lashara and Maria, who I also like, seem the same way.

But you go to someone like Kei in Ruter, Kiyone/Tennyo in OAV3, and that vampire girl in Masquerade - and they all look the same to me.   Now, if that's by design or some red herring, Idk.

One of the things I didn't know up to a week ago or so is that naja is a genus of snake, mostly cobras.  (I always assumed the snake was tied with Kagato.)


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This snake belongs to the naja:

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It makes sense, as that is the similiar type of Snake on the Sonja exterior and what attacked Mihoshi in the reverse world.

Somehow her hair looks like the human version of the snake's features.  It's hard for me to pinpoint how, just somehow it fits.  So while my favorite characters are Ayeka/Tsunami/Kiyone/Washu, I think I like Tokimi and Naja's designs the best because they're unusual in some fashion.

Do you think MK ever surpassed himself since TM in this department?

[Tenchi Ryu]

Personally I think so. I've explained before why I prefer OVA 3 Tenchi's design because of the noticable changes in growth, but the new art is more Hot IMO. While the old style I will always appreciate, it had more of a "cute" feel to it, probably cause of the retro feel, but now, the girls feel more like sex symbols.

Good example is the opening intro for OVA 3. Compare that to the intros of OVA 1 and 2. Even without focusing on them being naked, they look more....seductive. Their faces really made it seem like their telling you to come bite them, never really got that feeling with the old design to be honest, probably cause of the wider eyes. Since you love Sekirei with me, I guess I can compare it to Kazehana, those eyes are one of the killers to why I find her so hot. Now Ryoko and Ayeka's aren't as small, but the effects make notice.

As far as characters looking the same, I would chalk that up to two things, Kajishima getting a little lazier and his love to throw bones. One of his FAVORITE things to do is to make homages to past characters in newer ones, and that can include a used name to even a used face and hair. Such as Asusa's father being named after Kazuki from dual, Lashara from Isekai being named after Lashara from Photon, and Mashisu's last name obviously a homage to the space cop, Kiyone Makibi. But even with visuals he does this. Gen from the masquerade series is basically a damn clone of Tenchi when he first came out, as you mentioned, Kei-Kiyone-Beth look like they could be sisters. A character from Anata Dake literally looks like a young Misao from those flashbacks of when he was playing tennis and hit Mashisu. Kajishima really took it up a notch when he made some of the characters from his game Gap Harvest really look like Tenchi characters, including the protagonist who's basically a ponytail-less Tenchi with no visible eyes.


In the end, it just comes down to personal preference in taste. Its easier to do things with computer animated graphics over hand cel shaded work. While it may look like more energy and time went into it which we consider a good thing, from a business POV, thats a BAD thing.

[جبريل 無道]

Personally I think so. I've explained before why I prefer OVA 3 Tenchi's design because of the noticable changes in growth, but the new art is more Hot IMO. While the old style I will always appreciate, it had more of a "cute" feel to it, probably cause of the retro feel, but now, the girls feel more like sex symbols.

It's scary to think that almost as much now has passed between now and OAV3 as had between OAV3 and OAV1.

Since you love Sekirei with me, I guess I can compare it to Kazehana, those eyes are one of the killers to why I find her so hot.

Heh, I'm more of a Homura fan than anything.  Has anything been happening with Sekirei?  Haven't been paying attention since last fall at the least.

As far as characters looking the same, I would chalk that up to two things, Kajishima getting a little lazier and his love to throw bones. One of his FAVORITE things to do is to make homages to past characters in newer ones, and that can include a used name to even a used face and hair. Such as Asusa's father being named after Kazuki from dual, Lashara from Isekai being named after Lashara from Photon, and Mashisu's last name obviously a homage to the space cop, Kiyone Makibi. But even with visuals he does this. Gen from the masquerade series is basically a damn clone of Tenchi when he first came out, as you mentioned, Kei-Kiyone-Beth look like they could be sisters. A character from Anata Dake literally looks like a young Misao from those flashbacks of when he was playing tennis and hit Mashisu. Kajishima really took it up a notch when he made some of the characters from his game Gap Harvest really look like Tenchi characters, including the protagonist who's basically a ponytail-less Tenchi with no visible eyes.

Not just lazier, I think he draws female types he likes - that he dreams about, he said he imagined a Tenchi type world as a kid - so he must really have the hots for girls like Tenchi's mom. <.<

[Tenchi Ryu]

It's scary to think that almost as much now has passed between now and OAV3 as had between OAV3 and OAV1.

Depends on how what you're focusing on honestly. If you are just looking at Tenchi stuff, then yea, but if you are following Kajishima and all his works, he actually does have a somewhat consistent time flow of releases. He only tends to have time period max of 2 years of time between different projects except from the jump from GXP to present stuff.
OVA 1: Sep 25, 1992 to Mar 25, 1993
OVA 2: Sep 25, 1994 to Sep 25, 1995
Photon: Nov 21, 1997 to Feb 18, 1999
Gosenzo Sane: Sep 25, 1998 to Mar 25, 1999
Spaceship Agga Ruter: Oct 25, 1998 to Apr 25, 1999
Dual: Apr 8, 1999 to Jul 1, 1999
Zoku Gonsenzo Sane: Oct 25, 2000 to Apr 25, 2001
GXP: Apr 2, 2002 to Sep 25, 2002
OVA 3: Sep 18, 2003 to Sep 14, 2005
Isekai: Mar 20, 2009 to Mar 19, 2010
Anata Dake: Jul 25, 2009 to Oct 21, 2011

Has anything been happening with Sekirei?  Haven't been paying attention since last fall at the least.

A number of things have happened that's critical to the plot, but people are kinda upset with Sakurako-sensei since she recently posted in her blog how she is ending the series soon because she's tired of it. She's basically giving up and we will get a shitty ending.

Not just lazier, I think he draws female types he likes - that he dreams about, he said he imagined a Tenchi type world as a kid - so he must really have the hots for girls like Tenchi's mom. <.<

Well, I mean look at that character design. No bangs with the hair tied up in a bun, a pretty common hair style. So he probably does seem to like that. If you notice, Kajishima isn't really all into females with LONG hair in the traditional sense. Even Ayeka who's hair is long, you don't really focus on the length because of how it has that cut off looking area around under her ears. And he hasn't been afraid to use buzzbuts every once in a while. While some DIDN'T like the Noike haircut, he probably saw it as an UPGRADE. Once again, different strokes for different folks.

[جبريل 無道]

Since you love Sekirei with me, I guess I can compare it to Kazehana, those eyes are one of the killers to why I find her so hot. Now Ryoko and Ayeka's aren't as small, but the effects make notice.

When Tsunami, Washu, and Tokimi get more curves: "More choushin for the pushin'." <.<

A number of things have happened that's critical to the plot, but people are kinda upset with Sakurako-sensei since she recently posted in her blog how she is ending the series soon because she's tired of it. She's basically giving up and we will get a shitty ending.

>.<

And I think Ayeka looks much better with her hair released from their bonds<.<

[antvasima]

Well, compared to the bland indistinguishable and prebubescent unattractive female anime designs of most other anime, I think that Kajishima has pulled off quite a few attractive designs.  The Choushin, Mihoshi, Mitoto, Amane, the dark-skinned Seto assistant, Ryoko's onsen shot, Amane's rival, young Mikami, etcetera. Ryoko Baluta was designed by somebody else though.

Strangely, with the exception of the sennin/nature spirit in Anata Dake Konbanwa, none of the women in his erotic works have looked attractive.

[shades of blue]

Strangely, with the exception of the sennin/nature spirit in Anata Dake Konbanwa, none of the women in his erotic works have looked attractive.

Including the school nurse Gen bent over, while her daughter silently watched?

[Tenchi Ryu]

Strangely, with the exception of the sennin/nature spirit in Anata Dake Konbanwa, none of the women in his erotic works have looked attractive.

Something tells me you'll like Kazehana if you watch Sekirei..

[antvasima]

Something tells me you'll like Kazehana if you watch Sekirei.

Yeah, she is easily the prettiest in that show, but not at all on part with Kajishima's most attractive characters.