This post started out as a search for a photograph of Kio Shimoku (木尾 士目), author of Genshiken. It was not successful, because either Google Image isn't as encyclopedic as I thought, or because Shimoku-sensei is camera-shy (I don't know -- he does describe himself as timid in this interview) or maybe just because I don't know enough to pick him out. If you're trying to find out what someone looks like it helps to know beforehand what they look like.
But this is a good portrait of the artist's hands. You can tell it's Shimoku from the signature and drawing both. The artwork is an alternate version of the cover of Genshiken, Volume 6. Instead of cosplaying Renko in school uniform, Ogiue is modeling her swimsuit.
The photo is also a fine portrait because it includes quite a bit of the artist's workspace and pens and stuff. The source is this blog entry, dated February 2007. The sweater dates from the 1990s.
The search for Shimoku turned up two other drawings, both of them sketches from an event on November 27, 2010.
Madarame, from here. And Ogiue, from here.
If I were at a show where Kio Shimoku was selling sketches, which character would I ask for? I have the same birthday and blood-type as Ogiue, but a voice in my head is saying Kugayama. We don't see enough of Kugapii. D
[Update: more shots of Shimoku's hands at this Digopuri signing in Taiwan in 2010.]
[Here's a twist. According to his Japanese language Wikipedia article 'Kio Shimoku' is a pen name.]
Comments