YGOrganization | [ART1] Card Game Art Works: Amabie

The youkai that encourages fanart

TL note: Some of the notes are related to the legend of the youkai Amabie itself. The summary is that a youkai foretold of good harvest for the following years, but also the arrival of a disease. Therefore, a replica of the youkai’s appearance should be shown to people with haste. It is believed that those that have fallen ill would recover after seeing the replica of the youkai’s image. During the 2020 pandemic, there was a viral trend to create art based on this youkai, inspired by the legend. This card was released following that trend.

Amabie
Full art:

Details:

Left: “Details”
Right: “Amabie should be easy to draw while still showing details”

Decorations:

Left: “Beak: Decoration”
Right: “Eye: Decoration”

Hair:

“Water-like”

Hair colors:

“These colors”
~~Verre~~: “It was popular during that time”

Balance:

“In order to fit it all the way to the tail in the [illustration] square, I’ll be changing the balance a little”

Wings:

“Because it’s a Fairy-type, I’m adding flying fish wings”

Belly:

“Has a whale design in its belly (it cannot be seen in the card illustration)”

“Legs”:

Red text: “Has scales all over its body”
Left and right “legs”: “Vertical”
Middle “leg”: “Horizontal”

Side view:

“In order to draw Amabie easily, I’m also leaving a side-view ready here”

Traditional design:

TL note: This is a similar design to the first depiction of the youkai, printed in a wooden block. It’s instructing those that have seen it to “replicate” its appearance.

Little sisters:

Top: “Amabie little sisters, easy to replicate”
Bottom: “[Because it’s] Amabie-san (3) -> 3 in total”

TL note: The JP name of the card uses the suffix “-san” for Amabie in its name. “San” is one of the readings for the number “3”, so “3” Amabies are being included.

Modern version of the legend:

Top: “Go-and-show-them pose”
Middle: “Hi~”
Amabie: “Replicate my appearance in a picture and show it to people, with haste. #bie-sanart #amabiesan”