So, are you a Moomin fan? Created by Finnish author Tove Jansson in 1940, the Moomins have cultivated a unique charm that has kept them incredibly popular worldwide for decades.
Recently, renowned Japanese animator, director, and mechanical designer, Masami Obari, dropped some self-drawn Moomin storyboard sketches on his X (formerly Twitter) account. Packed with Obari's unmistakable style, these drawings have earned massive praise from fans, with many hoping to see an actual animated project in this vein someday.
While Obari didn't explicitly state why he drew these, the accompanying hashtag, "#このタグ見たヤツは今すぐムーミンを資料なしで描け" (which roughly translates to "#DrawMoominWithoutReferenceIfYouSeeThisTag"), suggests it was a tag-inspired challenge. Add in "#男の子ってこういうのが好きなんでしょ" ("#BoysLikeThisStuffRight"), and it's clear Obari knows exactly how to deliver the goods that his fans adore!
After all, that iconic pose with the giant sword is what fans affectionately call the "Hero Stance" (勇者パース, also known as the "Sunrise Stance" after the studio famous for mecha anime). It's a signature move that pops up in almost all of Obari's works, from the Strike Gundam in "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" to Bravern in "Brave Bang Bravern."
Fans went wild over the drawing, praising Obari's creativity. Who knew Moomin could look so incredibly cool and completely different from the Moomin we know and love!
And if one wasn't enough, he followed up with another super-robot Moomin. This one looks seriously tough!
This really highlights Obari's powerful and distinctive style, and why fans love him so much. Those instantly recognizable storyboard angles are what fans call "Obari's One-Sword Style."
But hey, only Obari could pull off a Moomin this epic!