nekkyousagi reblogged
~ Nekkyo Usagi’s Commission Work ~
“Is that all you got, Bon?”
Commission for @dearmadalice Date Masamune & her OC Date Shigezane from Sengoku Basara Art by Nekkyo Usagi © 2017 Had to post some detail shots. So pleased with how these Date boys turned out! Join the Zane Club! XD
So I want to reblog this because holy cow I’m still mid-jawdrop at the artistic skill involved here, but also for how well, in OC form, @dearmadalice and @nekkyousagi have depicted the essence of the real Shigezane, in this hair-braided, tattooed form.
- Tattooing is historically something people on the edges of society do in Japan. Shigezane broke a lot of rules in his lifetime, rather notably including that stretch where he just up and left Date service for awhile. Tattooing is a really good visual way (especially to a modern audience) of conveying that.
- Braided hair is also unconventional and further underlines his rebel streak.
- The centipedes in the tattoo are an excellent nod to his helmet crest.
- As Masamune’s double-cousin (*cough* blue-blooded families all over the world seem to be alike in that regard), and as the head of what becomes the seniormost Date branch family, he’s dispensing with any formality and arm-wrestling Masamune.
- Given that the historical Shigezane was left-handed, I love that he’s using his left hand here.
The two of you have done really well, here!