Japanese Illustrator Imagines A World Where Humans Live Among Giant Animals (30 Pics)

This black feline is a show off who likes to put his excellent abilities on display. 'You can't do that, human, can you?' - he says with a challenging look on his face, while making a perfect pyramid formation with a huge ball of cotton and a blue blob of a bird.

"In Japanese mythology, grain farmers once worshipped wolves at shrines and left food offerings near their dens, beseeching them to protect their crops from wild boars and deer. Talismans and charms adorned with images of wolves were thought to protect against fire, disease, and other calamities and brought fertility to agrarian communities and to couples hoping to have children. The Ainu people believed that they were born from the union of a wolf like creature and a goddess."
H/t: The Lost Wolves Of Japan (Brett L. Walker, 2005)

A girl comes back home and uses a HUG card on her cat, but this non-exploding kitten combats the girl's futile attempt at physical contact with a NOPE card of his own.
The Japanese have a daily expression 'tadaima' (ただいま) which is a shortened version of 'I just came home', and while usually it is polite to respond with 'okaeri' (おかえり) i.e. 'welcome home', this giant feline will have none of it.

The art of camouflage is on point in this picture. Not only did the black cat become one with nature, it even managed to find a blue blob friend while at it. We are not sure why (perhaps because of the big round eyed), this cat reminds us of Totoro by Ghibli studio.

A world where you can surrender yourself to sleep on a giant ball of fur is a world where you wouldn't be able to get any work done. A perfect world.
Fun fact: did you know that in traditional Japanese architecture, a door, window or room divider made of translucent paper over a frame of wood is called shōji? It probably all comes down to the Japanese love for minimalism, for the purpose of shōji doors is to slide open, and thus conserve space that would be otherwise required for a swinging door.

A tranquil and slightly gloomy part of the series featuring a Korean crow-tit (Baepsae). There is a common idiom/saying: 'the crow tit will break its legs trying to walk like a stork', which, in its simplest form, means pretending to be something you are not.

This looks straight out of a science-fiction movie where the main protagonist is a stray cat looking for a place to call home. For months, locals have tried to lure the kitten out of his hiding place promising toys and treats. 'Look, this ain't a laser pointer, but at least it's shiny.'

A peaceful autumn afternoon at the shrine saturated with both color and falling leaves.
Although it might be hard to tell, the animal depicted in this particular illustration is not your regular raccoon. In fact, this is Tanuki (or a raccoon dog), an atypical species of dog that can grow up to 60 cm in length, with distinctive stripes of black fur under its eyes. Unlike a raccoon, tanuki has a roundish nose, small floppy ears, short and furred paws for running, and a tail that is not ringed.
Originally an evil trickster and spook in Japanese folklore, Tanuki is now a benevolent modern-day symbol of generosity, cheer and prosperity.

An unlikely hero was on his way to slay a villainous wizard, when suddenly a wild menacing fur ball of shadow crossed his path. Contrary to much of the Western world, Japanese culture sees a black cat crossing your path as a good omen. In fact, black cats are generally seen as good luck in Japan and much of Asia.