
Humikane Shimada Special Interview for the 1st Anniversary of Activities in Fantia
2023.01.10
Humikane Shimada x Fantia Collaboration Project
"Special Interview for the 1st Anniversary of Activities in Fantia"
This post is brought to you by the Fantia Management Office
on behalf of Humikane Shimada.
On January 10th, 2023, Humikane Shimada celebrated
the 1st anniversary of his activities in Fantia.
To commemorate the first anniversary,
we had a special interview with him with a lot of maniac questions that
fans are coveted for.
Please enjoy it until the very end♪
───How did you get started on Fantia?
I was originally interested in creator support services,and
when I wrote on Twitter that I was thinking of starting one someday,
I received an e-mail from a Mr. Fantia sales person inviting me to join.
I also thought about doing it after I had some free time, but I thought
it would be better to start while I was still recognized as
an active creator.
───Could you tell us how Shimada-sensei started drawing illustrations?
I have always enjoyed drawing since I was a child.
Art was probably the most enjoyable class I joined.
I never thought about doing such things as a profession,
but I have come this far through various encounters and luck.
───The first time I came to know about you was through the Hankaku Nijigen Ita (はんかく二次元板, Half-width 2D Boards) and Futaba Oekaki Keijiban (ふたばお絵描き掲示板, Futaba Oekaki Bulletin Boards).
Do you have any memories of those days to share with us?
Those Oekaki Bulletin Boards were pretty limited in its functionality,

so it was interesting to see pixel art techniques come to life,
such as tile patterns and manual anti-aliasing.
At that time, there was no constant flat-rate Internet connection service,
so I sometimes waited for the flat-rate time (Telehodai)
to draw only late at night.
I also discovered that the person I met at the same place
and thought was good later became a professional creator.
(Futaba Oekaki Keijiban)
───Speaking of Mecha Musume,
the image was closer to armor than the variety of linear expressions and
functionality of mecha design,and it was more like anthropomorphic mecha.
Shimada-sensei’s Mecha Musume was designed in the form of
a functional mecha that assisted the girl like a powered suit,
and I remember that it was a clear distinction from the conventional one.
Do you have any inspiration for this kind of design?
I was a twisted person, so I think I was always conscious of
drawing something different from others.
I was trying to figure out how to make people wear things
that don’t have a human shape,such as tanks and fighter jets,
with a spirit of challenge.
───While the Witches series is a mecha girl, it also has fantasy elements
that use magic as the driving force, making it a form that sets it apart
from genres such as MS Musume.
What made you decide to include such fantasy elements?
Magic is a setting that came from the anime, and in the original doujin
it was a mysterious alien technology, but this is just a play on words,
and there is no way something like this (without power or propulsion)
could fly,so we needed some element of wonder.
I think the magic in the anime was because it was easier to
get used to than aliens.
───Speaking of Shimada-sensei’s character’s panties, it’s low-rise…
can you tell us about the low-rise panties?
Hmmm…I wonder what it is…simply because they are cute and sexy…
I guess.
Being naked is erotic, of course, but personally,
I like expressions that are on the level of ecchi manga
in Shonen magazines.
It’s troublesome that low-rise panties don’t go well with
movable things like plastic models.
───What is Mecha Musume for Shimada-sensei?
In contemporary genres like modern settings or fantasy,
there are countless talented creators, both professional and amateur,
and I have continued to draw what I am good at and
what I can gain recognition.
Of course, I draw what I like as well,
but the unique supply and demand structure of this niche genre
continues to support me as a commercial illustrator.
───You said your favorite ice cream is chocolate mint,
what is the appeal of chocolate mint to you?
Yummy, it is.
I know some people don’t like it because it’s like toothpaste,
but if there’s a toothpaste that tastes that good,
I’d like to know about it.
───Back to the question about Fantia, how do you feel about using Fantia?
For me, it provides the necessary and sufficient functions at present.
Since my paying users take the time and effort to support me,
I do pay attention to their reactions and comments.
───Is there anything you would like to challenge to continue your activities
with Fantia in the future?
If it becomes too much of an obligation
(especially when I am busy with my main job),
it will be difficult, so I would like to use it for a long time
with less energy so that my subscribers will not be mad.
───And lastly, please give us a message for your Fantia fans!
Thank you for joining my fan club.
I have not had many chances to draw personal illustrations
due to my busy schedule,but it has motivated me to draw various things
after a long time.
I would be happy to receive your continued support in the future.