Art Volume Cover and Official Art Thread

[Yakkun]

Yeah, I'm with Rey on this one. Howzer, the whole meeting with Guila again, the way this entire side chapter went down... I think we get the first major named casualty here (as much as I liked Jade he hardly counts). And I think it will be Howzer. This felt like a massive death flag for me as well. They might return Tristan to his old self via Gowther but Howzer will likely go for good. Which I am honestly fine with. Of course I will be sad but the man has the chance to go out with a bang while in his absolute prime. It will have massive impact on a lot of people too. Gilthunder, Griamore and his family, Guila, Edlin and of course Donny most of all. Liones loses its acting Great Holy Knight. Guila will move up and she will take the entire knight body of Liones with her, filling them with righteous fury if Howzer dies.

I hope Nakaba handles everything about this tournament right because there are a lot of unknown factors yet to be revealed and it has the potential to be 4KotA's strongest arc yet.

 

[Rey151203]

I don't think what Pellegarde (someone who knows the truth about Camelot) called them "Illusions" are capable of procreation.



Don't we have Ironside and Chion as spirit mages?
I doubt we'll get another supporting character with the same magic.

It's not the same, it would be more like Percival, or better I think it would be what Diodora would become (and possibly what Arthur is) someone who has a spirit within himself sharing his power.

--- Double Post Merged, Sep 16, 2024, Original Post Date: Sep 16, 2024 ---

I don't think what Pellegarde (someone who knows the truth about Camelot) called them "Illusions" are capable of procreation

Only the future will tell us

 

[Demonspeed]

I don't think what Pellegarde (someone who knows the truth about Camelot) called them "Illusions" are capable of procreation.



Don't we have Ironside and Chion as spirit mages?
I doubt we'll get another supporting character with the same magic.

They are illusions, but not in the strictest sense of the term since they are physical. I am skeptical about the procreation bit but they are not mere illusions.

Bors's swordsmanship was highlighted there I don't think he is going to be a mage.

 

[Yakkun]

I don't really think Bors will participate in this tournament even if there may be a guy who visually resembles him (this is vague enough as it is). Even if he was there, he wouldn't make it far, talent or not. The guy currently cannot hold a candle to Pelliot. Who, IIRC, was a Ruby rank. That puts him below the likes of Gilthunder and Howzer when they were first introduced in NNT. Since the average Camelot knight is already a good bit stronger than the average Liones knight, at least going by feats we have seen so far, this would mean the vast majority of Holy Knight-level participants in this tournament will already shit on the likes of Pelliot and Bors would just be an absolute non-factor.

If he's lucky (provides he even is in this tournament) he clears some fodder guys in rags and makes it through the preliminaries and then get utterly side-lined quickly. I don't know if forfeiting is allowed of if this is equal to a death sentence but what good would Bors being there bring to anyone? It's too soon for him. If the series has yet another timeskip then I think he would be read to be a really good swordsman but not right now.

 

[Rey151203]

I don't really think Bors will participate in this tournament even if there may be a guy who visually resembles him (this is vague enough as it is). Even if he was there, he wouldn't make it far, talent or not. The guy currently cannot hold a candle to Pelliot. Who, IIRC, was a Ruby rank. That puts him below the likes of Gilthunder and Howzer when they were first introduced in NNT. Since the average Camelot knight is already a good bit stronger than the average Liones knight, at least going by feats we have seen so far, this would mean the vast majority of Holy Knight-level participants in this tournament will already shit on the likes of Pelliot and Bors would just be an absolute non-factor.

If he's lucky (provides he even is in this tournament) he clears some fodder guys in rags and makes it through the preliminaries and then get utterly side-lined quickly. I don't know if forfeiting is allowed of if this is equal to a death sentence but what good would Bors being there bring to anyone? It's too soon for him. If the series has yet another timeskip then I think he would be read to be a really good swordsman but not right now.

He himself said he was going with Pellio and he invited him, and Nakaba invents a power for him, It's an RTK, it won't stay at the normal level, we also haven't had its magic revealed/awakened

 

[Demonspeed]

Characters like Bors, Howzer, Edlin, Turret, Rothes etc are good opponents for non KoAs like Donny, Anne and Nasiens and more interesting developments(character development and the story itself). Bors will probably awaken his Magic there. Diodra is a flea to Percival, but he is obviously going to be used to develop his character more too.

 

[Yakkun]

He himself said he was going with Pellio and he invited him, and Nakaba invents a power for him

Maybe I underestimate him and he is a true miracle boy with absolutely insane growth and this tournament will be his ascension where and when he awakens his magic power. But I don't expect too much of him at this point. He will likely be a tertiary role at best for now. I do have hopes for him in the future of this manga though, don't get me wrong. I just feel like it will be too early to turn him into an absolute powerhouse just yet.

 

[Rey151203]

Bors's swordsmanship was highlighted there I don't think he is going to be a mage

Did you read what I said?

 

[Demonspeed]

Did you read what I said?

I wasn't even thinking about this. It was a reply to RedPercy's post.

I don't believe he is going to have LS powers though.

 

[Rey151203]

I wasn't even thinking about this. It was a reply to RedPercy's post.

I don't believe he is going to have LS powers though.

why a life spirit? there are the so-called mystics spirits

 

[Demonspeed]

Bors apologized but he dissed Percival and is crushing on Anne now. He'll have a rude awakening once he'll see Percival back and stronger than ever . I remember Ironside wanting her as fiancee for Diodra too. I wonder if it's going to be relevant there as well. Of all the characters confirmed there there is no one who has ties with Nasiens. Still hoping for Dahlia to appear there. Ban as well.

why a life spirit? there are the so-called mystics spirits

Maybe it'll happen but since we have Chion already I doubt he is going to get something similar even if he fights differently.

 

[Rey151203]

Bors apologized but he dissed Percival and is crushing on Anne now. He'll have a rude awakening once he'll see Percival back and stronger than ever . I remember Ironside wanting her as fiancee for Diodra too. I wonder if it's going to be relevant there as well. Of all the characters confirmed there there is no one who has ties with Nasiens. Still hoping for Dahlia to appear there. Ban as well.

I don't think it's really love, but rather just admiration, so much so that he didn't blush or feel embarrassed when Pellio joked with him about it, but maybe he likes women who can boss him around lol

 

[FKS]

I cleaned the script a little bit, fixed a few things and added something I missed.

 

[Demonspeed]

Percival's outfit looks great here for some reason.

 

[Undina]

Percival's outfit looks great here for some reason.

That's cause we don't see much of it.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 4, 2024, Original Post Date: Nov 2, 2024 ---

Seriously, why won't Nakaba come up with regular/interesting adventurer outfits for his medieval mains? He can design nice or even beautiful armor, but he won't give them proper clothes.

 

[Yakkun]

That's cause we don't see much of it.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 4, 2024, Original Post Date: Nov 2, 2024 ---

Seriously, why won't Nakaba come up with regular/interesting adventurer outfits for his medieval mains? He can design nice or even beautiful armor, but he won't give them proper clothes.

I guess he simply likes quirky and unusual designs. I seem to recall an editorial note back in his Kongou Banchou days (some readers had submitted some really wacky Banchou designs and a few even made it into the manga) where Nakaba said that one day he would like to make a manga where he could go really wild with some fantastic and outlandish character and environmental designs or something of that sort.

I guess this is also why he decided on the powers of Chaos allowing for so many impossibly deliberate designs when Arthur uses them. They have both function and form yet seem physically absolutely insane and impossible and he can go wild with whatever, like it is M.C. Escher's wet dream (If you don't know who that is look it up on google, he is a pretty famous artist).

So this partially also reflects on his outfits albeit at a much much MUCH lesser degree. It is fantasy after all. Though, I do admit I like the fantasy approach of "classic" isekai designs and western fantasy more in which they follow more traditional, functional designs more. Stuff like Dungeon Meshi imo is fantastic in its approach because you can clearly see the fantasy aspect yet it is also suprisingly grounded in its functionality.

 

[Undina]

I guess he simply likes quirky and unusual designs. I seem to recall an editorial note back in his Kongou Banchou days (some readers had submitted some really wacky Banchou designs and a few even made it into the manga) where Nakaba said that one day he would like to make a manga where he could go really wild with some fantastic and outlandish character and environmental designs or something of that sort.

I guess this is also why he decided on the powers of Chaos allowing for so many impossibly deliberate designs when Arthur uses them. They have both function and form yet seem physically absolutely insane and impossible and he can go wild with whatever, like it is M.C. Escher's wet dream (If you don't know who that is look it up on google, he is a pretty famous artist).

So this partially also reflects on his outfits albeit at a much much MUCH lesser degree. It is fantasy after all. Though, I do admit I like the fantasy approach of "classic" isekai designs and western fantasy more in which they follow more traditional, functional designs more. Stuff like Dungeon Meshi imo is fantastic in its approach because you can clearly see the fantasy aspect yet it is also suprisingly grounded in its functionality.

Imho, Nakaba subscribes much more to surrealist caricature and flouts sense, won't even dare say "common" sense, than anything Escherian, that guy was all about layered harmony, mathematics and even optical illusions, IIRC. With Nakaba things are simply thrown at all angles with no sense nor rhyme( speaking of Chaotic manifestations) and rn my brain is too sleepy to remember who, but there is another artist I'd liken him more to.

 

[Yakkun]

Imho, Nakaba subscribes much more to surrealist caricature and flouts sense, won't even dare say "common" sense, than anything Escherian, that guy was all about layered harmony, mathematics and even optical illusions, IIRC. With Nakaba things are simply thrown at all angles with no sense nor rhyme( speaking of Chaotic manifestations) and rn my brain is too sleepy to remember who, but there is another artist I'd liken him more to.

He was but I am not saying Escher was a direct influence. Escher's work however has influenced many different artists. The human brain is made for pattern seeking and thus geometry has a very biological, genetic-based appeal to most of us. It is easy to see how even Nakaba can incorporate the angles in his more organic and - pun intended - chaotic shapes. That's mostly reflective in architecture tho, we were talking more about clothing.

Back to Percival, I like this cover a lot more than the previous big colour spread with him as well. I think the colours hit differently here? His shoes also look more a natural brown than the awful purple before which made it appear as if his feet were stuck in two aubergines.


EDIT: Do you by chance mean Zdzislaw Beksinski?

 

[Undina]

Zdzislaw Beksinski?

Thank you. I only saw his works in an art album way back in uni while we were researching the era and its artistic currents, concurrently with literary works, so my mind was very foggy even on the artist's country of origin. I remember I was also making my first attempt at reading Lovecraft and the result was sleepless nights My brain can be very creative with imagery suggested.

 

[FKS]

Volume 19 came out today. Here's the extras.

TL:

Spoiler

Page 2:
Come to think of it, where could my hat be...?
Well, I'll have to ask Anne and the others about it later...

Page 4:
Band: Four Knights of the Apocalypse designs XIV
Box: I did it! Camelot's specialty (?), the Gladiator Festival, not at all like Britannia's specialty, the Brawl Festival!!
It's always a bother to draw mon characters but I wanted to do a tournament story no matter what. (My bad habit)

Page 5:
Band: Four Knights of the Apocalypse designs XV
Box: And now the Gladiator Festoval story.
You can't have a tournament without having new character appear in it!!
These sketched characters were drawn to that effect but they ended up not showing up, which happens often in my case.
Will the characters who are here eventually be able to appear?

Page 6:
Band: Four Knights of the Apocalypse designs XVI
Box:
Mentioned in passing in the Details X of Volume 14, the are the knight under the direct supervision of the king Arthur and Ironside.
Top right: Rothes
18-20 years old
Right: Bracelet
Left: His eyes are more oblong and bigger compared to Lancelot's
Lance - Rothes
Box: The explication regarding Turret and Rothes is that they capture Purgatory beasts for the king Arthur. You might wonder what kinds of magic powers they possess.

Page 7:
Band: Four Knights of the Apocalypse designs XVII
Box: As for why Turret and Roghes have such clear color schemes (this page is monochrome but still...)...
Top right: Turret
Late 20's
Top left: Roman nose?
(His hair and beard positions are uniform)
Right: An eye mark on the back of the glove
Top bottom left: A flute-like musical instrument (about 50cm long)
Bottom bottm left: A three-pronged whip
Box: It was a request from the anime staff, they wanted to make them detailed when they look smaller during Mortlach and Diodra's exchange of blows in Volume 12, so I did these drawings.

Page 8:
Title: Hi! Anime Expo 2024!!

Where we will be heading to the signing event in July 2024
Outside: See you later.
is Los Angeles, United States!!

The editors who will be coming with me this time are...
the usual slim glutton M-da-kun,
the considerate and quiet H-gata-kun,
Y-no-san with the face of a saing yet with the heart of Enma
and the closeted otaku(?) and beautiful K-tou-san..

So, the United States are ridiculously large. (I also mentioned it on the Volume 18 flap.)
The faraway scenery is really far away.

Anyway, let's have a meal first.
Outside: Eep.

Page 9:
Here it is, ther Americal steak!!!
Moreover, its mega size sure packs a real punch.

We can eat it as much as we can!!
Its cooking and chewiness are the best.
As expeted of the home of steak.

30 minutes later...
After this... let's drink... alcohol...
Vegetables... I wanna eat them.
Old men in their 50's like us are nearing their limits.

Just as expected, the younger people aren't having any issues at all.
I can come here any day.
Arrow: Especially him. In terms of kilos of meat eatedn from the start, it's like eating up a cake. Such a strong guy.
Without a care in the world, the heavy-drinker K-tou-san is drinking nothing but wine.
Delicious.

Y-no-san was told by his dentist to abstain from eating sweets yet also gumped down wine.
He is sure to give me an earful...

I gave in so quickly and kept on drinking whiskey. I ended up having a hangover for two days.
Outside: Something... something sour...
Ah, I've got dried plums.
Gimme one.

Well now, let's go have a fun tour next!
Outside: Yeah.

Page 10:
Hollywood!!!
Just walking in the town makes me all excited!♬

The Chinese Theater!!
So cool!!

The hand and footprints and signatores of Hollywood stars.
Schwarzie's hands and feet are huge!!!

The Hollywood sign...
So small.
was hella far away...

Madam Tussauds wax museum was awesome.
Outside: Getting kicked by Bruce Lee,
Outside: stopping his kick with my fingers,
Hah.
Outside: getting grabbed by King Kong,
Outside: H-gata-kun recreating edward Scissorhands' famous scene.
We took plenty of silly photographies.

And then, we went to the Santa Monica beach pier on a separate day.
This kinda feels like an amusement park.
Guys, it's hot so how about having ice cream?

Page 11:
We ate granulated and super-rich ice-creams on a lively pier... (What a name for the ice-cream...)
Outside: Yummy!

Japan is over there several thousands of kilometers away...
After that, an incident happened.

H-gata-kun was merrily playing ona swing set up along the beach.

What kind of miracle happened when he got off it?
The swing's chain ripped off every button on his shirt except the topmost one!!
What the heck are you doing!!?

Y-no-san, who joined us later, teased him about it.
You were eager to show that blonde beauty how cool you were, right?
Outside: H-gata-kun, you're such a pervert.
N... no, no. I didn't go on the swing to act cool. I'm a pervert though...
Outside: Yep, yep.
Well, I wouldn't be surprised from him.
Outside: Yep, yep.

As an aftertaste episode,
A parent and a child came to talk to us in the middle of strolling,

it turns out that they came to bring us the accessory K-tou-san dropped.
It was a very heartwarming scene.

Page 12:
We went on and visited Paramount Studios
Center: Bumblebee
Right: The bench from Forrest Gump
This is the best.
and saw the area where the cast actually lived.

We also watched a Dodgers match in Dodgers Stadium.
M-da-kun quite enjoyed it despite not being a sports enthusiast.

...I digress here but my biggest blunder all trip long was that I forgot my watch. (Seriously yes.)
There are no clocks in the hotel, not even in rooms. The time on the TV wasn't displaying correctly...
I should get a smartphone soon...

Well, whatever! Let's put it aside and get going to the event!
You know, it's retty important for me!!
Yes, yes, let's go, let's go.

Page 13:
Then it's about time to go to the Anime Expo!!
AX for short!!!!

I took part in the signing event
to give interviews and talk events online.

I drew the eye on the daruma at the opening ceremony.
I hesitated to draw the Dragon's Sin of Wrath emblem but I chose the pig instead...

Lee Kapi-san, who's my translator for the talk event,
Outside: I love Punisuke.
has been my fan since my debut work. I feel grateful.

And then came the signing event that spanned over three days...
Outside: Topless apron Ban!!
Really passionate fans came to me. Oh God, I'm so happy!!

Among them, there were strong people who got the ticks for all three days.
Day 1: Meliodas.
Day 2: Elizabeth.
Day 3: Hawk.
They had me complete signings on one carboard sheet...

Page 14:
A guy cosplaying as Pellegarde
came with his girlfriend who cosplayed as Arthur.
The quality is amazing.

Moreover, on the following day, there were Escanor and Meliodas cosplays...!!
That couple was very intimate.

Also, I'm still preciously wearing
the Dodgers cap that a fan gave me.
Outside: The local old man seems like a supporter.

I'm really

glad I came.

There were a bunch of parts I had to omit due to the page restrictions but in any case, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you so much, Americans!!

I'll come back next time with medicine for the stomach...

THE END

Page 19:
I'm sorry, Tantris...

Volume 20 is slated to release on February 17th 2025.