HOME | DD
Silent-Black — Kakita Hideshi
Published: 2008-09-01 20:48:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 14858; Favourites: 107; Downloads: 1205
Redirect to original
Description
Card art for Alderac Entertainment's Legend of the Five Rings CCG, The Heaven's Will ExpansionKakita Hideshi - Crane Clan Duelist
A bit of back story:
I've played L5R as a semi-successful tournament player for about 8 years. I've actually played the game since the day it previewed at GenCon. My long running goal has always been to get a Shadowlands tainted Crane Clan duelist made into a card. Obviously I would've liked it to be Shimekiri, my kabuki, but you can't be picky about these things.
There have only been two Crane with the Shadowlands trait: Hoturi the Heartless, a non-tourney legal peep who I've always considered to be my card, due to me saying to Rich Wulf "RICH, HOTURI...TAINTED EMERALD CHAMPION! THINK ABOUT IT" and then him saying that I'd finally have my tainted Crane when the Thousand Years of Darkness was first conceived. Still, he was not legal to play in competition.
So when the THW art assignments came around, Todd Rowland, the Brand Manager and AD, assigned him to me. Todd and I have a long history together as Shadowlands players, having worked on numerous fan projects together. I was ecstatic to say the least. I pretty much had free reign to do as I pleased, so long as he looked like he was just showing the first symptoms of the Taint. Obviously I drew him as the pre-Taint Crane version of my character Shimekiri
(Go ahead, compare Hideshi's face with the one on the Kotei t-shirt here: [link] )So while Hideshi doesn't technically have the full-time Shadowlands trait, he is still the guy I have been waiting to have in the game and do the art for. Here's to waiting/hoping for his Experienced version (and Nancy/Gisei on the Story Team DOES love her tainted Cranes), when he will don the kumadori and become the coolest L5R character EVER and the world will know both pain immeasurable and pleasures unspeakable.
I have to thank the awesome Steve Argyle for a lighting paint-over and helpful tips (thus his name on the piece) and my 9 year-old nephew Micah Honig for wielding the stylus on the Wacom and doing some background coloring.
Photoshop CS2
Related content
Comments: 15
Originally I thought that one of Keitaro's "works of art" from the Anvil of Despair (like a tsuba) worked its way to Hideshi, and so when he uses that Tainted item on rare occasion, it pumps him up more than Hans and Flans. With a tsuba or some other item, he wouldn't have much or any direct contact with tainted metal, but I don't know if Taint radiates or always requires direct contact (like an Oni clawing you).
Is there little to no, high, or variable levels communication between the artists and AEG, artists and story team?
Related to that question, I notice that Hideshi has a Crane wakizashi but this big white katana hilt and saya. Artistic choice or subtle clue?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Was trying to find Hoturi the Heartless for sale online and this showed up as the 11th link on Google. Very glad I ran across it!
I've only been playing since Diamond. Your colon has me still waiting for you to name the second Crane to have the Shadowlands trait. 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Keitaro is the only other Crane to officially have the trait, yes. I'm bitter about him being a Shugenja so I left him out. lol Hideshi can gain the trait, which is still pretty darned cool. He'll get some more story and probably will show up on at least an item card, based on a tourney win last month by Chris Nicoll.
You're trying to find a Hoturi card? They're hard to get for some reason (at least to trade for, not buy). I've been collecting him for deck backers and am stuck at 34 copies.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I'm glad Keitaro got killed. I'm curious to figure out/know whether Hideshi is Tainted, flirting with Taint, or something not easily predicted. It's quite cool that Chris got Hideshi the Talisman of Gaki-Do. I wonder if it breaks any Rokugani laws to summon some Hungry Dead to go piranha on your enemy. lol
HtH: I have one or two, have to dig him up, I was offered a choice of Cash or some Political Influence rares, but I had no idea what would be a fair price to charge! That was the main reason I was searching online for some for sale.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hideshi is Nancy's baby. I know that she has plans for him that are not the traditional "getting the Taint" story. I do NOT, however, know what these plans are.
It's most definitely not an on/off thing like so many people on the boards seem to think.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Originally I thought that one of Keitaro's "works of art" from the Anvil of Despair (like a tsuba) worked its way to Hideshi, and so when he uses that Tainted item on rare occasion, it pumps him up more than Hans and Flans. With a tsuba or some other item, he wouldn't have much or any direct contact with tainted metal, but I don't know if Taint radiates or always requires direct contact (like an Oni clawing you).
Is there little to no, high, or variable levels communication between the artists and AEG, artists and story team?
Related to that question, I notice that Hideshi has a Crane wakizashi but this big white katana hilt and saya. Artistic choice or subtle clue?
[GAH, why can we not delete our posts?]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
There's variable levels of communication. I happen to be a long-time player who's always been involved in the L5R community as a fan and know all the AEG employees. Todd, the Brand Manager/Art Director was a former Shadowlands player that I created a website with called Yogo Junzo's Army. I get a lot of leeway creatively. Nancy is a long-time Crane player and so in the case of Hideshi I probably know as much as anyone not on the Story Team. I try to hit up the Story Team for ideas to use in my art, with Todd's permission.
I don't know what Nancy has planned for Hideshi. Which is good because I like to be surprised. PI do know that she wants his story to be something completely new as far as the taint goes. So I really look forward to whatever she has thought up.
Saya and hilt are artistic license. I basically painted him up as a non-Tainted version of my character Shimekiri. So the sword is somewhat the same as the one I did on the Kotei t-shirt art. (In my gallery here).
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Awesomeness on many levels. The brief interactions I had with Eric Devlin and then Todd at tournaments or demo nights/community nights at AEG over the years made me happy to know AEG was being run by cool guys (aka not a**holes). You figure if there's knowledge and enthusiasm up-top it helps drive the whole machinery.
I've only played since Diamond, but since I haven't read a story yet where the Taint was passed as an STI/STD, maybe that's what Nancy has planned... *lol*
Keep up the great work! See you at a Kotei or GenCon perhaps. (What state are you in?)
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
hey Troy just wanted to say bad ass art as always bro. Just found your page on here. Keep up the good work and hope to see you at a kotei sometime soon.
Dan aka Hida Kazado
C3 Admin
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks Dan. Some day I'll do a Crab.
I haven't played hardly at all in SE. I miss it and I miss hitting Koteis.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
the world will know both pain immeasurable and pleasures unspeakable.
I'm already there, Troy, already there.
(Since Brent forced me to get a dA account, i thought I'd comment.)
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Ah, you guys and your drive to taint the Crane.
I really like how this one came out, Troy - the detail on the greaves and clothing are really cool, as is his expression (that is one creepy stare).
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Now, now. I never wanted to taint the whole Crane Clan. I like them as is. I just wanted one dude. Is that too much to ask?
Thanks, this assignment obviously hit my wheelhouse.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Have I ever been anything but supportive of "The Shimekiri Initiative"?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Very nice Troy, I didn't realize it was such a collab. Props to your nephew for saving the piece....lol. Nice work.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0