Illustrator Imagines a World Where Gentle Giant Animals Live Among Humans

Fantasy Art by Monokubo

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Japanese artist Monokubo imagines a world where larger-than-life animals roam the land and live among us. Through her fantastical digital paintings, the gentle giants are sources of comfort when their human companions are having a bad day or are traipsing through places that feel strange or unwelcoming. They offer them a fluffy paw of encouragement or a nose to boop, and they're always ready to snuggle.

Monokubo was inspired to produce these illustrations after seeing iconic Studio Ghibli films like Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro which both feature large creatures in their cast. Many of the animals that Monokubo depicts are house cats. “In most cases, I choose the animals that have left an impression in my daily life,” she tells My Modern Met. “I have a cat and he is very cute.”

While felines are her favorite, Monokubo has branched out and illustrated creatures of the forest including raccoons and wolves. But she doesn't stop there. Cuddly domesticated bunnies and Shiba Inu dogs act as faithful companions to the illustrations’ young people.

Monokubo has a book featuring her larger-than-life animals called Megalophilia that is now available on Amazon.

Through fantasy digital paintings, Japanese artist Monokubo imagines a world where gentle giant animals live among humans.

Fantasy Art by Monokubo

Digital Art by Monokubo

Fantasy Art by Monokubo

Her work features all different animals, but she's especially fond of cats—she has a (normal) sized one of her own.

Fantasy Art by Monokubo

Fantasy Art by Monokubo

Digital Artwork by Monokubo

Digital Artwork by Monokubo

Fantasy Art by Monokubo

Digital Art by Monokubo

Next: More adorably large animals.

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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