Inspiration can strike from anywhere and everywhere, something Hunter x Hunter creator Yoshihiro Togashi knows all too well. In both of his renowned works, there has been an exceptional display of skill as a writer as well as an artist. However, what is more eye-catching than anything else is the attention to detail put into the character designs.
There is never a solid source of inspiration. It could be the most life-changing movie or it could be a garbage can; there is no in-between. Togashi’s love for the dark and gory mixed with a yearning interest in the horror genre brings about a great deal of ideas that can lead to some of the most interestingly drawn panels.
What may seem interesting though, is that he found the inspiration for the intricately detailed characters in none other than a Ridley Scott movie.
Yoshihiro Togashi is an Avid Fan of Horror
In an interview with Shonen Jump in 2008, Yoshiro Togashi admitted that there weren’t a lot of places he found inspiration in when making his works, those being Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter. However, the one film that stands as an exception is Ridley Scott’s Alien.
“I was introduced to H.R. Giger’s work through the movie Alien, and was greatly influenced by him.”
As an artist, he found great inspiration in H. R. Giger. The artist is best known for his biomechanical fusions of interesting and captivating creatures. Such horrid creatures are enough to spook the audience. Giger just so happened to be the man behind the Xenomorphs in Ridley Scott and Sigourney Weaver’s Alien.
While Togashi himself may not indulge in the mechanical side of things, there is no denying that inspiration as striking as Giger’s impacted his work greatly.
Yoshiro Togashi Got Creative After Being Inspired
H. R. Giger specialized in creating grotesque humanoid designs that best suited the horror and gothic genres. Although Yoshiro Togashi does not find much use in adding the cybernetic side of his inspiration, that doesn’t mean that he can’t use the other aspects instead.
The most visible example of the same comes with the Chimera Ants in Hunter x Hunter. The Chimera Arc is regarded as one of the best in the series and for good reason. One of which also concerns the exceptionally well-designed characters.
From monsters to heroes, each and every face has a sense of individuality like no other. While not fully incorporating the horror genre, Togashi utilizes such unique character designs to improve his own skillset and works.
