Hiro Mashima, the famous author of Fairy Tail, is celebrated not only for his plot but also for his exceptional character designs. The characters in Fairy Tail are instantly recognizable, each meticulously crafted.
Whether it's Naruto, Lucy, or even the supporting characters, their unique designs help clearly identify them with Mashima's anime. Mashima's art style is at times reminiscent of One Piece, blending the best elements of the manga into his own franchise.
Despite the global success of Fairy Tail and its beloved characters, Hiro Mashima still seems to doubt his own abilities.
In an interview, Mashima-sensei admitted that it's easier to draw men quickly. This highlights the lingering insecurities that even successful creative people face. What's surprising is that Mashima feels pressure when drawing women, trying to balance their attractiveness without making them too cute.
Many other mangakas, such as Gege Akutami and Eiichiro Oda, have expressed similar challenges in drawing women. Akutami has openly admitted the difficulty of drawing cute or attractive female characters, while Oda has been criticized for using a single blueprint for female character designs in One Piece.
Hiro Mashima's journey to becoming an artist began as a child, inspired by his grandfather who introduced him to manga. This early exposure sparked Mashima's passion for painting, a love that persists to this day.
When asked to choose between drawing and storytelling, Mashima found himself torn because both aspects brought him joy. For him, the true art of a mangaka lies in combining a compelling story with the right art style, making it difficult to prioritize one over the other.