Character Designs - Personal Project

Character designs for a current personal project - The Way of Benzaiten I love Japanese culture and became interested in an old legend about the Buddhist/Shinto deity of water and music, Benzaiten. In the tale, she protects Enoshima Island from Gozuryuu, the local five-headed dragon who terrorises the villagers. In some versions their final battle ends in violence, in others... marriage. It's a strange and interesting story and relationship that I wanted to explore in these character designs for an animated film! Though their visual designs contrast one another, they share a snake-like quality, both creatures of the water, both somewhat out of touch with human society.