Did someone say higgledy-piggledy?

The Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom artist collaboration is well on its way, with original artistic pieces created by 13 talented artists from different walks of life. Up until this point, Evan, Rolland and Tani have stolen the show in this project, but now it’s time to place a little more emphasis on those bubbly and bright creatures called Higgledies. 

Higgledies are more than pure cuteness, these creatures are elemental world sprites, derived from natural happenings – found everywhere in the Ni no Kuni II world. Add these colorful spirits to your party, level them up and command them to assist with attacks or buffs for you and your team members. Besides your normal run of the mill higgledies – there is a special class called higgledy heroes, which allow for greater customization in terms of abilities, appearance and name. Now, on to the artists who are making these little guys shine!

To recap - In Chapter 1 of this Play Anime series, we featured the wonderful Rayner Alencar, Yoshi Yoshitani and Lily Van, whose works brought three distinctive takes on Ni no Kuni’s characters – bringing them to life in a vivid, lively and dreamlike manner. This time we have become a little higgledy-centric and that is why Chapter 2 of Showcasing the Artists will feature Andrea Mejia, Jiny He and Ben Seto who incorporated Higgledies into their works of art. Forget about familiars, higgledies are in – and so are the artists who explored their one-of-a-kind charm. 

Zine Queen Andrea Mejia is an ace visual story teller and digital illustrator, whose passion for art spurs from her childhood love of anime, comic books and video games. After switching her college major from Business to Illustration, Mejia discovered her passion for sequential imagery and ultimately found her voice as an artist. She has an iconic character style that is uniquely her own, with facial expressions and mannerisms that bring new meaning to the word higgledy-piggledy. Being a huge fan of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Mejia used aspects of the game’s alchemy feature to come up with this Ni no Kuni II cooking inspired piece. 

In “Cooking with the Higgledies,” Mejia’s cartoon-like rendition of the Ni no Kuni II crew portrays the tale of a successful, but slightly chaotic flan baking adventure. The bright colors and minimalistic approach to this visual adventure adds a playfulness that is sure to entice the comic lover and gaming fan alike. In this piece, Mejia wanted to show off the mischievous nature of the Higgledies, while incorporating elements of childhood and maturity amongst Evan, Rolland and Tani. It’s easy to come away with a lighthearted joy after viewing this sprightly digital illustration, and it is obvious that Mejia has a passion for the characters that she depicts.

As an animator and color stylist, Jiny He is all about the story behind the illustration. She is inspired by nature and friends, and has a deep love for the small details that make each of us special. Introducing illustrated characters into a realistic photograph in a way that looks and feels effortless, Jiny He surely has the mark of a holistic artist – knowing how all the elements of an image work together. For He, the most inspiring aspect of Ni no Kuni II is the attention and thought that the designers put into the characters and the color pallet, and seeing how the other artists in the collaboration interpreted the characters using their own individual style. 

This illustration brings Ni no Kuni II into the earthly realm, blurring the line between reality and fantasy. There is something to be said about the way He implemented the characters into this piece, somehow making the Higgledies, Evan and Tani come to life in the limbs of the trees dark branches. Spotting the hidden glow of the Higgledies throughout the foliage is a pleasant surprise and the oil-painting-like quality of Evan and Tani’s clothing and overall appearance brings dimension. In this surreal piece, it feels as if we have caught the little warriors during their break from battle, painting a picture of their more relaxed and care-free nature. 

Ben Seto was drawing before he was talking. At age three he completed his first work of art – a crude drawing of a transformer, created to communicate to his mother what he wanted to watch on TV. Now Seto is a successful 2D game artist who is completely self-taught with no formal art training to speak of. His style is inspired by comics, animation, everyday life and the desire to communicate an idea or feeling. Ni no Kuni II’s vast and beautiful map drove him to imagine and explore some of the landscapes that the game has to offer.

Seto’s hypnotic watercolor painting lures us into a world of wonder and imagination while expressing the character’s sense of adventure. The eye is drawn to so many intriguing shapes, textures and colors that are woven into the picture, taking us on a nice trip through one of Ni no Kuni’s many visual splendors. Together with Evan, Rolland and Tani, the Higgledies are in the foreground with their fun loving and humorous expressions, giving the piece depth and a multi-layered perception. Seto does a particularly fantastic job of bringing the cast to life in this creative piece, staying true to their personalities and how they see their world.  

Mark your calendars, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is available for purchase on March 23, 2018. For fans looking to get all the things, visit the Bandai Namco Entertainment America Store to get the Collector’s Edition while supplies last.

Look for Chapter 3 of Showcasing the Artists here at playanime.com to enjoy more original pieces from the Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Artist Collaboration Project. Don’t forget to use hashtag #nnk2fanart on Facebook, Instagram or twitter to showcase your own Ni no Kuni II inspired artwork. Who knows, you might see your own art on playanime.com!