[GIFT] Phoenix Rie the Arisen Rappy
https://i.imgur.com/8hvOaZR.jpg
https://imgur.com/8hvOaZR
This picture is intended as a gift to honour Rieko Kodama.
She died last year, on May 9th.
[SOURCE: https://www.ign.com/articles/rieko-k...edly-died-sega ]
Rieko Kodama was among the main persons responsible for Phantasy Star.
Back then, she was credited as "Phoenix Rie".
And since phoenixes are a mythical type of bird, this brought to mind the alien-penguin known as the Rappy (who debuted in Phantasy Star III as the Chirper), which has become the mascot for the series as a whole.
So, to symbolically depict Rieko, the muses & I combined the basic Rappy appearance with attributes of Suzaku, a Vermilion Phoenix associated with the SOUTHERN Cardinal-Direction & the SUMMER Season.
The bird-features of Suzaku & the Rappy blended beautifully and the image above was the result.
In addition, to further allude to the first Phantasy Star, there are three planets encircling a mutual sun in the background, which should clearly represent Palm/Dezo/Mota/Algo.
Finally, the "Phoenix" aspect of this image is also intended to symbolize more than just Rieko's nickname.
As a Japanese woman, her contributions to the artform of video-games as a whole represent a literal "rising above" all the myriad difficulties which could have prevented her achievements.
In this way, she truly did embody the Phoenix in overcoming what SEEMED impossible.
Much like a formerly-flightless alien-penguin ascending aloft at long last.
Thus, I again dedicate this illustration to the eternal spirit of the lady whose phantasies brought together our online-community!
^_^
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BONUS PICTURE:
For fun, here's the first draft of the "Phoenix Rie Rappy"!
https://i.imgur.com/6mXUS7j.jpg
https://imgur.com/6mXUS7j
