Prismacolor Markers on 14"x17" bristol. Part of a set of seven. July 13, 2008.

A fanart drawing for the anime series "Samurai Seven." The character depicted here is Gorobei Katayama. Gorobei comes across as a strong, experienced warrior in the series. His abilities as a samurai are showcased early on with his impressive arrow catch with fellow samurai Katsushiro. As the time of the samurai dwindled out, Gorobei used his incredible reflexes and skills for entertaining, catching projectiles that would otherwise be impossible to see to the human eye. His leadership, kind attitude, and unwavering belief in the positive side of things makes him an immediate second lieutenant to fellow samurai Kambei. While fellow samurai Shichiroji acts as Kambei’s right hand man, Gorobei takes it upon himself to help lead the small band of warriors to become a strong, cohesive unit in defending the village of Kanna alongside Kambei. His philosophy that those who live, win, and those who die, lose, reappears often in Gorobei’s scenes, and suggest a past full of hard-fought battles and difficult struggles.

A lighthearted man, Gorobei often uses his skills for entertaining to get out of dangerous situations. To portray a man that has seen the boundaries of humanity and the evils of man, while still capturing the air of optimism and whimsicality that Gorobei possesses, I decided to draw him in his element: catching projectiles. He is in the midst of confrontation, catching deadly darts shot at him, and yet he smiles, soft, confident, and full of battle-hardened experience. His scar is a focus for the piece, a clear indication of his past as a samurai, preserving the notion that Gorobei came across some decidedly nasty battles in his time.



Samurai Seven was produced by GONZO; based on Akira Kurosawa's movie "Seven Samurai"; I do not own any part of the series or original film, including any of the characters or concepts portrayed.

Comments and criticisms greatly appreciated. Thank you.