JK

One of the great things about the Internet is giving freelance and independent artists the opportunity to connect with audiences who might otherwise not have been able to access their work. Whether it’s mind-melting masks or fabulous Final Fantasy fan art, there’s something for everyone and a market for nearly anything.

Kazuharu Kina might just be one of the best examples of a niche Japanese artist making it big on the Internet–and once you see his illustrations, you’ll probably understand why.

While “high school girls” might be an unusual subject to choose, it is the one that Kazuhara Kina, a 26-year-old freelance illustrator from Tokyo, certainly excels at. His “Kazuharu Daily High School Project,” a series of illustrations shared over Twitter, has gained quite a bit of popularity. With over 19,000 followers so far, Kazuharu, who worked at a game company for three years before setting out on his own as a freelance illustrator, has even managed to gain a few fans overseas as well.

Kazuharu’s illustrations grace everything from mouse pads and pillows to tumblers and other products, so if you find yourself a fan of his work, you’ll easily be able to find something with a moe face drawn by him. And if you love his style, but want something Kazuharu hasn’t done yet, fear not: the freelance artist also takes requests via Otaku Mode, and you can follow him on Twitter to for more illustrations.

Of course, Japanese commenters had quite a bit to say about the illustrations.

“This guy is actually married apparently. I thought for sure that someone who drew this kind of stuff would be single. I wonder, does his wife hate it?”
“Number 12 is really adorable. Is that uniform from Kanto?”
“I used to wear that one piece uniform. Ah, this brings back memories!”
“Jeez, she [number 11] is super cute!”
“Isn’t there something wrong with the placement of girl’s knee in number 10?”
“Wow, this [number 8] is lovely! I want you to draw my uniform too! LOL”

We sort of wish Kazuharu would choose a subject matter which didn’t make us feel quite so creepy when looking at his art on our phones on the train, but even so there’s no denying that the guy has serious talent. If he’s stuck for something new to cover, maybe we should see Kazuharu would be willing to illustrate Mr. Sato’s recent trip to the doctor’s office

Sources: Alfafla MosaicOtaku Mode, Pixiv, Kazuhara Kina
Feature image: Twitter