http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_c07.jpg
The cover for New Testament 7. This is Shokuhou-san's first actual appearance in the main novels. This was the first time I had drawn her in a proper color illustrations and you can tell I wasn't used to it...
By the way, my first candidate for a cover was Tsuchimikado and the elder Kumokawa sister. For why it was switched to the Tokiwadai Level 5 pair, see my comments on the cover rough.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r22.jpg
Various People Part 1. Given his actions this time, I thought it would make sense for Tsuchimikado to disguise himself, so I changed the blond hair to brown hair, the sunglasses to silver square glasses, and the Hawaiian shirt to a black suit and red vest.
Fusou-san's original design had to be redone, so my explanation for her is with the next rough.
The paper bag bunny was one of the standard patterns where I end up with a really lame design because I don't have a good grasp on the character...but it was decided she would not be in any of the illustrations right after I made this rough, so the rejected design was the last one.
If she ever shows up again, this design will not be used (i.e. I will redesign her).
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r23.jpg
Various People Part 2. When I gave Fusou-san sarouel pants as instructed, I thought she looked a bit like Aladdin and added other aspects such as the crown, the magic lamps, the picture book charm, and the prisoner's chain.
Ms. Yakumi is the female character with the least need for prominent characteristics or a deformed style, so I didn't give her any.
After all, not only did she have no such characteristics in the novel, but she even lost her form as a human.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r24.jpg
Various People Part 3. Fräulein has gotten a lot smaller and rounder in a very literal way. However, the see-through robe adds a lot of lines, so it does not work well in black and white illustrations. That is why I did away with seeing through to her innerwear.
Bobbed hair girl (controlled by: Shokuhou-san) did not need much in the way of character, so I designed her so she could blend into all the background characters...but as you will see below, I still had to redraw her.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r25.jpg
School Garden uniforms. I revised bobbed hair girl because her uniform was too close to Sakugawa Middle's, but there are relatively few designs and patterns for a realistic sailor uniform. In fact, sailor uniforms are made to have no noticeable characteristics (i.e. they are supposed to look "normal"). I worried quite a bit over how to make it "unique".
I originally designed the Shidarezakura uniform to draw the girls from Kamijou's initial locker room scene, but I realized I had already used all the stereotypical high class girls school uniform types. I decided to use this as a chance to create some different samples. The approved version is the one on the right.
Oh, and just ignore who I used as the model for the Shidarezakura uniform.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r26.jpg
Rensa #028. Just like Ms. Yakumi, she did not need any individuality (for story reasons), so that was how I designed her.
Using the cardigan to hide the nametag and the opening on her back is how she avoids showing off too much individuality.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r27.jpg
Rensa #029. Instead of Accel-san or Mugino-san style brutality, I suppose she is closer to Thor style mischievousness.
I think my basic image for her in the back of my mind was Envy from Fullmetal Alchemist.
Her actual body is the same as #028, so I purposefully left the coloring and lines for her body the same.
As a side note, I came up with the idea that, when Rensa-san "switches out", her height and three sizes remain the same but her physique changes slightly. That is why, when compared to #028, #029 is a bit more boyish.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_r28.jpg
Rensa's Flower (AIM reception device). I based it on a parabolic antenna + a cosmos flower, so it has the same old plant motif.
By the way, I made this version as practice, expecting I would need to do a retake, but it was approved right away. I was so shocked I thought my knees would give out.
http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/n/ni_t07.jpg
The Volume 7 cover rough. Railgun S is airing now, so we need to use these two to boost the sales as much as possible!
...is not actually the reason behind this. In reality, I was told to not give away any spoilers or hint at any dangerous atmosphere with the color illustrations. While I was deciding on illustrations that would overcome the many hurdles that set before me, I eventually chose these two for the cover by process of elimination.
That is also why I did not use my original idea of putting Tsuchimikado and the elder Kumokawa sister on the cover. It would have been impossible to hide the dangerous atmosphere with those two on the cover.