is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 light novel

Light novel

A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...

 illustrator

Illustrator

An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...

. He is notable for the illustration for the series Zero no Tsukaima

Zero no Tsukaima

is a fantasy and comedy-oriented series of Japanese light novels written by Noboru Yamaguchi and illustrated by Eiji Usatsuka. The story features several characters from the second year class of a magic academy in a fictional magical world with the main characters being the inept mage Louise and...

. He illustrates insert images for many novels.

After university graduation he was employed as illustrator by the visual novel

Visual novel

A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...

 publisher Visual Art's

Visual Art's

, formally , is a Japanese publishing company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novels for a large list of game developers. Visual Art's has developed the game engines their brands currently use, including the current engine, called Siglus, and older engines RealLive and...

 using the pseudonym Sawagani (サワガニ, Japanese Freshwater Crab). As side job he made illustrations for light novels which is against the company policy. The similarity of "both peoples" designs, were however noticed and later revealed by Tōya Okano (scenario assistant for Visual Art's' Clannad) in a Dengeki G's Magazine

Dengeki G's Magazine

is a Japanese magazine published by ASCII Media Works and sold monthly on the thirtieth that primarily contains information on bishōjo games, but also includes an entire section on anime based on bishōjo games, and serializes manga and light novels based on such games. The "G's" in the title...

 interview article presenting Visual Art's brand Mana’s game Angel Magister.

Works

Novels and other works he contributed his illustrations to include:

• Hayate the Combat Butler
  Hayate the Combat Butler
  is a Japanese manga series, written and illustrated by Kenjiro Hata, about a boy who starts a new job as a butler and the events he experiences with his employer. Shogakukan have released 29 volumes in Japan. The English edition of the series has been licensed by Viz Media for distribution in North...
  
  light novel #2
• Zero no Tsukaima
  Zero no Tsukaima
  is a fantasy and comedy-oriented series of Japanese light novels written by Noboru Yamaguchi and illustrated by Eiji Usatsuka. The story features several characters from the second year class of a magic academy in a fictional magical world with the main characters being the inept mage Louise and...
  
  
  • Zero no Tsukaima Gaiden Tsubasa no Boken
• Kaze no Kishihime
• Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Marble
  Shinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica
  , also known as simply Polyphonica, is an all-age Japanese visual novel created by Ocelot and first released on the PC on April 28, 2006. Aside from the game, multiple series of light novels have been created, and a manga adaptation started in March 2007. An anime adaptation started airing in Japan...
  
  
• Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Blue Series
• Scramble Heart as Sawagani
• Angel Magister

External links

• Eiji Usatsuka's personal website