Every digital artist needs to start somewhere, and more often than not, MS Paint is there to do the job. While it is a user-friendly and free program, people tend to use it as a subject of their favorite memes (one example being, “graphic art is my passion”). But despite the limited tools you’re given, if you know what you’re doing, you can make some really great work with anything.
Aki Akane, a singer, designer, artist, and animator began her career with MS Paint and Flash. Her most memorable work is her cover of “Rolling Girl” by lateVocaloidproducer,Wowaka.
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Screaming Cinderella
Aki Akane has a very strong voice and is famous for her ability to hit high notes with precision. On this side, she is also an illustrator and made PVs for her own songs and covers, when she was first starting out.
In the late 2000s to early 2010s, she made her initial debut on the Japanese site,Nico Nico Dougaas an Utaite, which is a singer whocovers previously released songs. An especially notable song artist, that entered the music career this way is Nano, a half-Japanese American singer.
What made Aki Akane stand out from her fellow users however, was her ability to create at the same time. For her cover, “Rolling Girl”, she told a visual story through her art and animation to match the lyrics. The original song was abouta girl who had an inner conflictwith herself and “rolled” through every day, denying that she was depressed. In the music video, a boy is there who acts as her “second voice”. In the beginning she denies him, but towards the end she slowly accepts him and eases into his arms as he holds her close. Aki Akane leaves this up to the audience’s interpretation, did she commit suicide, or did she finally open up to someone? All of this was made with MS Paint, Flash, and edited in Windows Movie Maker. She even released a rock version of the song. As her career took off, she officially contracted withToys Factory.
The singer and artist is known forusing symbolism in her work, and her passionate voices serves enough to immerse us into whatever story she is telling. However, what her choice of songs to cover are almost always about self-reflection, or a problem with an unbalanced relationship. It’s beautifully tragic almost - and her art reflects that.
Vibrant Tragedy
To say her art is detailed, would be an understatement. Aki Akane has multiple art books, a clothing line, accessories, and more. Her merchandise is predominately sold through other sites in the form of collaborations. One beingTokyo Otaku Mode, in whichexclusive stockings were sold with a limited time design. Her artistic choices are a mix of semi-realism and dark symbolism. A good amount of her works incorporate skeletal figures in a dark background, with a vibrant palette in the foreground.
Since 2017, Aki Akane’s singing career has taken hiatus, so she can focus on her art career. In fact, as of 2023, she is one of the original character designers for the upcoming anime series,Paradox Live, which ironically, is a franchise centered around music and rap battles. A popular sub-genre in Japanese pop culture, with concerts featuring real-life singers through the years, it’s both a possibility that Aki Akane could make her return as a singer, and to enter the spotlight once more.
