Illustrative Work
Illustrative Work
Due to my Japanese background, I am largely inspired by the culture and traditions and often incorporate these into my illustrations.
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Below are some of my previous works, both commissioned by others and for personal use.
All work is drawn and coloured digitally using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or Procreate.
Due to my Japanese background, I am largely inspired by the culture and traditions and often incorporate these into my illustrations.
​
Below are some of my previous works, both commissioned by others and for personal use.
All work is drawn and coloured digitally using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or Procreate.
Hikari - A Cat's Journey
Overview
Hikari is a fictional game concept I created as a personal passion project. Over the span of five days, I explored UX/UI design in Unreal Engine 5, experimenting with systems, interaction design, and atmosphere. The game follows a small kitten navigating environments represented as pop-up scenes inside a 3D book. The project is still in progress, but it demonstrates my approach to prototyping, problem-solving, and designing interactive experiences.
My Role
UX/UI designer
Implementer
Time Frame
~5 days
Tools Used
Adobe Photoshop
Figma
Unreal Engine 5
Blender
Objectives
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Explore UX/UI design in a game context
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Prototype functional systems (menus, interaction, feedback loops)
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Experiment with combining 2D and 3D assets for storytelling
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Practice localization and input mapping
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Design and illustrate original props for consistent visual style
Concept & Inspiration
The central concept was to design a book that opens into playable environments, inspired by Japanese culture and aesthetics. To bring this to life, I designed and illustrated all the props myself - including the 3D book​ and paper pop-ups such as the shrine, trees, pickup items, etc. The focus was less on detailed world-building and more on how the player interacts with the world, navigates, and receives feedback.
Main Menu UX & Features
The main menu was my first design challenge. I wanted it to demonstrate interactive polish as well as technical implementation in Unreal Engine.​
Features:
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Volume control (all audio split into Music or SFX and can also be controlled through Master Volume)
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Full localization system (multi-language support, currently for English and Japanese)
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Keybinding options (with conflict resolution when two actions share a key)
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Animated UI navigation using an animated firefly
This section of the project highlights how I integrated accessibility features and playful feedback into the UI design.
Gameplay Prototype
Once the player starts, the 3D book opens into an explorable environment. The cat is controlled with a top-down angled camera using sprite animations I created for idle and running states. The prototype demonstrates different interactions, feedback, and systems I wanted to explore.
Systems implemented:
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Environmental feedback (grass moves and makes sound when walked through)
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Interactive thought bubbles (contextual narrative feedback)
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Pickups with UI pop-ups (e.g. Moldy Onigiri, 5 Yen coin)
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Rock-pushing mechanic (uses enhanced input system, consistent push action regardless of direction)
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Flap mechanism (lifting an environment piece after puzzle interaction)
UI & Feedback Design
UI was a major focus of this project. Each system was designed to give players clear, engaging feedback:
Thought bubbles - convey cat's inner thoughts
Pickup pop-ups - confirm successful interaction
Sparkly Niagara VFX - draw attention to collectible items
Subtle animations (firefly, book opening) - add life and flow to navigation
UI & Visual Assets
Beyond the UX and systems, I created all the visual assets for this prototype. Every prop and object in the environment was designed and drawn by me, from the run-down shrine to the sparkly pickups. This allowed me to experiment with style across both interactive elements and environmental decoration.
Gameplay Demo
Here's a short demo video of Hikari, showing the main menu interactions, the book opening, and the first playable sequence with our little cat.
Takeaways & Next Steps
Hikari was an opportunity to experiment, learn, and test how UX and UI design intersect with gameplay systems in Unreal Engine. In just a few days, I built a working prototype with a functional menu, localization system, sprite animations, environmental interactions and puzzle mechanics. While the project is still evolving, it represents my interest in designing intuitive, feedback-driven experiences that guide the player naturally.
Future development will focus on:
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Expanding Japanese-inspired environments
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Adding a storyline for progression
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Refining art style and visual consistency
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Expanding interactive mechanics
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Hikari is a work in progress, but it reflects my passion for crafting thoughtful, player-centred design. By combining UX, UI, and interactive systems, I aimed to create a prototype that feels alive, charming, and immersive - even in its early stages.
Attributions
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Audio Credits:
Background music: "Soft Background Piano" by Clavier-Music via Pixabay
Sound Effects: Various creators via Pixabay​