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Yesterday was Koishi day, and we had quite the good one this year! For those unfamiliar, many people (such as myself) celebrate 5/14 as being "Koishi Day" (５月１４日はこいしちゃんの日, as is the social media tag) due to how it can be read in Japanese, with the "ko" being 5, "i" being 1, and "shi" being 4. Personally, I make it a point to browse social media for any new content related to her on this day, as well as sharing special projects or art that I make just for Koishi Day! We'll start this recap by going over some of my favorite illustrations for this year, 2025.
My favorite piece this year comes from seeker, who uploaded a beautiful illustration of Satori and Koishi inside their grand palace. One of my favorite concepts to see depicted in fanwork is how artists interpret the palace Koishi and her sister live in, and most especially what their daily life might comrpise. The natural, realistic poses of both sisters (and the adorable cats) are very expressive and true to life. I admire the chromatic warm color scheme and most especially the stained glass window in the back! I also appreciate the smaller details in this work, especially the texture on the carpet...And this might sound silly, but I really like it when artist's depict Koishi with fluffy, textured hair.
Another drawing I really enjoyed was made by Axel HI, who created this illustration. What grabs my attention the most is this artist's great understanding of perspective--in my own work, I always find that whenever I try to go for a steep or dramatic perspective such as this, the characters lose their expressiveness. Well, this is NOT a problem found here! I love how dynamic this picture is, especially the story it depicts, and I find the way this artist renders clothing folds and texture to be very unique. Really, the only problem I have is just that I don't understand why Koishi is drawn with a knife...
The last image I'd like to highlight is made by gi4me4 on tumblr. I love the fantastic, limited color selection and rendering of the phonebooth as the background scenery for this illustration--as do I love the small details, like the blood leaking out of the bottom, or how Koishi's third eye cords begin to resemble thorns. Another thing I adore is the design changes that seem very well-thought out, especially her boots which are now my new favorite part of her outfit!
On youtube, Myaga uploaded a new arrangement of Koishi's theme done in the style of Touhou 20. At the time of writing this I'm avoiding spoilers for this game, yet I still really like this arrangement. It has a fantastic rendition of the most tense, frightful part of Koishi's theme, as well as a good selection of instruments that provide it with a unique feeling compared to the original. The only part of this song that I feel lukewarm about is the climatic melody, which is just okay.Our second arrangement today comes from Artemis, who posted a song titled Blinded Love. This arrangement has an interesting selection of instruments, setting it apart from the wealth of other Hartmann arrangements that fill my playlists. The sudden drop in tone, where the melody shifts and becomes deeper, is probably my favorite part of this song--although I do think that all of the melodies present in this work are executed very well. I also think the image of Koishi and Satori dressed as 1920's flappers goes insanely hard.My favorite song released today is made by オランジュ停留所. This song, 常闇ノ仇花 (Barren Flower of Everlasting Darkness) is utterly fantastic in all components, from vocals, composition, and lyrics. It has quickly become one of my favorite vocal arrangements, and I live in utter agony that it has such low views. I was very stunned as I listened to it the first time, as well as moved by the emotional story conveyed in the lyrics. It's more experimental in it's melodies and composition compared to the previous two songs mentioned, which I'm very thankful for. The feelings conveyed in this song are palable, ranging from horror, loneliness, and a painful glimpse of hope.