Published: February 10, 2024
The result? Smoother gradations in the sky backgrounds and a "wobbly" human touch to the outlines that was absent in the sterile perfection of the 2022 era. This gives the characters a sense of kinetic motion, as if they might jump off the screen mid-flash. Upon release, the collection received a 9.4/10 rating from the independent art aggregator AnimeCanvas . Praise was heaped on the lighting engine, though controversy exists regarding "File B-04."
As we look ahead to the rest of 2024, RaikageArt has set a dangerous precedent. This collection successfully bridges the gap between commercial anime art and fine art concept design. Whether you are a collector, a cosplayer looking for reference material, or simply a fan of electric aesthetics, this date—February 10, 2024—will be remembered as the day the lightning struck twice.
Unlike the 2022 version which featured a stoic, older warrior, this variant shows a young prodigy sitting on a broken satellite dish overlooking a flooded city. The lighting is masterful: a single bolt of lightning illuminates the left side of the face, while the right side is shrouded in the blue glow of a holographic kunai.
This piece seems to be a raw, uncolored sketch. Many believed it was an unfinished placeholder. However, RaikageArt posted on social media shortly after the drop: "B-04 is finished. That is the anxiety of potential before the strike. If you can't see it, wait until a stormy night."
Essential. 9.5/10.