2015
International Events — Live Drawing & Final Fantasy XI
In 2015, Mitsuhiro Arita's career became increasingly visible outside Japan through international appearances, live drawing demonstrations and convention invitations. After years of giving drawing demonstrations throughout Japan and a live-demo tour in China, Arita performed a public live drawing at the Jacksonville Public Library in Florida and appeared as a guest at Collective Con. At the same time, his long-running professional relationship with Final Fantasy XI was still producing documented artwork, including official illustrations preserved today in Square Enix's Vana'diel archive.
Career Archive
Timeline Events
Arita traveled to Florida in 2015 for professional appearances and live drawing activities.
He performed a public live drawing demonstration at the Jacksonville Public Library.
The demonstration continued a practice Arita had developed through years of live drawing presentations at colleges, companies and other venues in Japan.
Arita also appeared as a guest at Collective Con in 2015.
He performed live drawing at Collective Con, helping establish live art as an important part of his international convention appearances.
These appearances followed his earlier international activities, including a live-demo tour in China in 2013 and his appearance at Ocala Comic Con in 2014.
Arita's Final Fantasy XI collaboration was still active during this period.
A documented Final Fantasy XI illustration from 2015 is The Bastok Eggsperiment, created for an official website article.
The year represents an important stage in Arita's transition from primarily commission-based professional work toward greater direct interaction with international audiences.
17 April — The special Guardians of Ga'Hoole volume Lost Six Stories was released in Japan.
7 August — Shark Wars Volume 1 was released in Japan, beginning another juvenile-fiction series featuring Arita's cover illustration work.