[CONCEPT ART] DINOKING 2: UNRIVALED UNDER HEAVEN

I'm excited to share the earliest roughs for Mia and Ken, whose very names carry echoes of centuries-old Japanese traditions.

Mia takes her name from miai (見合い) in Go, a concept denoting two board positions of equal strategic value—if you claim one, your opponent can respond with the other without disadvantage. In life-and-death problems or endgame scenarios, miai offers players a philosophical dance between identical but opposed options, teaching that true strength often lies in balanced choice. Mia is the offspring of Koi-Koi and Rem Shiratori. Koi first appears in the up-and-coming Dinoking #0: From Earth with Love and plays a significant role alongside Rem in the events of Saikou Star.

Ken's name is a shorthand for kendama (けん玉), Japan's storied cup-and-ball toy whose name literally fuses ken ("sword" or "spike") and dama ("ball"). It is a game of rhythm and precision. He is the second-born son of Rem Shiratori, and his father will have to remain a bit of a mystery for now—but stay tuned.

But what about Shiratori (白鳥)—where did I get that from?

It translates roughly as "white bird" and is synonymous with "swan song": a final performance, act, or effort, often imbued with a sense of poignancy or significance, typically occurring just before retirement or death. An intentional choice given the themes of endings and extinction that so heavily inform and underpin the Dinoking series.

However, beyond this, the name was inspired by legendary Japanese escape artist Yoshie Shiratori. Yoshie was born in Aomori Prefecture in 1907 and achieved near-mythic status by slipping out of four different northern prisons—Aomori, Akita, Abashiri, and Sapporo—earning him the nickname "Japan's Houdini." His daring methods ranged from lock-picking with improvised wire to corroding handcuffs with salty miso soup, feats so sensational that a memorial now stands at the Abashiri Prison Museum in Hokkaido. Truly a living legend, and, at least in the fictional world of Dinoking a distant descendent of these two plucky youngsters.

But alas, until the release of Saikou Star, why the Shiratori Clan is on Orhm instead of Earth must continue to remain a mystery—at least for now.

THANKS FOR READING!