"Some kind of curse ritual?" Pure Horror: Fans Stunned by Expressionless Chisato and Friends in Lycoris Recoil 4th Anniversary Illustration

Manga artist Imigimuru, who handled the character designs for the anime Lycoris Recoil, released a newly drawn illustration celebrating the series' 4th anniversary on their official X account, sparking a massive buzz among fans.

The released illustration was drawn based on a 4th-anniversary celebratory image posted by the official TV anime Lycoris Recoil X account. While the official post featured a charming photo showing character plushies arranged next to a cake shaped like "Walnut" with a goofy design, Imigimuru's illustration is enveloped in a dark red, ominous color palette.

The artwork features Chisato Nishikigi (CV: Chika Anzai), Takina Inoue (CV: Shion Wakayama), Kurumi (CV: Misaki Kuno), and Mizuki Nakahara (CV: Ami Koshimizu) holding hands in the dark, staring down expressionlessly at a lit birthday cake, presenting a distinctly ritualistic, horror-style composition.

In response to this celebratory illustration expressed through such a unique worldview, fans have shown a wide range of enthusiastic reactions, leaving comments like: "The illustration is too much of a horror, it scared me!", "Is this some kind of curse ritual?", "It's so typical of LycoReco that it almost made me burst out laughing lol", "It's rare to see Chisato with such an expressionless face," and "Happy 4th anniversary, this is way too funny!"

Lycoris Recoil is an original TV anime series produced by A-1 Pictures. It is a buddy story that depicts Chisato and Takina—girls working as "Lycoris" agents for the secret organization "DA (Direct Attack)," which prevents crimes before they happen—as they deepen their bond and confront various incidents while working as staff at the Japanese-style cafe "Café LycoReco," handling tasks from serving coffee and babysitting to personal shopping.

(C)Spider Lily/Aniplex, ABC ANIMATION, BS11