Riding the Heat of the Hinoe-uma: "Shin Godzilla" and the Destruction of Self-Preservation.。

The end of 2025.

Christmas has passed, and only three days remain of this year.

The zodiac for the coming year is Hinoe-uma (Fire Horse).

It is a year said to carry a powerful fire energy, occurring only once every 60 years.

Inspired by its passionate and powerful image, I picked up my paintbrush to create a new piece of art.

When I paint, I always try not to overthink, relying solely on my intuition in that exact moment.

By moving my brush with a clear, focused mind, this is the piece that came to life.

"The Quickening of Destruction and Challenge" An abstract painting themed around the Hinoe-uma (Fire Horse). An art piece defined by a powerful contrast of red and blue.

Looking at the finished piece, it turned into something quite raw—almost as if a giant kaiju is tearing everything apart.

To be honest, I only recently got around to watching the film Shin Godzilla (released in 2016).

Once it started, I was immediately drawn in by Chief Director Hideaki Anno’s signature fast-paced style. As Godzilla went on a rampage, swallowing everything in its path without regard for established norms, I felt a powerful sense of human ego and the irresistible nature of impermanence.

"Shin Godzilla" (also known as"Godzilla Resurgence") A 2016 Japanese kaiju film. A tokusatsu (special effects) masterpiece written and chief-directed by Hideaki Anno, with Shinji Higuchi serving as director and special effects director.

Immediately after watching, my thoughts were somewhat superficial: "The pacing was great, easy to watch," or "Old-fashioned systems really are a shackle." But it wasn't until I looked at my own painting that it finally clicked.

"I realized that I had been unconsciously resonating with—or rather, riding—that exhilarating rush of tearing down fixed mindsets."

The value of tradition and the things we have cultivated should never be dismissed. However, if we prioritize only the status quo and "self-preservation," nothing new will ever be born.

I feel as though this painting carries a deep-seated wish—a desire to sweep away the frustration I feel toward my own stagnation. And so, I welcome the Year of the Fire Horse, 2026, with these thoughts in heart. The vivid red pierces through the existing frameworks. A prologue to a brand new year.

Without fear of failure, I will shatter the shell of self-preservation and continue to challenge myself with the new.

As the year draws to a close, I have renewed this resolve.

"The Layering of Time": Placing my newest creation beneath a clock of my own making.

And finally, I decided to display this piece in my "favorite spot" at home.

In truth, it’s a corner of the restroom. Both the large clock in the background and the 3D stone-painted piece featuring a cat in the foreground are works I created myself several years ago.

"Quiet Guardian Deities" Cats brought into existence by my own hands several years ago. They silently absorb and embrace the intense heat radiating from my newest work.

The "stillness" of the pieces I created years ago, and the "movement" of the energy I’ve brought forth today.

Watching these works—old and new—resonate within the same space, I find my spirit strangely centered.

The restroom: a place to take a breath and return to oneself. Every time I gaze upon this scene here, I will be reminded—quietly, yet firmly—of my resolve: "Do not fear failure; break the shell of self-preservation, and challenge the new."

2026: Hinoe-uma - Art - Challenge.

What kind of "Destruction and Creation" do you dream of?