It’s that time of year again, which means we are excited to announce the release of the all-new FUSO calendar! The theme for the 2025 calendar follows captivating scenes from the life of a family—harmoniously blending people, nature and FUSO trucks and buses that play a significant role in every season. 

We invited renowned Japanese illustrator “Anyo” to design this year’s calendar. After graduating from university, Anyo began his career in the medical equipment development field. In 2020, he decided to follow his passion and became an independent freelance illustrator, creating stunning scenery and background illustrations for Japanese anime.

We sat down with him in his studio and asked him about his inspiration and techniques behind the creation of this year’s FUSO calendar. Excerpts:

You have created a beautiful calendar! All of the illustrations have a soft and delicate feel that is quite captivating. Can you tell us about the techniques and equipment you use?

All of my works are created with digital tools. Specifically, I use a pen tablet and draw on a desktop PC. Compared to so-called analog hand-drawn illustrations, digital tools allow for enlargement, writing, and a wide range of color development. Therefore, it may be surprising that digital production is more suitable for delicate expressions.

Could you share the emotions and thoughts you experienced while creating the Mitsubishi Fuso calendar?

I have worked on many illustrations for games, books, music videos, and animations, but this was only my second corporate calendar, following a previous one for a credit union. I was happy to participate in the production of a corporate calendar because it  had a relatively quick turnaround time, the number of sheets was large, and it would help me further improve my skills. Also, the fact that the Mitsubishi Group had commissioned me to do the work made me eager to take on the challenge.

Did you face any challenges while creating motifs with trucks and buses?

I always enjoy incorporating man-made structures like buildings into my motifs because they allow me to easily convey more information in my work. However, using trucks and buses as the main object was a completely new challenge. I paid particular attention to the appearance of the vehicles when I painted them. If there is any discrepancy with the actual product, it will not be a commercial calendar.

Also, this time, a family appears in each season to develop the story. In my usual work, I usually limit myself to one or two characters, but the family theme was a new challenge for me as well.

All-in-all this made for a great experience!

How do you usually collect reference materials?

I often go outside and take pictures of objects that interest me with a camera, usually just a smartphone. For realistic works like mine, it is important to convey a sense of air, temperature, wind, smell, and even humidity, so the best way to do that is to collect them through photography. While photographing trucks and buses this time, I realized that there are actually so many of them running around the world.

Finally, what are your goals for the future?

When I first started as a freelance illustrator, most of my work was mainly backgrounds, but over time I have gradually received more and more jobs that include characters. Now, the challenge for me is trying to bring out the charm of these characters. I would like to further polish my skills in this area and continue to grow.

FINAL THOUGHTS  The significance of trucks and buses in daily life is often underestimated. Our vehicles, and others just like ours, play a pivotal role in various aspects of our everyday lives. From children commuting to school to families eagerly anticipating the delivery of Christmas packages, trucks and buses are integral to our daily experiences.

At FUSO, our mission is to consistently serve as a dependable partner for our customers and collaborators, ensuring the timely and joyful delivery of holiday gifts at the end of the season! ■

Download images and use as smartphone wallpaper!