Japanese illustrator Tobihachi (@tonbippo08) has an amazing talent for taking animals and transforming them into incredibly expressive characters such as warriors and nobles, even with apparent nationalities and personalities. You can imagine many of the awesome designed characters fitting into a fantasy novel.

Tobihachi's latest illustrations may fit better in Japanese folklore, however. The series of four includes cats, wolves, tanuki, and foxes--animals with cultural and even spiritual status in Japan--an turns them into "beasts" as Tobiachi writes. While the animals are masterfully drawn, they include awesome details in their clothing and accessories that make them appear as legendary beasts from early Japan.

Wolf

Cat

Tanuki

Fox

Of course, these are just the latest amazing illustrations from Tobihachi. Be sure to follow on Twitter for more great artwork and even check out their published books.