about ARIMARUN

The artist behind ARIMARUN, Meo, is a Malaysian artist who blends traditional sketching and linework with digital coloring. Their journey began at 9 years old, drawing with nothing but a mouse on MS Paint on their mom’s old laptop.Inspired by Hatsune Miku and the beloved local series Boboiboy, Meo discovered a passion for creating anime-inspired characters. It started as a simple hobby and eventually became a serious passion. It leads them to invest in proper art tools and begin sharing their works online around 2014.For years, Meo was best known for their traditional works by using colored pencils as main medium. By 2021, curiosity led them to explore digital art. Today, their style combined both media; traditional linework infused with the coloring of digital tools. Their main medium of choice, ibisPaint X, helps them merge the mixed medium aesthetic.

Meo’s art finds some recognitions across social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube. Their artworks often revolves around their original project HexatoniXBand, an indie rock band made up of six characters; Nouri, Kai, Aina, L, Hairi, and Rosie, along with their mascots Ari and Mar, the mascot of their artist brand. And while original characters are their main focus, Meo also has constantly exploring fandoms such as Vocaloid (especially Miku), and Vtubers in creating fan arts.Beyond their personal projects, Meo has reached some milestones. In 2024, their illustrations were featured as official Vtuber Showcase standees for Jun Yong-Ho (@66JunVT) and Hora Horangi (@HoraHorangiVT) at Animangaki, one of the country’s biggest ACG conventions.On top of that, Meo has brought their works to local university events, hosting live commission booths and selling art prints. This created opportunities for them to connect directly with fans and clients. Meo strives to constantly learn and grow with a deep passion for storytelling through characters and a commitment to pushing their art even more further.